6 Best Exercises to Get Huge Quads Without Squats

If you want bigger quads, the first exercise you will probably think of is squats. Guess what? You're right — for the most part.

Squats are an amazing exercise that can help you build a powerful lower body. However, if you're not used to heavy loads or have any knee issues, squats aren't always the best option for building muscle.

If that's the case — or maybe even if it isn't — there are other exercises that can give your legs all the strength they need to get huge/

Best Non-Squat Exercises for Huge Quads

Here's a look at six such exercises:

#1 Stiff Leg Deadlift

The stiff leg deadlift is a great way to work the quads and hamstrings. As a variation of the conventional deadlift, the stiff-legged deadlift forces you to use straight legs to pull the weight up, essentially making the lift harder.

Here's how you do this exercise:

Use a barbell, and lift with a wide stance.
Keep your back straight, head up, and eyes on the floor in front of you.
Bend at the hips, and lift the weight off the ground.
Remember to keep your legs straight, and correct your form if you feel your knees bending.
Pull the weight up, and rack it without lowering yourself.

#2 Wall-sit

Wall-sits are an excellent way to work the quadriceps.

To do the exercise,

Rest against a wall, and lean back into it so that your legs are parallel to the floor.
Make sure you keep your back straight while doing this exercise.
Don't bend at the hips; make sure they're straight, and don't move up or down during the exercise.
Hold this position as long as possible (ideally 30 seconds).

#3 Leg Press

Leg presses are the perfect exercise for people who want to get huge quadriceps without squatting. They give you a great workout and can help you build muscle.

To do leg presses:

Place your lower legs under the pads of a machine that has two handles on each side.
Extend your legs straight out in front of you till they're at right angles to your body. Lower them back down, and repeat.

#4 Dumbbell Lunge

Dumbbell lunges are another great quad exercise. For this pose, you will need dumbbells in each hand.

To do this exercise:

Stand with the bench behind you with the dumbbells hanging by your side. Place your right foot up behind you, and step back into a lunge.
Keeping both knees pointing forward and not allowing them to splay outward.
Lower yourself till both knees are bent 90 degrees, and return to a standing position by pressing through both feet.
Repeat the movement 15-20 times per leg before resting 60 seconds and repeating for two more sets of 15-20 reps per leg.
That can also be performed with an upright cable column if there isn't access to dumbbells or a bench behind them (although it will likely take some practice).

#5 Leg Extension

Leg extensions are a great exercise for targeting the quads. They're also easy to perform, don't require much equipment, and can be done at home or in the gym at any time.

Here's how it's done:

Start by sitting on a leg extension machine and placing your feet under the support pas.
Select the appropriate weight for your set.
Lift the weight up till your legs are parallel to the floor, and lower it back down.
You can make this exercise more challenging by using just one leg at a time to lift the weight.

#6 Box Jump

Box jumps are among the most effective exercises for building explosive power. They can improve your vertical jump and help you move faster, which means they’re great for sports like basketball, football, and soccer.

Here's how it's done:

You can do box jumps with or without weights — just set up a bench at a height that challenges you but doesn’t cause injury (a good rule of thumb is that your thighs should be parallel to the floor when you jump).
Find a place to stand so that when you step onto it, you have enough room below where your feet land before they hit anything else (you don’t want them smashing into another bench).

Box jumps are easy to modify if one side of your body is weaker than the other. Simply put something under one foot so that both legs take equal amounts of weight throughout the movement.

These jumps are versatile enough that they can be done anywhere: You can do them inside or outside in any weather condition.

Takeaway

With the aforementioned exercises, you can get a great workout and build massive quads without having to squat. You don't need backbreaking weights to build huge quads. The key is to focus on your form, and do a few sets of each exercise every time you work out.