Tip: The Do-Anywhere Quad Builder

Do this one at the gym, at home, or in front of your ex's house at midnight. (Okay, maybe not that last one.)

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You may already know of the Nordic hamstring curl, but I bet you haven't considered trying it in reverse.

Reverse Nordic

This is an advanced exercise which will stretch the fascia of the quads and hip flexors. It brings constant tension into the equation and can be an awesome finisher for the quads, especially when used in a superset.

Added weight won't be necessary if you've never done these before, but you can progress by holding a weight against your chest when you're ready. If you're feeling brave, add a resistance band to pull you back the further you travel forward.

How to Do It

  • Position yourself on a mat or soft surface in a tall kneeling position with either the backs of your feet flat or pressing on the tips of your toes.
  • Press your hips forward, squeeze your glutes, and lock yourself into a position where your torso and thighs are perfectly in line.
  • Drop back into a lying quad stretch moving as far back as comfortable, either until you can no longer maintain full hip extension or just shy of your lower back taking any unnecessary load.
  • Maintaining hip extension, press your feet into the floor and engage the quads throughout the ascent.
  • Aim for as much range of motion as possible with crisp form. While in most cases a larger ROM is more beneficial, we're looking for quality over quantity.

It won't take long to hit failure if you're executing it with optimal form. You'll know when you're doing it right!