Beginner Quad Workout: Build Strong Legs From the Ground Up
This session is for you if you are brand new to leg training and want to start building strength in the front of your thighs — those are your quads, the big muscles that straighten your knee. We'll walk you through a simple, safe routine that teaches your legs how to work, so everyday things like climbing stairs and getting up from a chair start to feel easier.
What the research says
A few things the research tells us are worth knowing before you start. First, going deeper in a squat — meaning bending your knees further — produced greater increases in front thigh muscle size than doing shallow squats, in a 12-week study. Second, both adding weight over time and adding more reps over time led to similar gains in quad thickness in a group of already-trained people over 8 weeks. Third, two different training approaches — doing the same exercises every session versus rotating between different exercises — produced very similar increases in muscle size and strength over 10 weeks in young women.
The evidence here is moderately solid — each finding comes from a controlled study with clear measurements, though sample sizes are small and two of the three studies used participants who already had some training experience, so results may not map perfectly onto true beginners.
A 12-week study compared squatting to a deep range (knee bending to about 120 degrees) versus a shallow range (knee bending to about 60 degrees). The deep squat group showed greater increases in front thigh muscle size (4–7% more than the shallow group), greater isometric knee extension strength at two measured angles, and greater squat jump performance. The shallow squat group achieved a larger strength increase specifically in the shallow version of the movement, while the deep squat group improved strength in both versions.
View study →An 8-week study in resistance-trained individuals compared two programs: one that increased load while keeping reps the same, and one that increased reps while keeping the load the same. Both groups showed similar increases in quad muscle thickness.
View study →A 10-week study in young women compared doing the same exercises each session versus rotating between different exercises each session. Muscle thickness and strength increased similarly between both groups across all measured muscles and sites.
View study →The routine
Warmup
Stand with your hands behind your head, and squat down keeping your torso upright and your head up. This will be your starting position. Jump forward several feet, avoiding jumping unnecessarily high. As your feet contact the ground, absorb the impact through your legs, and jump again. Repeat this action 5-10 times.
Lie face down on the floor, with your arms extended out to your side, palms pressed to the floor. This will be your starting position. To begin, flex one knee and bring that leg across the back of your body, attempting to touch it to the ground near the opposite hand. Promptly return the leg to the starting postion, and quickly repeat with the other leg. Continue alternating for 10-20 repetitions.
Lay face down on the floor with your partner kneeling beside you. Flex one knee and raise that leg off the ground, attempting to touch your glutes with your foot. Your partner should hold the knee and ankle. This will be your starting position. Attempt to extend your knee while your partner prevents any actual movement. After 10-20 seconds, relax your muscles as your partner gently pushes the foot towards your glutes, further stretching the quadriceps and hip flexors. After 10-20 seconds, switch sides.
Main
Stand up straight while holding a barbell placed on the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck). Your feet should be placed wide apart with the foot of the lead leg angled out to the side. This will be your starting position. Lower your body towards the side of your angled foot by bending the knee and hip of your lead leg and while keeping the opposite leg only slightly bent. Breathe in as you lower your body. Return to the starting position by extending the hip and knee of the lead leg. Breathe out as you perform this movement. After performing the recommended amount of reps, repeat the movement with the opposite leg.
This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack to just below shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it. Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times and also maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances discussed in the foot stances section). Begin to slowly lower the bar by bending the knees and hips as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until the angle between the upper leg and the calves becomes slightly less than 90-degrees. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that is perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly. Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel of your foot as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and a barbell across your upper back. Step forward with one leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the ground. Your posture should remain upright, and your front knee should stay above the front foot. Drive through the heel of your lead foot and extend both knees to raise yourself back up. Step forward with your rear foot, repeating the lunge on the opposite leg.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. You can place your hands behind your head. This will be your starting position. Begin the movement by flexing your knees and hips, sitting back with your hips. Continue down to full depth if you are able,and quickly reverse the motion until you return to the starting position. As you squat, keep your head and chest up and push your knees out.
Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands on your hips. Step forward with one leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the ground. Your posture should remain upright, and your front knee should stay above the front foot. Drive through the heel of your lead foot and extend both knees to raise yourself back up. Step forward with your rear foot, repeating the lunge on the opposite leg.
Cooldown
Start off on your hands and knees, then lift your leg off the floor and hold the foot with your hand. Use your hand to hold the foot or ankle, keeping the knee fully flexed, stretching the quadriceps and hip flexors. Focus on extending your hips, thrusting them towards the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds and then switch sides.
Lie face down on the floor, with a rope, belt, or band looped around one foot. Flex the knee and extend the hip of the leg to be stretched, using both hands to pull on the belt. Your knee and your hip should come off of the floor, creating tension in the hip flexors and quadriceps. Hold the stretch for 10-20 seconds, and repeat on the other leg.
Set and rep ranges are general starting suggestions based on this guide's level — adjust to your own experience, and progress gradually.
This entry is for education only and is not medical advice — if you feel sharp pain in your knees or hips at any point, STOP the movement and rest; consult a doctor or physio before continuing.