Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are talking about one exercise topic for two minutes and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice. Now this week, we are talking to those of you who are experiencing achy knees. A lot of times, achy knees and other joints will keep people from exercising. But, we have some tips on how you can avoid missing your workouts.
1. Strengthen Your Hips, Feet, & Ankles
Exercise Tip Number One If You Have Achy Knees: Focus on strengthening your hips, feet, and ankles. Your knees are highly influence by how each of these joints are functioning. So, if your knees feel like they are taking on extra stress, work on strengthening your hips, feet, and ankles, and that will help to support your knees.
Action Step: Check out this podcast where we discuss the importance of the muscles of your feet and how influential they can be to how the rest of your body feels and functions!
Related: 5 Exercises You Can Do Anywhere To Strengthen Your Feet
2. Schedule With A Certified MAT® Specialist
Exercise Tip Number Two If You Have Achy Knees: Schedule an appointment with your local Muscle Activation Techniques® specialist. Muscle Activation Techniques® (or MAT®) is going to look to find what muscles are not supporting your knees well and get those muscles working better. Ultimately, this can help to take stress of your knees, so when you go to workout, everything feels great.
Action Step: Want to learn more about MAT®? Download our free 20-page eBook on Muscle Activation Techniques® here, and make sure to find a certified practitioner in your area here!
Related: What makes a Muscle Activation Techniques® practitioner unique?
3. Try Slow & Controlled Weight Training
Exercise Tip Number Three If You Have Achy Knees: Try out some very slow and controlled weight training for your knee muscles. For example, try using the knee flexion and knee extension machines. A lot of times, when people have a bothersome joint, they avoid working it. The challenge with this, though, is then the muscles that are supposed to be supporting the joint become weaker and weaker. So, if you can, try out some very slow and controlled weight training using light resistance, even if you are unable to use a large range of motion.
Action Step: If you would like guidance on how to exercise for your body’s specific needs, enroll in our Virtual Membership Program! We build customized exercise plans for you, much like we do for our clients here at Muscle Activation Schaumburg. And if you’d like to learn more about personal training at MAS, download our free eBook on why we exercise differently here!
