Advanced Quad Workout: Build Serious Thickness and Strength Through the Full Range
This session is built for advanced lifters who already move well under a barbell and are ready to push quad development further with loaded variation and accommodation resistance. If you've been training consistently for years and want to add genuine thickness to the front of your thighs — and carry that strength into everything from athletic performance to heavy compound lifts — this is your session. We'll walk you through every piece of it.
What the research says
Three areas of research are directly relevant to how this session is designed. First, depth in the squat genuinely matters for quad growth: a 12-week study comparing deep squats (0–120° of knee flexion) to shallow squats (0–60°) found that the deep squat group produced superior increases in front thigh muscle cross-sectional area and greater gains in isometric knee extension strength at deeper knee angles, as well as better squat-jump performance. Second, how you progress the work — whether by adding load or adding reps — produced similar hypertrophy and strength outcomes in an 8-week study on resistance-trained individuals, which means your overload strategy has some flexibility as long as you are consistently demanding more from your body. Third, a 2025 study on barbell squat training found that both 'knees in' and 'knees out' alignment groups increased lower-body strength and vasti muscle volume, with no statistically significant differences in self-reported knee health outcomes between groups over the 6-week training period.
Moderate overall — the squat depth finding comes from a controlled 12-week trial with clear, significant results; the progressive overload and alignment studies are shorter (6–8 weeks), involve smaller samples, and their findings should be read as directional rather than definitive.
A 12-week study comparing deep squat training (0–120° of knee flexion) to shallow squat training (0–60°) in male participants found that the deep squat group had superior increases in front thigh muscle cross-sectional area (4–7% greater than the shallow squat group). The deep squat group also showed superior increases in isometric knee extension strength at 75° and 105° of knee flexion, and in squat-jump performance (15 ± 3% greater than the shallow squat group).
View study →An 8-week study on resistance-trained individuals compared a program that increased load while keeping repetitions constant against a program that increased repetitions while keeping load constant. Both groups performed similar lower-body exercises including the back squat and leg extension. The study found no significant between-group differences in quadriceps muscle thickness, 1RM squat strength, or muscular endurance outcomes.
View study →A 6-week barbell squat training study in healthy women compared 'knees in' versus 'knees out' tibiofemoral alignment. Both groups increased lower-body strength (p < 0.001) and vasti muscle volumes (p < 0.02). The five Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) outcomes did not differ significantly between groups and did not change over time. Gluteus maximus volume decreased in the 'knees in' group (p = 0.045), though the study noted the direction of loading change this represents was unclear.
View study →The routine
Warmup
Stand with your hands behind your head, and squat down keeping your torso upright and your head up. This will be your starting position. Jump forward several feet, avoiding jumping unnecessarily high. As your feet contact the ground, absorb the impact through your legs, and jump again. Repeat this action 5-10 times.
Lie face down on the floor, with your arms extended out to your side, palms pressed to the floor. This will be your starting position. To begin, flex one knee and bring that leg across the back of your body, attempting to touch it to the ground near the opposite hand. Promptly return the leg to the starting postion, and quickly repeat with the other leg. Continue alternating for 10-20 repetitions.
Lay face down on the floor with your partner kneeling beside you. Flex one knee and raise that leg off the ground, attempting to touch your glutes with your foot. Your partner should hold the knee and ankle. This will be your starting position. Attempt to extend your knee while your partner prevents any actual movement. After 10-20 seconds, relax your muscles as your partner gently pushes the foot towards your glutes, further stretching the quadriceps and hip flexors. After 10-20 seconds, switch sides.
