Basic exercises for the quadriceps femoris. Quadriceps: structure, features and a set of the most effective exercises for pumping up the thigh muscles. Features of the structure and function of the quadriceps femoris muscle

Quadriceps(quadriceps femoris) - is a large and strong muscle that plays the role of the main extensor of the knee joint. Since the knee joint bears the brunt of the body's weight, the quadriceps is the main muscle of the lower extremities. If the development of this muscle were weak, a person simply would not have upright posture.

The quadriceps muscle itself consists of the following parts: rectus, internal, external and middle. Despite this, the load during exercise falls entirely on the entire muscle.

Biomechanics of the quadriceps

The quadriceps femoris muscle is attached to the tibia through the patella ligament. The muscle performs 2 functions: static and dynamic.

Static function is to prevent the knee joint from buckling while standing.

Dynamic – in maintaining stability of the knee joint during running and jumping.

The peculiarity of the quadriceps is that it consists of two types of muscle fibers: slow and fast. In this case, slow fibers predominate in those parts of the muscle that are aimed at providing static load, fast fibers - in those that are responsible for elasticity. Naturally, the ratio is determined individually for each person, so to achieve good results in pumping up the quadriceps, you need to know which one is dominant for you.

So, for example, people who mainly engage in athletics and team sports have mostly slow-twitch fibers.

Let's look at exercises that will help you pump up your quadriceps.

Squats

There is an opinion that they are the main basic exercise for pumping up huge legs. It’s hard to argue with this, but often when performing this exercise for a long time, the gluteus maximus and minimus muscles, and sometimes the long head of the femoral biceps, undergo hypertrophy. As a result, you get huge pillars of muscle that look more like the legs of a fat person than the legs of an athlete.

The reason for this is that the effectiveness of squats also depends on the ratio of the body length and limbs of the athlete. If the thigh is long, then you will involuntarily tilt your body forward, overloading the lower back muscles. Many athletes often use too much working weight, including not the thigh muscles, but the muscles. This mistake is the most common and makes squats useless. To solve this problem and ensure balanced development of the leg muscles, practice periodically. This method of execution will save you from using excessive working weights and will force the load to fall precisely in the right places.

Squats on a hack machine

This type of squats is an excellent alternative to classic squats. Here the load on the lower back is minimal, and when changing the position of the feet, you can load the quadriceps in different ways. The quadriceps muscle will receive maximum load if you do not put your legs forward, but place your feet close to each other. Statically tighten your abdominal muscles to avoid pelvic displacement and keep your spine in a stable position.

Squats with dumbbells

This exercise should be used by those athletes for whom the gym is not their main place of training. When performing squats with dumbbells, the weight can be held both along the body and on raised arms near the shoulders (as when performing a shoulder press).

Leg press

This exercise specifically loads the quadriceps only when the feet are close to each other (no more than 10 cm) and shifted to the lower edge of the platform. In this case, it will not be possible to lower the platform deeply, but this is not required. The main phase of movement is at the top. Try not to relax your quadriceps at the bottom or fully extend it at the top. Firstly, it is harmful to the knee joint, and secondly, it causes the muscle to relax. It is necessary to remember that your main task is not to squeeze the weight at any cost, but to try to straighten your knees.

Leg extensions

It would seem that we know everything about this exercise. However, we will perform it in a manner that is not entirely typical for this exercise. We will perform the approach with each leg in turn. At the same time, do not drop the weight at the bottom point, and do not fully extend your leg at the top point. As for the range of repetitions, as mentioned above, most athletes have a predominance of slow fibers, so the optimal number of repetitions will be from 10 to 15.

Lunges with dumbbells

This exercise also works great on the quadriceps femoris muscle. You can perform it not for repetitions, but for the distance traveled.

Frequency and intensity of quadriceps training

In general, the number of approaches and repetitions depends on what type of muscle fiber predominates in the muscle. If you have an overwhelming amount of slow-twitch fibers, then train your quadriceps every fourth day, changing exercises periodically: for example, leg presses and lunges, dumbbell squats and seated leg extensions. This technique is justified not only from a physiological point of view, but also makes it possible to fully implement the principle of specialization.

By the way, the result of such training will be visible within a month. Your legs will begin to gain muscle volume in the places where they need to, and not just anywhere.

