Quadriceps Training with Kathie

We often talk about our quadriceps, or quads, as if it’s just one solid muscle.

But your quadriceps femoris is actually a group of four muscles located at the front of your thigh.

In fact, that’s how it got its name. Quadriceps is the Latin word for “four-headed.” Your quadriceps are some of the largest and strongest muscles in your body.

These four muscles work together to help you do all sorts of things that you might take for granted, like standing, walking, and running.

They keep your kneecap stable and help you maintain your standing posture. They also help you take steps when you’re walking or running.

All four muscles allow you to extend your lower leg from your knee. And your rectus femoris muscle assists in flexing your thigh at the hip.

Keeping your quads strong can help reduce stress on your knees and improve the stability of your kneecaps. It can also improve your athletic performance in many ways. Fortunately, putting together an exercise routine for your quads doesn't require much.

If you have knee problems it is wise to do exercises to keep your quadriceps strong. Heck, even if you do not have knee problems it is still wise to combat the issues that could arise by keeping your quads strong.

The leg extension is the only place you can isolate the quadriceps.

When you train legs other muscle groups kick in to help. That is why it can be challenging to isolate the quadriceps.

As an older adult, it is important to train the quadriceps so as to prevent knee injury and help aid in movement. This muscle group also helps stabilize and balance us. We tend to lose balance as we age.

I used to watch Steve Cook and Jeff Nippard on YouTube. I am going to link their videos here. Please do not think that just because these guys are young and bodybuilders that this does not apply to you. It is very important to pay attention to how they do the exercise. Jeff is really good about explaining the “nerdy” part of working out.

Steve is a vlogger so expect some tips about his life in his videos. Jeff is more of a science-muscle guy. Both of them provide great tips and ideas for workouts.

And for my girls, I include some Whitney Simmons (good ole days) workouts. Not real hip on Whitney but she does have some great workouts - at least back in the day!

Girls, don’t skip past the guy videos, they do have great tips. I almost didn’t include Whitney at all, cuz, well, she annoys me! If you want to know why ask! I’ll be happy to share! 🙃🤣

FAQs about Quadriceps

• Why train the quadriceps?

  The quadriceps play a critical role in explosiveness and athletic movements, they contribute huge strength output to squats and deadlifts, and help to round out a balanced physique.

• Benefits of having strong legs?

  Maintains good body symmetry.

  Prevents osteoporosis and maintains good bone health.

  Makes joints stronger.

  Strengthens the core.

  Improves functional movements.

  Helps lose fat.

  Provides better aesthetics and muscularity.

  Promotes better muscle conditioning and body composition.

• Is it good to have strong thighs?

  It can also increase your overall balance. For those who participate in sports, strengthening your legs will help with many skills such as jumping, running, and other powerful movements that are of vital importance to your performance. Working legs can help correct muscle imbalances and aid in injury recovery.