10 Best Vastus Medialis Exercises for Bigger Quads (Teardrop Muscle Workout)

The “teardrop muscle”—technically called the vastus medialis—is the inner part of your quad that gives your legs shape, symmetry, and knee support. While many lifters focus on overall leg size, developing your vastus medialis is essential for aesthetic thighs, knee stability, and injury prevention. In this guide, we break down the 10 best exercises, sample teardrop workouts, and training tips for bigger, stronger quads.

Quick Summary:

• Best teardrop quad exercises: Narrow Squats, Split Squats (w/ elevated front foot), Reverse Sled Drag, Poliquin Step-Ups

• Focus on deep knee flexion (60–90°) OR near extension (150-180°)

• Heels-elevated and externally rotated stances = more vastus medialis activation

• Combine strength & high-rep sets for full development

• Train 2x/week with progressive overload

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The Quadriceps

We're going to briefly explain the anatomy of the quads, and vastus medialis specifically, but if you're ready to get right to the exercises, just keep scrolling.

The vastus medialis is one of your 4 quad muscles;

1. Rectus Femoris- Located in the middle of the front thigh

2. Vastus Lateralis- Located on the outer side of the thigh

3. Vastus Medialis- Found on the inner part of the thigh

4. Vastus Intermedius -Located beneath the rectus femoris, between the vastus lateralis and medialis

The main function of the quadriceps is to extend (straighten) the knee. It also plays a minor role in hip flexion by pulling the leg up. 

Vastus Medialis Functions

1. Knee Extension - The vastus medialis works with the other three quad muscles to extend the leg.

2. Keeping The Patella In Proper Alignment- The vastus medialis and vastus lateralis act together by pulling the kneecap in opposite directions, keeping the patella in proper alignment. 

3. Works With The Vastus Lateralis- The vastus medialis' relationship with the vastus lateralis (which sits on the opposite side of the patella) is most dynamic.

10 Best Vastus Medialis Exercises

Let’s look at some of the best exercises (and modifications) you can use to specifically hit the vastus medialis.

First, here are some key variables we should look for when trying to target the vastus medialis.

1. Neutral Or Externally Rotated Foot- Studies show that performing exercises with either a neutral foot position or externally rotated will result in the best activation of the vastus medialis.¹

2. Hip Adduction- Performing squat variations with isometric hip adduction, pulling your knees together may create higher activation as well.²

3. Top Or Bottom Of ROM- The vastus medialis has greater activation with greater flexion angles (60-90 degrees) or when the joint is close to extended.

Let’s get into the best teardrop exercises!!!

1. Narrow Stance Squats Or Leg Press

In order to activate the quadriceps to a higher degree, there needs to be a larger range of motion and flexion. This is done by using a narrow stance. The same concept applies to either a squat or leg press, making it easy to utilize in both exercises.

You want to aim at getting your feet as close together while being able to still maintain balance. There is no need to have your feet actually touch, but they should be pretty close.  

Learn more about the different leg press variations in our article on the 7 Leg Press Foot Placements & Muscles Worked. Or, if you don't have access to a leg press machine, check out these Best Leg Press Alternatives. 

2. Heel Elevated Squat

Having the heels elevated while extending the leg may cause higher activation in the vastus medialis. This can easily be done with squats (barbell, goblet, etc.) and is actually often seen to assist trainees who have mobility issues. 

To perform the Heel Elevated Squat, simply place two small plates behind you when you squat. Once you un-rack the bar, place your heels on the plates to elevate them, starting with your knees slightly bent. Now perform squats as normal.

Training Tip: Be sure to also implement normal squats so that you do not overdevelop the quads while minimizing hamstring activation.

3. 1.25 Squats or Pulse Squats

Remember that the vastus medialis will have more activation at the lower end of the squat when there is more flexion. Therefore, you can take advantage of this by performing 1.25 squats or pulse squats.  

A 1.25 squat is performed like a regular squat. However, as you come up from the bottom, you only come up 1/4th the distance then go back down before coming back all the way up (and that's one rep).

A pulse squat is the same idea but may contain 2-5 1/4th reps (within the one main rep) before coming back up. 

Training Tip: Use controlled motion at the bottom of the squat.

4. Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat is infamous for causing intense activation of the quadriceps. 

