Quad and Hamstring Exercises for Building Lower Body Strength

Quad vs Hamstring Exercises and Workouts

Having strong quadriceps (quads) and hamstrings is important for lower body strength, athletic performance, injury prevention, and basic mobility in everyday life. Both muscle groups play key roles in movement and need to be properly balanced in terms of strength and flexibility. This article compares exercises targeting the quads and hamstrings and provides sample workouts to build lower body power.

Anatomy and Function of the Quads and Hamstrings

The quadriceps muscles are a group of four muscles located on the front of the thigh. They are responsible for extending the knee joint and straightening the leg. The quadriceps provide power when walking, running, jumping and kicking. Meanwhile, the hamstring muscles run down the back of the thigh. Their main function is to flex the knee joint and bend the leg. The hamstrings also work to extend the hip joint and assist in posterior pelvic tilt.

Having strong and balanced quads and hamstrings provides stability to the knee joint, improves sports performance in activities like sprinting and jumping, and allows for smooth motion during everyday activities like going up and down stairs. Weakness or imbalance between the two muscle groups can increase the risk of strains and knee injuries.

Quadriceps Exercises

Some of the best exercises to target the quadriceps include:

Barbell Back Squats

Place a barbell across your upper back in a squat rack. Set your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Initiate the movement by sitting your hips back and bending your knees to lower your body. Go down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then drive through your heels to return to start. Keep your chest up, core braced, and knees aligned over your toes.

Leg Extensions

Sit on a leg extension machine with your back against the padded seat. Hook your ankles under the roller pad and fully extend your legs with knees aligned over your ankles. Contract your quads to lift the weight until your legs reach full extension. Slowly lower the weight back to the start under control.

Leg Presses

Sit on a leg press machine with your back and hips against the padded seat. Place your feet hip-width apart on the platform directly in front of your knees. Engage your core and press the platform away by extending your knees until your legs are straight but not locked out. Slowly return to the start position with control.

Walking Lunges

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Step forward with one leg and lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee hovers just above the ground. Drive through your front heel to return to standing as you bring your back foot forward to complete one rep. Repeat, alternating legs with each step.

Hamstring Exercises

Some excellent hamstring exercises include:

Romanian Deadlifts

Stand holding a barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hinge at your hips to push your butt back as you lower the bar down your legs as far as flexibility allows. Keep your back flat, core engaged, and knees slightly bent. Squeeze your hamstrings and glutes to return the bar to the start position.

Seated Leg Curls

Adjust a leg curl machine so your ankles are resting on the roller pads and your thighs are fully supported by the seat. Keep your torso upright as you curl your heels toward your glutes, contracting your hamstrings. Slowly return to the start position without letting the roller pads fully extend.

Nordic Hamstring Curls

Kneel on a mat with your knees hip-width apart and your ankles secured. Keeping your body straight, slowly lower yourself to the floor by bending at the knees and hips. Use your hamstrings to stop the descent and pull yourself back up to the starting position.

Glute Bridges

Lie face-up with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Engage your core and drive through your heels to lift your hips up until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Squeeze your glutes at the top then lower back down with control.

Quad vs Hamstring Training Frequency and Volume

Aim to train both the quads and hamstrings 2-3 times per week for optimal strength development. This allows for adequate recovery between sessions targeting the same muscle groups. It’s also important to train both muscle groups with comparable volume, or total number of hard sets per workout. Avoid over-training one muscle group, as this can lead to imbalances or postural dysfunction over time.

Most experts recommend 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps per exercise as an effective training range to build quad and hamstring strength. Compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges can be performed for 3-6 sets while isolation exercises like leg extensions may be kept to 2-4 sets. Focus on progressive overload by gradually increasing the weight, reps, sets, or intensity over time.

Quad and Hamstring Training Split Workouts

Here are two sample split routines to target the quads and hamstrings:

Lower Body Push/Pull Split

Workout A: Quad Focus
- Barbell Back Squats: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Leg Presses: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Leg Extensions: 2 sets x 12-15 reps
- Calf Raises: 3 sets x 10-12 reps

Workout B: Hamstring Focus
- Romanian Deadlifts: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Seated Leg Curls: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Glute Bridges: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
- Seated Calf Raises: 2 sets x 15-20 reps

Upper/Lower Body Split

Workout A: Upper Body

Workout B: Lower Body
- Back Squats: 4 sets x 4-6 reps
- Single Leg Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps each side
- Walking Lunges: 3 sets x 8-10 reps each side
- Lying Leg Curls: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Seated Calf Raises: 3 sets x 10-12 reps

Integrating Quad and Hamstring Stretches

Stretching the quads and hamstrings is important for flexibility, muscle recovery, and injury prevention. Try to stretch both muscle groups after each workout. Some good stretches include:

Standing Quad Stretch

Stand upright and bend one knee, bringing the heel of the foot up toward your glutes. Grab the ankle and gently pull the leg back until you feel a stretch in the front of the thigh. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other leg.

Lying Hamstring Stretch

Lie down on your back with one leg extended straight and the other bent. Loop a strap, belt, or towel around the ball of your foot of the straight leg. Gently pull the strap to bring your leg up until you feel a stretch down the back of your hamstring. Hold for 30 seconds and switch legs.

Seated Toe Touch

Sit on the floor with legs straight out in front of you. Reach your hands toward your toes, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings. Hold for 30 seconds. For a deeper quad stretch, shift slightly onto one hip as you reach for the opposite foot.

Build Stronger Quads and Hamstrings

Incorporating a mix of compound and isolation exercises builds balanced quad and hamstring strength. Aim for 2-3 training sessions per week, with the same volume for each muscle group to prevent imbalances. Stretching after workouts enhances flexibility. With consistency, you'll develop lower body power to improve athletic performance and daily function.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.