What muscle is primarily strengthened by exercises that target the hip and knee anteriorly?

The rectus femoris is primarily strengthened by exercises that target the hip and knee anteriorly because it is one of the four muscles that make up the quadriceps group. This muscle is located at the front of the thigh and is involved in both hip flexion and knee extension.

When executing exercises that focus on these movements, such as squats or lunges that emphasize the anterior aspect of the joints, the rectus femoris becomes heavily engaged. Its role in extending the knee and flexing the hip makes it a primary target in these types of exercises.

In contrast, the sartorius, while also involved in hip flexion, has a more limited role in knee extension and does not primarily contribute to anterior strengthening of the knee. The biceps femoris is more associated with actions that occur posteriorly, such as hip extension and knee flexion, thus it isn’t the primary muscle worked in the context of anterior exercises. The tibialis anterior is primarily responsible for dorsiflexion of the ankle rather than movements at the hip and knee, making it less relevant in this scenario.