6 Best Upper Quad Exercises For Athletes

Physical fitness is considered to be one of the most important factors for success in any field or career. However, few people realize how important upper quad exercises are for fitness enthusiasts and especially athletes. These exercises help build stronger hips and a tighter core, which ultimately help improve the overall athletic performance.

In this article, we will discuss some of the best quadriceps workouts that athletes can do to improve their athletic performance:

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Best Upper Quad Exercises For Athletes

1. Barbell Back Squats

Here is how you can do this exercise:

• Start by grabbing a barbell with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Push your hips back and lower them until the top of your thigh is parallel or below parallel with the floor.
• Once in this position, extend at the knees and hip while keeping an upright back position until you are standing again with straight legs and good posture.
• The elbows should be pointing outwards during this movement (not forward or backward).

When it comes to back squats, you have to make sure that you are doing it correctly to prevent injuries or straining your back.

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2. Dumbbell Walking Lunges

Here's how you can do this workout:

• Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your side with palms facing each other or down towards the ground (the weight should be heavy enough to challenge you).
• Step forward with one leg and lower yourself until both knees are bent at 90 degrees, then push back up to the starting position by driving off of the front foot.
• Repeat this movement for 8-10 times on both legs before swapping over to do the same thing on another side.

This is a great workout to challenge your balance, core muscles, and glutes. It also works out your quads, hamstrings, and calves.

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3. Bulgarian Split Squats

Here's how you can do this exercise:

• First, place the weight onto its end on the floor in front of you while standing with your feet together.
• Then, lift one leg up behind you while keeping your body upright and back straight.
• Lower yourself into a squat position until your knee touches down to the floor while maintaining good posture throughout.
• Make sure that you do not bend forward at all during this movement as it will put unnecessary stress on your lower back muscles!
• Return to an upright position by pushing off with both legs until they're fully extended once again.

Using a barbell, bench, box or step, dumbbells, and even a squat rack are all great options for this exercise.

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4. Leg Extensions

Here are the steps involved in doing this workout:

• Start by sitting on a leg extension machine with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent at 90 degrees.
• Place your shins under the support pads and lock your quads.
• Push the weight up until it is parallel to the ground.
• Lower the weight until it touches your thighs, and then press back up straightening both arms completely with elbows locked out at full extension of motion before returning them to starting position.

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5. Cannonball Squats

Here's how you can do a cannonball squat:

• Begin standing with your inner heels touching and your toes pointing outwards.
• Form a v-shape with your legs, and keep your arms crossed.
• Slowly sit back into a squat, keeping your heels flat on the ground.
• As you descend into the squat, keep your knees behind or just in front of your toes as opposed to pasting them against the inside of your ankles (or behind them).
• Lift up slowly and repeat for reps.

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6. Single-leg Deadlifts

Single-leg deadlifts are performed with a barbell held at hip height in front of you while standing on one foot. Check out the steps involved in doing this exercise:

• You will bend over at a 90-degree angle to grab hold of the barbell with an overhand grip before slowly pulling it towards yourself until your torso is parallel to the floor (keeping your knees slightly bent throughout).
• Keep holding onto the weight as you return back up by straightening out into a standing position again until you feel tension once more.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, leg exercises are an essential part of any athlete's training regime. We hope that this list of six upper quad exercises will help you get started on your journey to becoming a better athlete.