Vastus medialis (teardrop): exercises and how to train

The vastus medialis sits on the inner side of the thigh and forms the teardrop shape just above the knee. It straightens the knee along with the other quad heads, and its lower, oblique fibers pull the kneecap inward to balance the vastus lateralis. A well-developed teardrop is a sign of thorough leg training, especially in the lower thigh.

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Legs

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10 exercises

Helps in

0 exercises

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How to train it

Every knee-extension exercise trains it: Front squat, Goblet squat, Bulgarian split squat and Leg extension. Squat deep and let your knees travel forward over your toes if that feels comfortable, which bends the knee further. No special teardrop routine is needed: 10–16 hard sets a week for the quads as a whole is usually enough.

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Best VMO exercises for the teardrop muscle

The vastus medialis works in every knee extension, so teardrop exercises are really quad exercises with a deep knee bend. These five take your knee through a big range under load: three squat variations, a split squat and a machine. Each one counts as a full vastus medialis set.

Back squat

Barbell

The foundation for your whole quad, teardrop included: heavy loads and lots of knee bend. Squat at least to parallel so your knees travel through more range and your quads work in a stretched position. The catch is that a big forward lean hands more of the work to your glutes and lower back.

Use your usual stance and let your knees travel forward over your toes as far as feels comfortable.
Lower under control to parallel or below, torso as upright as your build allows.
Drive up through your whole foot, straightening your knees instead of shooting your hips up first.

Front squat

Barbell

With the bar in front, you have to stay upright, and your knees travel further forward than in a back squat. Your quads, vastus medialis included, get comparable work with less weight on the bar and less load on your lower back. Ideal if you fold forward in back squats.

Before each rep, lift your elbows and brace your belly, or your torso will tip forward at the bottom.
Sit straight down, letting your knees slide forward over your toes, to parallel or lower.
Stand up while driving your elbows up and knees slightly out so the bar stays on your shoulders.

Hack squat

Machine

The machine handles balance and takes most of the load off your back, so you can push your quads close to failure without your form falling apart. A deep hack squat lets your knees bend further than most people manage with a barbell, exactly what the vastus medialis needs.

Keep your feet in the middle of the platform so your knees can travel forward and your lower back stays flat.
Descend slowly until your hips start to peel off the pad, often well below 90 degrees.
Press through your whole foot and stop just short of lockout to keep tension on your quads.

Bulgarian split squat

Dumbbells

One leg does the work of two, so your front quad gets a big stimulus from modest dumbbells while your back stays out of it. An upright torso with the knee traveling forward favors your quads; a longer step with more lean favors your glutes. Great for evening out a weaker leg.

Place your front foot so your knee ends up over or slightly past your toes at the bottom, without pain.
Drop straight down with only a slight forward lean until your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
Drive up through your front leg without pushing off the back one, knee in line with your toes.

Leg extension

Machine

The only pick here with no glutes or lower back involved, so your quads, vastus medialis included, do all the work. It makes a great finisher after squats. The idea that the last few degrees target the teardrop isn't supported by research.

Lower the weight into a deep knee bend; the stretched position gives your quads more work than a short range.
Extend smoothly without jerking, and if your hips lift off the seat, the weight is too heavy.
Squeeze your quads hard for a second at full extension, then lower over two to three seconds.

VMO workout for the teardrop quad: example

Run this on leg day, squats first while you're fresh, once a week or as the first of two leg sessions. Warm up with two or three Back squat sets, starting with the empty bar. Choose working weights that leave one or two reps in reserve without losing depth on the last rep.

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Back squat main mover: every set counts in full	4 × 8–12	105 s
Bulgarian split squat main mover: every set counts in full	3 × 8–12	105 s
Leg extension main mover: every set counts in full	3 × 8–12	105 s

Counted for this muscle: 10 sets per session — the same way the GymAssist log counts it.

Use double progression: once you hit 12 reps on every set of an exercise, add weight and drop back to 8. This session gives the vastus medialis 10 counted sets. If you train legs twice a week, four to six quad sets on the second day bring you to 14–16, the top of the usual 10–16 range.

Common mistakes

Cutting your squats short. Half squats take your knees through only part of their range, and the extra weight often comes from your glutes and back rather than your quads. Lighten the load and squat to parallel or below with your back flat and heels down.
Letting your knees cave in. A knee caving inward stresses the ligaments at an awkward angle and throws off how your kneecap tracks. Keep your knee over your toes, and go lighter if it caves. If your knee hurts, cut load and depth; see a doctor for lasting pain.
Chasing teardrop isolation tricks. You can't switch on the vastus medialis by itself: all four quad heads straighten the knee together. Turning your toes out or doing only the top few degrees of a leg extension changes little. The teardrop grows with your whole quad.
Dropping the weight on leg extensions. Letting the stack fall jolts your knee at the bottom and skips the stretched part of the rep, where your quads get the most useful work. Lower over two to three seconds and don't let the plates touch between reps.

Exercises where it is the main mover

Back squat Barbell Leg press Machine Lunges Dumbbells Front squat Barbell Goblet squat Dumbbells Bodyweight squat Bodyweight Bulgarian split squat Dumbbells Step-ups Dumbbells Leg extension Machine Hack squat Machine

Weekly sets in ready-made programs

A set where the muscle is primary counts in full, a set where it assists counts as half — the same way the log’s stats count it.

Frequently asked questions

How do you build the teardrop muscle?

Train your whole quad through a full range with deep squats, split squats and leg extensions, around 10–16 hard sets a week. The teardrop is the lower part of the vastus medialis and grows along with the other quad heads. It shows best at lower body fat, so many lifters already have one hidden under fat above the knee.

Do leg extensions target the VMO?

Leg extensions train the VMO, but not more than the rest of your quad. Research shows the oblique fibers of the vastus medialis work throughout the movement alongside the other heads, not just in the last 15–30 degrees. The leg extension is still a great quad exercise, especially through a deep, controlled range.

Does turning your toes out work the inner quad more?

The evidence is mixed. Some leg extension studies report slightly more inner quad activity or growth with toes turned out, others find little difference, and the effect is small either way. Pick the foot angle that lets your knees track comfortably over your toes, and put your effort into depth and progressive overload instead.

What does the VMO do?

The VMO, the lowest and most oblique part of the vastus medialis, helps straighten your knee with the other quad heads. Its fibers also pull your kneecap inward, helping it track in its groove as you bend and straighten your leg. That matters in squats, lunges, stairs and jumps, not just for looks.

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