Knee Exercises

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Heel Elevated Goblet Squats
How: Hold a dumbbell at your chest and squat down with your heels elevated, keeping
your chest tall and knees tracking forward. Push through your feet to return to standing with control.
Why: Builds quadriceps strength while improving squat depth and ankle mobility.
Common Mistake: Letting the heels drop or collapsing the chest forward.

Front Squat
How: Hold a barbell at the front of your shoulders and squat down while keeping your chest
upright and elbows lifted. Drive through your feet to return to standing.
Why: Builds leg strength while promoting an upright posture and core engagement.
Common Mistake: Leaning forward or letting the elbows drop.

Barbell Box Squat
How: With a barbell on your back, sit your hips back to lightly tap a box or bench, then drive
through your feet to stand up. Keep your chest tall and control the descent.
Why: Builds lower body strength while reinforcing proper squat mechanics and control.
Common Mistake: Rounding the back or letting the knees collapse inward during the squat.

Bulgarian Split Squats
How: With your back foot elevated on a bench, lower into a split squat by bending your front
knee while keeping your chest tall. Push through your front foot to return to standing.
Why: Builds single-leg strength, balance, and hip stability.
Common Mistake: Letting the front knee collapse inward or leaning forward excessively.

Walking Lunges
How: Step forward into a lunge, lowering both knees toward the ground while keeping your front
knee stacked over your foot. Push through the front leg and continue stepping forward, alternating sides.
Why: Develops dynamic leg strength, balance, and coordination.
Common Mistake: Leaning forward or letting the front knee collapse inward.

Alternating Reverse Lunges
How: Step one foot back into a lunge, lowering both knees toward the ground while keeping your
front knee stacked over your foot. Push through the front leg to return to standing and alternate sides.
Why: Develops single-leg strength and control with less stress on the knees.
Common Mistake: Letting the front knee collapse inward or leaning forward.

Box Step Ups
How: Step one foot onto a box and drive through that leg to stand up, bringing the
other foot up to meet it. Lower back down with control and alternate sides.
Why: Develops single-leg strength, balance, and promotes ankle stability.
Common Mistake: Using momentum to lower yourself down or pushing too much with the trailing limb.

Split Squat
How: With one foot forward and one back, lower your back knee toward the ground
while keeping your torso upright. Push through your front foot to return to standing.
Why: Builds single-leg strength and control.
Common Mistake: Leaning forward or letting the front knee collapse inward.

Curtsy Lunge
How: Step one leg diagonally behind you into a lunge while keeping
your chest tall. Push through your front foot to return to standing.
Why: Builds hip and leg strength in multiple planes of motion.
Common Mistake: Leaning forward or letting the knee collapse inward.

Single Leg Sit-to-Stand (STS)
How: Sit on a chair and stand up using one leg while keeping your chest tall.
Lower back down with control without letting your knee collapse inward.
Why: Improves single-leg strength and control for functional movement.
Common Mistake: Letting the knee cave inward or using momentum to stand.

Jump Squats
How: Lower into a squat, then explosively jump upward, reaching full extension
through your hips. Land softly and immediately reset for the next rep.
Why: Develops explosive lower body power.
Common Mistake: Landing heavily or letting the knees collapse inward.