1. Bulgarian Split Squat

Why It Works:

It strengthens the quads, while also challenging the glutes, hamstrings, and calves. As an added plus, the movement targets stabilizing muscles of the legs more effectively due to the single-leg nature of the lift. The inner thigh and VMO (teardrop quad muscle) can often be neglected or compensated for through bilateral stance lifts like the squat or leg press. It’s easy for compensations to happen if you’ve got imbalances to begin with. With split-stance training, however, it leaves no escape from using proper form and focusing on alignment.

How to Do It:

1. Stand about a foot in front of a bench (lunge-length).
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest the top of one foot on the bench behind you.
3. “Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and your weight in your heels,” Bangkuai says. Lunge down.
4. “Focus on pausing at the bottom and exploding out of ‘the hole’—the bottom of the motion—maintaining constant tension in your legs,” he adds.
5. Also, lean slightly forward to engage your quads more than your glutes.
6. Lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches the floor, and your front thigh is parallel.
7. “Be careful not to go too heavy, as your grip could be a limiting factor,” Bangkuai advises.

Prescription:

High reps is key for hypertrophy, especially when you do single-leg exercises, Bangkuai says. Depending on how you feel and where your level of fitness is, you can do 2 sets of 15-20 to 4-5 sets of 10-20.

Reps: 20 

Sets: 2 

Rest: 30-60 sec. between sets

2. Weighted Jump Squat

Why It Works:

It targets the quads, along with the hips, hamstrings, and glutes, while also building power.

How to Do It:

1. Put on a 20-lb weight vest or hold dumbbells to power up a bodyweight jump squat. 
2. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Drop into a squat. 
3. “Inhale, then drive through the floor and jump up for as much height as possible,” Antuna says. “Exhale, then land on the balls of your feet and immediately drop back into the squat.”

Prescription:

Reps: 10 

Sets: 5 

Rest: 60 sec. between sets

3. Dumbbell Reverse Lunge to Stepup

Why It Works:

It strengthens the quads, along with the glutes and hamstrings, while also stabilizing the hips.

How to Do It:

1. Hold dumbbells in both hands (25-35lbs/50-70lbs total).
2. Stand facing a bench. Step back into a reverse lunge.
3. As you come up from the lunge, step onto the bench with the same working leg.
4. Step down, then lunge back with the opposite leg, coming back up, and immediately transitioning into a step up.

Prescription:

Reps: 10 on each side 

Sets: 3 

Rest: 2 min. rest between sets

Note: Image depicts stepup portion of exercise.

4. Dumbbell Walking Lunge

Why It Works:

An all-around leg move that targets the quads, along with the hammies, glutes, and the small stabilizer muscles around the hips. The good thing about lunges is, like deadlifts, the geometry can be altered in order to target the quads more specifically. If you shorten the strides used in a typical walking lunge, you immediately shift plenty of the emphasis to the quads, and cause a world of change to the difficulty of the exercise.

How to Do It:

1. You’ll need an area of at least 20 feet. (If you don’t have the space, use a treadmill.
2. Just keep the speed around 2.5/3.)
3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
4. Pull your shoulder blades back, engage your core, and squeeze your triceps to keep your arms from swinging.
5. Step into a forward lunge, and start walking, alternating sides.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 

Rounds: 90-sec. rounds holding 20-30lb or 40-60lb dumbbells 

Rest: 2 min. between sets

5. Diagonal Walking Lunges

Why It Works:

It provides all the quad benefits of a traditional walking lunge while challenging your hip mobility and stability.

How to Do It:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Step out on a diagonal with one leg, and lower down into a lunge until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel.
3. Step forward with your rear leg, then step out to the side again, creating a zig-zag pattern.

Prescription:

Reps: 20 

Sets: 4 

Rest: 60 sec. between sets

6. Squat Hold

Why It Works:

Though a challenging quad move, it’s an all-around lower-body challenge since it challenges everything from the hips to the ankles to move correctly.

How to Do It:

1. This will test your quads while also building hip stability.
2. Squat and hold the position, depending on your ability for the prescribed number of reps.
3. Think in terms of sitting your hips back and down until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
4. Keep your back straight, not hunched.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 

Bouts: 10 to 30 sec.

