The Best Quad And Glute Exercise If You’ve Got Sore Knees

If you’ve got sore knees, leg workouts can feel a little intimidating.

But the Arthritis Foundation points out that movement can really help to reduce pain and maintain movement.

Thankfully, moves like Spanish squats and goblet squats can help – and so, it seems, can “reverse lunges”.

They involve stepping backwards with one leg, while the other leg bends at the knee.

It’s a “variation of a [regular, forward] lunge, with a lot less impact at the knee,” strength coach Dr Baird shared.

Rather like reverse (or “retro”) walking, simply facing backwards takes a lot of the load off of your knee joints.

In the case of reverse lunges, it places some of the strain on your glutes instead.

And the move also means you’ll be less likely to lean too far forward at your knee in the lowering stage, which can harm your knees further.

A 2016 paper found that reverse lunges were best at building glute and quadriceps while applying lower force onto the knee.

Bonus points: reverse lunges also strengthen the muscles around your knees and lubricate the joint, helping reduce pain, lower the risk of future injury, and improve range of motion.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Engage your core.

Then, take a step back with your right foot, placing the ball of the foot on the floor.

Leave your left foot flat on the ground and lower yourself until your left thigh is parallel to the ground and your right knee is on, or near, the floor.

Ensure your left knee is above your left ankle; don’t lean too far forward either at the knee or with your torso.

Push through the left leg to straighten back up, then switch legs.

Speaking with the AARP, personal trainer April Hattori said, “aim for three sets of 10, twice a week”.