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Enhance and fortify wobbly knees using a personal trainer's preferred lower-body exercise routine.

Boost your leg wobbles: Try these three exercises for enhanced power and balance!

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3 min read
Strengthen and enhance balance with these three exercises:
Strengthen and enhance balance with these three exercises:

Enhance and fortify wobbly knees using a personal trainer's preferred lower-body exercise routine.

Struggling with knee pain while squatting? You're not alone! But don't blame the darn knee joint just yet. It's often the supporting muscles, ligaments, and tendons that need some TLC.

Squats alone can't solve this problem since they mainly target the quads. To create an all-around powerhouse, you need a 360-degree approach, much like fitness guru Rachael Penrose from app WithU recommends. Here are her top three exercises to beef up those knee-strengthening muscles.

Yes, a bodyweight squat finds its way into her routine (grab a chair behind you for additional support if needed). To round things off, she includes a bridge exercise that activates the hamstrings, lower back, and glutes, plus a lateral lunge that targets the adductors, improves mobility, and strengthens your thighs.

Time to beef up those knees

These three moves will bring your lower body muscles into perfect harmony, building strength and stability that will keep your hips, pelvis, and ankles in perfect balance while keeping your knees symptom-free.

Follow Penrose's video and pay heed to her form guides to perfect each exercise. Once you've got them mastered, join them in the 150-rep, nine-minute workout I've outlined here. Believe me; you'll be done before you can say "uncle."

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1 Bodyweight squat

  • Take a stance with feet roughly shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
  • Bend your knees and sit your hips back to perform your squat. Maintain a flat back by keeping your chest facing forward.
  • Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then drive up to the starting position. Don't let your knees cave in - keep them wide as you lower and rise.

2 Glute Bridge

  • Lie on the floor, knees bent, and feet flat for support. Press your lower back into the floor to achieve proper form.
  • Lift your hips off the floor by driving through your heels. Keep your ankles, knees, and hips in a straight line for maximum range of motion.
  • Lower your hips to the floor under control, and repeat.

3 Lateral Lunge

  • Stand in a wide stance, feet more than double shoulder-width apart, with toes pointing slightly out.
  • Bend one leg and lower into a lunge on one side, keeping the other leg straight and your chest facing forward.
  • Drive back up to the starting position, keeping your bent knee wide as you lower and rise.
  • Switch sides and repeat.

The Perfect Lower-Body Workout

Combining these three exercises following a pyramid EMOM (every minute on the minute) format provides a well-balanced lower-body workout with a fun cardio kick.

In this pyramid format, you'll gradually increase reps for the first half of the session, then decrease them for the second.

  • Start the timer and perform two reps of each exercise, then rest the remainder of the minute.
  • After one minute, do four reps of each exercise, then rest.
  • After two minutes, perform six reps of each exercise, rest, and continue.
  • Follow the same pattern for up to eight minutes, then work your way down the pyramid again.

With nine minutes and 150 reps under your belt, you'll be strutting across the finish line feeling like a true champion.

Take note: Pushing to complete all 30 reps within 60 seconds can be tough, but don't sacrifice form for speed. If you can't finish on time, just give it your best shot and aim to improve in subsequent workouts. Good luck!

  1. Incorporating the bodyweight squat, glute bridge, and lateral lunge into your fitness routine can help strengthen and stabilize the muscles surrounding your knees, leading to improved hip, pelvis, and ankle alignment.
  2. By staying mindful of proper form, such as keeping your chest forward and avoiding knee caving during squats, and following Rachael Penrose's video guide, you can effectively target and tone the muscles responsible for knee support and mobility.
  3. A 150-rep, 9-minute workout that includes these three exercises in a pyramid EMOM (every minute on the minute) format provides an efficient and enjoyable lower-body workout, blending strength training with cardio benefits.

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