Rest: 30 sec. between sets

7. Lateral Lunge to Squat

Why It Works:

An effective move for the quads that also improves balance and stability. It’s a change of pace from most workouts that are heavy on back-and-forth and twisting moves.

How to Do It:

1. Stand with feet about shoulder width and execute a squat rep to whatever depth feels comfortable while keeping tension in your ankles, knees, and hips.
2. Stand tall, then take a lateral lunge, keeping your toes pointed forward or slightly out.
3. Return to the start position and repeat the sequence, this time side lunging with the opposite leg.

Prescription:

Reps: 15 each side 

Sets: 3

Rest: 30 to 60 sec. between sets

1. Leg Press

Why It Works:

One of the most popular, time-tested quads exercises, the leg press also works the hamstrings. It puts constant tension on the quads and allows for varied foot positions to help minimize knee stress. Use it as a secondary exercise to your primal movement patterns (squat and deadlift), and you’ll see the benefits immediately.

How to Do It:

1. Adjust the seat of a leg press machine so your hips are situated under your knees, and your knees are aligned with your feet.
2. Remove the safeties, and lower your knees toward your chest until they’re bent 90°, then press back up.
3. Be careful not to go too low, though. “I always worry about the lower back, so be mindful, and keep these to a minimum in your regimen.”

Prescription:

You have several options here,” Bangkuai says. “You can use the leg press as a compound exercise by going heavy (75-85% of 1RM) and using low reps (6-10), or going light (55%-65% of 1RM) and going high reps (15-20) to chase the pump.”

Rest: 60 to 90 sec. between sets

2. Leg Extensions

Why It Works:

Sure, it hits the quads hard, but no quad move provides more immediate aesthetic feedback than leg extensions.

How to Do It:

1. Make sure to find the right seating on the leg extension machine for your height first.
2. Place the bar between mid-shin and the top of your ankle.
3. As you lift the bar, don’t kick your legs up.
4. Control each rep, and hold slightly at the top.

Prescription:

Reps: 15 

Sets: 5 

Rest: 60 sec. between sets

1. TRX Single-leg Squat

Why It Works:

Squatting on one leg forces you to stabilize your quads as you strengthen them, improving balance and flexibility.

How to Do It:

1. Put tension on the TRX handles and center one leg under the anchor point. Raise the opposite foot off the ground.
2. Lower your hips down and back, bending your working leg.
3. Keep your weight in your heel, driving through the floor to stand.
4. “Don’t allow your knee to internally rotate,” Bangkuai advises.
5. Repeat all reps on one leg, then switch.
6. “Use TRX exercises as accessory work to the big compound moves (e.g., front squats, box squats, goblet squats) to help engage stabilizers and focus on balance and proper weight distribution,” Bangkuai says.

Prescription:

Reps: 15-20 (each leg) 

Sets: 3 

Rest: 30-60 sec.

2. TRX Single-leg Reverse Lunge

Why It Works:

These improve balance and core strength as you work your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

How to Do It:

1. Put tension on the TRX handles and center one leg under the anchor point.
2. Step the opposite foot back, and come into a reverse lunge, bending both knees.
3. Rise, and repeat all reps on one side, then switch.

Prescription:

Reps: 15-20 (each leg) 

Sets: 3 

Rest: 30-60 sec.

3. TRX Single-leg Balance Lunge

Why It Works:

Besides hammering the quads, glutes, and core, it forces you to stabilize your hips.

How to Do It:

1. This is a bit more advanced, Bangkuai says.
2. Hold the TRX using one or both hands.
3. Lift one foot off the floor, then lunge back, keeping your raised foot elevated.
4. “Keep your weight in your planted foot’s heel as you lunge back, maintaining balance and stability in a linear motion,” Bangkuai explains.
5. Rise, and repeat all reps on one side, then switch.

Prescription:

Reps: 15-20 (each leg) 

Sets: 3 

Rest: 30-60 sec.

4. TRX Crossing Balance Lunge

Why It Works:

Besides hammering the quads, along with the glutes and core, it forces you to stabilize your hips.

