Quad Strengthening Exercises

• Practice quad contraction exercises to help boost the strength of the quadriceps. To perform this drill, sit in a chair with your feet touching the ground and your body fairly relaxed. Initiate the movement by clenching the muscles of your quads, holding a peak contraction for 10 seconds at a time. Repeat this 10 times at first, gradually adding additional sets of 10 as your leg strength increases.
  
  Bent-leg raises are another simple exercise to increase the strength of your quad muscles. While sitting in a chair with both feet flat on the floor, initiate the movement by straightening one leg by contracting the quad muscles of that leg. Hold in the contracted state with your leg out for as long as possible, aiming for a goal of 30 seconds at a time. As your leg strength increases, increase both the duration of the hold (if less than 30 seconds) and the number of sets performed, gradually working your way up to performance of three to four sets performed back-to-back.
  
  

Hamstring Exercises

• Perform wall-sits to strengthen the muscles of the hamstrings (along with providing some additional benefit to the muscles of the quads as well). Stand with your back against a wall and your feet roughly 12 to 18 inches away from the base of the wall. Sit as though you were reclining into an imaginary chair, being careful to keep your entire back and head resting against the wall and descending until your hips are even with the height of your knee joint. Hold in this "seated" position for as long as you are able, aiming to build up to a static hold of 60 seconds per set, with a goal of performing three sets back-to-back.
  
  Floor bridging is another exercise that can strengthen the hamstrings. Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and your knees bent at a 45-degree angle. Initiate the movement by pushing "through" the floor with your heels so that your hips rise off the floor as far as possible without contorting your back or otherwise adjusting your position. Reverse the movement, lowering slowly. Repeat for 10 to 12 reps per set, aiming for three or four sets in total.