lunges They are an excellent unilateral exercise that help develop coordination and balance, and also promote lower body strength, flexibility, and mobility. Unfortunately, lunges can be really challenging for people with knee problems, making the exercise more painful and less helpful.
The good news is that there are several alternatives to lunges that you can do instead and get the same benefits. These alternatives work the same muscles as lunges, but they’re not hard on the knees. As a result, you can achieve huge gains, but without pain and discomfort.
Alternative lunge exercises for people with bad knees
If you suffer from any kind of knee problem, you may think that lunges are out of the question. Well, cheer up. Try these alternative lunge exercises that we have compiled especially for people with knee problems.
1. Goblet squats
Cup squats they are a variation of squats for beginners that are better than lunges as they require less stability and are also easier to perform with proper form. This exercise targets the hamstrings, calvesglutes, core and quadriceps.
This is how you should do it:
- Hold a light dumbbell or kettlebell at chest height and stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your toes pointed out.
- Keeping your body weight evenly distributed on both feet, begin to sit in a squat position with your torso up and look straight ahead.
- Press through your feet and slowly return to the start. Make sure your knees are on your toes as this will prevent knee pain.
- Repeat.
2. steps
Step-ups strengthen the same muscles as lunges, but with a smaller range of motion. This exercise helps strengthen your thighs and the muscles around your knees with less risk of injury or pain.
This is how you should do it:
- Stand up straight in front of a raised platform, such as a step or bench.
- Step your right foot onto the platform followed by your left foot and step onto it.
- Step back one foot at a time, making sure to keep your hips stable as you go up and down.
- Repeat.
- You can make this exercise more challenging by holding a pair of dumbbells in each hand.
3. Static lunge
A static lunge is a great alternative because it is much easier to maintain form and posture than the traditional lunge. This exercise targets the hamstrings, quads, calves, and glutes and works the stabilizer muscles in the knees and hips. Plus, it’s also a great way to improve your core strength and work on your balance.
This is how you should do it:
- Stand up straight and place your feet hip-width apart.
- Step your left foot forward and your right foot back.
- Keep your torso stable and place your hands on your hips. If you have balance problems, keep one hand on a chair.
- Now slowly lower yourself as far as you can with the correct posture.
- Return to the start by pressing your feet.
- You can make this exercise more challenging for your muscles by holding dumbbells in both hands at your sides.
4. Single Leg Deadlift
The single-leg deadlift is a great alternative to lunges for people with knee problems, as this exercise doesn’t require much bending of the knees. On the other hand, it requires bending at the hips. A single-leg deadlift targets the hamstrings while also engaging the abs, glutes, back, quads, and various stabilizer muscles. It is also ideal for balance training.
This is how you should do it:
- Place your feet hip-width apart and shift all your weight to your left leg.
- Slightly bend your left leg and move your torso forward until your chest is parallel to the floor. Make sure to keep your back as flat as possible.
- Allow your back leg to lift off the floor so it’s in line with your torso.
- Return to the starting position by lifting your torso back and then repeat the exercise for a few repetitions.
- Switch legs and repeat.
5. Chair squats
Performing supported squats like chair squats doesn’t hurt your knees and reduces range of motion by improving the upward motion of the standing position, which targets your rear. This exercise helps you learn to move your lower body with a straight spine and improves the health of your entire back.
This is how you should do it:
- Sit up straight on a sturdy chair or bench and keep your feet on the floor with your legs hip-width apart.
- Press through your heels and squeeze your glutes as you stand up straight.
- Slowly return to a sitting position, making sure your spine is straight.
- Repeat.
Put off
So now that you know five great lunge alternatives, add them to your exercise routine and see what works best for you. If you’re a beginner, focus on good form instead of repetitions to avoid soreness and get the most out of each exercise.
Coming soon!
var fbPixelFired = false;
document.addEventListener(“scroll”, function() { loadFBPixel() });
document.addEventListener(“mousemove”, function() { loadFBPixel() });
function loadFBPixel() {
if(fbPixelFired) {
return;
}
fbPixelFired = true;
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′;n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
document,’script’,’https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’);
fbq(‘init’, ‘952063904834769’);
fbq(‘track’, “PageView”);
fbq(‘track’, ‘ViewContent’);
}
.
