Quad and Hip Foam Rolling
To roll out your quads, a foam roller is best.
Take the foam roller and lay over it as if you are about to do a plank supported on your forearms. Start with the roller right above your knees. Rock side to side, hitting toward your inner thighs and out toward your IT Bands. Then move the roller up a little higher on the front of your legs and again rock side to side.
As you rock and move the roller higher, make sure to pause and hold on any extra tight spots until the pain lessens a bit.
Work your way all the way up to your hips.
If you find any tight spots, while you hold on them, flex and relax your quad to help the muscle relax.
To apply more pressure, place only one leg down on the roller (you can cross the other leg behind) and rock side to side, holding on any extra tight spots.
To target your Rectus Femoris specifically, a ball works best.
To roll out your Hips, lie on the ground on your side and place a ball on the side of your hip just to the front of the fleshy part of your butt. Roll the ball back a little along the top of your butt and even right back behind your hip bone.
If you find a tight spot, hold on that spot and lift and lower your leg up and down. By lifting and lower the leg, you are flexing and relaxing the muscle, which will help loosen everything up as you hold.
As you seek out tight spots in your hip, bring the ball around front and right to the side under your hip bone into your TFL (right in front of your IT Band). You can even roll a bit more along the top of your quad, holding on any tight spots.
Move the ball back under your hip bone and again hold on any tight spots. Work your way back out to the side of your hip and around toward your glutes.
Go back over any especially tight spots.