Thread: Mass building leg workouts with BAD knees...

What kind of weight are you squatting. Possibly is you might try to go light for awhile, and strengthen your knees.
Quad extensions are not a weight bearing exercise, and help to develope your upper legs. Hamstring bench curls, also do not bear weight. Along with seated calf pressed. But I would recommend you start light on anything you do.

Does the pain during squatting go away if you use less weight? For example, does the pain persist if you do a squat with just your bodyweight? Squats are the lift to develop massive thighs, so if you can slowly work your way into doing them with some resistance, then that would be great. However, if pain persists even with just your bodyweight, or it returns once you hit a certain weight threshold, then you may be out of luck.

You could try leg presses or hack squats, but I have a feeling the same symptoms will result. Step-ups or lunges might also work. However, again, I have a feeling the pain will continue. There are also some good hamstring exercises like deadlifts, good mornings, and glute ham raises that you should try.

If all else fails, then you give leg extensions and curls a try, if you have no other choice.

leg extensions are terrible for people with bad knees

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Does the pain during squatting go away if you use less weight? For example, does the pain persist if you do a squat with just your bodyweight? Squats are the lift to develop massive thighs, so if you can slowly work your way into doing them with some resistance, then that would be great. However, if pain persists even with just your bodyweight, or it returns once you hit a certain weight threshold, then you may be out of luck.

You could try leg presses or hack squats, but I have a feeling the same symptoms will result. Step-ups or lunges might also work. However, again, I have a feeling the pain will continue. There are also some good hamstring exercises like deadlifts, good mornings, and glute ham raises that you should try.

If all else fails, then you give leg extensions and curls a try, if you have no other choice.

thanks for your replies.

well...i was actually just using the bar to do squats since i am a beginner. i just did some squats with only my body weight, and there was very little strain. so i'm guessing i should do squats with just my body weight for awhile - although i feel like the biggest weakling in the world?

and are squats only to build massive thighs? because i wanted to develop everything from my ankles to my glutes. a lot of the times my pants feel like its going to fall off because i have no legs and butt. and my ankles are the size of a wrist.

do you know what the problem is with your knees exactly? personally, i would see a dr. to have em diagnosed, that way you can work on rehabing/strengthening it so you can squat/DL.

it could also be a matter of form, do you have access to a digicam? if you post a video of you squatting, people on here will give you some pointers.

Originally Posted by Fresh

thanks for your replies.

well...i was actually just using the bar to do squats since i am a beginner. i just did some squats with only my body weight, and there was very little strain. so i'm guessing i should do squats with just my body weight for awhile - although i feel like the biggest weakling in the world?

and are squats only to build massive thighs? because i wanted to develop everything from my ankles to my glutes. a lot of the times my pants feel like its going to fall off because i have no legs and butt. and my ankles are the size of a wrist.

Squats are the king, although there are other exercises you can do that will add mass. However, if it all possible, I would tend to agree with Yanick. You should see a doctor, preferrably a sports doctor, who can tell you how to rehab yourself back into squatting.

Yanick, do you have that link to squatting raw? I came across the link in someone's journal the other night. Twas a good read.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Yanick, do you have that link to squatting raw? I came across the link in someone's journal the other night. Twas a good read.

yea dude here ya go it is a good read, especially the points about doing more quad work and using bands/chains.

you should go elitefts.com and subscribe to their weekly emailing list. they do pimp some of their products in the mail, but they also have great articles like the raw squat article and some entertaining stuff too occasionally.

I have bad knees and now just do hack squats, leg presses and leg ext. I use the most weight I can get for 12 reps, but only do 3/4 partials on Hacks. The leg presses aren't to bad on my knees, so i bring it all the way down on my 45 degree hip sled
Tough

I would suggest either starting extremely light and slowly building up the weight (which you should do anyways to get your form down correctly) or seeing a sports medicine doctor about this; s/he may have some useful suggestions or have had clients in the past who found a solution to a similar problem.

HEY!! Knee Wraps might help, I forgot about that.
Still start light, maybe just body weight for awhile.