Due to the body's positioning, it places a tremendous stretch on the vastus medialis, making it a prime pick for those wanting to grow this muscle. 

Tip: Start sloooowly with these as they are intense. If you are a beginner, start with normal split squats before you progress.

5. Split Squat with Elevated Front Foot

The split squat is another great exercise for overall quad development. To increase the stretch of the vastus medialis, elevate the forward leg slightly. The range will depend on the trainee, but 2-4” would work for most people. 

Again, this will create a larger ROM, which is what’s needed for growth of the vastus medialis as it has more activation during ranges with a smaller joint angle. 

Tip: Start with a lower ledge and then progress to increasing the height

6. The Poliquin Step Up

For this movement, you will need a wedge that’s placed on a couple plates. This allows you to stand with the weight on the balls of your foot while being slightly elevated.

It is basically a single leg squat with a very small range of motion performed with your weight toward the ball of your feet. This keeps your vastus medialis activated near the open position.

Because the Poliquin step-up has such a small ROM, these are done with high reps. 

Bonus Move: An advanced variation of this is the Peterson step up, which uses a flat platform instead of a slant board. It will provide you with a larger range of motion and does a great job hitting the vastus medialis.

7. Reverse Sled Drag

Similar to the Poliquin step-up, the reverse sled drag concentrates on the beginning part of the contraction. In fact, this was another favorite exercise of Coach Poliquin to train knee stability!

The main difference between the step-up is this reverse sled drag is better suited for heavier loads. Therefore, you can load up the sled and build some strength! 

But seriously, a long, heavy sled drag will have your quads screaming.

8. Drop Lunge

The drop lunge involves standing on a platform (can be just several inches high) and then doing a forward lunge (or reverse lunge) so the working leg comes down to the floor from the platform while the stationary leg stays on the platform.

What this does is effectively increases the eccentric portion of the movement when a footsteps comes forward. This is important as it creates more time under tension. The eccentric portion of a movement has actually been found to be more responsible for muscle hypertrophy. 

Tip: Do not use a load when you first do this exercise regardless of how strong you are, especially if using a large drop (a high platform). The difference in the drop can throw you off so spend some time using body weight only.

9. Step Ups (And Variations)

Step ups are great to hit the vastus medialis as they can allow a very large ROM. Remember that you will get more activation when there is 60-90 degree flexion so be sure to use a high platform for maximum activation.

If you’re new to this exercise, just use bodyweight for high reps – even these are tough with a high platform.

Tip: Do your best to not push off with your rear leg!

10. Squat With Hip Adduction

The squat alone works excellent as you are able to put maximal load on your legs which is needed for muscle growth.

However, if you want to try and activate your vastus medialis a bit more, do the same as the exercise above and add in hip adduction by placing a ball between your left knee and right knee. When you begin, use lighter weight (i.e. either bodyweight squats or light dumbbells in each hand) until you become familiar with the movement.

Start with body squats until you become familiar with the movement AND you find an appropriate apparatus for hip adduction. As an added benefit, as you're squeezing the ball between your legs, you're also working your inner thigh.

Bonus Move: If you want another squat variation that targets your vastus medialis, try a squat with externally rotated hips. To do this, simply set up with your feet rotated outwards a little more, around 40-45 degrees.

Best Vastus Medialis Workout

Now that you have a list of the exercises to use, let’s look at the best way to set up a workout routine to maximize strength and hypertrophy. The same concepts are going to apply to training your vastus medialis as to any other muscle. 

As you saw, the exercises above range in their specificity.

• Some are all-around great quadricep exercises 

• Some are specific to hit the vastus medialis. 

In your teardrop workout, you’ll start with more broad exercises and work down to more specific exercises. Here’s a couple of examples of great lower body workouts that’s also centric to developing a huge teardrop.

Vastus Medialis Workout Option 1:

1. Narrow Stance Squats: 4x6

2. Split Squats w/ Front Foot Raised: 3x8

3. Leg Press w/ Narrow Stance: 3x12

4. Step-Ups: 3x20 steps

5. Reverse Sled Drag: 5 X 10-15m

Vastus Medialis Workout Option 2:

1. Heel Raised Squats: 4x6

2. Leg Press w/ Externally Rotated Feet: 3x8

3. Bulgarian Squat: 3x8                    

4. Pulse Squats (Body Weight): 3x15 (3 pulses)

5. The Poliquin Step Up: 2x20 

About The Workout:

This workout features a wide range of reps of (5-20) while mostly staying in the hypertrophy range of 8+ reps.

