Want Stronger Squats? Do These 4 Knee Extension Exercises.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR to increase your squat max, or decrease your half marathon time, strengthening your knee extension can help you reach your fitness goals.

Knee extension is one of the main actions in many of our daily movements. Each time you straighten your leg, you lengthen it at the knee joint. Think about how often you get out of your chair, climb stairs, or squat—all of those movements require significant involvement of the knee extensors. Even when walking or running, you extend your leg as you resist the impact of your foot on the ground. The strength of our knee extensors also contributes to joint stability, which is critical for plyometric training and lateral agility.

Here, physical therapist Daniel Giordano, DPT, PT, CSCS of Bespoke Treatments in New York City, and Vaughn Gray, CPT, share four exercises you can do to improve knee extension, which will help strengthen the quadriceps and stabilize the knee joint.

What Muscles Are Involved in Knee Extension?

Knee extension is mostly supported by the quadriceps muscles. There are four muscles that make up the quad: rectus femorus, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis. They originate from the hips and attach just below the knees. Together, they shorten to allow the knee to straighten, says Giordano.

4 Exercises to Help Knee Extension

Knee Extension

This basic exercise really narrows the quads, getting them moving.

How to do it:

• Sit on a chair or on a platform so your hips and knees are at 90 degrees. Roll the towel and place it under one knee—this will help increase your range of motion.
• Straighten your legs with the towel underneath. Squeeze the quad as much as possible.
• Hold for 2 to 3 seconds before returning to the resting position.
• Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

Loaded Box Squat

This movement will work to straighten the knee joint functionally. Focus on slowing down this step to ensure proper recruitment of muscle fibers, says Giordano.

How to do it:

• Begin by standing in front of a box, holding a kettlebell or dumbbell in front of your chest.
• Lower all the way down to where you are sitting on the box. Hold briefly before standing back up, contracting the quadriceps up.
• Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps.

step

Step ups are another functional way to practice knee extension. If you want to add a challenge to this exercise, add some weight, and lift it to your chest as before.

How to do it:

• Find a box or other sturdy surface. Place one foot on top of the box.
• Step up by squeezing the quad tightly to straighten the front knee. Slowly return the back leg to the floor.
• Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

Banded Terminal Knee Extension

This exercise will focus on honing the terminal end of the knee extension, or the last few degrees before the joint fully straightens. To increase the intensity, get a thicker band, or step back further from the anchor point.

How to do it:

• Anchor a long loop of tape around a pole or other sturdy object. Glue your feet into the loop, placing them directly behind your knees.
• Take a step back until there is tension in the band. Bend the knee to release some of the tension, then straighten it again against resistance.
• Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

For more advice from a physical therapist to help you move and feel better, check out all of our guides at Fix Series.