If you’ve ever skipped leg day because your knees were acting up, you’re not alone. At Made Possible Personal Training in St. Petersburg, Florida, we work with a lot of people over 40 who’ve had knee injuries, surgeries, or just that lingering discomfort that makes squats feel off.
The good news? You don’t have to avoid strength training. You just have to be smarter about the movements you choose. Here are eight knee-friendly exercises we use in our personal training sessions to build strength without aggravating your joints.
1. Foam Roller Squat
This squat variation helps keep your knees from shifting too far forward. It allows you to load your lower body while reducing pressure on the knee joint.
2. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
A classic hip-dominant move. It targets your hamstrings and glutes with minimal knee bend, making it great for anyone dealing with knee pain.
3. Spanish Squat
With a band pulling you toward the rack, your body naturally sits back. This reduces forward knee travel and creates a quad burn without joint stress.
4. Spanish Lunge
Like the Spanish Squat but one leg at a time. It adds stability work and builds strength without overloading your knees.
5. TKEs (Terminal Knee Extensions)
A physical therapy favorite. This low-impact move strengthens the muscles around your knee with very little strain.
6. TRX Squat
TRX straps let you offload some of your bodyweight, making squats easier on the knees. You control how much you push or pull, and it’s a great stepping stone back to full-body squats.
7 & 8. Hip Thrust + Single-Leg Hip Thrust
Another hip-dominant powerhouse. These are easier than RDLs but just as effective at building glutes and hamstrings with zero knee stress.
Important Reminder:
It’s not “bad” for your knees to go over your toes. In fact, learning how to do that safely is part of strengthening the knee joint over time. But if you’re dealing with pain right now, these are great options to keep moving while your body catches up.
Struggling with knee pain but still want to get strong?
Come see us at Made Possible. Our semi-private personal training sessions in St. Pete are built around your body, your goals, and your needs. No cookie-cutter workouts here.
Call 727-537-9854 or book your first session online. We’ll help you train smart and feel better doing it.
