This week we’re covering the quads, which is low hanging fruit with talking points to incorporate into class! As usual, the text from your training manual is under my signature, but here’s an overview:

• The quads are made up of four different muscles (hence the name “QUADriceps” hehe). 
• The quads flex and extend the knee, and are the most powerful and largest muscle group in the body (more than the hamstrings). 
• When the quads are engaged, you burn a lot of calories, because you work a lot of your muscle mass. Also your metabolic rate increases since it’s a very dense muscle group. 

How to incorporate info into class:

• Muscle group: The quads are large and dense, so engaging them burns tons of calories and increases your metabolic rate! Strong quads also stabilize the knee and provide power for all kinds of functional movement like running, walking, squatting, etc.! 
• Class section: In leg work, we target the quads, hamstrings, and inner/outer thighs. Balancing small movements and large movements targets both the small twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers, which provides both stability for the joints, and power for all kinds of functional movements we do every day. 

The Quadriceps (Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis, Vastus Intermedius):

Function

• Flexes hip and extends knee (straightens leg), most powerful and largest muscle group (stronger than hamstrings)
• When clients work the quads, they work a relatively large part of their muscle mass (due to their large size), which burns a lot of calories. The density of the quads also boosts metabolic rate.

Postures used in class

• Plie Squats & Chair squats (on the lift), all leg work
• Leg extensions w/ leg lifts forward

Stretches used in class

• Quad stretch (standing or laying), Dancer’s stretch, Runner’s Lunge

Cues / “True40 Truths” 

• “Extend through the knees.”
• “Quads are the powerhouse of the body, active in the most powerful movements.”