The quadriceps, or quadriceps muscle, is the largest muscle fiber in our legs. For this reason, it is quite difficult to effectively pump it up at home, since this will require special simulators. Where is this muscle located? What should be the optimal load on the quadriceps for men and women? What do you need to know about exercise technique? And which of them should be included in a comprehensive workout?

Let's start with anatomy. As the name suggests, the quadriceps consists of four interconnected anterior thigh muscles.

Basic functions of the quadriceps

What function does the quadriceps femoris muscle perform in terms of human motor activity? The main task of the “quadriceps” is to ensure the extension of our legs at the knee joints. In addition, together with other muscles and ligaments, it partly contributes to the bending of the legs, and to a lesser extent, to maintaining balance when bending forward in the pelvic region.

Obviously, pumping up the quadriceps will make the hips more powerful (both physically and visually), and will also allow a girl or guy to squat and straighten the body if necessary, even with a significant load.

Features of working with quadriceps

The main thing that beginners need to remember even during their first visits to the gym is that quadriceps exercises should not be “postponed for later.” Why? Because uneven development of the upper and lower body is not only unattractive. It makes it extremely difficult to “even out” such imbalances in the future. In other words, powerful biceps with legs that resemble toothpicks are evidence of:

or professional unsuitability of the coach;
or the excessive independence of a person who has taken responsibility for building his own body at home with an absolutely amateurish level of knowledge about the essence of the issue.

For this reason, strength gymnastics for quadriceps must be built according to a clearly developed plan, and include the development of each of the 4 muscles separately.

Hyperextension, which allows you to simultaneously train the lower back. This is necessary to protect against injury when moving on to heavier exercises.
Leg presses. They have a beneficial effect not only on the quadriceps, but also on the ligaments.
Leg extensions in specialized simulators.

Adding power squats to this list usually begins only after 5-6 months of training.

What else is important to remember when working with quadriceps? Since the strength and reaction speed of the muscles included in its composition are not the same, it is necessary to add aerobic exercises to strength exercises. First of all, this is running, swimming, cycling and, if possible and according to the season, skiing.

It is enough to conduct training sessions once a week. At the same time, choosing from 2 to 3 exercises (with three to four approaches of 10 repetitions each).

Exercises for quadriceps

Extend your legs in the exercise machine

Basic exercise. The main load is on the anterior rectus tibialis muscle.

Technique:

Sit on the machine and fix your legs, the bend in your knees should be 90°.
Raise your legs with effort until they are fully straightened.
Return to starting position.

Nuances:

feet with toes forward - uniform load on all quadriceps muscles;
legs with toes inward - the maximum load will be on the vastus medialis muscles;
legs with toes outward - the maximum load will be on the vastus lateralis muscles;
narrowly set feet - the outer sides of the thighs are mainly loaded;
wide-set feet - the inner thighs are mainly loaded.

A few important rules:

Squats with a barbell

Basic exercise. The main load is on all the muscles of the quadriceps and gluteal muscles.

Technique:

Take the starting position - standing, with your legs spread shoulder-width apart.
Lower the barbell onto your shoulders.
Do a smooth squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Straighten up just as smoothly, returning to the starting position.

Nuances:

When performing the exercise, the toes of the feet should be slightly turned outward;
to emphasize the load specifically on the “quadriceps” and reduce it on the gluteal muscles, you can wear shoes with flat heels or place a special stand about 2–3 cm high under your heels;
and, on the contrary, to pump up the buttocks, the position of the bar changes to lower and shifted back;
Instead of shoulders, it is possible to place the barbell on the upper chest, but this will significantly complicate the exercise and will require reducing the weight of the sports equipment.

A few important rules:

Performing leg press

Technique:

Take the starting position - reclining in the exercise machine, with your feet on the platform.
Smoothly lower the load until the bend angle of your legs reaches 90°.
Then reverse the movement until the legs are completely straightened.

Nuances:

feet placed on the lower edge of the platform - the load is almost exclusively quadriceps;
feet placed on the upper edge - part of the load will shift to the muscle groups of the buttocks and back of the thighs;
legs set wide - the medial muscles of the thighs, as well as the adductors and sartorius muscle fibers are mainly loaded;
legs placed shoulder-width apart - uniform load on all quadriceps muscles;
legs placed narrowly - the maximum load will be on the vastus lateralis and abductor muscles.

A few important rules:

to shift the load from the buttocks and back of the thighs almost entirely to the quadriceps, adjust the seat angle so that it is significantly greater than 90°;
the same effect can be achieved by leaning on the platform only with your toes, without your heel, when bending your legs (in addition, this will reduce the pressure on your knees).

