Quad underdevelopment is one of the most pernicious of all bodybuilding problems. There isn’t a more noticeable physique defect than lagging legs whether you’re onstage, at the beach, or at the gym. The difference between upper-body and lower-body mass will grow exponentially over time, so don’t travel any further on “flat tires”. Fix them immediately.
Remedies
Work thighs alone in their own workout to give them maximum attention. You may also wish to train quadriceps and hamstrings on different days to focus completely on just the front or back of your thighs in separate workouts.
Emphasize heavy compound lifts, specifically squats and leg presses.
Try to avoid lower-body cardio training while prioritizing your quads, as this can deplete your leg strength and energy reserves. If you must do cardio, do it as far from leg day as possible.
If your upper body greatly overshadows your lower body, decrease the volume and intensity of your upper body workouts to maintain the size of those muscles, while increasing the intensity of lower-body workouts to grow those areas. Proceed in this manner until your lower body matches your upper.
For the drop set, go to failure at approximately 10 reps, and then immediately reduce the weight and go to failure again. Proceed in this manner for two to four such drops.
Quad Prioritization Routine
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Leg extensions (warm-ups)
3
15
Squats
4
6-10
Leg presses
4
6-10
Hack squats
4
6-10
One-leg presses
2
15
Leg extensions
1
drop set
Professional's Advice
Even at his advanced level, Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman relies on heavy pyramids of leg presses to boost quad mass.
