October 2002

The question-of-the-month for October comes from Ninos in Illinois, a 19 year old who wants to develop his quads, especially the tear drop area.  He asks about the different ways to perform squats.  His question is: 

Dear Mike:

My question is in regards to your awesome leg development, especially your quads and your tear drop.  I was wondering how you performed your squats: wide stance, narrow stance, all the way down?  How did you get those tear drops to be so big?  Thank you and God Bless you.  

Dear Ninos:

Thanks for the great question.  How to develop the vastus medialis, or tear drop as it is commonly called, is a question I receive quite frequently.  The 'tear drop' is somewhat genetic, so some people develop this area much easier than others.  If you are not genetically predisposed to have a natural tear drop, don't be discouraged.  You can develop this area, but you will need to implement the tips I have outlined below into your workout program.

	Use a wider than normal stance on leg exercises with your feet pointing out at roughly a 45 degree angle.
	Using 60-70% of your max on squats, have your training partner hold his hands above your shoulders just short (approximately 6 inches) of your lockout height.  In other words, you will not quite stand up when performing the squats and you will keep constant tension on the legs.  Do 3 sets of 12-20 reps and remember to use the foot placement mentioned above.
	Try hack squats with your feet lower than normal on the platform.  Be sure to use a weight that won't cause injury to your knees.  Do 3 sets of 12 reps.
	Try front squats with your heels on 5 lb. plates.  Do 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Give these exercises a try and I think you will notice a big improvement.  Thanks again for the great question.  Good luck and keep training hard.

As always, don't forget to visit the Past Qs & As and my Training Tips section for more great tips and training info.

Until next month, train hard and stay healthy.

Mike Francois

Do you have a training question for Mike?  If so, visit our Ask Mike section and submit your question.

Note: Before embarking on any nutrition, supplementation, and/or training program, consult with your physician or other licensed health-care professional.