Squats and lunges might build strength, but they’re not always friendly to everyone’s knees. Whether your joints feel the wear of age or years of running, those classic lower-body moves can quickly become uncomfortable and hold back your training.
Why is lower-body strength so important? Building strong legs isn’t just about power in the gym. Strong legs support stability, protect your knees and hips, and help you stay active and independent as you get older. If you want to maintain this without stressing your knees, chair workouts are a perfect solution.
Some of you may have tried one of our chair workout suggestions before, such as this 10-minute routine that everyone over 55 should be doing, or you may be new to this style of strength training. Either way, we’ve teamed up with certified trainer Jesse Padilla, a coach at Fitbod, who brings extensive experience in building strength and muscle.
1. Chair Squats
Trainer Insight: Chair squats are one of the safest and most effective ways to strengthen your lower body if you have knee issues. The chair provides built-in support, helping you control your range of motion and maintain balance while still engaging your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. It’s a great way to build strength and stability without overstraining your joints.
2. Sit-to-Stand
Trainer Insight: The sit-to-stand is a functional movement that builds real-world strength, meaning you’re training the same motion you use every day. It’s easier on the knees than a standard squat, and using your hands for support can make it even more accessible. Over time, this exercise helps improve both leg strength and support with getting up from seated positions.
3. Seated Knee Raises
Trainer Insight: Seated knee raises are a simple but powerful way to strengthen your quads, which are the key muscles that stabilize the knee joint. You can do these anywhere, and they put minimal strain on the knees, making them a great starting point for anyone looking to rebuild lower-body strength or improve their mobility.
4. Seated Straight Leg Raises
Trainer Insight: Straight leg raises from a seated position are ideal for strengthening the quads without bending or stressing the knee joint. They help improve muscular support around the knee, which can reduce discomfort and improve stability in everyday movements like walking and climbing stairs.
5. Chair Leg Extensions
Trainer Insight: Chair leg extensions directly target the quad muscles. They’re especially effective because you can isolate one leg at a time, focus on control, and build strength evenly across both sides. It’s a low-impact way to enhance joint support and muscle endurance.
6. Chair Single-Leg Extensions
Trainer Insight: Single-leg extensions are great for building balanced strength between both legs while keeping the knees happy. They target the quads in a controlled, supported way that reinforces stability and helps protect the knee joint from strain during daily movement.
Building stronger legs doesn’t have to mean pushing through pain or heavy squats. With a chair, and coach Padilla's six moves, you can strengthen your muscles and protect your joints from stress. As Padilla says, the goal is “to build strength you can actually use.” So grab a chair, press play, and start building strength that lasts.
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