How to Do It:

1. Hold the TRX using both hands, putting tension on the straps.
2. Lift your left foot off the floor (as shown), then lunge back, sweeping it behind your right foot.
3. Imagine you’re doing Ice Skaters, only slow and controlled.”
4. Rise, and repeat all reps on one side, then switch.
5. This is great for activating your glutes and hips as well, Bangkuai says.

Prescription:

Reps: 15-20 (each leg) 

Sets: 3 

Rest: 30-60 sec.

5. TRX Single-leg Lunge

Why It Works:

Though a challenging, effective quad move, this also works the hip, knee, and ankle to promote lower-body stability.

How to Do It:

1. Put tension on the TRX handles, and center one leg under the anchor point.
2. Step forward with the opposite foot into a lunge, bending both knees and raising your arms.
3. Rise, and repeat all reps on one side, then switch.

Prescription:

Reps: 15-20 (each leg) 

Sets: 3 

Rest: 30-60 sec.

1. Goblet Squat

Why It Works:

It’s a full-body maneuver that challenges the quads as it takes the pressure off your back, making it more accessible than a traditional barbell squat. 

How to Do It:

1. Grab a heavy kettlebell with both hands just under your chin, Bangkuai says.
2. Turn your feet out, so they’re at about 30°.
3. Squat, pushing your knees out so your elbows can move in between them.
4. Go as low as you can by maintaining a straight back, then come back up.

Prescription:

Reps: 15-20

Sets: 3

Rest: 60 sec.

2. Kettlebell Pistol Squat

Why It Works:

It’s a challenging move that hits the quads, glutes, hammies, and calves, but your hip flexors are the key to this one.

How to Do It:

1. Grab a kettlebell between 16-20kg—or one that’s about 25% of your weight.
2. Hold the kettlebell at chest level, and tuck your elbows in tight.
3. Extend one leg out in front of you.
4. As you lower into the squat, keep your non-working foot off the ground. “
5. Lower as much as you can, then drive your hips back and down, not forward and back,” Antuna says.
6. “Push through your big toe and heel to come back up.”
7. Start with just your bodyweight, or use a TRX for assistance if this is too difficult.

Prescription:

Reps: 8 on each side 

Sets: 4 

Rest: 90 sec. between sets

3. Goblet Squat to Reverse Lunge

Why It Works:

It combines two quad-hitting moves while challenging your hip stability.

How to Do It:

1. Cup your hands under the bottom (bell) of a kettlebell that’s 20-24kg or 25% of your bodyweight.
2. Position your feet to be slightly wider than your hips.
3. As you lower into a squat, keep your chest up, and get low enough so your elbows pass your knees.
4. Rise up. Then, at the top of the squat, come into a reverse lunge with the right leg, then the left.
5. That’s one rep.

Prescription:

Reps: 8 

Sets: 3 

Rest: 2 min. between sets

4. Goblet Alternating Lateral Lunges

Why It Works:

It combines two quad-hitting moves while adding lateral movement to your routine.

How to Do It:

1. Hold a 24-kg kettlebell at your chest.
2. Pick up one foot, settling your bodyweight into the opposite (anchor) leg, then lunge to the side.
3. “Keep your extended leg from bending so it doesn’t take the load off your lunging leg,” Antuna says.
4. Drive through the ground to push yourself back to the start position.
5. Switch sides, driving your other leg out in a lateral lunge.
6. Push back to start. That’s two reps.

Prescription:

Reps: 16 (8 each leg) 

Sets: 5 

Rest: 60 sec. between sets

5. Double Kettlebell Front Squat (3:1 count)

Why It Works:

The move challenges the quads, hammies, and glutes, while the kettlebell encourages proper squatting form.

How to Do It:

1. Clean two kettlebells, one in each hand (the total should be 50% of your bodyweight or as heavy as possible), so they’re near your chest.
2. With palms facing your body and elbows angled about 45° down, squeeze your lats to help stabilize this posture.
3. Take 3 counts to lower into a squat, then drive back up as quickly as possible.

Prescription:

Reps: 5 

Sets: 5 

Rest: 2 to 3 min. between sets

6. Dumbbell Deficit Sumo Squat

Why It Works:

It’s a practical move for building the quads, but this is more about building flexibility in the hamstrings and hips.

How to Do It:

1. Place a 75- to 100-lb dumbbell standing up in between two aero steps or benches (you can also use a kettlebell or sandbag).
2. Place a foot on either, standing above the dumbbell.
3. Position your feet so they’re just outside your hips and rotated out.
4. Squat down, and place your hands under the top of the dumbbell.
5. Rise, and lift the weight, keeping your arms fully extended.
6. When you lower back down, stop just before the dumbbell touches the floor.

Prescription:

Reps: 10 

Sets: 5

Rest: 60 to 90 sec. between sets

1. Low Sled Push

Why It Works:

There’s a reason this is a football-training mainstay. It challenges the entire lower body: quads, hip flexors, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

How to Do It:

1. Start with hands on the low crossbar, hips hinged forward slightly.
2. (It should feel like bracing to push a broken-down car along the street.)
3. With back straight and core engaged, drive through balls of feet and push the sled with small, quick steps.

Prescription:

Reps: 4 

Bouts: 40 sec. between sets

2. Bear Crawl Pull

Why It Works:

As if bear crawls weren’t tough enough, attaching yourself to a harness and sled challenges the entire lower body: quads, hip flexors, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

How to Do It:

1. Place a harness clipped to the prowler around your waist.
2. Start on all fours, facing away from the prowler, and lift knees off the floor.
3. With left foot moving with right arm and vice versa, bear crawl forward.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 

Bouts: 45 seconds

1. Barbell Front Squat

Why It Works:

Unlike a back squat, the front squat allows you to go deeper and target the quads and glutes from a different perspective.

How to Do It:

1. Set a barbell on a rack at about shoulder-height.
2. “With front squats, there’s no need to go too heavy, as you want to get high reps,” Bangkuai says.
3. Come under the bar and grasp it at shoulder-width, raising your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
4. Unrack the weight, and let the bar rest on your fingertips.
5. Stand with your feet at shoulder-width, toes turned slightly out.
6. “Keep an ‘active posture’—core tight, shoulders back, and chest up,” Bangkuai says.
7. Squat as low as you can, maintaining tension through your legs, sinking your weight in your heels.

Prescription:

Reps: 15-20 

Sets: 3 

Rest: 60 sec.

2. Barbell Box Squat

Why It Works:

Adding a box makes it a greater hamstring and glute challenge, in addition to the quad benefits.

How to Do It:

1. Set a box behind a squat rack or cage.
2. You want the height to be such that when you squat down, the creases of your hips are below your knees.
3. Grasp the bar with a wide grip.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, and lift the bar out of the rack.
5. “Come down as slow as possible in the concentric motion,” Bangkuai says.
6. “As soon as you touch the box, explode up, maintaining a tight core to protect your lower back.”
7. Make sure your knees stay pointing out as well during the motion.

Prescription:

Dictate your reps and sets based on how much weight you’re lifting. You can work with heavy weight for 2×6-8 with 2-3 minutes rest, or lighter weight for 4-5×20 with 30-60 seconds rest.

Reps: 6-8 

Sets: 2 

Rest: 2-3 min.

3. Hack Squat

Why It Works:

Though not the best squat for improving functional movement, it’s one of the better ones for increasing muscle mass to the quads and glutes.

How to Do It:

1. Start in the bottom of a squat position with your thighs almost parallel to the floor, in front of a barbell.
2. Reach back and grip the bar with your palms facing away.
3. Drive your heels into the ground, and accelerate your hips toward the ceiling as you stand.
4. Pause at the top, then squat back to the start position.

Prescription:

You can work with heavy weight for 2×6-8 with 2-3 minutes rest, or lighter weight for 4-5×20 with 30-60 seconds rest.

Reps: 6-8 

Sets: 2 

Rest: 2-3 min.

4. Barbell Back Squat

Why It Works:

Besides hitting the quads and glutes, it builds lower-body power and hip stability. If you don’t have the mobility at the wrists and shoulders to perform comfortable front squats, do back squat variations.

How to Do It:

1. Load a bar with 85 to 100 percent of your bodyweight.
2. Place the barbell across the middle of your traps, and pinch your shoulder blades together.
3. “Inhale, contracting your abs tight, then lower into a squat,” Antuna says.
4. “Then drive back up pushing through your big toe and heel, exhaling at the top.”

