191 Best Quadriceps Exercises, With Photos and Muscle Maps

Front of the thigh. Straightening the knee.

Front

Quadriceps highlighted on the body.

Exercises 191
Primary Target 121 movements
Stretches 20
Location Front of the thigh

Quadriceps Exercises — Primary Target 121

These load the quadriceps directly. Fitnit-tracked movements first, then those with step-by-step photographs.

Squats Squats beginner No Equipment AI tracked Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound beginner Not specified Backward Drag Backward Drag beginner Not specified Barbell Side Split Squat Barbell Side Split Squat beginner Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell Squat beginner Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge Barbell Walking Lunge beginner Barbell Bear Crawl Sled Drags Bear Crawl Sled Drags beginner Not specified Bench Sprint Bench Sprint beginner Not specified Cable Deadlifts Cable Deadlifts beginner Cable Machine Cable Hip Adduction Cable Hip Adduction beginner Cable Machine Chair Squat Chair Squat beginner Machines Depth Jump Leap Depth Jump Leap beginner Not specified Double Leg Butt Kick Double Leg Butt Kick beginner No Equipment Dumbbell Lunges Dumbbell Lunges beginner Dumbbells Dumbbell Squat Dumbbell Squat beginner Dumbbells Fast Skipping Fast Skipping beginner No Equipment Front Cone Hops (or hurdle hops) Front Cone Hops (or hurdle hops) beginner Not specified Goblet Squat Goblet Squat beginner Kettlebell Hack Squat Hack Squat beginner Machines Hip Flexion with Band Hip Flexion with Band beginner Resistance Bands Leg Extensions Leg Extensions beginner Machines Leg Press Leg Press beginner Machines Leverage Deadlift Leverage Deadlift beginner Machines Lunges Lunges beginner No Equipment Mountain Climbers Mountain Climbers beginner No Equipment Plie Dumbbell Squat Plie Dumbbell Squat beginner Dumbbells Quick Leap Quick Leap beginner Not specified Rocket Jump Rocket Jump beginner No Equipment Sandbag Load Sandbag Load beginner Not specified Scissors Jump Scissors Jump beginner No Equipment Side Hop-Sprint Side Hop-Sprint beginner Not specified Side Standing Long Jump Side Standing Long Jump beginner Not specified Side to Side Box Shuffle Side to Side Box Shuffle beginner Not specified Single Leg Butt Kick Single Leg Butt Kick beginner No Equipment Single Leg Push-off Single Leg Push-off beginner Not specified Single-Cone Sprint Drill Single-Cone Sprint Drill beginner Not specified Single-Leg High Box Squat Single-Leg High Box Squat beginner Not specified Single-Leg Hop Progression Single-Leg Hop Progression beginner Not specified Single-Leg Lateral Hop Single-Leg Lateral Hop beginner Not specified Single-Leg Leg Extension Single-Leg Leg Extension beginner Machines Single-Leg Stride Jump Single-Leg Stride Jump beginner Not specified Sled Drag - Harness Sled Drag - Harness beginner Not specified Sled Push Sled Push beginner Not specified Smith Machine Squat Smith Machine Squat beginner Machines Smith Single-Leg Split Squat Smith Single-Leg Split Squat beginner Machines Split Jump Split Jump beginner No Equipment Split Squat with Dumbbells Split Squat with Dumbbells beginner Dumbbells Squats - With Bands Squats - With Bands beginner Resistance Bands Standing Long Jump Standing Long Jump beginner No Equipment Star Jump Star Jump beginner No Equipment Stride Jump Crossover Stride Jump Crossover beginner Not specified Trap Bar Deadlift Trap Bar Deadlift beginner Not specified Barbell Full Squat Barbell Full Squat intermediate Barbell Barbell Hack Squat Barbell Hack Squat intermediate Barbell Barbell Lunge Barbell Lunge intermediate Barbell Barbell Step Ups Barbell Step Ups intermediate Barbell Bench Jump Bench Jump intermediate No Equipment Box Squat Box Squat intermediate Barbell Car Deadlift Car Deadlift intermediate Not specified