Note! An important advantage of this machine over the barbell is its complete safety for the spine.

Squatting in the gym

Basic exercise. The main load is on all the muscles of the quadriceps, as well as on the muscle groups of the buttocks and the back of the thighs.

Technique:

Take the starting position - stand on the machine with your legs spread shoulder-width apart, press your back to the back support plane, adjust the pillows with the barbell so that they rest against your shoulders.
Do a smooth squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Straighten up just as smoothly, returning to the starting position.

Nuances:

legs placed shoulder-width apart - uniform load on all quadriceps muscles;
legs placed narrowly - the maximum load will be on the vastus lateralis and abductor muscles;
legs set wide - the inner sides of the thighs are mainly loaded, as well as the adductor and sartorius muscle fibers;
feet placed closer to the rear edge of the platform - the load is almost exclusively quadriceps;
feet placed closer to the front edge - part of the load will shift to the muscle groups of the buttocks and back of the thighs.

The toes of the feet should be slightly turned outward when performing the exercise.

Doing lunges with dumbbells

Basic exercise. The only thing that does not require visiting the gym.

Technique:

These TOP 5 exercises should definitely be considered the most important when working with quadriceps. And yes, before performing the exercises, it won’t hurt to carefully study the corresponding video lessons.

Legs are a very important part of our body, as they perform many functions in our life. That is why they need to be given special attention. And if you are involved in bodybuilding, then large and prominent legs are especially important for you. So let's figure it out how to pump up your legs: quadriceps and hamstrings?

Before you start breaking down your leg workout (basic recommendations), let's take a quick look at the anatomy. We need information on anatomy so that we can develop large and sculpted legs as correctly as possible, with minimal risk of injury and maximum progressive effect.

So, in essence, the legs are the largest muscles in our body and they are divided into four large parts:

Quadriceps
Hamstrings
Buttocks
Calf

In order to achieve attractive, harmoniously developed legs, you definitely need to train all four parts. Moreover, the load should be distributed evenly.

In this article we will not touch on the calf muscles. (we'll talk about them another time) and gluteal (I already talked about them earlier). Let's look only at the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Quadriceps- The quadriceps muscle, which occupies the front of the leg. Its main function is to extend the leg at the knee. The quadriceps consists of four parts (direct, medial, lateral and intermediate), each of which has its own beginning, but at the end point all parts pass into a common tendon.

the straight part is the longest part, which is located on the front surface of the quadriceps
medial part - the wide part that covers the anteromedial surface of the lower half of the quadriceps
lateral part - the wide part that covers almost the entire anterolateral surface of the quadriceps
pars intermedius - the wide part that is located between the medial and lateral parts, directly under the rectus quadriceps muscle

Biceps hamstrings- biceps muscle, which occupies the back of the leg. Its main function is to bend the leg at the knee. The biceps femoris consists of two parts (long and short).

We talked briefly about anatomy, now let's look at the best exercises to understand how to pump up your legs (quadriceps and hamstrings) quickly and effectively.

Quadriceps:

Hack - squats
Leg press in the simulator
Leg extensions while sitting in a machine
Lunges

Hamstrings:

Deadlift on straight legs
Hyperextension

Based on these exercises, you can already create a training program.

Basic rules for leg training:

Correct technique (it is very important to follow the correct technique in all exercises to avoid damaging the joints)
Even load on front and rear parts (to make your legs look beautiful, you need to evenly load both quadriceps and hamstrings)
Rep range: 12 – 15, possibly 18 (legs love and respond better to repeated training). But there is one BUT, multi-repetition is not for everyone (most, but not all), there are people who do best with a rep range of 6 – 10 (need to experiment)
Maximum range of motion (you need to stretch and contract your muscles as much as possible, only then will you get real progress)
Progression of loads (a prerequisite for training any muscle group)

How to pump up your legs – Training programs:

Scheme No. 1:

This scheme is designed for those people who work out in the gym for 9 - 12 weeks (so to speak, a scheme for beginners).

Squats with a barbell on your shoulders 1*20/4*15

Deadlift on straight legs 1*20/4*15

Scheme No. 2:

The second scheme is suitable for those people who have already been training for more than 6 months. Also, at the end of the workout, you can add one exercise for the calf muscles (optional).

