Knee friendly strength and cardio building

[trailtrimmer]

Looking for some suggestions to keep building my legs in a manner that is friendly to my knee that struggles to be pain free when using a full range of motion. Exercises like lunges or squats that put ones butt nearly on the floor are too much for my wonky knee, that last 10-15% of range of motion use causes pain.

My current routine is

Stairmill intervals, 25 to 30 minutes moving foot positions and crossing over to work supporting outside and inside muscles.

Rowing machine 10 minutes

Kettlebell one arm swings 20x per side, two arm swings 20X, push ups, 20x

Kettlebell clean to push press 10x side, 15 push ups

Kettlebell between leg pass 20x side, 10 push ups

Kettlebell one arm swings 20x per side, goblet squats 10x (light on these and don't get to the floor to save knee)

Kettlebell clean to push press 10x (less weight), 10 burpees

While I'm getting fairly strong, I'd like to add a couple items to rotate in and out just to mix it up a bit. I could use the variety mentally and I'm sure my body could use the additional stimulus, but without lots of side to side work which takes it's toll quickly.

I'm all ears!

 

[mdf]

Which plane are you swinging the kettlebells in? I like to swing them in a circle with a vertical axis, around my spine. Works a lot of muscles from your feet through your core in directions that often get missed by standard routines.

 

[Rod9301]

Try electro stimulation for your quads. It builds strength and bulk really fast.

No stress on the knees at all, since it's isometric.

 

[trailtrimmer]

Which plane are you swinging the kettlebells in? I like to swing them in a circle with a vertical axis, around my spine. Works a lot of muscles from your feet through your core in directions that often get missed by standard routines.

I totally forgot about around the worlds, great idea!

Try electro stimulation for your quads. It builds strength and bulk really fast.

No stress on the knees at all, since it's isometric.

Does it build more bulk than strength? I prefer to keep gains functional over fashionable.

 

[Rod9301]

I totally forgot about around the worlds, great idea!



Does it build more bulk than strength? I prefer to keep gains functional over fashionable.

It has different settings, depending on what muscle fibers you want to train, fast or slow twitch.

But generally, in skiing, you want a lot of muscle mass, so you have adequate strength.
In a high performance turn, you support twice your body weight on one ski.

 

[JWMN]

A Skiers Edge and a stationary bike will do wonders for the muscles around the knees. The Skiers Edge was originally developed for knee rehab. It works!

 

[Chef23]

I would say ride the bike and add in lunges. Start the lunges unweighted and you can add weight. You can change the plane (forward, backwards to the side) to work different parts of the legs. Starting unweighted is easier in the knees.

I have been riding a stationary bike taking online classes and my legs have felt great so far this season.

 

[martyg]

Have you had a doctoratye level PT perform a FM<S analysis on you? How do you know that you need more strength?

Look up Anne Healzer in Seattle. She is an exceptional PT who is also a PSIA L3. She can advise you from a distance.

 

[trailtrimmer]

Have you had a doctoratye level PT perform a FM<S analysis on you? How do you know that you need more strength?

Look up Anne Healzer in Seattle. She is an exceptional PT who is also a PSIA L3. She can advise you from a distance.

Have been working with a very good local PT in town that did a full movement rundown and has a few exercises and stretches for me to work on. My flexibility has improved and it has helped the knee a little.

If I didn't have a fatbike, the stationary bike would be on the workout as well. But I bike commute an hour each way once a week so that part is covered.

 

[martyg]

Have been working with a very good local PT in town that did a full movement rundown and has a few exercises and stretches for me to work on. My flexibility has improved and it has helped the knee a little.

If I didn't have a fatbike, the stationary bike would be on the workout as well. But I bike commute an hour each way once a week so that part is covered.

Awesome. My fat bike has been seeing some action lately as well.

I've been fortunate to have a number of great medical professionals as colleague on the ski instruction side. Their universal advice on knees: if you want solid knee, ride your bike. Apparently it is one of the few movements that really saturates that joint with blood, and speeding recovery / healing.

As time marches on I find that cycling alone, with glut / medial glut work (Medial glut helps stabilizes femur. Stable femur = stable knee), and core and hamstring work to counterbalance my over-developed quads, keeps me ski fit.

 

[cantunamunch]

, but without lots of side to side work which takes it's toll quickly.
!

So, no skating I take it.

 

[trailtrimmer]

So, no skating I take it.

Ice skating is a no-go for me, huge bummer as it's quite fun.

 

[Seldomski]

Various types of squats to a box - one legged, back squats, etc. Box gives you a chance to rest and prevents going too low.
Bulgarian split squats similarly limit flexion.
Wall sits.

There is a hip complex you can do, but describing it is hard.. It is something I refer to as 'Jane Fonda'... start position is on all fours with flat back. You stay in roughly this position the whole time, working one leg.
1 - raise one leg sideways like you are a dog peeing on a hydrant. Knee stays flexed. Lift knee as high as possible.
2 - draw circles with one knee, 10x CW and 10x CCW
3 - leg straight back and kick your heel upward. Knee straightish
4 - leg straight to side, touch toe to ground 10x
Do each side separately (left/right). This circuit really works glutes and abductors.

Sled push (if you have the real estate). Probably not feasible unless at a crossfit box. Or do some sprints. Explosive motions!

 

[TonyPlush]

There is a hip complex you can do, but describing it is hard.. It is something I refer to as 'Jane Fonda'... start position is on all fours with flat back. You stay in roughly this position the whole time, working one leg.
1 - raise one leg sideways like you are a dog peeing on a hydrant. Knee stays flexed. Lift knee as high as possible.
2 - draw circles with one knee, 10x CW and 10x CCW
3 - leg straight back and kick your heel upward. Knee straightish
4 - leg straight to side, touch toe to ground 10x
Do each side separately (left/right). This circuit really works glutes and abductors.

@Seldomski, have you ever tried pilates? This sounds very similar to the types of exercises in my local pilates class. I've incorporated that into my routine this off-season, and I really like it. You may enjoy it too if you've never tried it before.

 

[Seldomski]

@TonyPlush I have done one pilates class. I did like it, but it's not in my regular routine. I think it's also a good way for OP to exercise without knee strain. But pilates requires a mega former which is pretty specialized equipment that takes up a largish footprint.

 

[Mike King]

If you have bad knees, squats are probably not a good idea. I suspect you do not have the form to perform them correctly, and the deep squat may actually cause additional irritation to the joint. Or so my PT tells me.

She had me do wall sits with my femurs at no greater angle than say 45 degrees. This minimizes the stress on the knee but builds strength in the quads.

Personally, I would get an assessment by a qualified PT and a prescription of appropriate exercises. Then perhaps supervised exercise with a certified strength and conditioning coach who understands your physical limitations and will monitor your form.

Mike

 

[Dakine]

Swim your ass off.....