 An effective variation is raising your heels on something thick (25- or 45-pound plates will do). The elevated heel position will make it easier to squat with a tall body and avoid leaning forward.  

Prescription:

Reps: 8 

 Sets: 5 

Rest: 2-3 min. between sets

5. Hang Snatch

Why It Works:

It works the quads, but this full-body move builds lower-body power and core stability.

How to Do It:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart while holding a barbell straight down in front of you.
2. Keeping your back flat and chest up, push your hips back and down to lower the bar.
3. Explode in one motion, extending hips quickly and pulling the barbell straight up. When the weight reaches maximum height, drop your body underneath and catch it overhead.
4. Lower back to starting position.
5. The power comes from the hips, but your quads help drive the movement.

Prescription:

Reps: 6 

Sets: 5

6. Hang Clean to Front-rack Walking Lunge

Why It Works:

A full-body compound exercise that hits the quads while building mobility and stability throughout the kinetic chain.

How to Do It:

1. Holding a barbell at shoulder width in front of your thighs, bend your hips and knees so that the bar lowers to just above your knees.
2. Now explosively extend your hips as if jumping while at the same time shrugging your shoulders and pulling the bar straight up in front of you.
3. As the bar reaches chest level, quickly slip under the bar and catch it at shoulder level with your upper arms.
4. Complete 10 repetitions.
5. Then step forward into a forward lunge. Continue walking for 20 yards.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 

Bouts: 10 20-yards

7. Landmine Reverse Lunge

Why It Works:

It hits the quads, but also works the glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

How to Do It:

1. Stand facing landmine position, barbell in right hand, both arms along torso, to start.
2. Step right foot behind you and drop knee so it hovers above floor, left knee tracking over foot, then reverse to start for 1 rep.
3. Do all reps on right side, then switch sides.

Prescription:

Reps: 12 each side 

Sets: 3

1. BOSU Ball Squat

Why It Works:

It adds to the degree of difficulty by squatting on an unstable surface, working your hip stabilizer muscles.

How to Do It:

1. If you’ve never done squats on a BOSU ball, flip it ball-side up so the flat edge is against the floor.
2. Stand on the BOSU with both feet.
3. Squat, slow and controlled. If you’re pretty advanced, position the BOSU ball-side down so you’re standing on the flat edge.
4. The point is to create instability—to get your smaller stabilizing muscles firing.
5. But if you’re wobbling all over the place, you’ll risk falling off or suffering injury.

Prescription:

Reps: 20 

Sets: 3 

Rest: 30-60 sec. rest between sets

2. Wall Sit

Why It Works:

It looks easy until you try it. Your quads will soon be burning. 

How to Do It:

1. Put your back against a Swiss ball.
2. Slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, like you’re sitting in an imaginary chair.
3. Hold this position.
4. You can also complete with weight plates stacked on your legs, holding a medicine ball, or squeezing a medicine ball between your thighs.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 

Sets: 60 sec. 

Rest: 30-60 sec.

3. Swiss Ball Split Squat

Why It Works:

It works the quads by increasing balance and strength throughout your legs. Adding the Swiss ball further challenges your stability.

How to Do It:

1. Hold a light (15- to 20-pound) kettlebell beneath the chin.
2. Start in a split-squat position, left foot back and top of foot on stability ball, right foot forward, a slight bend in right knee.
3. Keeping chest high, drop left knee toward ground, then reverse for one rep.
4. Do all reps with the right foot on the ball, then switch sides.

Prescription:

Reps: 10-15 each side 

Sets: 3

4. Squat to Press and Throw

Why It Works:

It provides all the quad benefits of a squat while also building lower-body explosion.

How to Do It:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a medicine ball at chest level.
2. Squat back and down and extend powerfully through your hips, launching the ball and your body into the air.
3. Let the ball land. Pick up the ball and return to the starting position.

Prescription:

Reps: 8 

Sets: 3

1. Bodyweight Squat

Why It Works:

With just your body weight, the focus is all on form. Squat deeply and slowly.

