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Quadricep Muscle
Quadriceps or rectus femoris is perhaps one of the largest muscle groups in your body and should be trained with the same intensity as your biceps femoris or hamstrings. Quadriceps are extremely important for any athlete and should be trained in compound movements to maintain symmetry with your hamstrings.Function
The function of the quadriceps or Rectus Femoris are for knee extension and hip flexion.
Origin
The origin of the quadriceps attach onto the Illiac Spine of the Ilium and the lateral, anterior and medial surface of the femur.
Insertion
The quadriceps insert onto the patellar tendon of the Tibia.
Training
Training recommendations for the quadriceps should consist of many major compound exercises such as the squat, lunge, jump squat, and deadlift.
Exercises
Picture | Name of Exercise | ||||
Snatch Begin the "Snatch" exercise by standing comfortably with bent knees, arms outside your knees, flat feet, back straight, head up, and the toes pointed slightly outward. Start... | |||||
Clean and Jerk Clean: Start in a bent over position with your knees slightly bent and feet shoulder width apart. Grip the bar just wider than shoulder width. Pull the bar off the ground keeping... | |||||
Hack Squat With your body firmly under the pads and your feet slightly out raise the machine with your calves and then unhook the safeties. Now lower your body until your knees reach a 90 de... | |||||
One Legged Smith Split Squat Stand underneath a smith machine with the bar lying against your trapezius muscles. With one leg behind your body on a bench or ball lower your body slowly using the front leg. N... | |||||
Deadlift (Bent Leg) Bend over with your hands as an alternate grip. With your knees slightly bent and your arms locked out lift with your lower back, hamstrings and quads. Raise in a powerful quick ... | |||||
Walking Lunges To begin a walking lunge stand upright with or without weights in your hands. Now take a lunge forward while never letting your knee go 'over' your toe. Once at the bottom of the... | |||||
Squats (Elastic Band) Start with the band underneath your feet and the other ends over your shoulders with both hands gripping either end. Now slowly complete a squat by not letting your knees go over ... | |||||
Jump Squat To perform the dumbbell Jump Squat grab light dumbbells and put them at your side. Next, proceed into a squat position with your thighs level with the ground. Explode up pushing ... | |||||
Cable Bent-Leg Deadlift To begin the Cable Bent-Leg Deadlift stand with your feet shoulder width apart and while keeping your back straight bend at your knees to pick up the cable (with an alternate hand ... | |||||
Calisthenics Elbow Instep Lunge The calisthenic elbow instep lunge is performed like an ordinary lunge with the exception of extending your body forward and putting your similar leg and elbow together as shown. ... | |||||
Wide Stance Squats (Duck Squats) Take a wide stance with toes pointing out while holding a dumbbell with both hands. While keping your back straight and head up, bend at the knees until your thighs are parall... | |||||
Front Squats Rest a barbell over the front part of your shoulders by crossing your arms and holding the bar in place. Squat down, keeping your back straight and head up, until your thighs ... | |||||
Split Lunge on the Ball Start by standing tall and then putting one leg back on a ball. You may need support so have your spotter close by. Now while never letting your knee over your front toe lower yo... | |||||
Elastic Band Lunges Start with the band underneath your feet with one leg out in front and one leg behind you. Now without letting your knee go over your toe let your body come down and without letti... | |||||
Cable Squats To perform Cable Squats stand upright with the straight bar in a curled position. ... | |||||
Push Press This exercise is meant for overall power and strength. This exercise should only be performed if you are an advanced trainer or supervised by a spotter. Start by standing up with... | |||||
Safety Squats A safety squat is identical to a regular 90 degree bent leg toes straight ahead squat except a special bar is used. The bar allows easy entry into a deep squat which keeps your ba... | |||||
Dumbbell Power Cleans Start by standing as shown with the weights at knee height. Space your feet shoulder width apart with your head up. Lift the dumbells powerfully using mostly your legs and truck ... | |||||
DeadLift To begin the Deadlift stand with your feet shoulder width apart and while keeping your back straight bend at your knees to pick up the barbell (with an alternate hand grip). | |||||
Ball Squats Start by having the ball in the small of your back against the wall. Now while your in the standing position slowly lower your body keeping your knees behind your toes. Lower unt... | |||||
Squats With the barbell on the rack (at shoulder height), approach it with the back of your shoulders having the weight. While keeping your back and head straight, lift the weight off th... | |||||
Lunges Start by standing vertical and grasping weights in either hands. Then proceed to extend one leg forward (as shown), and then with your back straight and head up lower your body by... | |||||
Leg Press Position yourself on the leg press machine comfortably. Put your feet up and hands on the grips at the side. While keeping your back pressed against the support and head straight... | |||||
Two Foot Long Jump To start the two foot long jump dip into a 45 degree squatting position and swing your arms backwards. Now lean forward and throw your arms infront of your body as you explode upw... | |||||
Leg Extension To perform the leg extension, sit comfortably in the leg extension machine. Keeping your back and head straight, raise the weight until it is straight (as shown). Then proceed to... |
