I was told to stop squatting because of bad knees—here’s how I still get an effective leg workout
Rather than stop training my legs altogether, I found ways to work around my pain
Knee pain has been the bane of my life for the past decade, pretty much since I qualified as a personal trainer and fitness instructor.
Teaching three fitness classes a day, six days a week—on top of demonstrating exercises to clients—meant I was working my knees a lot. A year into my fitness career, my knees were constantly hurting.
I was eventually diagnosed with patella tendinitis, an overuse injury causing pain and inflammation in the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone. My osteopath confirmed it was down to overuse.
But then my other joints began to cause me pain too. Further medical investigations revealed I had hypermobility syndrome—often described as being double-jointed—where my joints stretch further than normal, leading to chronic pain and stiffness.
I was advised to stop squatting and lunging. I was gutted. I honestly believed that if I couldn’t squat or lunge there was no point in training my legs at all.
Then two years ago, I enlisted the help of a personal trainer (yes, even personal trainers have trainers) and we worked on finding lower-body exercises that would not aggravate my knee pain.
I reframed my mindset to focus on the exercises I could do rather than the ones I couldn’t—always working around my pain.
Personal trainer Robyn Drummond agrees that a balanced workout routine should involve all muscle groups, and if you can’t squat or lunge there are still plenty of exercises you can do to build leg strength.
“I recommend single-leg movements like a single-leg press and step-up,” Drummond tells Fit&Well.
“Over time, the opposite leg will have done more work becoming stronger, so it’s important to work the weaker or more painful leg to encourage the muscle to work independently.”
After two years of trial and error, I’ve learned I can still have an effective leg workout even if traditional squats and lunges are no longer on the menu. However, I have discovered one squat and one lunge variation that do not aggravate my knees, which I’ve incorporated into my routine.
Below you’ll find my 40-minute leg workout. I always begin with at least five minutes of dynamic stretching to warm up.
Remember, the exercises work around my knee pain and no one else’s. If you are suffering from knee pain, it’s important that you identify the cause with a qualified medical professional and develop a plan that’s right for you.
My leg workout for knee pain
- Decline squat
- Bulgarian split squats (glute-focused)
- Romanian deadlift
- Leg extension
- Seated hamstring curl
- Leg press
Form guides
1. Decline squat
Sets: 3 Reps: 10
- Stand on a 45° slant board with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to slowly lower—over a count of four—as far as feels comfortable.
- Slowly rise—over a count of four—back to the start.
2. Bulgarian split squat (glute-focused)
Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side
- Sit on the edge of a bench and extend your legs in front of you with your heels on the floor.
- Stand up from this position and place the top of one foot behind you on the bench.
- Lean your torso forward.
- Engage your core, and bend your front to knee to lower until your rear knee is just above the floor.
- Push through your front heel and drive up, contracting your glutes at the top.
- Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.
3. Romanian deadlift
Sets: 3 Reps: 10
- Stand holding a weight in front of your thighs with your palms facing you.
- Make sure your back is straight, roll your shoulders back and down, engage your core and slightly bend your knees.
- Push your hips back to slowly lower the weight down your legs.
- Stop when you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings, then push your hips forward to return to the start, engaging your glutes at the top.
4. Seated leg extension
Sets: 3 Reps: 10
- Set yourself up on a leg extension machine according to the instructions, although typically your feet will rest under the pad; you may need to adjust the seat accordingly, depending on how long your legs are.
- Slowly raise your lower legs up, squeezing your thighs at the top.
- Slowly lower your legs, returning to the starting position.
5. Seated hamstring curl
Sets: 3 Reps: 10
- Set yourself up on a hamstring curl machine according to the instructions, although typically the bottoms of your calves should rest on top of the roller pad; you may need to adjust the seat accordingly, depending on how long your legs are. Your legs should be straight and the roller pad in line with your knees.
- Engage your hamstrings and bend your knees, pulling the roller pad down.
- Pause, then slowly return to the start with control.
6. Leg press
Sets: 3 Reps: 10
To perform a leg press when you have knee pain, I’ve found the secret is less weight and a slower tempo.
- Set up the lying leg press machine (which I prefer for knee pain) according to the instructions. Position your feet halfway up the platform, toes slightly turned out.
- Unlock the weight, engage your core and keep your back flat on the back pad as you lower the platform towards you for a count of three, bending your knees as far as feels comfortable.
- Hold for a count of two before using your glutes and quads to push the platform up. Do not lock your knees at the top.
Robyn Drummond is a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor with 10 years of experience, and is the founder of Thrive with Robyn. She specialises in sustainable fat loss, strength training and women’s health, supporting women to build strong bodies and healthy relationships with food without restriction or guilt.
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