3 Exercises to Build Knee Strength
How are your knees doing? You, a youngster, might not care about them as much as your elderly neighbor but knees are so important.
You usually would not think about their knees until they have a problem with them. But knee pain is a common complaint and can keep you from doing the things you love.
The blog you are reading right now is a reminder. Prevent the problem before it starts. Instead of waiting until you are feeling not right, allow us to begin some exercises to build knee strength.
Summary
The Anatomy of the Knee
The knee is one of the most complicated joints in your body. It is a hinge joint, which opens like a door.
The knee has three bones and four main muscle groups. The bones glide on top of each other while muscles and tendons hold the bones in place and supply the force of the movement.
The bones are the femur (thigh), tibia (shinbone), and patella (knee cap). The muscle groups surrounding them are the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, and calf[1]. Each muscle group comprises more muscles that perform similar actions while being each other’s support.
In addition, you have the meniscus and tendon acting as cushions. Remember, your knees have to bear your entire body weight and more as you move through the day.
The best way to protect your knees is by using them. Moving around is not enough. You should also have dedicated exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee.
In this blog, we will quickly go over 3 exercises to build knee strength. Lucky for you, the exercises are very simple and you might have even heard about them before.
Squat – One of the Most Versatile Exercises to Build Knee Strength
Squats are a great way to strengthen the muscles and tendons around your knee joint. They also help improve your balance and flexibility.
To do a bodyweight squat, stand with your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointing forward.
Slowly lower yourself down as if you were sitting back in a chair.
Keep your knees behind your toes and your back straight.
Once your thighs are parallel to the ground, squeeze your glutes to get back up.
Related post: How to Do a Pistol Squat
High Knee – Body Weight Plus Speed
High knees can strengthen your knees plus introduce a component of speed. They are more dynamic than your bodyweight squats.
To do a high knee, stand with your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointing forward. In case you have not noticed, it is the same setup as the squat.
Raise your left knee toward your chest while keeping your chest up and proud. Lower it down.
Alternate to your right knee with the same motion. Switch back and forth between both knees.
You can speed up to make the exercise more challenging to your standard as one of your exercises to build knee strength.
Related post: Essential At-Home Exercise Equipment
Crab Walk – Non Weight Bearing For Knee Strength
If you ever find yourself with weaker knees, there is no need to push it to do exercises to build knee strength. Here at Be Active is Easy, we do not believe in “no pain, no gain.”
You will need a loop elastic band for this exercise. Check out the related post for essential at-home equipment above.
Have the band looping around your legs, either at the ankle or knee positions.
Bend your knees slightly. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointing forward.
Yes, all 3 exercises to build knee strength here have similar starting positions for your legs. You are walking sideways for this exercise, hence the name crab walk.
Extend your left leg horizontally to a comfortable width. Have your right leg follow to return back to your original stance while moving sideways.
Keep going for at least 5 meters or 16 feet. Stop and extend your right leg with your leg left following to return back to your original position.
You should feel a small burn in your thighs, not pain.
Do Not Neglect Your Knee Strength
You do not want to be the person with huge arms and scrawny legs. It looks very funny, with all due respect to the bros out there.
Knees help you walk everywhere. You need to take care of them so your quality of life does not suffer as you get older.
The 3 exercises to build knee strength mentioned here are only mere suggestions. There are more exercises you can do.
Be creative. You should think of lunges, step back, deadlift, etc. to strengthen your knees. The opportunities are endless.
Getting started to exercise should not be complicated. Take the quiz below to unleash your hidden potential and a new exercise routine you can do anywhere.
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