How would you train your lower body if you have bad knees? (muscles, weightlifting)

[Gabriella Geramia]

I have a friend who only trains his upper body and neglects his legs because he has bad knees. His body looks kind of funny. His upper body is pretty buff but he has a belly from drinking and he has chicken legs. I guess by bad knees he means he can't squat, lunge, deadlift, and do the leg things that involves your knees. If one has bad knees, are they just going to have to accept that their upper body is going to be bigger than their lower body or just not train at all? I'm a little worried about that because my knees aren't that great either... he's a few years older than me so I don't want to not be able to work my lower body when I'm that age...

[oh-eve]

bicycling? My bf has two bad knees and he can bicycle

[Luckyd609]

I agree with the cycling. I know a few people who's knees are blown, or have had replacement surgery and they are on that bike almost everyday. I once had a Physical therapist who said cycling was one of the best things you can do for your knees.

[scatteredthunder]

It depends on exactly what the problem is. I've heard the same thing regarding cycling. For some people, that works.

But if the knees are bad enough, you don't ride a bicycle. That's just more repetitive grinding. I don't ride a bike anymore. I mainly walk. I still try to do some moderate weight training though. I can't do lunges. I don't do anything involving steps, or plyometrics. I'm using a leg press machine right now and hope to get back to squats at some point. But I always feel like I have to be very careful -- use very controlled movements, pay attention to form and what muscles are doing the work, never lock my knees out, etc.

[schmedes2]

Hip thrusts and variations, glute bridges and variations, kb swings, deadlift variations, box squats, sled marches, monster walks

If he can't deadlift because his knees hurt, he's probably deadlifting wrong as deadlifts shouldn't require much/any knee flexion and can relieve pressure on the joint

[villageidiot1]

I have a torn meniscus and arthritis in my right knee plus IT band issues. I find that it help to do some weightlifting for my lower body. I'll start with leg extensions and leg presses and do one leg at a time. My right leg has gotten weaker in the 10 years I've had the torn meniscus, so this allows me to make sure the other leg is not doing all the work. I will also do step ups on a box with dumbbells, deadlifts, and squats. Squats are the most difficult since I can't squat very deeply or with much weight, but something is better than nothing. I don't have any issues with deadlifts. My knee actually feels better after a leg workout.

[cindersslipper]

Swimming.

Non weight bearing but a great all over body workout.

Back in the day when I swam, sometimes I did upper body only, sometimes lower body only, finishing off with full freestyle.

[Den0190]

You would still do the best leg exercises (lunges, deadlift, squats, leg press) with low weight until you build up knee strength.

Unless you have an actual diagnosed medical condition, avoiding the tough leg exercises is just going to keep your knees weak when they could be getting strong.

[Smithygreen11]

Even with bad knees you should still do entire body exercises like the above poster said. You need to strengthen up the ligaments and muscles around the knee before it can become stronger.

[Kings Gambit]

Originally Posted by GKelly

How would you train your lower body if you have bad knees?.

That would depend on what exactly is the problem with the knees. My knees issues tend to flare up every now and then. I run 5-7 miles per day 5 days per week and when my knee issues come up, I just jump rope. Due to its low impact and me landing on the balls of my feet, jumping rope is one of the ONLY things I can do when my knees are giving me issues.