Squats with a barbell on your shoulders 1*20/1*15/3*12

3*12 – 15

Deadlift on straight legs 1*20/1*15/3*12

Leg bending while lying in the simulator 3*12 – 15

Scheme No. 3:

The third scheme is intended for people with good training experience. This scheme is contraindicated for beginners, as you can easily get overtrained. Also, at the end of the workout, you can add two exercises for the calf muscles (optional).

Squats with a barbell on your shoulders 1*20/1*15/1*10/4*6

Leg press in the simulator 3*12 – 15

Leg extension while sitting in a machine 4*12 – 15

Deadlift on straight legs 1*20/1*15/2*10/3*6

Leg bending while lying in the simulator 5*12 – 15

Sincerely,

The thigh muscles are the largest muscles in the human body. The overall physical shape of the athlete, his weight, strength indicators in various movements, and metabolic rate depend on their strength and mass. The influence of well-developed thigh muscles on the health of the genitourinary system, hip and knee joints is also undeniable. Therefore, it makes sense to thoroughly understand the structure and functions of the thigh muscles. This will give you a deeper understanding of the essence of the exercises performed in the gym.

Quadriceps femoris

As the name suggests, the muscle consists of four parts (bundles), and is also called the quadriceps. Many people may be missing one of the muscles (anatomical variation).

The main function of all parts of the quadriceps muscle is to extend the leg at the knee and flex the hip (bringing the thigh closer to the abdomen).

Vastus lateralis muscle (m. vastus lateralis)

The largest of all the muscles of the thighs. A flat, unipennate muscle that determines the roundness of the lateral part of the thigh.

It is located on the lateral surface of the thigh and extends to the front of the thigh in the knee area. The upper end is attached to the femur in the area of the hip joint. Bottom - to the patella and tibia (tibia).
The top is covered by the fascia lata (a long, flat tendon on the side of the thigh that connects the muscles of the pelvis and lower leg).

The main function of the vastus lateralis muscle is:

extends the lower leg (extends the leg at the knee)

Quadriceps femoris is involved in exercises such as running, jumping, squats, lunges and in general in all movements in which the leg extends at the knee.

Vastus medialis (m. vastus medialis)

A thick, flat muscle located on the inside of the thigh, extending onto the front of the thigh near the knee. This muscle forms a rounded ridge on the inside of the knee, especially noticeable when you are sitting.

With its upper end, the muscle is attached along the entire length (from the inside) of the femur, and with its lower end it forms the suspensory ligament of the patella.

The main function of the vastus medialis muscle is:

Extends the lower leg (extension of the leg at the knee)

M. vastus medialis is involved in exercises such as running, jumping, squats, lunges and in general in all movements in which the leg extends at the knee.

Vastus intermedius muscle (m. vastus intermedius)

It is a flat lamellar muscle located between the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis. It is hidden under their edges and covered on top by the rectus femoris muscle (see below).

The upper end of the muscle is attached to the femur in the area of the hip joint, and the lower end participates in the formation of the patellar ligament.

The main function of the vastus intermedius muscle is:

Extends the lower leg (extends the leg at the knee)

M. vastus intermedius is involved in exercises such as running, jumping, squats, lunges and in general in all movements in which the leg extends at the knee.

Rectus femoris (m. rectus femoris)

A long fusiform muscle located on the front of the thigh above all the other quadriceps muscles. With its upper end, the muscle is attached to the pelvic bone (lower anterior iliac spine above the acetabulum), and with its lower end it participates in the formation of the knee ligament.
This muscle is remarkable in that it is not attached to the femur. It is clearly visible on the front surface of the thigh, determining its roundness.

The main functions of the rectus femoris muscle:

Hip flexion (pulling the thigh toward the abdomen)

Shin extension (leg extension at the knee)

M. rectus femoris is involved in movements such as running, jumping, maintaining body balance, squats, and pulling the legs towards the body. Actively works in conjunction with the abdominal muscles when performing exercises for its development. It is an integral part.

Sartorius muscle (m. sartorius)

This is a narrow ribbon-shaped muscle up to 50 cm long. It runs diagonally from the outer part of the hip joint to the inner part of the knee joint. The muscle sits on top of other muscles on the front of the thigh and is clearly visible when there is low subcutaneous fat.

The upper end of the muscle is attached to the bones of the pelvis (superior anterior iliac spine of the ilium), and the lower end is attached to the tibia (shin). It is curious that this muscle is not involved in extending the leg at the knee, although it belongs to the quadriceps.

