Lower Quad Exercises

**5Six** · 05-22-2006, 04:35 PM

I am trying to work on my tear drop and the outter sweep of my legs. The few exercises I can think of that really hit these areas are. Squats with a narrow stance, front squats and leg presses with toes pointed out and in.

Am I missing any others?

**Stu Pidasso** · 05-22-2006, 04:40 PM

Well there is Hack Squats, and I like barbell accross the back lunges.

I have been working this particular area of my quads for a while.
leg ext lightly 4X15
Front Squat 4x10
Hack Squuat 4X10
leg ext heavy 4X10-15
One legged leg press 4X10
alternating lunges 3X15 each leg

I do hams and glutes with back.

**best regards** · 05-22-2006, 06:49 PM

nah dude narrow squat stance will work your outter quads not lower. and wider stance will work inner quads. this is the same for all muscles. if you wanna isolate lower quads just do partial reps I guess.

**5Six** · 05-22-2006, 07:45 PM

Thanks for the comments guys

**Andrew99** · 05-23-2006, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by best regards

nah dude narrow squat stance will work your outter quads not lower. and wider stance will work inner quads. this is the same for all muscles. if you wanna isolate lower quads just do partial reps I guess.

I use leg press with a narrow foot placemement to work outer quads. Squats with a narrow stance are just too unstable for me. I guess I could use the Smith, but its probably no better than just using a leg press.

**HG_IRON** · 05-23-2006, 04:49 AM

to work vmo (teardrop) wide stance toes out
to work the sweep feet closer and straight ahead.

**Nails** · 05-23-2006, 04:59 AM

You can't work upper/lower. The definition comes from size, leanness and to some extent I suppose genetics.

The exercises listed are good all the same. Extra points for front squats these have really worked my quads especially the outer head/sweep which was struggling previously to including them.

**scott_donald** · 05-23-2006, 05:27 AM

what on earth is a lower and upper quad...

and toe positioning does not make a difference.. read a sudy from nsca or whatever it called about that...

**WillB485** · 05-23-2006, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by scott_donald

what on earth is a lower and upper quad...

and toe positioning does not make a difference.. read a sudy from nsca or whatever it called about that...

Thats true, but stance definetly effects which part of the quad is emphasized. To emphasize the vastus medialis (inner quad muscle, teardrop), you do wide-stance squats. To emphasize the vastus lateralis (outer quad muscle), you do narrow-stance squats. The rectus femoris (middle quad muscle) is used in all stances.

**scott_donald** · 05-23-2006, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by WillB485

Thats true, but stance definetly effects which part of the quad is emphasized. To emphasize the vastus medialis (inner quad muscle, teardrop), you do wide-stance squats. To emphasize the vastus lateralis (outer quad muscle), you do narrow-stance squats. The rectus femoris (middle quad muscle) is used in all stances.

agreed why i have no sweep...

**WillB485** · 05-23-2006, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by scott_donald

agreed why i have no sweep...

Of course normal squats work all of the quad muscles, but Im just saying that it is definetly possible to emphasize a particular muscle. Sure, they all get worked no matter how you do squats, but if you try some narrow stance squats you will feel it a lot on your outer quad and vice versa

**scott_donald** · 05-23-2006, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by WillB485

Of course normal squats work all of the quad muscles, but Im just saying that it is definetly possible to emphasize a particular muscle. Sure, they all get worked no matter how you do squats, but if you try some narrow stance squats you will feel it a lot on your outer quad and vice versa

dam i was agreeing with u...

**WillB485** · 05-23-2006, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by scott_donald

dam i was agreeing with u...

Ah I thought I was detecting sarcasm, guess I was wrong, sorry.

**Lifeforce** · 05-23-2006, 08:21 AM

Widowmaker squats? What's wrong with just squatting? Tom Platz always did narrow stance squats ATG and look at his legs.

**TexAss** · 05-23-2006, 08:25 AM

Atg, Atg, & Atg

**WillB485** · 05-23-2006, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by Lifeforce

Widowmaker squats? What's wrong with just squatting? Tom Platz always did narrow stance squats ATG and look at his legs.

I don't think it is fair to compare the god of legs to normal people like us in terms of what it takes to specialize. You aren't taking all the steroids he took also.

EDIT: for quad development, ATG is not nessicary. I do ATG myself but that is to stimulate the glutes and hams as well.

**5Six** · 05-23-2006, 08:35 AM

Two questions. What are widowmaker squats and ATG. Can't say I ever heard of them.

**WillB485** · 05-23-2006, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by 5-6

Two questions. What are widowmaker squats and ATG. Can't say I ever heard of them.

Widowmaker squats, I believe, are wide-stance.
ATG stands for ass to grass, which means squatting down past parallel to the point in which your butt is close to the ground

**Sunshineslynn** · 05-23-2006, 08:49 AM

ass to grass squats are where you squat till your hams hit your calves then come back up. Make sure to stretch out your legs before though to allow you to get all the way down.

smiles
s

**Lifeforce** · 05-23-2006, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by 5-6

Two questions. What are widowmaker squats and ATG. Can't say I ever heard of them.

