Howdy friends!

I need some ideas for lower body exercise. I have crap knees (as I am sure a lot of us do from the excess weight). Right now I do three sets of squats with 30 lb dumbbells, three sets of deadlifts (the straight leg varietal) with a 30lb barbell and three sets of leg press on the leg press machine with 100 lbs. Lunges really bother my knees and I do not do them. I also have bad balance and tend to teeter about like I'm half drunk when I attempt them. I am looking for something new to incorporate in my training as these are the only lower body things I am doing. I feel like I am getting much more variety in my upper body because nothing up there hurts like my knees do!

Also I will say I have recently upped my weight on these so I feel the ones I am doing (like today I can feel every muscle in my thighs, hamstrings and quads). But variety is the spice o' life, right??

I can't really do lunges either (not because of knee problems... just uncoordinated!). My trainer has me doing this step up thing... here's the closest thing I can find online that shows how to do it:

http://www.simonfamilyjcc.org/exercise-of-the-month-step-up-high-knee-to-rear-lunge/

I don't really step back down into a lunge, just to where that foot lands on the floor. I stand beside another machine that I can hold on to to help with balance.

Also, you could do some calf lifts to strengthen the calves. Are you doing anything for adductors/ abductors (inner/outer thigh)? I find when I do those I am usually pretty sore which tells me they aren't being used that often. Here's a link that shows some ways to do them with bands unless you have access to a gym where there's usually a machine to do them with.

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/rehabilitation-exercises/resistance-band-exercises1/resistance-band-hip-adduction-exercise

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/rehabilitation-exercises/resistance-band-exercises1/resistance-band-standing-abduction-exercise

Good luck!

Bicycling is great. It gets all of the lower body butt to toes.

@@Ginger Snaps I have super muscley calves. They have always been quite well defined for the size of my body - there is very little fat on my legs from the knee down. I was once told by a guy "Man you have some roped calves". That is totally the compliment a girl wants to hear (I think he was impressed that they were so well defined). LOL. So generally I do not do things like calf raises because I need no more definition in those things. I go to a gym btw - LA Fitness, so I have all the machines, free weights, barbells and dumb bells.

@@SandyM I ride a stationary bike as part of my cardio routine. Usually for a half an hour. I suppose I could ramp up the resistance!

Edited July 18, 201412 yr by Forsythia

What about some good old fashioned mat work where you are laying on your side and doing leg lifts or where you are on all fours doing leg kick backs and side raises. I have a dvd from Jillian Michaels called "No More Trouble Zones" and it has a circuit with floor work exercising legs. Find it does help.

I do the exercise bicycle for 40 minutes on level 7 and do roughly 8.50 miles.

I do plan on getting a trainer to show me some more exercises that won't hurt myself with because I have fibromylgia, arthritis, RSD and stenosis of the spine. I have to be very careful of what I do and need guidance.

I need to tone up my body as best I can.

So far only have done the bicycle and every couple of weeks I up the level to get more resistance.

Have a good workout and feel good.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I do kettle bell swings too.

@Scarlett333, I used to do the Firm videos back in the day, and one of the tapes was all mat work. Only now I no longer have my ankle weights. Gosh that makes me feel old. Ha!