How to Do It:

Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart, and your toes turned slightly out. Sit back through your hips and lower your body as far as you can, keeping your back straight. Sink your weight in your heels, and keep your chest up. Pause slightly at the bottom of the movement, then explode up.

Prescription:

Reps: 20  

Sets: 4-5  

Rest: 30-60 sec. rest between sets

2. 180 Squat Jump

Why It Works:

It targets the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, while also building lower-body explosiveness.

How to Do It:

1. Squat and jump 180 degrees to the left side.
2. Imagine that there’s a mirror behind you that you want to face.
3. Now squat while facing the mirror and jump back the way you came.
4. Squat again and jump to the right.
5. This not only tests your quads, but also improves hip stability and mobility.

Prescription:

Reps: 3  

Bouts: 45 sec.

3. Sprints

Why It Works:

The quads are the key drivers of sprinting. Ever see a sprinter without massive quads?

How to Do It:

1. “Lean your bodyweight forward for momentum, and drive the balls of your feet into the ground, pushing off as you sprint forward,” Antuna says.
2. Swing your arms (controlled, but aggressively), and keep your core engaged. Make sure to breathe.

Prescription:

8x50m with 1-minute rest between sets and 4x200m with 2 minutes rest between sets. “You want to hit top speed and impact your fast-twitch muscle fibers, and pre-exhaust your legs before the longer sprints,” Antuna says.

4. Box Jump

Why It Works:

This teaches you to store and release power, especially in your quads.

How to Do It:

1. Stand in front of a 36-42″ box.
2. Drop into a squat while swinging your arms down and back.
3. “At the bottom of the movement, aggressively swing your arms up as you jump on the box,” Antuna says.
4. Bring your feet up to your hips so your feet clear it.
5. Land softly in a squat to avoid injury.
6. Stand up, then step down.

Prescription:

Reps: 10  

Sets: 5  

Rest: 45 sec. between sets

5. Duck Walk

Why It Works:

You must hold a low-squat position, which builds the quads and also works the glutes, calves, and ankles.

How to Do It:

1. Place your hands behind your head and descend into a squat.
2. If possible, aim to have your upper thighs parallel with the floor.
3. However, while safe, the duck walk can place significant stress on the knees, so squat to whatever depth feels comfortable.
4. Keep your torso upright, chest high, and core braced as you walk forward.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 

Bouts: 20- to 40-yard bouts

6. Weighted Hill Sprints

Why It Works:

Sprinting challenges the quads. Adding a weighted vest and running hills adds to the degree of difficulty.

How to Do It:

1. Get outside, and find a hill. Wear a weighted vest that’s about 25lbs.
2. Sprint for 10-15 seconds or 100-150 feet. (6×30 yards is 100 feet and 6×50 yards is150 feet.)

Prescription:

12 sprints total with 1-min. rest between short-sprint sets, and 1:30 minutes between longer sprint sets

Note: Image depicts bodyweight hill sprints.

7. Alternating Lateral Box Jumps

Why It Works:

This provides all the benefits of a box jump while challenging your hip stability. 

How to Do It:

1. Get a 12-16″ box. Start on one side in a quarter-squat position.
2. Swing your arms down and back up to gain momentum as you jump laterally over the box.
3. As soon as you land, jump back to where you started.
4. Keep jumping rapidly side-to-side over the box.

Prescription:

Reps: 45 seconds  

Sets: 5  

Rest: 1:30 minutes between sets

8. Split-stance Box Jump

Why It Works:

Like other box jump variations, it hits the quads, but it also builds explosive power and balance.

How to Do It:

1. Set up 2 boxes, a 20-­inch and a 12-­inch, 2 feet apart.
2. Stand between them. Squat, then explode up, landing on the boxes in a split position, one foot on each box.
3. Most of your weight is in the front foot, on the high box, while the back foot acts to balance you.
4. Try for 2 or 3 sets of 6 to 10 jumps each side.

Prescription:

Reps: 10 each side  

Sets: 3

9. Lateral Bound

Why It Works:

This builds lateral power in your quads and challenges the hamstrings differently than traditional stretching exercises.

How to Do It:

1. Stand on your right leg, with your left foot off the ground.
2. Squat slightly on your right leg, then use your leg and glute to jump laterally (to the left).
3. Land on the opposite leg, maintaining balance.
4. Hold for three seconds.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 

Bouts: 45 sec.

