Quad Power: 4 Best Leg Moves

Strong, stable legs improve athletic performance, daily function, and aesthetics. This short guide presents four highly effective leg exercises you can use in most training programs to build muscle, strength, and balance. For a deeper look at upper-leg variations that complement these moves, see this upper-leg workout guide.

Why these four? They hit the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and stabilizers with compound movement patterns that transfer to real-world strength.

1. Barbell Back Squat

• What it trains: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core.
• How to do it: Feet shoulder-width, chest up, descend to at least parallel, drive through heels to stand.
• Sets/reps: 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps for strength; 3–4 sets of 8–12 for hypertrophy.
• Tip: Prioritize depth and braced torso over ego loads.

2. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

• What it trains: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back.
• How to do it: Hinge at hips with slight knee bend, keep bar close to legs, feel stretch in hamstrings, return by driving hips forward.
• Sets/reps: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps.
• Tip: Control the descent and avoid excessive knee bend to maximize posterior-chain engagement.

3. Bulgarian Split Squat

• What it trains: Quads, glutes, balance, unilateral strength.
• How to do it: Rear foot elevated, front knee tracking over toes, lower until front thigh is near parallel, drive through front heel to stand.
• Sets/reps: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps per leg.
• Tip: Use dumbbells or a barbell; shorter steps emphasize quads, longer steps target glutes.

4. Walking Lunges (weighted)

• What it trains: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, coordination.
• How to do it: Take alternating forward strides, lower until both knees are around 90°, push through front heel to step forward.
• Sets/reps: 3–4 sets of 12–20 steps (total).
• Tip: Keep torso upright and take controlled steps to emphasize muscle tension.

Programming suggestions

• Simple weekly split: 2 leg-focused sessions — one heavy (strength) day using squats and RDLs; one higher-volume day with Bulgarian split squats and lunges.
• Progressive overload: Increase load, reps, or sets gradually and track performance.
• Recovery: Sleep, nutrition, and mobility work matter. Add light mobility or foam rolling between sessions if needed.

Accessory work and core

• Add calf raises, hamstring curls, or leg extensions to target weak points.
• A strong core improves squat and hinge mechanics — pair this leg routine with targeted core work such as the exercises in this core and abs routine to stabilize heavy lifts.

Conclusion

For a concise, science-backed 4-exercise routine focused on building thicker quads, check this resource: Best Leg Workouts (4 Exercises For Thicker Quads) | Stronger Legs.