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Cardiovascular
Picture | Name of Cardiovascular Exercise |
Swimming:Swimming is an excellent cardiovascular/muscular defining exercise. Swimming is a great rehab exerc... | |
Football:American football is america's most popular sport and involves high intensity exercise for usually a... | |
Golf:Golf is the most popular sport for people over the age of 40 and is growing rapidly. This social wa... | |
Boxing:This is definitely one of the most intense cardiovascular exercises known to man. Boxing must be in... | |
Aerobics:Aerobics is the most popular aerobic exercises performed mostly by women. There are many different... | |
Hockey:Hockey is a great sport that can be played by just about anyone at any age. Performance recommendat... | |
Skiing:Skiing is an incredible cardiovascular workout that is usually around 5-10 minutes of instense squat... | |
Squash:Squash is a great anaerobic exercise that can be played by all ages. Here are some great squash lin... | |
Yoga:Yoga isn't usually considered a cardio exercise but it does make you sweat and improves your flexibi... | |
Stepper:This exercise was made popular by the popular myth of spot reducing (you cannot lose the fat ... | |
Shuttle Run:To begin this exercise stand in the middle of two lines. In this example we will use the 0, 20 and ... | |
Treadmill:This is the most popular cardiovascular exercise. Due to the impact on the knees and other joints, ... | |
Running or Jogging:Jogging is probably one of the most popular exercises in the world and with good reason. It is as i... | |
Biking or Cycling:Biking or cycling is a tremendous cardiovascular workout and requires very little equipment which mo... | |
Walking:While intense walking is a good aerobic exercise it is probably more used as a weight loss tool than... | |
Housework or Cleaning:While most people wouldn't call this a cardiovascular exercise, it certainly is one. Cleaning the h... | |
Dancing:Dancing is an excellent cardio workout that can be done by anyone at any level.... | |
Recumbent Bike:This exercise is very popular for people who do not want to jog and run. Make sure to adjust the se... | |
Elliptical or Cross Trainer:This is the newest in cardiovascular equipment, and because of its low impact on the knees it will b... | |
Cross-Country Skiing:Similar to the elliptical machine but this exercise is a sport. It is mostly performed at a slower ... | |
Baseball:Baseball needs no introduction, this sport is known around the world as a moderate intensity (short ... | |
Sprinting:Sprinting involves 100% intensity followed by a period of rest. This could be deemed a high intensit... | |
Soccer:Soccer is the worlds sport as it is offically the most popular sport in the world. Usually this spo... |
Plyometric
Image | Name of Plyometric | |
One Foot Box Jumps: Start on one side of the box/bench/whatever with one leg off the ground, then squat down and jump ov... | ||
Side Box Jumps: Start on one side of the box/bench/whatever in a squat position. Jump up pushing off horizontally w... | ||
Jump Rope: Start with a skipping rope and jump while the rope is going underneath your feet. Visit | Double Knee Jumps: Start by standing in a squat position. Jump up with two feet while tucking your knees into your che... | |
Double Stair Jumps: Start by standing infront of a set of stairs in a squat position. Jump with two feet bringing your k... |
Stretches and Flexibility
Image | Name of Flexibility Exercise |
Hip Flexor Stretch: This stretch is important for running or any other type of aerobic activity that includes your lower... | |
Thigh or Quad Stretch: Start by standing while grabbing one foot and putting it against your glut. While starting by holdi... |
Forum Discussions
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Questions about "resistance excercises" | Hello; I'm a total newbie to this. Here's my situation... * I'm in my late 50's, and currently on a medically supervised weight loss diet. The weight loss so far is very nice. * The weight-loss specialist doctor has recommended that I take u... |
Rope Hack for quadriceps | I am doing the Dave Hawk Ultimate Transformation workout. Month 1 has a giant set with single-leg extension and giant set with rope hack (no weight). I can't find any information on how to do the rope hack.... |
Undertrained Hamstrings | Hey, i started doing weights about 7 months ago and i didn't have much knowledge in the area. I done alot of leg training which i thought was fine, but i was only doing leg extensions. further on i grew knowledge and realised my hamstrings were wa... |
Stretching/Fat | I have been wondering does streching result in fat loss? For example if I streched my legs for a period of time would I lose fat and gain muscle?? And also what are some streches for the quadriceps? I would appreciate it if I got a reply! Thanks a lo... |
Pain in right knee cap area | A month ago I felt pain in my right knee and had to stop my jogging. I have not seen a doctor because the pain in not severe anymore, but lingers in my knee cap primarily when I go up stairs (which I must since in my home). I read that with that in... |
Weights to be used by a beginner while performing Quadricep exercises | My mother has been prescribed quadricep excercises by her doctor. Can you please throw some light on what is the correct dumbell weight she should use to eprform these exercises. She is 58 years old... |
Workout program -- ok?? | Hi, I've been working out for about 4 months now and I've lost about 25 pounds.. But I'd like to start getting a more well defined work out program (hopefully to stimulate more/better muscle growth). I've found that I am (for the most part) ... |