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Vastus Medialis股内侧肌

Legs · Superficial (L1) · Anterior · 4 exercises

Function

The 'teardrop' muscle above the inner knee — specializes in the final 15° of knee extension and patellar tracking. Its development is directly tied to knee joint health.

Best Exercises & Form Cues

• Leg Extension (Top Hold)

  Equipment

  Leg extension machine

  Sets & Reps

  3-4 sets × 10-12 reps (2-3 s top hold) · rest 60-90 s

  How to do it

  Knee aligned with the pivot; kick to full extension and hold 2-3 seconds, attention on a hard squeeze of the inner-thigh finisher (vastus medialis/teardrop); 3-second negative.

  Common mistakes

  Shaking through the hold, swinging the leg, short range

• Deep Squat (Full Bottom)

  Equipment

  Barbell/goblet + lifters (optional)

  Sets & Reps

  3-4 sets × 5-8 reps · rest 2-3 min

  How to do it

  Full-range squat until the hamstrings cover the calves (ankle and hip mobility permitting); 1-second pause at the bottom without bouncing; drive up as one unit; elevate the heels if ankle mobility is limited.

  Common mistakes

  Bouncing out of the bottom, adding weight before hitting depth, forcing depth with stiff ankles

• Lunge

  Equipment

  Bodyweight/dumbbells/barbell

  Sets & Reps

  3 sets × 10-12 steps per side · rest 90 s

  How to do it

  Step out and drop vertically, front knee over the toes, rear knee toward the floor; torso upright and braced; drive through the front heel to step through or return.

  Common mistakes

  Stride too short (knee shoots past toes), torso leaning, rear knee slamming down

• Leg Press (Full Range)

  Equipment

  45° leg press machine

  Sets & Reps

  3-4 sets × 10-12 reps · rest 2 min

  How to do it

  Feet slightly narrow and low on the platform; lower to the deepest point before the hips leave the pad (thighs to chest); stretch the inner thighs fully, then drive up as a unit; no lockout.

  Common mistakes

  Descending until the hips curl off (lumbar risk), half reps, hands on the knees

Stretching & Recovery

• Kneeling quad stretch (knees apart)
• Prone ankle-to-glute pull

Other muscles in the Legs

Sartorius · Tensor Fasciae Latae · Rectus Femoris · Vastus Lateralis · Tibialis Anterior · Fibularis Group · Adductor Group · Vastus Intermedius · Biceps Femoris · Semitendinosus · Semimembranosus · Gastrocnemius · Soleus