Leg workout for someone with knee problems

[Boondocksaint]

hey,


I am wanting to redo my leg workout. I lift 3 times a week (legs, push, pull) As it stands now:

Monday: Legs

Squat 3x8
Lunges 3x10
SLDL: 3x10
calf raises: 3x10

I have a couple of problems with this workout.

1. I don't think the Straight leg deadlifts are necessary. I do deadlifts on Friday, and I feel this might be an overload on my lower back.

2. Lunges. I am scarred shitless that my knee is going to give out anyday now. Maybe this is because pretty much all of my friends are having to have surgery on their knees. It seems to be the wink link as far as MMA training goes. I've heard that lunges on bad on the knees, and I can feel my knees click when I do them. I am pretty sure thats not a good thing.


I was also wondering...is it OK to have nothing but squats for leg day? Such as squats, then front squats, and so on?

Any suggestions what I can replace the lunges with?

Thanks.

 

[Urban]

Here's the rule: if it hurts (if you feel a sharp pain), don't do it. If it don't hurt, you're probably in the clear. Clicking and popping (again, so long as they don't hurt) aren't neccessarily indications of a potential injury.

As far as SLDLs on monday and dls on friday, your back can handle it fine.

Do you have a current knee injury, or are you just nervous cause all your friends do?

 

[Boondocksaint]

Here's the rule: if it hurts (if you feel a sharp pain), don't do it. If it don't hurt, you're probably in the clear. Clicking and popping (again, so long as they don't hurt) aren't neccessarily indications of a potential injury.

As far as SLDLs on monday and dls on friday, your back can handle it fine.

Do you have a current knee injury, or are you just nervous cause all your friends do?

I've been put down twice with my knee. Once during a BJJ class (just a freak injury), that put me out for about 2 weeks.

Then, much later, I switched my squats to a 3x3 routine...going very, very heavy. After about two weeks of that, my knee was in serious pain. I had to quit lifting for about 3 weeks. Then, last week, my knee started clicking during lunges. One time I went down and felt a sharp pain. I went ahead and did one more set and was fine.

I feel like I am in the red zone for another knee injury. I just want to be safe. I have heard from several sources that lunges are especially hard on the knee...I just don't want to risk it if there are other exercises out there.


Any advice for another good routine?

 

[Ted-P]

Here's the rule: if it hurts (if you feel a sharp pain), don't do it. If it don't hurt, you're probably in the clear. Clicking and popping (again, so long as they don't hurt) aren't neccessarily indications of a potential injury.

As far as SLDLs on monday and dls on friday, your back can handle it fine.

Do you have a current knee injury, or are you just nervous cause all your friends do?

Lunges done properly will put your knees at a 90 degrees angle.

And on your site it says at 90 degrees is where you knees receive the most stress.

 

[Duncon76]

If you can squat with no problem then squat, no matter how many different squats. Cut out your SLD if you want.

 

[Boondocksaint]

no way man, keep stiff leg deadlifts

they just seem to be working my lower back more than anything...and since I do deadlifts I don't know if that is a good thing.

 

[Urban]

Keep them.

 

[Boondocksaint]

Ok, this is what I will start on Monday:

Squat 3x8
Front Squat 3x8
SLDL: 3x8
Calf raises: 3x8

That look solid?

I know that my rep range is a little high for some of you guys. Usually on my last set I will raise the weight and only get 6 reps. Then I will work on that weight until I can get it 8 times. I am also not including warm up sets, which I do for squats only.

Thanks again.

 

[Ted-P]

Ok, this is what I will start on Monday:

Squat 3x8
Front Squat 3x8
SLDL: 3x8
Calf raises: 3x8

That look solid?

I know that my rep range is a little high for some of you guys. Usually on my last set I will raise the weight and only get 6 reps. Then I will work on that weight until I can get it 8 times. I am also not including warm up sets, which I do for squats only.

Thanks again.

Don't think about it. Think about your body not what others think.

Have you ever thought about Unilateral workouts?

I realized how limited it is with legs.

 

[Boondocksaint]

Don't think about it. Think about your body not what others think.

Have you ever thought about Unilateral workouts?

I realized how limited it is with legs.

what do you mean by "unilateral"?

 

[Henry Swanson]

what do you mean by "unilateral"?

Working each side independantly!

i.e. one legged squats.

 

[Ted-P]

Working each side independantly!

i.e. one legged squats.

Step ups and that was the only thing i could think of.............

I gonna try out single leg squatting next time.

 

[Henry Swanson]

Step ups and that was the only thing i could think of.............

I gonna try out single leg squatting next time.

I've seen guys doing one legged deadlifts too. It looked pretty damn hard though.

 

[Ted-P]

Well I wanna see how imbalanced my legs are in terms of power.

 

[Henry Swanson]

Well I wanna see how imbalanced my legs are in terms of power.

Have you ever tried pistols?

 

[Ted-P]

Have you ever tried pistols?

NO, but I don't get what the difference is between Pistols and Single legged body squat.

 

[Henry Swanson]

NO, but I don't get what the difference is between Pistols and Single legged body squat.

A pistol is more of a bodyweight/balance/fexibility movement where you squat down with one leg and keep the other one straight out in front. Adding weight can be a real bitch with pistols though.

With one legged squats I usually lift one leg up keeping it bent and then squat with the other. Loading is easier this way because you can just hold a pair of dumbells by your sides!

 

[Urban]

ok, I figured this out with somebody the other day. IF you should happen to be strong enough to require weight on a pistol you can hold a bar in front squat position to keep the most of the balancing action. If you're not up to that level yet, holding the bar in a zercher position is your next best bet, and if you're simply too weak to use an empty bar, hug a plate to your chest.

 

[morganfreeman]

hey,

2. Lunges. I am scarred shitless that my knee is going to give out anyday now. Maybe this is because pretty much all of my friends are having to have surgery on their knees. It seems to be the wink link as far as MMA training goes. I've heard that lunges on bad on the knees, and I can feel my knees click when I do them. I am pretty sure thats not a good thing.

When I hurt my knee, my doctor suggested that I do alot of bodyweight squats and lunges. When I asked about the potential for hurting my knee doing them, he just said to make sure that my knee didn't extend past my toes (which you should already know if you've been squatting with propler form). I found this was alot easier if I kept a leg on a bench rather than on the floor. I don't really do alot of them anymore, but they are by no means unsafe.