Get Bigger Thighs Using 3 Different Squat Exercises

Squats are the most effective exercise for building the thighs, AKA quads. Variety in a workout program is important to prevent staleness, but it is also important that you realize there is more than one way to perform squats.

Varieties include…

Regular Squats

The most common way to perform squats, require is a squat rack or power cage/rack.

How to perform regular squats…

1. Stand under the barbell, allowing the bar to run along the back of your shoulders, and support it with a firm overhand grip at either side of the shoulder.
2. With your back locked out, feet around shoulder width apart or slightly wider, toes pointing outwards slightly, drive up with your thighs to de-rack the bar.
3. Step forward, and again, set your feet at around shoulder width apart, toes slightly out.
4. Facing forwards throughout, and keeping your back locked out (not rounding), bend at the knees until your thighs dip below parallel to the floor.
5. Drive back up.

Dumbbell Squats

If you don’t have a barbell or squat rack or power cage/rack, then you can still do squats using dumbbells. You may wish to squat with the dumbbells up on your shoulders, as if you were doing a shoulder press, or you can do it a more simple way…

1. Hold a heavy dumbbell in each hand down by your sides, arms straight, palms turned inwards.
2. Set your feet at around shoulder width apart or slightly wider.
3. Retain a rigid and flat spine, and, facing forward, bend at the knee until the thigh is slightly below parallel with the floor.
4. Drive back up.

Hack Squats

Hack squats are an excellent way to hit the vastus medialis portion of the thigh. They can be performed with a machine, but we are going to perform them the old school style with a barbell, like so…

1. With a barbell on the floor behind you, place the back of your lower legs flush against the bar.
2. Stand with your feet around shoulder width apart or slightly wider, toes pointed slightly outwards.
3. Bending at the knees, retaining a rigid spine, facing forwards, grip the bar with a double overhand grip.
4. Using the thighs, drive up, pulling the bar up with you.

In hacks squats, the bar should remain in contact with you all the way up. It’s not too dissimilar from a dead lift, only performed in reverse.