Resistance band workouts can work many muscles. Discover effective resistance band exercises that can give you bigger and stronger quads.
One of the benefits of these is that you often only need a few good resistance bands and nothing else. This can be helpful if you want to get fitter at home or while traveling.
That aside, you may also want to consider implementing resistance band hamstring exercises to keep your thigh muscle mass and strength balanced.
1. Resistance band leg extensions
To do leg extensions with resistance bands you want something to sit on and an anchor close to the ground. Once you have that, take the following steps to do the exercise:
- Anchor the resistance band somewhere close to the ground. If you are using a chair you can anchor it at the back chair legs.
- Sit on the object you chose with your back to the anchor. Anchor the other end of the resistance band behind your feet. Make sure your folded leg already feels a pull from the resistance band.
- Slowly stretch your legs with the resistance band until they are fully stretched.
- Move your feet back to the position in step 2 in a controlled motion.
One of the benefits of resistance bands is that they allow you to train all the main parts of your thighs. Leg extensions isolate your quads aka your front thigh muscles.
2. Resistance band squats
Squats are a classic resistance training exercise to strengthen your leg muscles, including your quads. By increasing the challenge with resistance bands, you can increase the amount of muscle mass you gain.
Take the following steps to do a resistance band back squat:
- Stand up straight with your feet at more or less shoulder width. Anchor one end of the resistance band under your feet.
- Slowly lower your hips by bending your knees. How far depends on different factors like knee health but at your lowest point you want your hips to be at or lower than your knee height.
- Anchor the other end of the resistance band safely around the back of your neck.
- Push yourself up again into starting position by stretching your legs.
- Alternate between the positions in steps 2 and 4 for a certain number of repetitions.
Squats are a great exercise choice to build muscle mass. To build the most muscle mass you want to do about 4 sets of 10-40 squats depending on how advanced you are.
Most people will need relatively heavy resistance bands to make squats challenging enough.
Additionally, the theme of this list is resistance bands but you can also use other pieces of leg workout equipment like dumbbells, a barbell, and even household objects like a heavy backpack to make squats more challenging for your quads.
3. Resistance band deadlifts
Deadlifts target a wide variety of muscles. Your quads will definitely get good training in a set of deadlifts. Take the following steps to do a resistance band deadlift:
- Anchor the resistance band under your feet which are about shoulder width.
- Slightly fold your knees and tilt your upper body forward to grab the resistance band close to the ground.
- Stretch your knees and tilt back your upper body at the same time until your upper body and legs are stretched in one straight line. When doing a deadlift it is very important to keep your back in a straight line during the exercise.
- Slowly move back into the position of step 2.
Good technique is important in any exercise to avoid injuries but especially so for resistance band deadlifts.
Before taking out your heaviest resistance bands it is smart to improve your technique first by starting with light or no resistance bands at all.
After that, the deadlift is traditionally an exercise that is done with relatively heavy resistance.
4. Resistance band reverse lunges
Lunges are a popular compound exercise with a lot of focus on your quads. To be able to do this movement with resistance bands you want to do reverse lunges.
Take the following steps to do a resistance band reverse lunge:
- Stand up straight with your feet at more or less shoulder width. Anchor one end of the resistance band below your feet.
- Take a big step backward so that you get into a position where both of your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Your front foot should be flat on the ground, your back foot should only touch the ground with the ball of the foot (front). Most of your weight should lean on your front leg.
- Anchor the other end of the resistance band safely around the back of your neck.
- Move your back foot forward to get into the starting position. Make sure you use your front leg muscles to move upward and not the momentum of your back foot.
- Repeat the same movement with your other leg backward.
Resistance bands are not the most ideal way to make lunges weighted but they can definitely still make lunges more challenging for your quads. In turn, this can lead to faster and more muscle growth.
5. Resistance band leg presses
A leg press machine is a gym machine where you sit down and do a similar movement as squats. You can also do this with the help of resistance bands.
Something like a yoga mat or other soft surface can make this resistance band quad exercise a lot more comfortable.
Gear requirements aside, take the following steps to do a resistance band leg press:
- Sit or lie down on the floor. For most people lying will be better. Safely anchor one end of the resistance band behind your shoulder or the back of your neck. You can also try to hold the resistance band but that way your grip and arm muscles will likely fatigue faster than your leg muscles.
- Move your knees toward your chest. How far depends on different factors like knee health but at the farthest point you want your knees to be closer to your chest than your hips. Safely anchor the other end of the resistance band behind your feet.
- Push with your feet against the resistance bands until your legs are slightly less than stretched.
- Alternate between the positions in steps 2 and 3 for a certain number of repetitions.
Resistance band leg presses are a complete beginner quad exercise. This is because you remove your body weight as resistance.
All that is left is the resistance from the bands and this is usually not a lot for strong muscles like your leg muscles.
One thing you can do to make this resistance band quad exercise a bit more challenging is to do it with one leg at a time.
If you give this variation a try, don’t forget to do the same number of repetitions with the other leg to avoid quadricep muscle imbalances.
6. Resistance band Bulgarian split squats
For resistance band Bulgarian split squats, you want a step, bench, chair, or any other stable object at about knee height.
Once you have that, take the following steps to do a Bulgarian split squat with a resistance band:
- Stand in front of the stable object with your back toward it. Keep about half a leg distance between you and the box.
- Move one leg back and put the foot of this side on the object. The top of your foot should lean on the surface of the object. Anchor one end of the resistance band under your front foot.
- Slowly lower your hips by bending the knee of your stretched leg until your hip is at about the height of your knee of the previously stretched leg. Use your arms for balance if needed.
- Anchor the other end of the resistance band safely around the back of your neck.
- Push yourself up again into the position of step 2.
- Alternate between the positions in steps 2 and 3 for a certain number of repetitions.
- Repeat the same number of repetitions on the leg of the other side to keep your muscle distribution balanced.
The Bulgarian split squat looks similar to lunges but because one leg is raised, more weight rests on the other.
This extra challenge makes the Bulgarian split squat a great quad exercise if you don’t have very heavy resistance bands available.
7. Resistance band pistol squats
For this next resistance band quad exercise, most people need something to lean on for balance.
Once you have that, take the following steps to do a pistol squat with a resistance band:
- Stand up straight with stretched legs. If you have a balance object stand right next to it with one hand on it and enough room for the rest of the exercise.
- Raise one foot off the ground. The best position to keep that foot off the ground throughout the exercise is by stretching the leg and pointing it forward. Anchor one end of the resistance band under the foot on the ground.
- Slowly move your body towards the ground by folding your support leg. Mainly use the object for balance but if necessary you can also use it to lower and lift your body.
- How low you should go depends on different factors like knee health but ideally at your lowest point you want your hips to be at or lower than your knee height.
- Anchor the other end of the resistance band safely around the back of your neck.
- Slowly push yourself up again.
- Alternate between the positions in steps 3 and 4 for a certain number of repetitions.
- Do a number of repetitions and repeat with your other leg.
Pistol squats are likely the hardest option on this list, even just the bodyweight version of this quad exercise is challenging. Both in terms of balance and how much weight rests on one leg.
A resistance band pistol squat is for individuals experienced with resistance training and/or for individuals who only have a light resistance band available.
One downside is that the required focus on balance distracts you from training your quads as much as possible.
A lot of people also need to build up their quad strength first before considering pistol squats, especially with extra resistance from bands.