Clean from Blocks Clean from Blocks intermediate Barbell Clean Pull Clean Pull intermediate Barbell Conan's Wheel Conan's Wheel intermediate Not specified Dumbbell Rear Lunge Dumbbell Rear Lunge intermediate Dumbbells Dumbbell Seated Box Jump Dumbbell Seated Box Jump intermediate Dumbbells Dumbbell Squat To A Bench Dumbbell Squat To A Bench intermediate Dumbbells Dumbbell Step Ups Dumbbell Step Ups intermediate Dumbbells Elevated Back Lunge Elevated Back Lunge intermediate Barbell Frankenstein Squat Frankenstein Squat intermediate Barbell Freehand Jump Squat Freehand Jump Squat intermediate No Equipment Front Squat (Clean Grip) Front Squat (Clean Grip) intermediate Barbell Front Squats With Two Kettlebells Front Squats With Two Kettlebells intermediate Kettlebell Hang Clean Hang Clean intermediate Barbell Hang Clean - Below the Knees Hang Clean - Below the Knees intermediate Barbell Heaving Snatch Balance Heaving Snatch Balance intermediate Barbell Jefferson Squats Jefferson Squats intermediate Barbell Jerk Dip Squat Jerk Dip Squat intermediate Barbell Leg Raises Leg Raises intermediate No Equipment Linear Depth Jump Linear Depth Jump intermediate Not specified Lunge Sprint Lunge Sprint intermediate Machines Lying Machine Squat Lying Machine Squat intermediate Machines Narrow Stance Hack Squats Narrow Stance Hack Squats intermediate Machines Narrow Stance Leg Press Narrow Stance Leg Press intermediate Machines Narrow Stance Squats Narrow Stance Squats intermediate Barbell Olympic Squat Olympic Squat intermediate Barbell Power Snatch from Blocks Power Snatch from Blocks intermediate Barbell Reverse Band Box Squat Reverse Band Box Squat intermediate Barbell Rickshaw Deadlift Rickshaw Deadlift intermediate Not specified Smith Machine Leg Press Smith Machine Leg Press intermediate Machines Smith Machine Pistol Squat Smith Machine Pistol Squat intermediate Machines Snatch Snatch intermediate Barbell Snatch Balance Snatch Balance intermediate Barbell Speed Box Squat Speed Box Squat intermediate Barbell Split Clean Split Clean intermediate Barbell Split Jerk Split Jerk intermediate Barbell Squat with Bands Squat with Bands intermediate Barbell Squat with Chains Squat with Chains intermediate Barbell Squat with Plate Movers Squat with Plate Movers intermediate Barbell Suspended Split Squat Suspended Split Squat intermediate Not specified Tire Flip Tire Flip intermediate Not specified Weighted Jump Squat Weighted Jump Squat intermediate Barbell Weighted Squat Weighted Squat intermediate Not specified Wide Stance Barbell Squat Wide Stance Barbell Squat intermediate Barbell Yoke Walk Yoke Walk intermediate Not specified Barbell Squat To A Bench Barbell Squat To A Bench advanced Barbell Box Squat with Bands Box Squat with Bands advanced Barbell Box Squat with Chains Box Squat with Chains advanced Barbell Front Barbell Squat Front Barbell Squat advanced Barbell Front Barbell Squat To A Bench Front Barbell Squat To A Bench advanced Barbell Kettlebell Pistol Squat Kettlebell Pistol Squat advanced Kettlebell One Leg Barbell Squat One Leg Barbell Squat advanced Barbell One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats advanced Kettlebell One-Arm Side Deadlift One-Arm Side Deadlift advanced Barbell Overhead Squat Overhead Squat advanced Barbell Power Jerk Power Jerk advanced Barbell Reverse Band Power Squat Reverse Band Power Squat advanced Barbell Snatch from Blocks Snatch from Blocks advanced Barbell Speed Squats Speed Squats advanced Barbell Squat Jerk Squat Jerk advanced Barbell Weighted Sissy Squat Weighted Sissy Squat advanced Barbell Zercher Squats Zercher Squats advanced Barbell Burpees intermediate No Equipment

Exercises That Also Work the Quadriceps 70

The quadriceps assists rather than leads in these — useful for volume without repeating the same movement.

