Having bad knees can obstruct your fitness efforts and hinder you from engaging in certain workouts like running. Bad knees hurt and anyone who has ever had them can tell how much they hurt when exercising. Cardio is very essential in any fitness regimen and you don’t have to stop doing it because, you have bad knees. Instead, you can choose some easier techniques which will help you to build endurance, so that you can continue with your workouts even with your injuries.
Here are the best four cardio exercises you can try out for bad knees.
1. Step-ups
To do this, stand in front of a staircase and place a foot flat on the bottom step. Your entire foot should be on the step and your knee directly above your ankle. Now, step onto your foot while you put your weight on the heel of the elevated foot, then lift the opposite foot and tap the step and the floor. Repeat on alternate sides. This exercise works on the glutes, hamstrings and quads.
2. Swimming
Swimming is a great cardio exercise that will work perfectly on your knees. Whether you are doing the butterfly or backstroke, be sure you are working on all the major muscle groups in your body, the glutes, abs and chest muscles inclusive.
3. Partial squats
Partial squats are best done with a buddy for knee support. Position yourself with your feet at shoulder-width length and your toes pointed forward. At this point, flex your abs while you lower your upper body halfway and come back up. It is similar to the full-squats, you won’t just have to go down as low as you would with full squats. This exercise works on the knees and quads and are great for building strength and protecting the joints.
4. Scissor kick
Lie flat on the floor, keeping your legs together and your arms placed on the sides. With your forearms on the ground, lift your legs about six inches and your shoulders about one inch. Now spread your legs apart and bring them back together, then cross one leg over the other, with your shoulders and legs not touching the floor. Repeat for as many times as you can.
Not all cardio exercises will help for your bad knees and it might be a bad idea to try exercises such as running, which will stress the joint further. The above are the 4 best cardio exercises you should try.
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