Do Deadlifts Work the Quads?

When training your lower body, deadlifts are one of the first exercises you should look to, because they are one of the best moves for the group of muscles known as the posterior chain. This includes the hamstrings, lower back, calves and glutes, according to Joe Meglio, strength coach at the Underground Strength Training Gym in New Jersey. Regular deadlifts have little effect on your quads though, which is why you need other exercises in your routine if you want to build strong, balanced leg muscles.

  1. Deadlift Movement

    • Deadlifts rely heavily on one main movement -- hip extension, which primarily involves your glutes and hamstrings. When deadlifting, you need to push your hips back, advises trainer Tony Gentilcore. One of the biggest mistakes new trainees make is trying to squat the weight up when deadlifting, which will hit your quads more. Whether you deadlift with a conventional narrow stance, or a wider sumo stance, your quads shouldn't have too much work to do when you deadlift.

    Deadlift Variations

    • Traditional deadlifts may not work your quads, but other types of deadlifts are more quadriceps-dominant. The trap bar deadlift, performed using a hexagonal-shaped bar with low handles, is much more of a quad exercise than regular deadlifts. Keep your torso upright and let your knees glide forward slightly to shift more of the emphasis onto your quads, advises coach Mike Robertson. While this is still technically a deadlift, the movement is far more similar to a squat.

    Balancing Quadriceps Strength

    • Even if you omit conventional deadlifts from your routine in favor of the trap bar variation, you still need to do additional quadriceps work if you want to increase your lower-body size and strength. Barbell back squats or front squats are perfect complimentary exercises to deadlifts, as they also work multiple muscle groups. Whereas deadlifts are a hip-dominant movement, squats are a knee-dominant movement. They place a higher degree of stress on your quads, but they also work your hamstrings, glutes and lower back, which will assist your deadlift strength.

    Routine

    • If your goal is to build a big deadlift, perhaps for an upcoming powerlifting competition, or if your deadlift strength is low in comparison to your squat strength, then make deadlifts the focus of your routine, with quad-focused exercises added in as accessory movements. Begin each session with a deadlift variation and then perform one or two quad exercises, such as back squats, front squats, lunges or step-ups. If you're looking to build big quads, however, prioritize squatting movements and perform deadlifts second.