Main
This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first place a flat bench or a box behind you. The flat bench is used to teach you to set your hips back and to hit depth. Then, set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it. Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times as looking down will get you off balance and also maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances discussed in the foot stances section). Begin to slowly lower the bar by bending the knees and sitting your hips back as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until you slightly touch the bench behind you. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that is perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly. Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel of your foot as you straighten the legs and extend the hips to go back to the starting position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Begin in a power rack with a box at the appropriate height behind you. Set up the bands on the sleeves, secured to either band pegs, the rack, or dumbbells so that there is appropriate tension. If dumbbells are used, secure them so that they don't move. Also, ensure that the dumbbells you are using are heavy enough for the bands that you are using. Additional plates can be used to hold the dumbbells down. If more tension is needed, you can either widen the base on the floor or choke the bands. Typically, you would aim for a box height that brings you to a parallel squat, but you can train higher or lower if desired. Begin by stepping under the bar and placing it across the back of the shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and rotate your elbows forward, attempting to bend the bar across your shoulders. Remove the bar from the rack, creating a tight arch in your lower back, and step back into position. Place your feet wider for more emphasis on the back, glutes, adductors, and hamstrings, or closer together for more quad development. Keep your head facing forward. With your back, shoulders, and core tight, push your knees and butt out and you begin your descent. Sit back with your hips until you are seated on the box. Ideally, your shins should be perpendicular to the ground. Pause when you reach the box, and relax the hip flexors. Never bounce off of a box. Keeping the weight on your heels and pushing your feet and knees out, drive upward off of the box as you lead the movement with your head. Continue upward, maintaining tightness head to toe. Use care to return the barbell to the rack.
Begin in a power rack with a box at the appropriate height behind you. Typically, you would aim for a box height that brings you to a parallel squat, but you can train higher or lower if desired. To set up the chains, begin by looping the leader chain over the sleeves of the bar. The heavy chain should be attached using a snap hook. Adjust the length of the lead chain so that a few links are still on the floor at the top of the movement. Begin by stepping under the bar and placing it across the back of the shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and rotate your elbows forward, attempting to bend the bar across your shoulders. Remove the bar from the rack, creating a tight arch in your lower back, and step back into position. Place your feet wider for more emphasis on the back, glutes, adductors, and hamstrings, or closer together for more quad development. Keep your head facing forward. With your back, shoulders, and core tight, push your knees and butt out and you begin your descent. Sit back with your hips until you are seated on the box. Ideally, your shins should be perpendicular to the ground. Pause when you reach the box, and relax the hip flexors. Never bounce off of a box. Keeping the weight on your heels and pushing your feet and knees out, drive upward off of the box as you lead the movement with your head. Continue upward, maintaining tightness head to toe.
This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, bring your arms up under the bar while keeping the elbows high and the upper arm slightly above parallel to the floor. Rest the bar on top of the deltoids and cross your arms while grasping the bar for total control. Lift the bar off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times as looking down will get you off balance and also maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances described in the foot positioning section). Begin to slowly lower the bar by bending the knees as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until the angle between the upper leg and the calves becomes slightly less than 90-degrees (which is the point in which the upper legs are below parallel to the floor). Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that is perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly. Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor mainly with the middle of your foot as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set a flat bench behind you and set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, bring your arms up under the bar while keeping the elbows high and the upper arm slightly above parallel to the floor. Rest the bar on top of the deltoids and cross your arms while grasping the bar for total control. Lift the bar off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times as looking down will get you off balance and also maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances described in the foot positioning section). Begin to slowly lower the bar by bending the knees as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until you touch the bench with your glutes. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that is perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly. Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor mainly with the heel of your foot as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Cooldown
Start off on your hands and knees, then lift your leg off the floor and hold the foot with your hand. Use your hand to hold the foot or ankle, keeping the knee fully flexed, stretching the quadriceps and hip flexors. Focus on extending your hips, thrusting them towards the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds and then switch sides.
Lie face down on the floor, with a rope, belt, or band looped around one foot. Flex the knee and extend the hip of the leg to be stretched, using both hands to pull on the belt. Your knee and your hip should come off of the floor, creating tension in the hip flexors and quadriceps. Hold the stretch for 10-20 seconds, and repeat on the other leg.
Set and rep ranges are general starting suggestions based on this guide's level — adjust to your own experience, and progress gradually.
This session involves heavy barbell loading, accommodation resistance, and deep knee flexion — have a qualified coach or training partner review your movement patterns before adding load, and never train to failure on squat variations without a spotter or safety bars in place; if you have a current or recent knee, hip, or lower-back issue, get clearance from a qualified medical professional before performing this session.