The main functions of the sartorius muscle:

Hip flexion (pulling the hip towards the body)

Abduction and external rotation of the hip

M. Sartorius is involved in movements such as running, walking, bending the legs at the knees, pulling the hips towards the body, and rotating the hips. Therefore, by performing exercises in which weight is overcome by bending the leg at the knee, as well as by flexing the hip (pulling it towards the body), you also develop this muscle.

Collectively, these muscles are called the biceps femoris. These muscles determine the shape of the back of the thigh, its roundness. They also partly influence the filling of the space between the thighs.

Biceps femoris (m. biceps femoris)

A long, spindle-shaped muscle that runs along the entire back of the thigh. It consists, as the name suggests, of two heads: long and short. The long head is attached at the upper end to the ischial tuberosity of the pelvic bone, and at the lower end to the tibia (tibia). The short upper part is attached to the back surface of the femur, and the lower part is attached to the tibia.

The main functions of the biceps femoris muscle:

Shin flexion (bending the leg at the knee)

Hip extension (moving the hip back or straightening the torso from a tilted position)

Maintaining body balance

M. biceps femoris is actively involved in bending the legs, in all movements in which the hip needs to be pulled back, and in extending the body from a tilted position.

Lack of flexibility and strength in the hamstrings is often the cause of back pain, poor posture, and problems with the knee joints.

Semitendinosus muscle (m. semitendinosus)

A long, flat, tapering muscle lying medial (closer to the middle of the body) in relation to the biceps femoris muscle. The upper part of the muscle is attached to the ischial tuberosity of the pelvic bone. The lower one is to the tibia (lower leg).

The main functions of the semitendinosus muscle:

Shin flexion (bending the leg at the knee)

M. semitendinosus is actively involved in bending the legs, in all movements in which the hip needs to be pulled back, and in extending the body from a tilted position.

Semimembranosus muscle (m. semimembranosus)

A long, flat muscle located in the posterior inner part of the thigh. The upper end is attached to the ischial tuberosity of the pelvic bone. The lower end - to various parts of the tibia and fascia of the lower leg muscles.

The main functions of the semimembranosus muscle:

Hip extension (moving it back or straightening the body from a tilted position)

Shin flexion (bending the leg at the knee)

M. semimembranosus is actively involved in leg flexion, in all movements in which the hip is required to be pulled back, and in extension of the body from a tilted position.

Muscles of the inner thigh

These muscles are generally called adductors. Their main function is to bring the femur inward.

Thin muscle (m. gracilis)

A long, ribbon-shaped muscle located on top of all other muscles on the inside of the thigh. Its upper part is attached to the pubic bone, and its lower part is attached to the tibia (shin bone).

Main functions of the gracilis muscle:

Shin flexion (bends the leg at the knee)

Turning the shin inward

M. gracilis is actively involved in all leg movements: running, walking, squatting, maintaining body balance.

Pectineus muscle (m. pectineus)

A flat muscle, attached at the upper end to the pubic bone, and at the lower end to the inner part of the middle of the femur.

Main functions of the pectineus muscle:

Hip adduction (pulls it inward)

Hip flexion (pulls the hip towards the body)

M. pectineus is actively involved in all leg movements: running, walking, squatting, maintaining body balance.

Long adductor muscle (m. adductor longus)

Flat thick muscle. The upper end is attached to the pubic bone, and the lower end to the inner part of the middle of the femur.

Main functions of the adductor longus muscle:

Hip adduction (pulls it inward)

External hip rotation

M. adductor longus is actively involved in all leg movements: running, walking, squats, maintaining body balance.

Short adductor muscle (m. adductor brevis)

A flat muscle that expands downwards. Attached at the upper end to the outer surface of the body and pubic bone. The lower (wide end) – to the inner part of the femur.

The main functions of the adductor brevis muscle:

Hip adduction (pulls it inward)

Hip flexion (pulls the hip toward the body, moving it forward)

M. adductor brevis is actively involved in all leg movements: running, walking, squats, maintaining body balance.

Large adductor muscle (m. adductor magnus)

The largest of the adductor muscles, its volume determines the degree to which the space between the thighs is filled. The picture shows the rear view.

Its upper end is attached to the ischial tuberosity of the pelvis and pubic bone. The lower (very widened end) is attached to the inner part of the femur almost along its entire length.

