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Strength at home

Knee strengthening workout: from first steps to full range

Strong thigh muscles go with healthier knees: weaker quadriceps predicted knee arthritis in long-term studies. This session builds strength in the range you have, then extends it. Letting your knees travel forward over your toes is normal and probably works the thigh muscles harder, so the last block trains it on purpose, a little more each week. If a knee is painful, swollen or unstable, use the staged plans in our knee pain guides instead.

25 minBeginner13 movesA bench or box · A wall · A stepHip flexors · Quads · Calves · Glutes · Hamstrings · Shins
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Warm up

  1. Standing march60 s
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoHarder: Standing band hip flexion
  2. Knee circles5 slow circles each way
    Beginner · Quads, Calves, Hamstrings · 3D demoSmall and comfortable; leave them out if a knee feels unstableHarder: Shallow split jumps
  3. Backward walking2 lengths of 10 m
    Beginner · 3D demoShort steps, with a hand on a wall or counterHarder: Backward sled drag

Strength

2 rounds · Rest 60 s between rounds

  1. Sit to stand from a chair10 reps
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoA firm chair with its back against a wall; harder: hold a dumbbell at your chestHarder: Bodyweight squat
  2. Wall sit30 s
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes · 3D demoPick a depth you could hold for 45 s, and breathe normally throughoutEasier: Straight-leg raiseHarder: Spanish squat (band squat hold)
  3. Step-up8 each side
    Beginner · Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings · 3D demoA stable step and a hand on a rail; push through the whole footEasier: Low step-upHarder: Dumbbell step-up
  4. Patrick step-down8 slow reps each side
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Hip abductors · 3D demoA low step; keep the standing knee over the middle toesEasier: Bodyweight squatHarder: Skater squat
  5. Slider hamstring curl8 reps
    Intermediate · Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs · 3D demoFewer reps and a shorter range if your hamstrings crampEasier: Machine leg curlHarder: Full Nordic curl
  6. Tibialis raise15 reps
    Beginner · Shins · 3D demoBack against a wall; lift the fronts of both feetHarder: Single-leg tibialis raise

Full range (optional)

  1. Split squat2 sets of 8 each side
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoLet the front knee travel forward over the toes; pad the back knee and keep a hand on a wallEasier: Bodyweight squatHarder: Reverse lunge
  2. Heel-elevated deep squat (slant board squat)2 sets of 6 to 8
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoHeels on a plate or slant board; only as deep as is comfortable, deeper over the weeksEasier: Bodyweight squatHarder: Deep squat hold
  3. Reverse Nordic2 sets of 3 to 5
    Advanced · Quads, Abs · 3D demoA small range at first; skip it if kneeling hurtsEasier: Straight-leg raiseHarder: Full Nordic curl

Balance

  1. Single-leg stand2 holds of 30 s each leg
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoNext to a counterEasier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walkHarder: Single Leg Reach Matrix

Tips

  • Twice a week on non-consecutive days is a sensible start; add load before you add sets.
  • If a knee aches, use the rule from our knee pain guide: aim for pain of 0 to 3 out of 10, treat up to 5 as acceptable, and make sure the knee is back to its usual level by the next morning. Sharp pain, swelling or the knee giving way means stop.
  • Pain at the front of the knee? Keep squats and step-downs shallow for now, because stress behind the kneecap rises as you bend towards 90 degrees. Kneecap pain that lingers into the next day means you went too deep or too heavy.
  • Wall sits raise blood pressure while you hold them, so breathe normally and never hold your breath. Ask your GP first if your blood pressure is 160/100 or higher and untreated, or if you have heart disease, and skip them with Marfan syndrome, vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or aortic disease.
  • Kneeling hurts? Leave out the reverse Nordic and pad the split squat's back knee.
  • After recent knee or hip surgery, check with your surgical team before starting; our knee replacement guide has a staged plan.
  • In pregnancy with pelvic girdle pain, skip the step-ups and split squats if stairs hurt; sit-to-stands are the alternative.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

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Questions people ask

How long does the knee strengthening workout: from first steps to full range take?

About 25 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A bench or box, A wall, A step. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 8 of its 13 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.