Strengthen Your Knees (Part 1) - Proper Deadlift and Belt Squat Form

Have you ever experienced pain in one or both of your knees? You may have thought that you needed to back off from your workouts. In some cases, a little rest can help. But ultimately one of the best things you can do for chronic knee pain is strengthen your glutes and quads.

That’s because the knee joint is connected to tendons that are connected to your glutes and quads. By strengthening your glutes and quads, you strengthen your knee and can many times reverse pain, even when there’s been a serious injury or lingering discomfort from surgery.

Today’s video is the first in a three-part series. I’ll show you a quickshot workout you can do once or twice a week to target your glutes and quads, both to support your knees and provide overall strength to these muscle groups.

Here are some tips on form.

1) Belt squats: Quad Dominant

Use moderate weight (will vary depending on where you are at) for 10-15 reps, 6-7 sets, 1 min rest between sets

Lean back so that your knees are stacked over your ankles. Your upper body should be upright with weight in the back portion of your feet. Visualize yourself spreading the platform or pushing feet against platform, keeping tension constant throughout the movement.

*Remember to keep traction by keeping knees in line with toes. Don’t let your knees buckle as you come up. Purposely engage the quad and glutes, allowing muscles to really work.

2) Deadlift (Part 1/Quick Shot Version)

Use moderate weight, 10-15 reps, 6-7 sets, 1 min rest between sets

Standing directly behind barbell, plant both feet on the floor, hip width apart. Spread feet against floor. Grab barbell with mixed grip or alternate grip (one palm facing toward your body, one palm facing away). Pull against the bar, “removing the slack." Draw your shoulder blades down and back to push your chest out slightly. This is your starting position.

Take a big breath in, and using your glutes and hamstrings push through the heels of your feet. Think about "spreading the floor," like you did with the belt squats. Make sure you are extending the hips (you should feel a stretch in the hamstring and engagement of glutes) and legs to find a neutral standing position. Maintain a proud chest. Your head should be an extension of your spine. Exhale at the top of movement. Each rep gets a breath.

*The legs are doing the movement! Dropping your shoulder blades engages the lats (latissimus dorsi) muscles, which will hold a position. Do not release arms--think of pulling through by pushing to the floor, feeling the stretch in the hamstring in the bottom position as you go up.

When you don’t have the time, you make the time, especially to strengthen your knees. And remember--always start a workout with a proper warm up. For suggestions, check out my earlier videos on dynamic mobility.