Stronger Knees 5.7.26

The "Bulletproof Knees" Circuit

Perform this routine 2–3 times per week, allowing at least 48 hours of rest between sessions for tissue recovery.

1. The Warm-up: Box Squats

• Repetitions: 2 sets of 12 reps.

• The Goal: Prime the glutes and quads.

• The Move: Sit back toward the chair/bench. Touch your glutes to the surface lightly without fully sitting down, then drive back up. Keep your chest up and knees tracking over your toes.

https://youtube.com/shorts/DpmVoY0oN1Y?si=axDHUKymHKu7wOKM

2. Slow Step-Downs (Forward-Facing)

• Repetitions: 3 sets of 8–10 reps per leg.

• The Goal: Eccentric quad strength.

• The Move: Stand on a small stool or bench. Lower one foot toward the floor as slowly as possible (aim for a 3-second count down). Lightly tap your heel on the floor and drive back up using the leg on the bench.

3. Lateral Step-Downs

• Repetitions: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg.

• The Goal: Glute medius activation and knee alignment.

• The Move: Stand sideways on the step. Lower the outside leg to the floor while keeping your hips level. This prevents the "knee cave" (valgus) and builds side-to-side stability.

4. Banded Standing Fire Hydrants (Wall-Supported)

• Repetitions: 3 sets of 12 reps per leg.

• The Goal: Hip abduction and rotational stability.

• The Move: With a band around your knees and your back leg braced against the wall for balance, drive the working knee out to the side. Since the knee is often affected by weak hips, this is a crucial "pre-hab" move.