The main functions of the adductor magnus muscle:

Hip adduction (pulls it inward)

Rotates the hip outward

Internal bundles are involved in hip extension (pulling it back and straightening the body from a tilted position)

M. adductor magnus is actively involved in all leg movements: running, walking, squatting, maintaining body balance.

Muscles of the outer thigh

Tensor fascia latae (m. tensor fascia latae)

In general, this is the only muscle, with the exception of the buttock muscles, that is involved in hip abduction.

This is a flat, elongated muscle, tapering downward. The upper end is attached to the anterior iliac spine, and the lower end of this muscle passes into the fascia lata of the thigh - a long tendon that stretches to the lower leg. Being well developed, it gives a pleasant roundness to the lateral surfaces in the pelvic area.

The main functions of the tensor fascia lata are:

Tension of the fascia lata (which is necessary for normal leg function when walking and running)

Strengthening the knee joint by stretching the fascia lata

Hip flexion

M. tensor fascia latae is actively involved when walking, running, and performing exercises on one leg.

Well, one last thing to say. that the muscles of the thighs and the muscles of the buttocks are interconnected anatomically and according to the functions they perform. A person is characterized by movements in which these muscles work in conjunction: walking, running, squats, bending. As a rule, exercises for developing legs also perfectly develop the buttocks.

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The quadriceps is a powerful muscle located on the front of the thigh. It ensures mobility of the knee, hip joints and a number of other important functions. It has a rather complex structure and can withstand significant loads.

The right approach to training

Working the quadriceps muscle requires a lot of time and effort. During the training process, four zones are simultaneously loaded: straight, internal, external and middle.

Experts do not recommend training quadriceps and hamstrings at the same time. A separate training regimen with mandatory good rest and a balanced diet will create an optimal balance between the development of the hamstrings and the sculpted forms of the quadriceps muscle.

It’s not difficult to create a training program; there are many basic and additional types of training.

Basic (basic) quadriceps exercises:

squats
leg press in the gym
Hackenschmidt squat (hack squat)

The most effective training is squats. But for deeper development and the formation of beautiful relief, choose diverse exercises for the uniform development of all zones of the quadriceps muscle.

Before performing the training complex, a full warm-up is necessary with an emphasis on the lower body in order to warm up and stretch muscle tissue, tendons and prepare joints for hard work.

The best exercises for quadriceps

This is one of the best exercises for forming massive relief. It is classified as difficult, since it involves the hip, knee and ankle joints. Allows you to work with heavy weights.

One of the reasons why the press is so popular is the ability to change the point of load concentration between the quadriceps and gluteal muscles by using different foot positions. It is worth considering that the main task is not to “take” the weight at any cost, but to try to perform technical movements without fully extending your knees.

Correct technique is very important, as even minor deviations will redistribute the load between other muscle groups.

It is necessary to accurately reproduce the starting position for this press:

It is convenient to lie on the back of the machine so that your back and shoulders fit tightly to it.
Place your hands on the handles blocking the limiter.
Place your feet on a platform shoulder-width or narrower, toes slightly turned outward, heels inward. The position of your feet wider than your shoulders is the most practical for working with heavy weights.
Remove the machine from the restraints.

Squeeze the platform as high as possible until the knee joints are fully straightened. This is the starting position for the press. They begin to work while inhaling. The legs bend smoothly, the platform moves down. At the lowest point, the angle between the shin and thigh should be straight.

Having reached the extreme position, exhale and powerfully push (squeeze) the plane with the load upward. Do not straighten the knee joints completely! Make the planned number of repetitions.

Squat

This is one of the most important and accessible quadriceps exercises. When performing it, all the main and auxiliary muscle groups of the lower body and the stabilizing muscle groups of the torso are loaded. The “leg” complex must include squats.

It is important to perform it technically. Start training with light weights, gradually adding load. Solid weights can be used only after each movement has been felt and practiced until it becomes automatic. Experts recommend not to neglect the special belt. This will reduce the load on the spine and protect against injury. As with the press, you can change the placement of your feet (width/angle of stance), which will stimulate the buttocks and thighs differently.

When performing such an exercise, especially with heavy weight, provide backup: use the services of a coach or another athlete. All equipment is described in detail in.

Smith machine squat

This is a special machine where the rod moves along a vertical path. It is quite easy to use, but at the same time very effective, so it is very popular among athletes.

Hack squats are an excellent training for developing the quadriceps muscle and quickly increasing the volume of the thighs.