Balance Board Balance Board beginner Not specified Box Jump (Multiple Response) Box Jump (Multiple Response) beginner Not specified Box Skip Box Skip beginner Not specified Carioca Quick Step Carioca Quick Step beginner Not specified Clean Deadlift Clean Deadlift beginner Barbell Front Box Jump Front Box Jump beginner Not specified Knee Tuck Jump Knee Tuck Jump beginner No Equipment Lateral Bound Lateral Bound beginner No Equipment Lateral Box Jump Lateral Box Jump beginner Not specified Lateral Cone Hops Lateral Cone Hops beginner Not specified Linear 3-Part Start Technique Linear 3-Part Start Technique beginner Not specified Linear Acceleration Wall Drill Linear Acceleration Wall Drill beginner Not specified Medicine Ball Scoop Throw Medicine Ball Scoop Throw beginner Medicine Ball Moving Claw Series Moving Claw Series beginner Not specified Sled Overhead Backward Walk Sled Overhead Backward Walk beginner Not specified Step-up with Knee Raise Step-up with Knee Raise beginner No Equipment Vertical Swing Vertical Swing beginner Dumbbells Atlas Stone Trainer Atlas Stone Trainer intermediate Not specified Axle Deadlift Axle Deadlift intermediate Not specified Clean Clean intermediate Barbell Clean and Press Clean and Press intermediate Barbell Deadlifts Deadlifts intermediate Barbell Deficit Deadlift Deficit Deadlift intermediate Barbell Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean intermediate Kettlebell

Showing 24 of 70. Browse the full library →

Quadriceps Stretches 20

Mobility work for the same muscles. Full stretch library →

Knee Circles Knee Circles beginner No Equipment Kneeling Hip Flexor Kneeling Hip Flexor beginner Not specified Looking At Ceiling Looking At Ceiling beginner Not specified On Your Side Quad Stretch On Your Side Quad Stretch beginner Not specified On-Your-Back Quad Stretch On-Your-Back Quad Stretch beginner Not specified One Half Locust One Half Locust beginner Not specified Rear Leg Raises Rear Leg Raises beginner No Equipment Sit Squats Sit Squats beginner Not specified Standing Elevated Quad Stretch Standing Elevated Quad Stretch beginner Not specified Standing Hip Flexors Standing Hip Flexors beginner Not specified All Fours Quad Stretch All Fours Quad Stretch intermediate No Equipment Crossover Reverse Lunge Crossover Reverse Lunge intermediate Not specified

Showing 12 of 20. All stretches →

Quadriceps Exercises by Equipment

Barbell 74 quadriceps exercises Kettlebell 22 quadriceps exercises No Equipment 18 quadriceps exercises Machines 15 quadriceps exercises Dumbbells 10 quadriceps exercises Resistance Bands 2 quadriceps exercises Cable Machine 2 quadriceps exercises Medicine Ball 1 quadriceps exercise

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best quadriceps exercises?

Fitnit lists 191 quadriceps exercises, 121 of which train the quadriceps as the primary muscle. The top of that list is Squats, Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound, Backward Drag, Barbell Side Split Squat.

Where is the quadriceps?

Front of the thigh. Straightening the knee.

How do I stretch the quadriceps?

Fitnit lists 20 quadriceps stretches, including Knee Circles, Kneeling Hip Flexor, Looking At Ceiling. Each has photographs and instructions.

Can I train quadriceps at home with no equipment?

Yes — 18 of these need no equipment at all, including Squats, Double Leg Butt Kick, Fast Skipping.

Other Muscle Groups

Chest Exercises Pressing movements and drawing the arms across the body Back Exercises Pulling movements, spinal extension and posture Shoulders Exercises Raising and rotating the arm in every direction Biceps Exercises Bending the elbow and turning the palm upward Triceps Exercises Straightening the elbow Forearms Exercises Grip strength and wrist movement All Muscle Groups The full body map Exercise Library Every movement Fitnit lists

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