The Best Kettlebell Quad Exercise for the Rectus Femoris Muscle

One of the best kettlebell exercises that you can perform to target your quadriceps, and in particular the rectus femoris muscle, is the kneeling knee extension. As the hips remain extended throughout the movement, the rectus femoris muscle can perform better than it would if the hips were flexed.

The rectus femoris attaches to the pelvis and the front of the tibia. It is the only quadricep muscle that crosses both the hip and knee joints. While performing this exercise, the muscle will be stretched since it's attached to the pelvis, and the hips will remain extended. The stretch of the muscle is what allows it to function better during this exercise.

Kneeling knee extensions, performed by Taco Fleur from Cavemantraining.

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Word of caution before performing kneeling knee extensions with a kettlebell

Although the kneeling knee extension is a highly beneficial kettlebell exercise and is one of the best exercises to target the rectus femoris, it might not be the right exercise for everyone. Everything in training requires proper progression, and this one requires careful progression.

Before attempting this exercise, you should have at least a good level of strength in the quads and hips, core strength, strength in the shoulders (when performing it with a kettlebell), flexibility in the ankles, and body awareness.

And, of course, before even thinking about this exercise, you should be able to perform a racked squat with two kettlebells.

The racked squat is performed with either a single or double kettlebell. The video shows the exercise performed with double kettlebells. A good racking position and grip are vital so the focus can be on squatting rather than struggling to keep the weight up.

One last word of caution before diving into the finer details of performing the kneeling knee extensions: You shouldn't attempt this exercise at a faster speed if you can't perform it slowly and in a controlled manner.

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How to Perform the Kneeling Knee Extension

The setup:

• Kneel
• Dorsum of the feet flat
• Press the shins into the ground
• Squeeze the gluteals to lock the hips
• Brace the abs
• Arms straight
• Firm chest
• Pull the lats down

To perform the down phase:

• Tense the quadriceps
• Start leaning back and slowly release the quads
• Keep the neck aligned with the rest of the spine

Every time you perform this, go a little lower than before, but always pay attention to how easy it is. Rest if you are struggling and consider this your current level.

To perform the up phase:

• Contract the quadriceps to come up
• Keep the hips extended
• Keep leaning back and let the legs do the work
• Come into an upright kneeling position

You should only perform another rep if you don't struggle with your last repetition.

The following video demonstrates how to perform the exercise without a kettlebell and also includes some stretches that will help you become more flexible.

You can make the exercise harder by bringing the kettlebell to the chest. The further you carry the weight away from the knees, the more resistance there will be during the exercise. Resistance is what creates strength.

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Takeaway

The kneeling knee extension is one of the best exercises you can do to increase your leg strength, but it should be approached with care and progression. Progression takes time, and time requires patience.