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Quad

Exercises For Women

Strengthen and shape your thighs with simple, effective quad exercises you can follow confidently — ideal for beginners and women over 40.

The quads are one of the most important muscle groups for lower-body strength, knee stability and powerful everyday movement. Strong quads improve squats, lunges, leg control and balance, while helping support your hips and protect your joints.

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Each exercise includes simple cues and links to demonstration videos so you can learn with confidence.

Barbell squat

Barbell Squat

Set your feet roughly shoulder-width apart, brace your core, and sit your hips between your heels. Keep your chest lifted, knees tracking over your toes, and drive up through your mid-foot and heels with control.

Leg Extension

Leg Extension

Set the pad just above your ankles and keep your back flat against the seat. Extend your legs with control, squeeze your quads at the top, then lower slowly to keep tension on the muscle — no swinging.

Leg Press

Leg Press 45°

Set your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform and keep your lower back flat against the seat. Lower the sled with control until your knees reach around 90 degrees, then press through your heels without locking out fully at the top.

DB Goblet Squat

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

Hold the dumbbell close to your chest, brace your core, and sit your hips between your heels. Keep your elbows tucked, chest lifted, and drive up through your mid-foot to stay balanced and controlled.

Wall Sit

Wall Sit

Slide your back down the wall until your knees are around 90 degrees. Keep your core tight, weight through your heels, and hold the position without letting your hips creep upward or your knees collapse inward.

Bar Front Squat

Front Squat

Set the bar across the front of your shoulders and lift your elbows high to keep your chest up. Sit your hips between your heels, keep your torso upright, and drive through your mid-foot as you stand, maintaining the bar path over the middle of your foot.

Box Squat

Box Squat

Set the box behind you and stand so the bar stays over your mid-foot. Sit back to the box with control, keep your chest lifted, and lightly touch the box without collapsing. Drive up through your heels and mid-foot to stand tall.

Sissy Squats

Banded Sissy Squat

Loop the band behind your knees and anchor it securely in front. Sit into a deep, controlled squat while keeping your torso tall, letting the band pull your knees forward. Drive yourself up by pushing against the band and squeezing your quads hard at the top.

Barbell reverse Lunge from deficit

Barbell Reverse Lunge from Deficit

Stand on a small step with the barbell on your upper back. Step one foot back into a lunge, lowering your knee toward the floor. Drive through the front heel to return, keeping your torso tall and hips steady.

Hack Squat

Hack Squat

Set your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform with toes slightly turned out. Keep your back flat against the pad as you lower into a deep squat, letting your knees track over your toes. Drive through your mid-foot and heels to stand tall, squeezing your quads.

Cable Step Ups

(Cable) Step-Up

Stand facing the bench with the cable attached low behind you. Hold the handle and place one foot firmly on the bench. Drive through the front heel to stand tall, keeping your torso stable and resisting the pull of the cable. Lower with control and avoid pushing off the back foot.

DB Bulgarian Split Squat

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

Stand in a long stance with your back foot elevated on the bench and hold the dumbbells by your sides. Lower your hips straight down with control, keeping your chest lifted and your front knee tracking over your toes. Drive up through your front heel and squeeze your glutes at the top without using your back leg to push.

Bulgarian Split Squat Barbell

Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat

Stand in a split position with your back foot elevated on a bench and a barbell resting across your upper back. Lower your back knee toward the floor while keeping your front shin vertical, then drive through the front heel to stand tall. Keep your core braced and torso steady.

Split Squat Cable Front foot elevated

Cable Deficit Split Squat (V-Handle)

Place your front foot on a small step and hold a V-handle attached to a low pulley. Step into a split stance, keeping your chest lifted. Lower your back knee toward the floor while keeping your front heel grounded, then drive through the front leg to rise. Maintain a steady torso and control the cable pull throughout.

Smith Bulgarian Split Squat

Smith Bulgarian Split Squat

Set up with your back foot on a bench and the Smith bar on your upper back. Step your front foot forward, lower your back knee toward the floor, then drive through the front heel to stand. Keep your torso steady and hips level.

Cable Goblet Squat

Cable Goblet Squat (V-Bar)

Stand holding a V-bar attached to a low pulley at chest height. Sit into a squat, keeping your chest lifted and heels grounded. Drive up through your legs, keeping tension on the quads and glutes.

Heel Elevated Goblet Squat

Heel-Raised Goblet Squat (Dumbbell)

Stand with your heels elevated and hold a dumbbell at your chest. Sit into a squat, keeping your torso tall and knees tracking forward. Drive through your quads to stand with control.

Smith reverse Lunge

Smith Reverse Lunge from Step

Stand on a small step with the Smith bar on your upper back. Step one foot back into a deep lunge, lowering your knee toward the floor. Drive through the front heel to return, keeping your torso tall and hips steady.

Single leg press

Single-Leg Press

Place one foot on the leg press platform and extend the opposite leg out of the way. Lower the platform under control, then press back up through your heel, keeping your hips steady.

Frog leg press

Frog Leg Press (Adductors)

On a 45° leg press, place your feet wide and turned out. Bring your knees in toward your chest, then press out while keeping your knees wide. Focus on squeezing your adductors as you extend.

Landmine reverse lunge

Landmine Reverse Lunge

Hold the end of the landmine bar at waist height and step one leg back into a lunge. Lower with control, then drive through the front heel to stand tall, keeping your torso upright.

Landmine Hack Squat

Landmine Reverse Hack Squat

Stand facing away from the landmine with the plate resting against your upper back. Lean back slightly as you squat down, allowing your knees to track forward. Drive through your heels to stand tall.

Landmine overhead squat

Landmine Overhead Squat

Face the landmine and hold the bar overhead with both hands and arms straight. Sit into a deep squat, keeping your chest tall and core braced. Drive through your heels to stand while maintaining the overhead position.

Landmine Goblet squat

Landmine Goblet Squat

Face the landmine and hold the bar at chest height. Sit into a deep squat, keeping your chest tall and core braced. Drive through your heels to stand.

Calf Raise

Leg Press Calf Raise

Place the balls of your feet on the lower edge of the leg press platform. Extend your legs without locking your knees. Push through your toes to lift your heels, then lower slowly for a full stretch. Repeat with toes forward, turned in, and turned out to hit different parts of the calves.

Leg Workouts

quad workout 2
Plan you leg workout
Cable Only Workout
Leg Workout
Leg Workout 2
Complete Leg Workout

Ready for a personalised program?

Get a training programme tailored to your body, confidence level and goals inside MySuperoFit, my online coaching app for women.​

These quad exercises are designed for women who want to build leg strength, improve knee stability and develop shape safely. Ideal for beginners, women over 40, and anyone starting or restarting their fitness journey. This page includes simple training cues, clear demonstrations and beginner-friendly quad exercises suitable for home or gym workouts.

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