Found my sweet spot for training quads...

[tank74]

Box squat 1-2x15 with a narrow stance.

you don't have to completely dump squats; trust me, I am a tall femured individual and standard BB squat doesn't do anything but give me an incredibly strong posterior chain.

but box squats with a narrow stance for high reps will mutilate them.

glad you found something that works though, props buddy

x2

I just discovered box squats and am also trying to minimize glutes.

 

[TrinityD]

yeah....and if you do them pre-exhausted....it's very painful on the quads(assuming you're using correct form)

 

[Stayinfit]

I find leg press to be really hard on my back, although it's hard on it in a different way. I do tend to go deeper than I should though. That makes my low back curl.

The single best exercise for quads that put not pressure on my back are single leg split squats. The amount of weight you use will humble you at first. And you will get an amazing stretch of the back quad that is supporting your balance. You will also relieve all pressure on your back. And you will discover any imbalances in hip, glute, ham and quad strength. My left glute first so much better than my right.

Seriously give them a shot. Find a sit up bench with those roller things on the end where the feet wrap under. Start with a broom stick for balance and just do them unweighted for starters. Just get used to the stretch of the back leg and the balance it takes to do them correctly. Then grab some dumbbells (no more than 45s to start with, seriously, trust me) and then eventually you can use a barbell if you need to relieve the grip.

Love those split squats. Watched those vids of JM and Dugdale. I threw those in today with a 10sec iso hold at the end of each on the drop set. OUCH!!! I am now a true believer that weight doesn't matter as much but time under tension and squeezing and flexing are just as good at really torturing the muscle. And in doing so you can eventually get stronger with this style to. Just keep track of the weights used and each week try and use a little more. The strength will come.

 

[anabolic2k]

I havnt been able to squat since i was mid 20s and im now 43 and my quads may be no bigger they sure are a different shape with alot more outer sweep.

A few things i do now - ALWAYS train Hams 1st.

Always Pre Exhaust with some form of leg extension including chains hanging from the pads.Slow movement with a 1 second hold/squeeze at the top of the movement.

Always Leg press, no lockout at the top and always 12 full range reps heavy followed by 10-12 partial range reps just to fry them.

Then 1 of 2 movements for a hard 20repper - Hack squats with heels together toes pointing out to hit outer quads OR hack squat, again, heels together toes pointing out to focus on outer quads.

Finish with Adducter machine 2 x 20 reppers then very hard 60 second stretches on both quads to the point of pain and shaking like a mad man

Has improved my outer sweep like crazy and although my thighs dont tape any bigger they are a completely different shape

 

[Darb77]

If you have any kind of back issues I highly suggest you use the Hammer Strength V Squat machine if your gym has one. Instead of doing it with your back against the pads do it the opposite way and plant your forehead against the pad. It will destroy your legs and so easy on your back and joints in general. Its my new go to leg exercise. Its fantastic!

 

[TrinityD]

^ this is a very good suggestion....it hits the quads hard while minimizing strain

 

[Uncle Z Rep]

I stopped doing squats and when doing presses or any leg exercise I do all feet close .

 

[kubes]

I stopped doing squats and when doing presses or any leg exercise I do all feet close .

I am gonna give this a try. I do not squat much anymore because of the weight it put on my back and it compresses my spine to much. I find leg presses still work the quads very well. Incorporating putting the feet closer together with less weight is a great idea


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[Uncle Z Rep]

Squats don't hit as hard as machines. I really like walking lunges for sure. Presses kick butt and you can fatigue more without worrying about dumping the weight.

 

[Uncle Z Rep]

If you have any kind of back issues I highly suggest you use the Hammer Strength V Squat machine if your gym has one. Instead of doing it with your back against the pads do it the opposite way and plant your forehead against the pad. It will destroy your legs and so easy on your back and joints in general. Its my new go to leg exercise. Its fantastic!

Oh ya we have this and is a killer.

 

[juggy38]

Yesterday I got on the smith machine, feet out in front of me a little and close together. Like a hack squat. I did 12 rep sets with a mini pause at the bottom. My quads are fried.


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[seala8]

exercise ball squats kill me. Same as a box squat instead use a partially deflated exercise ball and squat down on it and hold a second. Regular squats hurt my knees/back, doing this i can use the same weight and relieve the "pressure" on my back and they kill my legs

 

[destin]

Ive got herniated disks so "feel the pain".

i always pre exhaust, well 90% of the time.

normally i start with calves
then a seated or prone leg curl
some light leg extensions working up
sometimes i superset one of the above with inner or outer thigh machine.
leg presses focus on 15-20 rep range.
then i switch around depending how i feel:
hack, BB or smith squat.

when my back is feeling great i will do heavy work on a leg press. keeping doing sets of 10s until i cant starting at a warmup weight. i do pull throughs most days but if feeling good ill do some DB romanians or partial banded deadlifts.

what ive been adding in towards the end are these 1.5 rep squats on the smith machine. wow i am humbled about the low weight i need to do.

 

[GS]

Box squat 1-2x15 with a narrow stance.

you don't have to completely dump squats; trust me, I am a tall femured individual and standard BB squat doesn't do anything but give me an incredibly strong posterior chain.

but box squats with a narrow stance for high reps will mutilate them.

glad you found something that works though, props buddy

Agreed ,narrow on the boxes but after doing it wide as i did when i powerlifted for 12 or so years it didn't do much for my quad growth. Wide works the hips mostly and the hams.
This is why you see a lot of great squatters have smaller quads.

I know hit my quads with leg press hacks and leg extensions before i squat.Yeah the days of 500 pound squats for 10 isn't going to happen but your legs will look two to three times better, because of it!