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How To Get Teardrop Quads (Vastus Medialis Exercises)

How To Get Teardrop Quads

Bulging biceps, cannonball-like deltoids and shredded six pack abs are all impressive and are a display of a hell of a lot of dedication and consistent effort, but in my eyes teardrop quads are in a league of their own. The vast majority of guys in the gym will give it their all on chest day, arm day and shoulder day... but when it comes time to train legs the same cannot be said.

They'll perform a few light weight sets of squats in the smith machine, perhaps a leg curl or two and call it a day.

If you want to set your physique apart from the rest of dedicated lifters you've got to build an impressive pair of legs, in particular the vanity muscle which in turn gives the teardrop quads look is the vastus medialis, located just above the knee.

3 Exercises To Build Teardrop Quads  (Vastus Medialis Exercises)

In order to build up that elusive teardrop I recommend adding the following 3 exercises to your leg day workout. 
Lift heavy and aim for the 4 - 6 rep range on your front and back squats while hitting 8 - 10 reps on the leg extension (excessive weight will put pressure on your knees and increase risk of injury). 

The Front Squat

Barbell Front Squat Form:

Unrack a barbell set at shoulder height in your squat rack by placing your arms under the bar, raising your elbows up as high as possible and maintaining an upper arm position just beyond parallel to the floor (the bar should be resting on top of your deltoids, not pushing against your neck).

As you step away from the squat rack assume a shoulder width stance with your feet angled slightly outward, maintain a high chest and continue looking forward.

Lower yourself down while maintaining a straight back and continue looking forward by flexing your knees and dropping your hips back.

Once you've reached your lowest point pause for a second before driving back up through the heels.

Barbell Front Squat Variations: 

Goblet Squat

No barbell? No problems.
Grip a dumbbell vertically and hold it at chest height with both hands, proceed to squat down below parallel while gripping the dumbbell infront of your chest.
You'll find the goblet squat utilizes the quads and core heavily.

Kettlebell Front Squat

A kettlebell variation of the front squat - proceed by cleaning two kettlebells into the rack position and squatting below parallel while maintaining the position of the 'bells.

Wide Stance Back Squats

Barbell Back Squat Form:

Unrack the barbell from your squat rack, maintain a position with your chest up, head looking forward and a slightly wider than shoulder width stance with feet pointing outward.

Lower yourself down while maintaining a straight back and continue looking forward by flexing your knees and dropping your hips back.

Once you've reached your lowest point pause for a second before driving back up through the heels.

Barbell Back Squat Variations:

Pause Squats

Pause at the bottom of each repetition of your squat for 1 second before powering the barbell back up to the starting position.
Pause reps on the squat are fantastic for building explosive power in the legs.

Box Squats

Squat down onto a bench or box configured at a suitable height to meet you as you reach the parallel portion of your back squat. Shift your weight onto the box for a moment before powering back up to complete rhe squat. Do not bounce off the box for momentum.

Leg Extensions

Leg Extensions Form:

Assume position on a leg extension machine with your legs placed under the pad, feet forward and hands on the side bars.

Using only your quads proceed to extend your legs in front of your as you push against the pad, your torso should not move at all (hold yourself in place with the side bars).

Hold the extended position for 1 second (legs extended forward in front of you).

Slowly allow your legs to lower back down to the starting position.

Continue for the desired number of repetitions.

Leg Extension Variations:

Unilateral Leg Extensions

Perform all of your repetitions with one leg before switching over and hooking your opposite leg under the pad and performing the desired number of repetitions.

Unilateral training is particularly popular for ensuring and resolving muscular inbalances.
When performing the traditional double leg leg extension may guys tend to lean and push further with one side in order to compensate for the weaker quad.

If You Want A Defined Vastus Medialis You Must Lower Your Body Fat! 

You can hit these 3 exercises hard week in week out but unless you've got your body fat levels under control you're not going to have visible quad separation!
Let it be known - you cannot spot reduce body fat.

Unless you’ve been blessed with great quad genetics you’re going to need to lower your body fat to 10% or below in order to properly reveal your vastus medialis seperation. I personally have a visible 6 pack before I start to get any serious leg definition,  so don’t be surprised if you’ve got a visible 4 pack and your teardrop still isn’t protruding through… continue to lower your body fat and it will come.

You can do as many leg extensions and hours of leg intensive cardio (e.g. spin bike) as you want however unless you’re in a calorie deficit (this is assuming you’re not in the single digit body fat range) you’re never going to see any real vastus medialis definition. 

A bodybuilding misconception that remains to this day is that fat can be spot reduced.

You can't spot reduce fat – it is burned at an event rate across the entire body (albeit, some individuals will hold fat in certain areas for longer than others due to genetics).

A calorie deficit is the act of consuming FEWER calories than your body requires to maintain its current condition. Not sure how to calculate your calories or enter a calorie deficit? Check out my guide here.

What's Your Take On Building Teardrop Quads With Vastus Medialis Exercises? Let Me Know Below!

See also
How To Make Bodybuilding Affordable
Scott J.
Scott J.https://ignorelimits.com
I’m SJ. I’m a fitness enthusiast and published author. I transformed my body from a skinny fat 135lbs with 18% body fat to a solid 192lbs at 8% body fat. I became qualified in a field I was passionate about. I founded several online businesses that allow me to pursue ideas and projects in my life that I am passionate about without having to constantly worry about money. I published several eBooks explaining the training and dieting techniques I used to achieve the body I have today. I learnt a plethora of new information on dieting and fitness by reading and applying what I read, to find out what does work and what doesn’t work, because as I’m sure you’ve noticed the health and fitness industry is full of non-sense claims and BS. I found out what was true and what worked for me and applied that knowledge. And you bet I had fun during the whole process.

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