Knee Exercises Level 2 v2

1. Chair Squat

Stand tall in front of a chair.

Squat down as if you were sitting down (push pelvis back). Briefly touch the chair with your bottom and stand back up. Don't sit down fully.

Note: Keep hips, knees and toes aligned.

Repeat 10 times.

Sets 3

1. Forward Lunges

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.

Take one long step forward and squat down so that your rear knee touches the floor (or as close as you can within pain limits) and your hip is fully straightened. 

Keep the shin of the front leg and your trunk upright. 

Stand back up pushing through your heel, bringing your front foot back to the starting position.

Note: Keep hips, knees and toes aligned in both legs throughout the movement.

Repeat 10 times for each leg

Sets 3

1. Squat

Stand tall with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Your toes should be pointing forward or turned a few degrees outwards. Keep your chest up and your spine and neck in a neutral/flat position (as shown).

Squat down by sitting back and bring your arms forward. Push back up through the heels, keep your chest up, and straighten your hips to return to the standing position.

Note:

• Keep your hips, knees and toes aligned and don't let your lower back bend.
• Keep your weight evenly distributed on your whole foot.
• The depth of the squat should be as low as is comfortable, don't force yourself to go so low that it is painful.

Repeat 10 times.

Sets 3

1. Deadlift

Stand tall, with your legs hip-width apart and a weight on the floor between your feet and a little in front of you. The weight could be a bag filled with household objects such as tins/cans.

Push your hips backwards and tilt your trunk forward as you grasp the weight with both hands. Your spine and neck should stay in neutral/flat position and the forward bend should come from your hips.

Lift the weight up by straightening your hips. Use your buttocks and hamstrings to help you lift the weight. Keep your abdominals tight to avoid excessively extending your lower back.

Note: The weight should be lifted straight up and down central between your legs, not off to one side.

Repeat 10 times.

Sets 3

1. Glute Walk

Stand tall, with an exercise or loop band around your legs (slightly above or under the knee joint, below the knee makes the exercise slightly more challenging). The exercise bands can be easily bought online by searching for Resistance/Exercise bands.

Take a hip-width stance so that the band tightens and then squat down. In this position, step out with one leg to the side then return to the starting position. Make sure you keep the band tight at all times.

Maintain the squat position throughout the movement and don’t allow the tension to come off the band.

Repeat 10 times in each direction

Sets 3

1. Step Up

Stand tall behind a step/bottom stair.

Place your whole foot on the step and step up.

Keep the weight on that same foot and slowly control the return movement when lowering the opposite foot back to the floor, don’t allow yourself to step off quickly.

Repeat 10 times.

Sets 3

1. Single Leg Balance with Toe Pointing

Stand straight. 

Take your balance on one leg at a time and imagine that your standing leg is the centre of a clock face.

With the leg that is lifted, point the toes, and tap the floor at three points on the "clock" 12, 3, 6, 9. That is, in front, to the side and behind the standing leg.

You can make the “clock” as small or large as you feel able to maintain your balance.

Keep your weight over the standing leg, the lifted leg should only tap the floor at each point.

Repeat 5 times for each leg

1. Hip Lift

Lie on your back, with your lower legs lifted on a sturdy chair.

Activate your abdominals by tightening your buttocks, and then lift your pelvis up off the floor by straightening your hips. 

Return to the starting position in a controlled manner.

Repeat 10 times.

Sets 3