Stop Locking Your Knees

Photo courtesy Therapydia, Kona Hawaii

Locking your knees is killing them.
During a leg workout is the most destructive time to make this mistake: people doing heavy leg presses, hack squats, and standing calf raises tend to lock their knees at the top of the exercise. Considering the heavy poundages used for these gym exercises, it is crucial to be aware of knee-locking.
Everyday people, especially those who spend a lot of time on their feet, stand with knees locked because their leg muscles are so weak and depleted that the muscles can’t do their rightful job of holding them upright. Muscles can be strengthened and enlarged to counteract this misuse of the knees, but the knees themselves cannot be strengthened. Knees are not designed to bear weight: that’s what the surrounding muscles, and to a lesser degree tendons, are for. Knees are nothing more than hinges: this is their one and only function.

Locking your knees is destroying them. When performing weighted leg exercises at the gym, keep a slight bend in the knees at the top of the exercise. Others who stand should do so with knees slightly bent and unlocked. This alone will force the muscles to do their job and strengthen somewhat. But building new muscle in the quads, hamstrings, butt and calves is the only real solution.

You’re not weak because you’re old, you’re old because you’re weak. Strength training: it’s the only way to counteract aging. Tick-tock.