You only need five moves and a set of dumbbells to build bigger quad muscles

If you're eager to build muscle mass in your legs, develop a toned lower body and improve strength, then the quadriceps are a great set of muscles to start working out. You might be wondering where to begin, fortunately, this short dumbbell routine shows how you can grow your quad muscles using just five moves.

The quads are a group of four muscles located on the front of your thighs that, visually, can create a strong, muscular look when trained often and they help to extend your knee. So adding in some of the best leg workouts to your fitness regime will not only help build a more defined physique but will also make activities like walking, running, and jumping easier.

This lower body workout, developed by fitness instructor Dani.Fit, uses just five moves to engage and grow your quad muscles. You will perform each exercise for 40 seconds followed by 20 seconds of rest before moving on to the next move. Dani recommends completing three to four rounds so it's important you take these rest periods as this will allow your muscles to build up power again for each set and round of the routine.

With exercises like lunges and squats, you will just need yourself and your dumbbells. However, step-ups do form part of the routine, which typically require a bench. If you don't have access to one you could use a chair or low table so long as they are secure enough to hold your weight and movement.

Watch DaniFit's Five Move Quad Workout with Dumbbells

If you've used a HIIT workout before then you will notice the intervals of this dumbbell routine are the same. This workout is very similar, albeit, it involves weight making this a High-Intensity Resistance Training (HIRT) session. This places more focus on muscle building as opposed to more cardio-based movement, which still builds strength but more in the form of muscle endurance.

The bonus of a HIRT workout is that you are able to develop strength and spark muscle hypertrophy through resistance training and burn fat and stamina through interval training.

That being said, science has found that HIRT used alone is not enough to improve body fat percentage or metabolism. But the study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research did reveal that HIRT does increase muscle mass and muscle strength. If your specific fitness goal is to lower your overall body fat then you might be better off using this HIIT workout for fat loss.

As any form of interval training can be very taxing on the muscles, whether or not you use weights, your body will crave adequate recovery time in-between workouts. You can enhance this process by massaging out your muscles using one of the best foam rollers after your workouts or book yourself in for a sports massage every so often.