Exercise Comparison
All Fours Quad Stretch vs Iron Crosses (stretch)
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in All Fours Quad Stretch
Instructions
All Fours Quad Stretch
Start off on your hands and knees, then lift your leg off the floor and hold the foot with your hand.
Use your hand to hold the foot or ankle, keeping the knee fully flexed, stretching the quadriceps and hip flexors.
Focus on extending your hips, thrusting them towards the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds and then switch sides.
Iron Crosses (stretch)
Lie face down on the floor, with your arms extended out to your side, palms pressed to the floor. This will be your starting position.
To begin, flex one knee and bring that leg across the back of your body, attempting to touch it to the ground near the opposite hand.
Promptly return the leg to the starting postion, and quickly repeat with the other leg. Continue alternating for 10-20 repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the quadriceps. All Fours Quad Stretch is a intermediate exercise using bodyweight, while Iron Crosses (stretch) is intermediate and uses none. Choose All Fours Quad Stretch if you have access to bodyweight, or Iron Crosses (stretch) if you prefer none.