WhatWorksWhat.
Quads

Cyclist Squat

Quads-only burn; if anything else hurts, your setup is wrong.

Complexity · Mediumhypertrophyintermediate+Dumbbells
Check Your Form
  • Quads
  • Quads - Inner quad (teardrop)
  • Quads - Middle quad
  • Quads - Outer quad
  • Middle quad
  • Outer quad
  • Inner quad (teardrop)
  • Deep quad

PrimarySecondary

What it hits

Parts of the target muscle.

  • Middle quad

    Hit

    Rectus femoris - crosses hip, best hit when hip is extended (sissy squat, leg ext).

  • Outer quad

    Hit

    Vastus lateralis - outer sweep.

  • Inner quad (teardrop)

    Hit

    Vastus medialis - pops with full depth.

  • Deep quad

    Not hit

    Vastus intermedius - underneath, always involved.

The movement

Get it right, not roughly right.

Optimal form

2:20· Colossus Fitness

How To PROPERLY Hack Squat With Proper Form

Bottom (parallel)

Lockout

Narrow stance, heels on a wedge. Dumbbells at the sides. Torso fully upright through the rep. Sit straight down - knees track far over the toes. Drive up.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the torso lean forward - kills the isolation.
  • Stance too wide - turns into a normal squat.

Where you should feel it

Quads-only burn; if anything else hurts, your setup is wrong.

Injury risk · 3/10

Variations

Same movement, moved emphasis.

Ranked by how directly each variation still trains quads. 80%+ means the target barely changes. Below 60%, the emphasis has meaningfully shifted — useful for variety, but less precise for the specific part. The label calls it at a glance.

  • Smith cyclist squat

    Fixed bar path.

    100% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

  • Bodyweight cyclist squat

    No load, high reps.

    80% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

Compare with another exercise

Cool-down

Worked it. Walk it back down.

A couple of minutes here pays back in soreness avoided tomorrow. Browse the full library.

  • Couch Stretch

    Rear foot up on a bench, front leg in a 90/90 lunge. Squeeze the glute of the rear leg, tall torso. 60s per side.

    QuadsGlutes

  • Standing Quad Stretch

    Stand on one leg. Pull the other heel to the glute with the same-side hand. Knees stay close, tuck the pelvis. 45s per side. Hold a wall if balance is hard.

    Quads

  • Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

    Half-kneeling lunge. Squeeze the rear glute hard, tuck the pelvis. Optional: same-side arm overhead for a deeper hip-flexor + lat stretch. 60s per side.

    QuadsFront deltsAbs