How to Build Strong Knees

A Daily Self-Care Routine

M aintaining healthy knees is crucial to enjoy an active lifestyle, reduce risk of injury,
and improve mobility. Your knee is a hinge joint, it likes to open or close, with very
little rotation. Muscles such as your quadriceps, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius are
the big mechanical movers, but they also play an important role in stabilization in tandem
with ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. When you think of strong knees, you need to focus on
strengthening this soft tissue complex.
Below, you’ll learn a five-minute routine that can help to strengthen the muscles and
stiffen the connective tissues that support the joint. It’s important to remember that muscle
tissue is highly metabolic and can develop in weeks, whereas ligaments, tendons, and
cartilage will often require three months or more of careful training to build resilience. With
that in mind, take it slowly, play the long game, and listen to your body if you experience
discomfort along the way.

DISCLAIMER – this guide is for educational purposes only. If you have a serious knee
condition, please err on the side of caution, and speak to your doctor before starting any self-
care practices.

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Strengthening Exercises

Crescent Lunge
We’ll intentionally flex your front knee past your ankle and over your big toe—or beyond—
assuming you can do this without pain and while feeling stable. The goal here is to
isometrically load the connective tissues of your knees in maximum range so that over the
coming months, they will become stronger and more elastic.

• Lunge your right leg forward until your knee moves over—or past—your big toe
• Rest your hands on top of your knee, in a prayer position, or even above your head
• Hold for one minute
• Switch sides and repeat

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Supported Sissy Squat
Grab a stool or chair for this pose. Since you´ll be on your toes with maximum knee flexion,
it’s important to have support.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart

• Lean forward with your hands on the stool for support
• Pop up onto your toes and slowly flex your knees as far as you can, pain-free
• Lean forward as much or little as needed to find your maximum depth
• Hold for one minute
• Repeat three times

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Forward Step Lunge
For this last pose, you’ll need a block, a book, or a pillow to put between your knees to keep
your legs aligned. You’ll train here in a knees-over-toes position that is typical of walking
downstairs or downhill, but we’ll do it isometrically to ensure control.

• Place a block between your knees

• Step forward onto your heel, toes lifted
• Flex your back knee as deeply as possible, pain-free, with your heel on the ground
• Steeple your hands at your heart
• Hold for one minute
• Repeat twice on each side

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 More from YOGABODY
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