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Runners, protect your knees with this five-move routine from a NASM-qualified trainer
If you’re a regular runner, especially one that has been doing it for a while, there’s a good chance you’ve had some issues with your knees.
Many of the muscles involved in running surround the knee such as the hamstrings, quads and glutes. Strengthening these supportive muscles with regular workouts can help prevent knee injuries.
“Our goal is to essentially prevent overcompensation from weaker muscles,” says Katie Leonard, a NASM-qualified personal trainer at Life Time Lakeshore-Irvine health club.
She explains that glute or quad muscles that are doing too much or too little as you run will eventually lead to problems.
“Balanced muscle activation is key and these five moves will help to ensure that everything functions as it should.”
How to do Katie Leonard’s knee-strengthening workout
There’s quite a bit of equipment involved in this routine, so you might want to do it at the gym. You’ll need a mat, a small exercise ball, a resistance band and a step or low surface.
1. Glute bridge with ball squeeze
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Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart, holding a small Pilates ball between your knees.
- Push through your heels to lift your hips, while simultaneously squeezing the ball with your inner thighs.
- For an extra challenge, try doing five small pulses up and down while your hips are elevated.
- Slowly lower.
Why it works: This move strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, reducing knee strain by promoting proper alignment.
Need a Pilates ball? This 9-inch ProBody Pilates ball is under $10 on Amazon.
2. Banded knee drive
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Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side
- Stand with a resistance band looped around your feet.
- Drive one knee swiftly upwards.
- Complete all your reps on one side, then swap sides.
- If you struggle with balance, place your hands against a wall.
Why it works: This activates hip stabilizers and hip flexors, while also strengthening glutes to prevent knee collapse.
Need a resistance band? This set of four Theraband resistance bands is reduced by more than 20% on Amazon.
3. Single-leg step down
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side
- Stand with one foot side-on to the edge of a step or box.
- Bend your knee to slowly lower the other foot and try to tap the heel on the floor.
- Straighten your standing leg to return to the starting position, you should feel your quad, the muscle on the front of your thigh, working hard.
- Complete all your reps on one side, then swap sides.
Why it works: It builds eccentric quad control, improving knee stability.
4. Single leg Romanian deadlift into reverse lunge
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Sets: 3 Reps: 5
- Stand holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in your right hand and shift your weight into your left foot.
- Bend your left knee slightly and hinge forward from your hips, lowering your torso and lifting your right leg behind you.
- Push your hips forward to return to standing.
- Step your right foot behind you and bend both knees to 90°.
- Push through your left foot to return to standing.
- Complete all your reps on one side, then swap sides.
Why it works: A single-leg RDL into a reverse lunge with dumbbells challenges balance and strengthens the hips, glutes, hamstrings, and core, all of which support knee stability.
5. Isometric knee sets
This is broken down into two parts:
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A. Quad activation
Sets: 3 Time: 5-10sec each side
- Sit on the floor and extend your legs in front of you with a rolled-up towel under your knees (this can also be done lying down).
- Drive the back of your knee into the towel while squeezing your quad muscle.
- Squish down into the ground as hard as you can and hold that pressing position for 5-10 seconds.
- You can practice this with a single leg or both legs at the same time.
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B. Hamstring activation
Sets: 3 Time: 5-10sec each side
- Lie on your back and bend your right knee to 90° and dig your right heel into the floor, engaging your hamstring muscle.
- Hold this pressing position for time.
- Release and then repeat before moving to the other leg.
- To increase the difficulty, dig your heel into a Pilates ball, a Bosu ball, or something similarly squishy.
Why these exercises work: These isometric holds strengthen your quads and glutes. You’re activating these two muscles in different ways using self-created resistance.
