Calisthenic Exercises to Strengthen Quads

Your quadriceps muscles, collectively known as “quads,” form the large muscle group located on the front of your thighs. The four muscles that make up your quadriceps include the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and vastus medialis. This group of muscles is used to extend your knee and flex your hip. While you can spend a lot of money going to a gym, you can also strengthen and tone your quadriceps using only the force of gravity and your body weight.

  1. Variations Abound

    • A quick search online will provide a plethora of variations to bodyweight exercises, putting in a shift here or a twist there. Although the variations can help target a specific muscle depending on your goals, a few basic exercises can provide a solid foundation for using bodyweight exercises, or calisthenics, to strengthen your quadriceps. Try to perform each exercise until exhaustion, or until you can’t perform another repetition. Also, be sure to warm up your muscles before exercising by doing five to 10 minutes of light cardio, like walking.

    Bodyweight Squat

    • Begin by standing with your feet slightly farther apart than your shoulders, with your toes pointing forward. You can place your hands on your hips or have them resting by your sides. Lean forward slightly and begin bending both knees at the same time. Continue bending your knees until your thighs are nearly parallel to the ground. Pause for a moment and then straighten both knees to return to the starting position. Repeat until you can’t perform another repetition.

    Lunge

    • Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Step forward in an exaggerated step with your right foot and place it on the floor. Begin bending both knees at the same time, lowering your hips toward the floor in the process. Continue bending your knees until your right knee is at a 90-degree angle and your left knee is nearly touching the floor. Hold this position for a second and then slowly straighten both knees to return to the starting position. Repeat for an equal number of repetitions on each side and continue to exhaustion. One variation of this exercise has you alternating your front foot, “walking” down the floor with each repetition.

    The Wall Sit

    • Also known as the “invisible chair,” the wall sit is a little different than the squat and lunge as it places your muscles under strain and holds them there until exhaustion. Begin by standing with your back flat against a wall. Step forward about 2 feet and lean back until your back is once again touching the wall. Bend both knees and slide your back down the wall until both knees are at a 90-degree angle -- as if you were sitting on a chair. Hold this position until you can’t hold it any longer.