This will train both strength and hypertrophy, but since you are wanting to make the muscle more visual, you should focus on hypertrophy training.

When trying to maximize growth, the vastus medialis responds very well to volume. A study looked at the effect of a volume equated program divided into two sessions and four sessions. 

Interestingly, the vastus medialis saw greater growth training twice a week.³ 

This means that training your vastus medialis twice weekly will give you the greatest benefits.

In order to maintain continued growth, always implement progressive overload into your training. This is simply the idea that you need to continually put a greater load on the muscle for it to keep growing (check out a more detailed article on the progressive overload principle here).

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Training Your Vastus Medialis At Home

One major bonus of vastus medialis training (if you are wanting to focus on it) is that you can easily perform many of the exercises above at home. As mentioned, many of the exercises can be done just utilizing the body for sufficient stimulus. This includes exercises such as:

• Wall sit with hip adduction (use a simple ball for a stimulus)
• The Peterson step up
• Drop lunge
• Bulgarian squat

Still, when doing the majority of the exercises that could use a load, you will find that using a quality pair of resistance bands work great or you can also keep a set of dumbbells or kettlebells at home.

This equipment can be used for exercises like:

• Sumo deadlift
• Squat
• Split Squat

You'll want to workout at home in a similar manner as you would the gym. The primary difference is you will not have as wide of a selection of resistance, so the reps will vary but will generally be higher. 

Programming Tips For At Home Vastus Medialis Workouts

Aim to do 3-4 sets of each exercise. However, instead of reps, work up until you hit about an 8 RPE on each set. RPE stands for “rate of perceived exertion” and is basically a scale to judge the intensity used. 

An RPE of 8 means that you’re working up to about 80-85% of max reps. It’s a bit of a guessing game, but utilizing this with the concept of progressive overload as your overarching guide and you’ll be great.

Benefits Of Strengthening The Vastus Medialis

Regardless of your goal or sport, training the vastus medialis is going to make a drastic impact on your development.

It’s important to remember that it is impossible to specifically isolate this muscle as all exercises will be strengthening the quadriceps as a whole. Being that the quadriceps are the primary extensor of the lower leg, it plays a critical role in the vast majority of movements. 

Let's look at the benefits of focusing on your vastus medialis.

1) It's All About Aesthetics: 

“Don’t skip leg day” and "chicken legs" are two memes you don’t want to hear.

Having developed quads is a sign of time and commitment in the gym. Aesthetically, speaking the bulk of the thigh from the front comes from developed vastus lateralis and the vastus medialis. 

If you were to do a quick google search, you would find that many trainees specifically look how to develop that “teardrop muscle above the knee”. They are talking about the vastus medialis. 

This muscle really accents the entire thigh when you have spent the time to beef it up.

2) Improve Your Performance:

The quadriceps as a whole are critical to human performance. Athletes from all sports, even dancers who need to jump, benefit from having stronger quadriceps muscles. 

More so, if you are wanting to stay injury free during athletic events, you’ll also want developed quadriceps. Along with the hamstrings, the quadriceps make up a good portion of injuries seen in athletes. 

Again, the vastus medialis is part of the quadriceps, so even if you are only concerned with the aesthetics, you will still receive the performance benefits.

3) Build Knee Stability:

Providing a solid structure for the knee joint and mitigating knee injury is what makes the vastus medialis really stand out from the other muscles of the quadriceps. People who have a more developed vastus medialis have been found to be less likely to develop knee pain⁴.

Specifically, a weak or imbalance in the vastus medialis has been found to be the primary cause of what’s know as patellofemoral pain syndrome. This makes it the main muscle that is examined and addressed in patients suffering from this pain.

BEST HYPERTROPHY PROGRAM

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Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...

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Time To Focus On Your Vastus Medialis

Growing your teardrop muscle isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about power, performance, and long-term joint health.

Similar to any muscle, if you want to make it grow, you need to give it a little extra attention. The above exercises and workouts now give you the tools to do that for your vastus medialis during your next leg day. 

Now go make your quads tear up!

For more great quad moves, check out these Best Quadriceps Exercises and the Best Vastus Lateralis Exercises.

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