F#$#!! another leg day!

We get it. Getting motivated for leg days ain’t easy. But its a goal on most athletes fitness goals to build powerful legs to reduce injuries, gain more flexibility and agility, and overall it looks damn good. Whether you like it or not, your legs are the pillars of your body. The stronger they are, the more solid you will be, allow you to lift heavier objects, move faster, be more agile and overall help prevent injuries which we can all benefit from at any age.

A the top of our list, the first thing to remember is that stronger quads will lead to strengthen your knees. This is important to remember as it will help mitigate knee pain. Athletes, youth, middle-age and senior citizens are all struck from knee pain sometime through their life. You don’t need to be a sports athlete to trigger knee pain. It can strike at anytime when you least expect it.

The team at BAM spoke to a number of customers, gym rats and athletes to compile our list of top five exercises you can do to build stronger, more powerful quads, and strengthen your knees.

5 exercises to help strengthen your knees, and more powerful quads

1. Slant Board Lunges

A lunge exercise is a strength training exercise that targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings muscles in the lower body.

It involves stepping forward with one leg and lowering the hips until both legs form a 90-degree angle, then pushing through the heel of the front leg to return to standing. Lunges can be performed with or without added resistance, such as weights or a barbell. They are often included as part of a leg or lower body workout routine to improve leg strength and muscle definition, as well as improve overall lower body stability and balance.

For the slant board lunge exercise, athletes take the traditional lunge and compliment it with the slant board. To perform a lunge exercise using a slant board:

• Place the slant board on a flat surface, with the angled end facing up.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips.
• Step forward with one foot and place the ball of your foot on the angled end of the board.
• Bend your front knee and lower your hips until both legs form a 90-degree angle.
• Push through the heel of the front leg to return to standing.
• Repeat with the other leg.
• You can also perform lunges by holding weights in your hands or using a barbell on your back to add resistance.
• Make sure to keep your movements controlled and avoid letting your knee drift inward or outward.
• Take breaks and stretch in between sets to prevent muscle fatigue.

2. Cable Squats

Short form: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slowly lower your body as if you were sitting back into a chair. Make sure your knees are aligned with your toes and don’t let them cave inward.

Exercise: Slant Board Cable Squat
If you have your own slant board, or a BAM Athletica slant board, then you’re already 1/2 way there. The slant board squat positions your body in an ideal position to target the quads and protect the lower back. This following example will preferentially work the vastus medialis (VMO) muscle that supports and strengthens the knee.

How to Do It:

• Set up the pulleys on a pulley machine at a lower weight. Position the slant board (you can also use a calf stretcher or angel board) around two to three feet from before the equipment.
• Stand on the slant board with the two feet on the board and and even across each other. Your toes should be pointing forward, and grab the cable handles either with an inner or outer grip.
• Move your whole body back as your pelvis tucks under the middle torso.
• Keeping up with this stacked position, with your rib cage over your hips, and breathing in. Then drop straight down to a base full squat position. Be sure to breathe in and out as you as you drive up and back to the starting position.
• Hold your weight back through the back for your feet (mostly on your heels) as you push up with a clean, rocket-like movement to finish your rep count.

3. Leg Extensions using a slant board

A leg extension exercise is a strength training exercise that targets the quadriceps muscles in the front of the thighs. It is traditionally performed using a leg extension machine, but a squat board or calf stretcher can also be used. Using a slant board works well for people who prefer portability due to the compact size of the slant board (and hundreds of dollars less).

The leg extension exercise can help to improve leg strength and muscle definition, as well as improve overall lower body strength and stability. It is often included as part of a leg or lower body workout routine.

To perform a leg extension exercise using a slant board:

• Place the slant board on a flat surface, with the angled end facing up.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the balls of your feet on the angled end of the board.
• Hold onto a wall or a stable object for balance.
• Slowly lift your heels off the ground, engaging your quadriceps muscles to extend your legs.
• Hold the position for a few seconds, then slowly lower your heels back down to the starting position.
• Repeat for desired number of repetitions.
• You can adjust the angle of the slant board to increase or decrease the difficulty of the exercise.
• Make sure to keep your core engaged and your body aligned throughout the exercise.
• Take breaks and stretch in between sets to prevent muscle fatigue.
• Sit on a leg extension machine with your feet against the resistance pad.
• Place your hands on the handles for stability.
• Extend your legs to lift the pad and slowly lower back to the starting position.
• Repeat for desired number of repetitions.
• Make sure to keep your back straight and avoid arching your lower back.
• You can adjust the resistance to your desired level, depending on your strength and fitness level.
• Take breaks and stretch in between sets to prevent muscle fatigue.

