Your quadriceps control the straightening and extending of the knee and help absorb force exerted on your knees and lower legs, according to the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. If the outer quadriceps are stronger than the lower quads, this can lead to a knee injury. An imbalance of strength among your quad muscles also affects the look and shape of your upper legs.
Identification
Your quadriceps muscle group includes four muscles that are located on the front of your thighs. Your quadriceps are made up of the vastus medialis, vastus intermedias, vastus lateralis and the rectus femoris. The lower quadricep muscle is the vastus medialis, sometimes referred to as the teardrop. It's important to target your quadriceps at least once a week with strength training, stretching your quads following each workout, says Bodybuilding.com.
Quadriceps Exercises
Several lower-body strength moves work your quadriceps, as well as your glutes and hamstrings. Classic quad builders includes squats, lunges, leg extensions and leg presses. Although these moves target all four quad muscles, changing your stance can shift the brunt of emphasis from the outer to the inner quads. Your vastus medialis is located on the inner side of your upper leg, starting at the femur.
Isolating the Lower Quads
Perform quad work with a wide stance to emphasize and target your inner quads. Leg presses, front squats and back squats with a wide stance engage the lower quad muscles; a narrow stance emphasizes the outer quads. The angle of your feet, whether pointed forward, to the outside or the inside, doesn't play a significant role in muscle isolation. Use the foot position that makes you feel most stable.
Considerations
Larger muscle groups, such as your quadriceps, take longer to recover from intense strength training than smaller muscles. If you overtrain by working these muscles too often, you can slow or halt muscle growth. After working your quads, wait at least 48 hours before targeting them again. Gradually increase your resistance as the current weight becomes less challenging. The American Council on Exercise recommends that you increase weight by 5 percent to 10 percent at a time to avoid injury and promote healthy muscle growth.
Nutrition
To increase strength without adding body fat, try to balance the amount of calories you take in and the amount you burn. It's difficult to build muscle when you're losing weight, so eat enough to maintain your current weight. Your body needs carbohydrates, protein and fat for optimum performance during physical activity, including weight training.
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