Squats and Lunges for the Quads
- Thread starter Seabush
- Start date
Gibbee
Cathlete
I'm not sure of the exact answer, but I'm sure Maribeth will chime in if she's around.
I find that squats and lunges won't engage the vastus medialus ver much (the part of the quad on the inside knee - which is generally weak on most people). I think the other 3 heads are engaged. I have found that the side lunges (S&H) have helped a lot (or something in the S&H video has really brought mine out) - plus some simply knee extensions (seated, legs out straight, towel under knee area, squeeze to lift leg out straight).
I find that squats and lunges won't engage the vastus medialus ver much (the part of the quad on the inside knee - which is generally weak on most people). I think the other 3 heads are engaged. I have found that the side lunges (S&H) have helped a lot (or something in the S&H video has really brought mine out) - plus some simply knee extensions (seated, legs out straight, towel under knee area, squeeze to lift leg out straight).
Hey Crystal,
The quads do, in fact, work as a muscle group, so you can't really make one of them work in isolation from the others. You can, however, place more stress or focus on one by varying things like foot position during leg extensions (feet turned in/out/straight up to the ceiling), the width of your stance during squats, length of your stride during lunges, whether or not you use a step or bench for variation with squats and lunges, etc.... BTW- I should add that if you try any of these suggestions start with light weight until your body (tendons, ligaments) get accustomed to them and STOP if you have any pain. Get some professional guidance, especially if you have a pre-existing knee problem.
I think it was Maribeth who said, "change the position, change the exercise" (or something very close to that, anyway) and I couldn't agree more. That's why it's important to do a variety of exercises with a variety of equipment to maximize the development of your ALL muscles (think of all the variations on the bicep curl).
Hope this helps.
FitnessRN
The quads do, in fact, work as a muscle group, so you can't really make one of them work in isolation from the others. You can, however, place more stress or focus on one by varying things like foot position during leg extensions (feet turned in/out/straight up to the ceiling), the width of your stance during squats, length of your stride during lunges, whether or not you use a step or bench for variation with squats and lunges, etc.... BTW- I should add that if you try any of these suggestions start with light weight until your body (tendons, ligaments) get accustomed to them and STOP if you have any pain. Get some professional guidance, especially if you have a pre-existing knee problem.
I think it was Maribeth who said, "change the position, change the exercise" (or something very close to that, anyway) and I couldn't agree more. That's why it's important to do a variety of exercises with a variety of equipment to maximize the development of your ALL muscles (think of all the variations on the bicep curl).
Hope this helps.
FitnessRN
I agree w/FitnessRN. Changing your foot position can help.
I also like to do BB Front Squats specifically for the quads. They seem to work the inner quads a little more too. I don't know if you've done these. You put the BB across your front delts, upper arm instead of behind your head.
Another is walking lunges w/DB's if you need. Something about balancing with each new lunge seems to really make all of the quad work.
I also like to do BB Front Squats specifically for the quads. They seem to work the inner quads a little more too. I don't know if you've done these. You put the BB across your front delts, upper arm instead of behind your head.
Another is walking lunges w/DB's if you need. Something about balancing with each new lunge seems to really make all of the quad work.
While the quads do work as a group to a degree, there is some variances in innervation and mechanical advantage as far as fiber alignment that will make a difference. Also, since the rectus femoris crosses the both the knee and the hip, it can't contribute maximally to knee extension if it is working to flex the hip at the same time (active insufficiency) or if it is passively placed in a hip flexed/slackened position (passive insufficiency).
Seated knee extensions feel harder because the quads are relatively isolated and the contribution by the rectus femoris is limited--the hip is placed in a passively flexed position, so it is passively insufficient across the knee--therefore putting greater workloads on the vasti.
The vastus medialis, particularly the oblique fibers (aka the VMO) have innervation by both the nerve that supplies the rest of the quads and the nerve that supplies the adductors. This is the reason that adducting the thigh while extending the knee is felt more in the VM--greater firing of muscle fibers in response to higher number of nerves sending the signal.
Maribeth
Seated knee extensions feel harder because the quads are relatively isolated and the contribution by the rectus femoris is limited--the hip is placed in a passively flexed position, so it is passively insufficient across the knee--therefore putting greater workloads on the vasti.
The vastus medialis, particularly the oblique fibers (aka the VMO) have innervation by both the nerve that supplies the rest of the quads and the nerve that supplies the adductors. This is the reason that adducting the thigh while extending the knee is felt more in the VM--greater firing of muscle fibers in response to higher number of nerves sending the signal.
Maribeth