3. Step-ups with slant board

Step-up exercises are strength training exercises that involve stepping up onto a raised platform like a slant board or calf stretcher (also called a calf wedge) and then returning to the starting position. They are typically performed with one leg at a time and can be done with or without added resistance, such as weights or a barbell.

Step-up exercises target the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings muscles in the lower body and can help to improve leg strength and muscle definition, as well as improve overall lower body stability and balance. They are often included as part of a leg or lower body workout routine

To perform a step-up exercise using a slant board:

• Place the slant board on a flat surface, with the angled end facing up. Adjust the slant board (or calf stretcher) angle to your desired angle. If you have a BAM Athletica slant board, start with the lowest of the 5 angles and work your way up.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips.
• Place one foot on the angled end of the slant board.
• Press through the heel of the front foot to lift your body up onto the board.
• Step down with the other foot and repeat on the other side.
• You can also perform step-up exercises by holding weights in your hands or using a barbell on your back to add resistance.
• Make sure to keep your movements controlled and avoid letting your knee drift inward or outward.
• Take breaks and stretch in between sets to prevent muscle fatigue.

4. Slant Board Alternative Squat

A slant board alternative squat is a bodyweight exercise that targets the muscles of the legs and buttocks, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. It is performed on a slant board, which is a sloping platform that can be adjusted to various angles. A slant board sissy squat is a great variation of this alternative squat. By holding a rope in your hands that is secured to a solid upright, you will be better balanced to bring the knees forward and squat lower.

To perform a slant board alternative or sissy squat, you stand facing the slant board with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward. You then bend your knees and lower your body down as far as you can while keeping your feet on the board and your chest up.

The slant board allows you to perform the exercise with a greater range of motion, which can increase the intensity and effectiveness of the exercise.

To perform a slant board alternative or sissy squat, follow these steps:

• If you try the sissy squat, secure a rope to a an upright stand at shoulder height
• Begin by standing on a slant board with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward. The slant board should be angled at a moderate incline.
• Place your hands on your hips or extend them out in front of you for balance. If you’re doing the sissy squat, grab the rope with both hands.
• Bend your knees and lower your body down as far as you can while keeping your feet on the board and your chest up. Your knees should be aligned over your toes as you descend.
• Hold for a brief pause at the bottom of the movement, then push through your heels to straighten your legs and return to the starting position.
• Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

It’s important to keep your core engaged and your chest lifted throughout the exercise to maintain good form and avoid straining your lower back. If you find the exercise too challenging, you can place your hands on the ground in front of the slant board to provide additional support. As you become stronger, you can gradually increase the angle of the slant board to make the exercise more challenging.

5. Slant board calf raises

Slant board calf raises are a bodyweight exercise that targets the muscles of the lower leg, particularly the calves. Calf stretches are an important part of a well-rounded fitness routine, as they can help to improve flexibility, reduce muscle tightness, and prevent injuries. You’ll often hear the equipment or tool referred to as a calf board or calf wedge or calf stretcher.

There are many different types of calf stretchers available, including foam rollers, yoga blocks, and stretch bands. These are different than a slant board, where a slant board can enable a completely new set of exercises that target the calves, quads, knees, ankles and more. Calf stretchers are typically used by placing them under the ball of your foot and gently pressing down to stretch the muscles in your calf.

Slant board calf raises can help to strengthen and tone the muscles in your calves, as well as improve your balance and stability. As you become stronger, you can gradually increase the angle of the slant board to make the exercise more challenging. You can also try performing the exercise with one leg at a time to further increase the intensity.

To perform slant board calf raises, you stand on a slant board or calf stretcher with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward.

You then lift your heels off the ground, keeping your body straight and your core engaged. You can hold onto a wall or other stable object for balance if needed. Once you are balanced on your toes, you slowly lower your heels back down to the starting position.

To perform a slant board calf raise, follow these steps:

• To begin, adjust the BAM Athletica slant board to your desired angle. The slant board should be angled at a moderate incline.
• Next, stand on a slant board with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward.
• Place your hands on your hips or extend them out in front of you for balance.
• Lift your heels off the ground, keeping your body straight and your core engaged. You can hold onto a wall or other stable object for balance if needed.
• Once you are balanced on your toes, slowly lower your heels back down to the starting position.
• Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

It’s important to keep your core engaged and your body straight throughout the exercise to maintain good form and avoid straining your lower back.

If you find the exercise too challenging, you can place your feet half way on the slant board so that the your heel is on the ground and the top of our foot is slightly on the slant board. As you become stronger, you can gradually increase the angle of the slant board to make the exercise more challenging. You can also try performing the exercise with one leg at a time to further increase the intensity.