Widowmaker = A squat where you take your 10-12 rep max on squats and force out 20 reps by taking pauses STANDING WITH BARBELL ON BACK and breathing. Only do ONE set on legs. If you can do more with equal weight you are lifting too light or you are inhuman. Widowmakers are not part of your workout, they ARE your workout. Increase the weight by 2.5 kg every workout and force out the reps for amazing growth. Ive been doing it the past two weeks and squats have gone from 20x176 to 20x211.. the strength increase is amazing. Legs are growing alot too.

**bkorv** · 05-23-2006, 10:41 AM

You cant focus on the drop or the outer sweep. But you can build up your legs. With bigger legs your problems will be solved. To get bigger legs you have to eat a lot, and go hard and heavy on squats, legpresses, hacklifts, leg extensions, walking lunges and deadlifts.

**WillB485** · 05-23-2006, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by bkorv

You cant focus on the drop or the outer sweep. But you can build up your legs. With bigger legs your problems will be solved. To get bigger legs you have to eat a lot, and go hard and heavy on squats, legpresses, hacklifts, leg extensions, walking lunges and deadlifts.

Well I have been doing only wide-stance and narrow-stance squats for a few weeks, no normal squats, and I am starting to see the teardrop forming and I have gained a very nice sweep to my outer quads.

**bkorv** · 05-23-2006, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by WillB485

Well I have been doing only wide-stance and narrow-stance squats for a few weeks, no normal squats, and I am starting to see the teardrop forming and I have gained a very nice sweep to my outer quads.

That is probably because your whole quadriceps is growing, from your effective workouts. Congratulations!

Researchers has actually done research with EMG tests with people squatting wide other squatted narrow, and there where no difference in the activity of the outer thigh (the vastus lateralis), i have no link to prove, so it is up to you to believe me or not. If you want me too, ill try to explain it anatomically (is that even a word?) why it wont work.

Olympic lifters have tremendous sweeps and they always squat narrow, btw.

**5Six** · 05-23-2006, 08:14 PM

Thanks for the replies guys

**5Six** · 05-24-2006, 06:54 AM

Actaully I got another question. I can't go ass to the grass squats. Once my hams touch my calves and I come back I get a cracking sound in my right knee.

But I am able to just go a few inches from my hammies touching my calves and come back up without the cracking. Should I just do that?

**RavensFan2k3** · 05-24-2006, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by WillB485

I don't think it is fair to compare the god of legs to normal people like us in terms of what it takes to specialize. You aren't taking all the steroids he took also.

EDIT: for quad development, ATG is not nessicary. I do ATG myself but that is to stimulate the glutes and hams as well.

Squating with a wide stance and sitting back when you go down also stimulates the glutes and hams

**Lifeforce** · 05-24-2006, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by WillB485

I don't think it is fair to compare the god of legs to normal people like us in terms of what it takes to specialize. You aren't taking all the steroids he took also.

EDIT: for quad development, ATG is not nessicary. I do ATG myself but that is to stimulate the glutes and hams as well.

Ok, then I take myself as an example. I always do the same squats day in and day out and my legs are pretty good. I don't get why people always try to specialize and say "I have no peak on my biceps" "I have no sweep". The more accurate answer is "You have no mass on that bodypart". Do you really think if you squat hell of a lot weight for 20 reps that your sweep will not grow no matter what your stance is? Do you specialize the deadlift to and let go of the pinkie to hit the upper rhomboids more? No you lift the ****ing weight and increase every workout.

My answer to specialisers are: "Shut up and squat"

**Lifeforce** · 05-24-2006, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by 5-6

Actaully I got another question. I can't go ass to the grass squats. Once my hams touch my calves and I come back I get a cracking sound in my right knee.

But I am able to just go a few inches from my hammies touching my calves and come back up without the cracking. Should I just do that?

The only thing you should listen to when lifting is your own body. Squat the way you want as long as your body agree with you.

**WillB485** · 05-24-2006, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Lifeforce

Ok, then I take myself as an example. I always do the same squats day in and day out and my legs are pretty good. I don't get why people always try to specialize and say "I have no peak on my biceps" "I have no sweep". The more accurate answer is "You have no mass on that bodypart". Do you really think if you squat hell of a lot weight for 20 reps that your sweep will not grow no matter what your stance is? Do you specialize the deadlift to and let go of the pinkie to hit the upper rhomboids more? No you lift the ****ing weight and increase every workout.

My answer to specialisers are: "Shut up and squat"

And that, my friend, is what gives bodybuilders such a "musclehead" reputation. By slightly modifying certain lifts, you can get increased benefits and stimulation for certain muscles. For training your chest, do you just do flat bench and thats it? I mean, the chest is only 1 muscle, why bother doing inclines or declines? This is why you bother: the chest is one muscle, but the fibers for the upper pec and lower pec run in different directions, so you "slightly modify" the bench press by putting it at an angle to stimulate the other muscle fibers in the chest.

Why squat in 1 stance all the time? Why not emphasize different fibers by hitting it from different stances?

I hate when people say retarded crap like "shut up and lift"

**Sunshineslynn** · 05-24-2006, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by 5-6

Actaully I got another question. I can't go ass to the grass squats. Once my hams touch my calves and I come back I get a cracking sound in my right knee.

But I am able to just go a few inches from my hammies touching my calves and come back up without the cracking. Should I just do that?

Maybe your not warmed up enough. I know if I am not really warmed up going into ATG my hip pops. Also taking glucosamine has helped too. But if it hurts dont do it.

smiles
s

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