Roll Ball Lateral Vastus

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie on your side and place the medicine ball under the outer portion of your bottom thigh, midway between the hip and knee.
2. Prop yourself up on your forearms for stability and to control the amount of weight applied to the ball.
3. Cross your top leg over the bottom leg and place that foot flat on the floor in front of you to act as a pivot and support.

How to do it

1. Slowly roll your body back and forth using your arms and top leg, moving the ball from just above the knee to just below the hip bone.
2. Maintain a slow, steady tempo, moving approximately one inch per second to ensure deep tissue penetration.
3. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly as you roll, focusing on relaxing the target muscle into the ball.

Form checklist

• Keep your core tight to maintain a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Avoid rolling directly onto the knee joint or the bony part of the hip.
• Keep the bottom leg relaxed; tensing the muscle will prevent the ball from reaching deeper tissues.
• Ensure your neck remains neutral and does not sag toward the floor.

Pro tips

• If you find a particularly tender spot, pause and hold the pressure for 20-30 seconds until you feel the muscle release.
• Slightly rotate your hips forward or backward while rolling to target different angles of the vastus lateralis muscle fibers.

Make it harder

• Stack your top leg directly on top of the bottom leg to increase the total body weight pressing into the medicine ball.
• Perform small, active knee flexions (bending the knee) while the ball is pinned against a tender spot to add a dynamic stretch.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the roll ball lateral vastus work?

The roll ball lateral vastus primarily targets the quadriceps, and also works the glutes and hip flexors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the roll ball lateral vastus?

The roll ball lateral vastus uses medicine ball.

Is the roll ball lateral vastus good for beginners?

Yes. The roll ball lateral vastus is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

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