6 Effective Quad Exercises for Women to Get Stronger Legs

Women are no strangers to leg exercises for the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. We all want to have shapely, strong legs. However, the focus on these muscles should not only be for the aesthetics.

Although weight training for women can seem a little intimidating, there are several benefits to it. This is especially true for our legs, as they carry us around through the day.

The quads are essentially the muscles on the front of the thighs, which can sometimes be seen bulging outward on bodybuilders. They are important for most movements in the lower body, such as walking, running, climbing the stairs, sitting and standing, etc.

Best exercises for women to strengthen their quads

Let's take a look at some of the most effective exercises for women who want to get bigger quads:

1) Barbell squat

Here’s an exercise to fire up your entire leg. The barbell squat is a popular exercise across exercisers of different age groups and fitness levels. All you would need is a barbell on the power rack.

Here are the steps you can follow to do the barbell squat correctly:

Stand within the rack. Dip below the barbell to rest it on your shoulders behind your neck and grip it firmly. Step back from the rack and straighten yourself, with your feet hip-distance apart.
Push your hips back, lowering them down while bending at your knees and hips. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Push yourself up to a standing position by straightening your legs.
Repeat this move for 12 to 15 reps and place the barbell back. You may increase the weight progressively with each set.

2) Goblet squat

This variation of the traditional squat allows for more range of motion, strengthening the quads further. You would need a dumbbell or a kettlebell for this exercise.

Here are the steps you can follow to do the goblet squat correctly:

Stand straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold the dumbbell in front of your chest, just below your chin, as if you were holding a goblet.
Push your hips back and lower them down while bending your knees and at your hips, until you are in a deep squat position.
Push yourself up by straightening your legs to return to a standing position.
Repeat this move for 12 to 15 reps.

3) Leg press

This is another effective exercise for the legs that targets all the major muscles, especially the quads. The best part about this exercise is that most gyms come equipped with a leg press machine. It also allows you to push heavier weights.

Here are the steps you can follow to do the leg press correctly:

Place yourself in the seat of the leg press machine. Place your feet hip-distance apart at the center of the platform. Straighten your legs and move the safeties away.
Bend at your knees and lower the platform towards you while bringing your thighs toward your chest.
Straighten your legs and push the platform away from you.
Repeat this move for 12 to 15 reps.

4) Reverse lunges

This variation of lunges also works other muscles of the leg apart from the quads, such as the glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Holding a pair of dumbbells is optional.

Here are the steps you can follow to do the reverse lunge correctly:

Stand straight with your feet together. Bring your right leg back about a foot behind and place your toes on the floor.
Lower yourself to bring yourself into a lunge position. Lower yourself till your right knee almost touches the floor.
Bring yourself back up and return your right leg to the starting position, next to the left foot.
Repeat this move for 10 to 12 reps on each leg.

5) Bulgarian split squats

This killer variation of the reverse lunge will leave your quads burning. You would need a box or a bench that’s about knee-high for this exercise. Holding a pair of dumbbells is optional.

Here are the steps you can follow to do the Bulgarian split squat correctly:

Stand in front of the bench with it behind you. Take a step forward and place your right foot up on it.
Lower your body into a lunge position while keeping your back straight, until your right leg is almost touching the floor.
Straighten your left leg, pushing yourself up from the ground, to return to the starting position.
Repeat this move for eight to 10 reps on each leg.

6) Box step-ups

This is another exercise that somewhat mimics the movement of a traditional lunge. It calls for more exertion by the quads to push your body up onto the box. You would need a box or a bench that’s about knee-high for this exercise.

Here are the steps you can follow to do the box step-up correctly:

Stand straight with the box in front of you. Raise your right leg at the knee and place your right foot on the box.
Lift yourself up onto the box with your right leg, while straightening it fully.
As you do this, bring your left knee up and kick it up in front of you.
Bring your left leg back straight and lower yourself from the box by bending your right leg again.
Repeat this move for eight to 10 reps on each leg.

Add these exercises to your next leg day routine to effectively target and strengthen your quads. With regular practice, they should be popping in no time!

Be sure to stretch your legs properly after the workout to avoid any cramping or stiffness. Good luck walking tomorrow!

Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh