Knee Strengthening Exercises: Resistance Training for Healthier Knees

Knee resistance training is one of the most useful things you can do for knees that ache, click or feel weak. The muscles around your knee absorb and control force, so making them stronger usually helps your knees cope better with daily life. Here are the knee strengthening exercises we use, how to progress them, and when to get checked first.

Many people with sore knees are told to rest them, and many end up avoiding stairs, squats and long walks. For a lot of common, non-serious knee pain, the opposite approach tends to work better over time: gradually building strength in the thighs, hips and calves. Knee strengthening exercises don’t need to be complicated. They need to be done consistently and progressed sensibly.

Why knee resistance training helps

Your knee is a hinge between two long bones, and it relies on the muscles around it to stay steady. The quadriceps on the front of your thigh control the knee as it bends, the hamstrings support it from behind, and the glutes and hips help keep it tracking in line. Your calves take load off the knee too.

When these muscles are stronger, they absorb more of the force from walking, stairs and getting up from a chair. The NHS recommends strengthening exercises as part of managing many common knee problems, including osteoarthritis. If arthritis is part of your picture, our guide to strength training with arthritis goes into more detail. For runners, see our exercises for runner’s knee.

Six knee strengthening exercises

Start with 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, two or three times a week. Move slowly and stay in a range that feels comfortable.

1. Sit-to-stand

Sit on a chair, feet hip-width apart. Lean forward slightly and stand up without using your hands, then sit back down slowly. Use a higher chair or a cushion if it’s hard. Make it harder by using a lower seat or holding a weight at your chest.

2. Step-ups

Use a low step or the bottom stair. Step up with one foot, push through the whole foot to stand tall, then step down slowly. Keep your knee in line with your toes. Increase the height gradually, then add dumbbells.

3. Wall sits

Lean your back against a wall and slide down until your knees are bent to a comfortable angle, not necessarily 90 degrees. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. This builds the quads without much movement through the knee, which many people find comfortable.

4. Split squats

Stand in a long stride, back heel lifted. Lower your back knee towards the floor, keeping your front foot flat, then push back up. Hold a support at first if your balance is shaky. Only go as deep as you can control comfortably.

5. Hamstring bridges

Lie on your back with your heels on the floor or on a step, knees slightly bent. Push through your heels to lift your hips, hold for a second, and lower. This works the hamstrings and glutes, which support the knee from behind.

6. Calf raises

Stand on the edge of a step holding a rail, rise up onto your toes, then lower slowly below the step. Move on to single-leg calf raises when two legs feels easy.

How to progress knee strengthening exercises

Change one thing at a time: a few more reps, an extra set, a little more weight, a lower chair or a higher step. A useful guide is that mild discomfort during exercise can be acceptable if it settles back to normal within about 24 hours. If your knee is more sore or more swollen the next day, drop back a step.

Over the weeks, the aim is to move from bodyweight exercises towards loaded ones such as goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts and weighted step-ups. Proper resistance training is what builds lasting strength. This is especially valuable as you get older, and it’s a big part of our approach to personal training over 40.

A sample week

A simple starting plan is two or three short sessions a week. In each, pick three or four exercises from the list above, for example sit-to-stands, hamstring bridges, wall sits and calf raises. Add step-ups and split squats once those feel easy. Walk on most other days. Keep a note of your sets, reps and how your knee felt the next day, so you can see what to progress.

Tips for knee-friendly training

• Warm up with five minutes of walking or easy cycling first.
• Keep your knee pointing roughly over your toes during squats, lunges and step-ups.
• Control the lowering part of each rep, which is often where the knee works hardest.
• Strengthen your hips as well as your thighs.
• Keep walking. Regular low-impact activity supports healthy knees.

When to see a GP or physio first

See your GP or a physio before starting if your knee is hot and swollen, locks or gets stuck, gives way under you, can’t take your weight, or was injured with a pop or twist. Get urgent help if a swollen knee comes with a fever or feeling unwell. Our injury-safe personal training builds your programme around their advice.

Once you’ve been checked, our 1-to-1 training lets us watch every rep, adjust exercises that don’t suit your knees, and progress at a pace your joints can handle.

Want this coached 1-to-1? We’ll build a knee-friendly programme that starts where you are today. Book a free consultation at our Archway studio.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best knee strengthening exercises?

Sit-to-stands, step-ups, wall sits, split squats, hamstring bridges and calf raises are great starting points. Progress them gradually towards loaded exercises like goblet squats.

Is resistance training good for bad knees?

For many common knee problems, yes. Stronger muscles around the knee absorb more force. Get unexplained swelling, locking or giving way checked by a GP or physio first.

How long does it take to strengthen your knees?

Many people notice their knees feel steadier within a few weeks of regular training. Building real strength usually takes a few months of consistent, progressive work.

Should I exercise if my knee hurts?

Mild discomfort that settles within about 24 hours is usually acceptable. Sharp pain, swelling, locking or the knee giving way are reasons to stop and see a GP or physio.

Start your transformation

SYP Fitness is a private 1-to-1 personal training studio at 2-4 Navigator Square, Archway, London N19 3UB, 2 minutes from Archway tube. Rated 5.0 from 106 Google reviews.

Apply for a free consultation · WhatsApp Artem · Call 07301 512215 · See prices