what are some good alternatives to doing squats or lunges during a workout?
admin | Oct 06, 2008 | 4 comments
chels asked:
my knees hurt me a lot so i have had to stop running. lunges aggravate them more than squats. i take a daily supplement of glucosamine/chrondroitin.
i do not work out at the gym.
Izabella
my knees hurt me a lot so i have had to stop running. lunges aggravate them more than squats. i take a daily supplement of glucosamine/chrondroitin.
i do not work out at the gym.
Izabella
Filed Under: Supplements • Weight Training
You should try jumping jacks
If you have access to the gym, the peg press machine is your best bet. It does not bother my knees nearly as much as squats because it is a controlled movement on a guided rail.
For best results, I do 3 ways. Narrow with feet together and in the middle of the foot pad area. Medium with feet shoulder width and in middle of pad area, and high and wide, where the feet are towards the top of the pad and as wide as you can have them on the foot area.
For lunges, you can use the same machine, reduce the weight a lot and do one leg on the pad at a time. The foot should be towards the top of the platform and almost centered. You want to feel it in your glutes.
Use the machines at the gym! There are a ton of machines for your legs that will lessen the pain in your knee and still isolate those muslces. Also, try sitting against the wall and holding it for as long as you can. This will help you because your not going up and down as you are with squats or lunges, your sitting still against the wall and that will still help those muslces. Also, lay on your side and do leg lifts, you can lay a weight in one hand holding against the leg your lifting to add resistance. Lunges are really hard on your knees but as you build muscle is should help with lunges. This has been the case with me. Good luck!
As mentioned above, there are various machines that would help. The only thing to avoid if you have knee problems is a leg extension machine as this puts a lot of mechanical stress on the knee. Keep to the pressing exercises and find a foot position that is most comfortable to you. Strong legs will help protect knees but definitely stop if the pain is persistent or gets worse.