Quads can be trained for higher reps. As high as 20-30 reps can be effective. Pecs respond well to higher reps. But when training to get that rounded-shoulders look, higher reps of isolation work is best.

Most intermediate-advanced lifters need at least 8 sets of direct quad work per week to make gains, and for some, it’s even more than that. If you’re training twice a week, that’s about 4 sets per session. It’s about 2-3 sets per session for 3x training, 2 sets for 4x training, and 1-2 sets or so for 5x or 6x training.

In both cases, you can train with lighter weights and higher reps safe in the knowledge that you’re not missing out on any gains. In short, as long as you train hard and push yourself, your muscles can be made to grow with a variety of rep ranges and weights, from light to medium to heavy.

Higher reps—more than 12—should make up a smaller portion of your training until you’re experienced. At that point, sets of 20 or so reps on leg exercises (done with perfect form) can shock the quads and hamstrings into new growth.

High reps build muscle and connective tissue strength, and give your body respite from the grind of low-rep sets, too. Similarly, low-rep sets build neuromuscular and CNS efficiency.

So, in general, low reps with heavy weight tends to increase muscle mass, while high reps with light weight increases muscle endurance. Lifting lighter weights with more reps gives the muscle tissue and nervous system a chance to recover while also building endurance.

Below are 10 of the best leg exercises to build bigger legs for any level of lifter:

1. Back Squats.
2. Front Squats.
3. Hack Squats.
4. Leg Press.
5. Stiff Leg Deadlifts.
6. Goodmornings.
7. Machine Hamstring Curls.
8. Machine Leg Extensions.

High rep squats are squats performed at high repetitions per set. High repetitions per set are considered to be 8 or more repetitions. High rep squats can help with muscle gain, strength endurance, and breaking through squat plateaus.

Doing around 6–20 reps per set is usually best for building muscle, with some experts going as wide as 5–30 or even 4–40 reps per set. For bigger lifts, 6–10 reps often works best. For smaller lifts, 12–20 reps often works better.

By now, it’s probably ingrained in you that you need to perform high reps per set (I’m looking at you, bodybuilders). If you train with high reps, your goal is to build a bigger muscle. Some folks call this “structural hypertrophy” since the higher rep sets allow you to focus primarily on the muscles themselves.

But follow these guidelines, and I promise that your legs and body will change.

1. Squat every day.
2. Get great at goblet squats.
3. Build up strength with Bulgarians.
4. Finish with 10 minutes of lunges or stepups.
5. Deadlift heavy at least once a week.
6. Pay attention to your glutes.

“Your 100-rep max is likely to be at or close to the minimum resistance available for an exercise,” Looney points out, “meaning you will not be stimulating strength, power or muscle gains. In fact, certain exercises can be too difficult to complete 100 reps with even using just your bodyweight.”

The Best Workout For Building Massive Quads 1 Leg Extension. 2 Narrow Leg Press. 3 Walking Lunge. 4 Leg Extension. 5 Leg Press Calf Raise. 6 Seated Calf Raise.

High Rep Leg Workout Exercise Sets x Reps Leg Press 5 x 20 Single-Leg Extensions 4 x 12-15 Leg Curls 4 x 12-15 Calve Raises 5 x 15

On leg presses, I go as heavy as I can for 20 reps, and on hack squats, I go as heavy as I can for 10–12. I don’t do any sets for my legs under 10 reps anymore; I just don’t get the size from it.” *Increase weight each set, starting out with 20 reps with the lightest weight and finishing with 10 reps with the heaviest weight.

This is a great way to warm up those quads and get your blood pumping. In this workout, you’ll do some 12-rep set squats and follow that up with even higher reps on leg press. From there, it’s the basic extensions and curls, but not so basic with the extreme rep ranges.