10. Pistol Squat

Why It Works:

It’s a challenging move that hits the quads, glutes, hammies, and calves, but your hip flexors are the key to this one.

How to Do It:

1. Stand on one foot holding dumbbells on your shoulders with elbows pointed out.
2. Squat on one leg until your thighs are parallel to the ground—or as parallel as possible.
3. Return to a standing position using only the leg you’re balancing upon.
4. Do all reps on one side, then switch legs.
5. If this is too challenging, stand parallel to a ledge with one foot hanging off.
6. Extend arms and the free leg out in front of you.
7. Bend your working knee, hinging at hips, to lower into a squat.
8. Keeping your back straight and torso upright, as you try to touch your working hamstring to the calf.
9. Squeeze glutes and drive through heel to stand.
10. Repeat on the other side.

Prescription:

Reps: 8-10 each side  

Sets: 3 

11. Explosive Stepup

Why It Works:

This builds explosive power in the quads.

How to Do It:

1. Place your foot on a box or step that’s 20 inches high while raising the opposite arm forward.
2. Drive your heel into the box and explosively raise your body up so you rise above the box and into the air.
3. At the same time, swing the opposite arm forward.
4. Catch yourself on the box on the descent and lower yourself to the floor slowly.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 (aim for as many reps as possible) 

Bouts: 45 sec.

12. Quad and Hip Opener

Why It Works:

This improves mobility and flexibility in the hip flexors, hamstrings, and quads.

How to Do It:

1. Face a bench and place the bottom of your right foot on it.
2. Lunge and hold the stretch. Now push your right knee onto the bench so your lower leg lies flat and bend forward to feel the stretch.
3. Hold each position at least 10 seconds, then repeat slightly as you lower the whole sequence on the other leg.

Prescription:

Reps: 30 to 60 sec. each side  

Bouts: 2

13. Quadruped Rocking

Why It Works:

This move combines two familiar yoga poses: cow and child’s pose, providing an excellent stretch for the quads and hips.

How to Do It:

1. A variation on the yoga child’s pose, improves lower back mobility while also stretching the quads.
2. Get down on all fours and let the lower back sag.
3. Push your hips back as far as you can, holding the lumbar arch.
4. You should feel a stretch in and around the hips.
5. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 

Bouts: 60 sec.

14. Lateral Hops

Why It Works:

It’s a plyometric move that improves lateral mobility and stability. 

How to Do It:

1. Stand with your left foot parallel to tape on the floor (or a line), then lift opposite foot off the ground. Jump over the line on one foot as quickly as possible for 30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite foot.

Prescription:

Reps: 2 

Bouts: 30 sec. each side

15. Tuck Jump

Why It Works:

It works the quads and develops the body’s “elasticity,” its ability to store and release energy powerfully.

How to Do It:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing straight ahead.
2. Jump off the ground and, while in the air, bring your knees to your chest.
3. Land softly with feet straight and knees over the midfoot.

Prescription:

Reps: 3 

Bouts: 45 sec.

16. Banded Squat

Why It Works:

These provide all the benefits of traditional squats but the bands further challenge the quads, glutes, hips, and core.

How to Do It:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a mini band above your knees.
2. Squat back and down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Return to a standing position by pushing through your hips.
4. Keep your knees pushed out against the band so that they do not collapse to the inside as you move.

Prescription:

Reps: 10 

Sets: 3

17. Seated Single-leg Jump Squat

Why It Works:

These build explosive leg strength and stability. By working one at a time, you ensure one leg does not compensate for the other.

How to Do It:

1. Before you get started, “Find a bench that allows your knee to be bent at 90° while seated to ensure you have proper range of motion,” Antuna says.
2. Sit on the bench and place your hands on your hips, behind your head, or straight out in front of you so you don’t rely on momentum.
3. Lift one foot a few inches off the ground. Lean forward as if you were going to stand, then quickly explode up and off the seat.
4. Land softly on your foot, and lower slowly back down on the bench.
5. Complete all reps on one side, then switch.

Prescription:

Reps: 10 (each side) 

Sets: 4 

Rest: 2 min. between sets