My knees are consistently achy and stiff during winter, so when the temperature drops, I start looking for new ways to strengthen them.
When I found this 10-minute standing knee mobility routine on YouTube, I had high hopes that it could help.
I liked the fact that I’d be able to slot it easily into my day, without the need to roll out a mat for any floor work.
In the routine, yoga instructor Tim Senesi runs through a warm-up and then recommends four exercises to strengthen knees.
Here’s what happened when I tried doing it three times a week for a fortnight.
The routine
You don’t need any equipment for this routine. If you do have knee sensitivity, get sign-off from your medical team before attempting this sequence.
My experience
1. My knees and shins felt more sore at first
Other mobility routines I’ve tried have eased stiffness instantly, but that wasn’t the case with this sequence.
After trying this routine for the first time, I noticed more discomfort around my knees and shins.
This was probably because my lower legs and knee-supporting muscles were being challenged in a new way.
I’d also done the routine after a heavy leg day at the gym, so my muscles were already fatigued.
However, after a few days, this soreness eased. I found that my muscles adapted quickly to the moves, and the exercises felt smoother and more controlled.
2. Stairs and hills started to feel easier on my knees
By the end of a fortnight, my knees were noticeably less achy after walking up stairs or inclines.
I didn’t feel that familiar tightness around my kneecap and I felt more comfortable pushing through my feet as I was walking.
The calf raises—especially the bent-knee version—seemed to make a real difference in how my knees handled pressure during daily movement.
3. Single-leg movements feel steadier
After two weeks, I noticed a big difference in how my knees felt during single-leg movements.
Exercises like the Patrick step stopped feeling shaky, and I could bend and straighten one knee without wobbling.
I also started to notice the difference during Pilates and strength workouts—lunges, step-backs and slow transitions felt more stable, and I felt more confident loading my knees.
Yoga instructor Tim Senesi recommends practicing this routine two to three times a week, and gradually increasing the repetitions of each exercise from 20 to 25. You can also progress to doing each move on a single leg.
After the changes I’ve noticed, I’m going to keep using this routine and follow these suggested progressions.
