Last updated: June 2026
Quads are some of the hardest-working muscles in any athlete’s body. Whether you cycle, run, ski, row or lift weights, the big muscles on the front of your thighs are firing constantly, and over time they shorten and tighten. Because one of them, the rectus femoris, crosses the hip as well as the knee, tight quads can tilt your pelvis, tug on your lower back and pull on your knees.
Below are five yoga quad stretches, working from gentle to deep, and reaching the quads in several different positions—kneeling, lying and reclining—so you can find the one(s) that suits you. And if you’ve stretched your quads before but they never seem to fully release, there’s a reason, and the answer isn’t to stretch harder. I’ll show you the stretches first, then what to add to make them more effective.
WHAT ARE THE QUADS?
- The quadriceps femoris is a four-headed muscle that runs down the front of your thigh, from the top of the femur (thigh bone), to the patella (kneecap). It comprises the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and rectus femoris.
- The quadriceps extend or straighten the knee and assist the hip flexors in flexing the hip.
HOW DO TIGHT QUADS AFFECT YOUR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE?
- Lower back and knee pain. Tight quads and weak glutes and hamstrings lead to a lack of mobility in the hips and knees that is often experienced as pain in the lower back and behind the knees.
- Reduced power and speed. When the quads are not restored to their optimal length, they are unable to produce maximal force.
- Compromised movement patterns. Tight muscles restrict freedom of movement and this, unfortunately, is exacerbated with frequent repetition.
5 QUAD STRETCHES—CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
Here are your 5 poses that stretch the quads. In each of them, you bend one or both knees to create traction. These poses become increasingly more difficult as we move through them. Please work within your own range as more intensity isn’t necessarily better. Our goal is not to become elite-level yogis but to continue to perform well in our sport and if a pose seems unsafe to you, it doesn’t mean that you’re missing out.
Specifically, the kneeling and reclining quad stretches compress the knee. If you have knee issues, or you feel pinching or pain in the knee joint (as opposed to a stretch in the front of the thigh), release the pose and rest. You should feel the stretch in your quad, not your knee.
1. STANDING QUAD STRETCH—5+ breaths
Cue: Press your left hip forward to feel the stretch in your left quadriceps, and check that your left knee points straight down.
Modification: Pictured above with a surface to lean on if necessary for good alignment.
2. THUNDERBOLT—3-5 breaths
Cue: Gently engage your abs, and lengthen all the way from the base of your spine all the way up to the top of your head.
Modification: You can sit with a pillow or bolster on top of your ankles to reduce the intensity.
3. HALF-TWISTED LIZARD—3-5 breaths on each side
Cues: Drop your hips and gently pull your back foot in towards you. Walk your front foot out wide to make space to twist in the pose.
Modification: You can put a towel or thin cushion under your back knee for support.
4. RECLINING QUAD STRETCH—5+ breaths
Cues: Take hold of your left knee with your right hand. Drop your right knee to the mat. And hold onto your right foot with your left hand. This is my favourite quad stretch.
5. HALF-RECLINING HERO—3-5 breaths
Cues: Bend your left knee and bring your left foot back to your left hip. Straighten your right leg to the mat or bend your right knee and bring the sole of your foot to the mat. Lean back until you feel the stretch in your left quadriceps—this may mean just coming down onto your elbows.
Modifications: Keep your right leg straight to decrease the intensity. And put a cushion under your right buttock to level your hips.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR QUAD STRETCHES MORE EFFECTIVE
If you stretch your quads regularly but they always tighten straight back up, the problem usually isn’t your stretching, it’s that tight quads are often a symptom of a broader pattern.
When your glutes and hamstrings are weak, your quadriceps have to stay partially contracted (hypertonic) to stabilise your hips and knees. The harder you train, the more this imbalance compounds: the quads progressively tighten, the glutes and hamstrings get relatively weaker, and over time this can lead to pain, injury and reduced performance. So no matter how much you stretch, the quads keep pulling tight again, because they’re being asked to do the job the glutes and hamstrings should be sharing.
The most effective way to release your quads is to address the whole pattern in one short sequence. Rather than going straight to the quad stretches, I build up to them like this:
- Activate the glutes and hamstrings—for example, Bridge and/or Locust, so that the muscles that should be stabilising your hips and knees switch on.
- Stabilise the knees and open the hips—a pose like High Lunge.
- Release the hip flexors—a deep hip opener like Lizard.
- Then stretch the quads—following the poses above.
By the time you reach the quad stretches, the surrounding muscles have done their share, your hips are open, and your quads can release properly.
FOLLOW THE SEQUENCE WITH ME
If you’d like to practice these poses with full instruction, I have a dedicated 15-minute Intense Quad Stretch video on the Yoga 15 app. We flow through a series of poses to activate the glutes, open the hips and then stretch the quads.
The video is only available to Yoga 15 members. If you’re not yet a member, you can try the full library free for 14 days—360+ videos and 70+ courses designed specifically for athletes.
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