Logan Steele
The teardrop muscle, or vastus medialis oblique (VMO), is a muscle in the inner part of the quads. It can be activated by doing exercises that involve bending and straightening of the knee, such as squats, leg presses, and running. To increase VMO activation, you can do squats with your heels on an elevated surface, or adduct your hips as you flex your knees.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Exercise type | Squats, leg press, leg extensions, tap-dance |
| Foot placement | Heels on an elevated surface, feet lower on the footplate, narrow stance |
| Knee position | Inward knee drive, knee extensions |
| Balance | Tap to the front, back, sides, and diagonally |
| Timing | Predetermined time, e.g. 60 seconds |
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What You'll Learn
Squats with heels on an elevated surface
Squats with your heels on an elevated surface are a great way to increase VMO activation and strengthen your teardrop muscle. This exercise is particularly beneficial for those who experience knee pain or wish to improve their knee stability, as the VMO helps to stabilise the patella and enhance athletic performance.
To perform this exercise, stand with your feet together and bend your knees, descending into a quarter-depth squat. Place your heels on an elevated surface, such as a step or a box, to increase the activation of your teardrop muscle. Keep your knees bent and maintain your balance in this position. You can also try tapping your foot to the front, back, sides, and diagonally to further test your balance.
For an added challenge, try performing ATG squats with a narrow stance. This variation will help your VMO grow, but it's important to ensure you have a relatively healthy muscular balance between your quads and posterior chain before attempting this variation.
If you prefer, you can also achieve similar results by performing leg presses or using a leg press machine with your feet lower on the footplate. However, this will increase stress on your knee joints, so it's important to use this method with care.
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Leg press with feet lower on the footplate
The teardrop muscle, or vastus medialis oblique (VMO), can be activated by doing squats with your heels on an elevated surface. This has been shown to increase VMO activation.
If you prefer the leg press instead of squats, you can achieve a similar effect by placing your feet lower on the footplate. This will increase stress on your knee joints, so use this method with care. Studies suggest that adducting your hips as you flex your knees increases VMO activation.
The VMO tap-dance is a useful prehab and rehab exercise and perfect for runners and other athletes. To do this, stand with your feet together and bend your knees, descending into a quarter-depth squat. Without standing up, extend one leg out in front of you. Working hard to maintain your balance, and staying in that semi-squat position, move your other leg around, tapping the floor with your foot.
ATG squats with a narrow stance will make your VMO grow, given that you have a relatively healthy muscular balance between your quads and posterior chain.
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ATG squats with a narrow stance
The teardrop muscle, or vastus medialis oblique (VMO), can be activated and strengthened through exercises such as squats. One source recommends doing ATG squats with a narrow stance to target the VMO. This involves adopting a narrow stance and squatting down until your hamstrings touch your calves.
To perform this exercise, start with your feet together and bend your knees, descending into a quarter-depth squat. Without standing up, extend one leg out in front of you. Work hard to maintain your balance, and stay in that semi-squat position. Move your other leg around, tapping the floor with your foot.
You can also do this exercise with your heels on an elevated surface, which has been shown to increase VMO activation. If you prefer the leg press, you can place your feet lower on the footplate to achieve a similar effect. However, this will increase stress on your knee joints, so use this method with care.
The VMO tap-dance is a useful prehab and rehab exercise and is perfect for runners and other athletes. It is also great for balance, stability, and coordination. By working hard enough, you can use this move to increase the size of your teardrop quad muscle.
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Terminal knee extensions
The teardrop muscle, or vastus medialis oblique (VMO), can be activated by doing exercises that increase VMO activation, such as squats with your heels on an elevated surface, or the VMO tap-dance. The VMO tap-dance is a useful prehab and rehab exercise and perfect for runners and other athletes. To do the VMO tap-dance, stand with your feet together and bend your knees, descending into a quarter-depth squat. Without standing up, extend one leg out in front of you. Working hard to maintain your balance, and staying in that semi-squat position, move your other leg around, tapping the floor with your foot.
If you prefer the leg press instead of squats, you can achieve a similar effect by placing your feet lower on the footplate. However, this will increase stress on your knee joints, so use this method with care.
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VMO tap-dance
The VMO tap-dance is a useful exercise for runners and other athletes, and can also be used to increase the size of your teardrop quad muscle. To perform the VMO tap-dance, stand with your feet together and bend your knees, descending into a quarter-depth squat. Without standing up, extend one leg out in front of you. Working hard to maintain your balance, and staying in that semi-squat position, move your other leg around, tapping the floor with your foot.
There are other exercises that can help to activate the teardrop muscle. One is to tap to the front, back, sides, and diagonally to test your balance. Continue for a predetermined time, such as 60 seconds, and then change legs. Another is to do squats with your heels on an elevated surface, which has been shown to increase VMO activation. If you prefer the leg press instead of squats, you can achieve a similar effect by placing your feet lower on the footplate. However, this will increase stress on your knee joints, so use this method with care. Studies suggest that adducting your hips as you flex your knees increases VMO activation.
The VMO is the teardrop muscle, and strengthening it can help correct mal-tracking issues. When the VMO is activated correctly, it pulls the patella medially (toward the centre of the body) and stabilises its movement. This alignment is particularly important during activities that involve bending and straightening of the knee, such as squatting, running, and climbing stairs. For those who experience issues like a stabbing pain in the knee cap or wish to improve their knee stability, focusing on the VMO and implementing targeted exercises can prove highly beneficial. Strengthening the teardrop muscle not only enhances aesthetic appeal but also promotes better performance in athletic endeavours and everyday activities.
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Frequently asked questions
The teardrop muscle is the VMO muscle, which is located in the inner part of the quads.
You can activate the teardrop muscle by doing exercises that target the VMO, such as squats with your heels on an elevated surface, leg presses, or the VMO tap-dance.
Activating the teardrop muscle can help correct mal-tracking issues and improve knee stability. It can also enhance athletic performance and aesthetic appeal.
Yes, it is important to be careful when doing exercises that increase stress on the knee joints, such as leg presses. It is also important to have a relatively healthy muscular balance between your quads and posterior chain when doing ATG squats with a narrow stance.
