I wanted to show you a few easy knee-strengthening exercises for weightlifters.
CLICK HERE to watch the YouTube video.
I had Jenna to demonstrate the exercises.
1. Knee Abductor Strengthening
For this exercise, you use tubing that is hooked on the bench with a weight on top or hooked into something secure.
Begin in an upright standing position. Loop the tubing on one leg just above the ankle, and then put your weight onto the other leg. Lift the leg out to the side, and then bring it back down and repeat the movement.
Lift the leg out to the side for about 30 to 45 degrees. Don’t overdo it so that too much movement should not happen on your pelvis. If you have difficulty in finding balance, you can put your hand against the wall or use a stick to balance yourself.
Knee Abductor Strengthening
Start with one set of 5 reps, and then you can progress to 10 repetitions on each side alternating back and forth. Perform these knee-strengthening exercises for lifters in a smooth, controlled movement with a good contraction at the end of the position. The intensity can be light to moderate. This exercise works on the outer part of the hip.
When it comes to knee pain and strengthening the knee, you often want to strengthen the knee joints and the hips. Strong hips will help you strengthen the knee joints.
2. Hip Extensor Strengthening
For this exercise, you use tubing that is hooked on the bench with a weight on top or hooked into something secure.
Begin in an upright standing position. Loop the tubing on one leg just above the ankle, and then stand on your other leg. Lift your leg backward, and then bring it back down and repeat the movement.
The range of motion of the hip is 0 degrees at the start position. Then, when you lift the leg in the back, it is about 30 degrees. This exercise targets the glutes and hamstrings.
Hip Extensor Strengthening
Start with one set of 5 reps, and then you can progress to 10 repetitions. Perform knee strengthening exercises for lifters in a smooth, controlled movement with a good contraction at the end of the position and focus more on the glutes than the hamstrings. The intensity is light. This exercise will help to develop strong hips, which will be helpful in knee strengthening.
3. Gluteus Medius Strengthening
For this exercise, you use a stick and tubing that is hooked on the bench with a weight on top or hooked into something secure.
Begin in an upright standing position. Put your one hand against the wall or on a stick to help with balance so that you can focus on the exercise and target the right muscles. Loop the tubing on one leg just above the ankle, and then stand on the other leg. Lift the leg out for about 45 degrees, and then bring it back down and repeat the movement.
Gluteus Medius Strengthening
Start with one set of 5 reps, and then you can progress to 10 repetitions. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good contraction on the glutes. The intensity can be light to moderate. This exercise is more challenging because it targets the gluteus medius, compared to the hip extensor strengthening exercise, which targets mainly the gluteus maximus.
With this exercise, instead of just lifting the leg out to the side, you lift the leg out for about 45 degrees. While on the hip extensor strengthening exercise, you look out on how far you can lift the leg out starting at 0 degrees starting position then lifting the leg backward for only about 30 degrees.
4. Monster Walks With Band
Begin in a tall, standing position. Wrap the band above the knees. Bend in the hips and bend in the knees. Step to the side with one leg, follow with the other leg and keep the tension on the band. Repeat the movement to the other side.
When you step your leg to the side, you work on the outer hip concentrically. When you step the other leg, you work on the outer hip eccentrically.
This exercise targets the outer hip muscles in all three contractions ― concentrically, eccentrically and isometrically.
Monster Walks With Band
Start with one set of 5 reps on each way, and then you can progress to 10. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light. This exercise targets the outer hip muscle.
The vast majority of these exercises are strengthening the knee and targeting the hips. Strong hips lead to a strong knee.
5. Single Leg Squat
Begin in a nice and upright standing position. Put your one hand against the wall to help with balance so that you can focus on doing the movement correctly and target the right muscles. Stand on one leg, lift the other leg backward, and then bend the knee and bend at the hip for about 45 degrees. Repeat the movement.
Single Leg Squat
Start with one set of 5 reps on each side, and then you can progress to 10. Perform Knee Strengthening Exercises for Lifters in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the bottom position. The intensity can be light to moderate depending on how strong you are around the knees and in the hips.
This exercise targets the muscles around the knees and works on the balance of the foot and knee as well as strengthen out the hip, especially the posterior chain, glutes and hamstrings.
Give these five exercises a go. They will target your hip and help you to have stronger and pain-free knees.
If you want to strengthen and heal the muscles that surround and support your knees so that you can eliminate your patellofemoral pain syndrome and get back to the pain-free, active life you love, then check out the Patellofemoral Syndrome Solution, here!
Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS