The knee is one of the most important parts of our body as it helps us run, walk, bend, and jump. Things get harder when it starts to hurt the knees. The cause may be years of sports, lifting injuries, or just daily wear and tear. Knee issues like patellar tendinitis or meniscus pain can cause discomfort and hinder how we move and train.

People live with knee pain for years, trying to find a solution to reduce it or get rid of it. The problem is that people try to release the pain somehow, but never work on how to make the knees strong enough to never get that pain back.

In this post, I will guide you through the best exercises that will help you strengthen your knees. Whether you are starting out or just want to increase your mobility, this guide will work for all. Let’s dive into the approaches that will make your knees bulletproof.

Why Stretching Alone Isn’t the Solution

To deal with the knee pain, most people resort to foam rolling, stretching, or rest, and think that the cause is muscle tightness. But the catch is that tightness is just a byproduct of muscle weakness. Stretching can help only up to an extent and might not provide relief to everyone.

Your knees should be able to perform the following movements:

• Bend fully without pain
• Can take the load in the top and deep range
• Remain fully stabilized in open and closed positions
• Can move dynamically

Let’s move to the exercises that will help you achieve these traits.

1. Slant Board Squats

The slant board is simple, but in reality, it is a very effective tool. All you need is to elevate your heel so that your knees can travel further over your toes, allowing the VMO (Vastus Medialis Oblique), a key muscle for patellar tracking and stability, to activate.

Just in case you don’t have a slant board, stack books or anything stable to elevate your heels.

As a beginner, focus on partial squats. Bend your knees slightly, shift forward, and get back to the standing position. This exercise engages your quads and improves control with minimal strain.

2. Poliquin Step-Ups

Once you are comfortable with partial squats, it is time to go for the upgraded version of it that will help you to isolate the VMO further.

Steps to perform it:

• Place your foot on a low platform
• Now step down while trying to keep the heel elevated
• You can use your hands to support the movement (Optional)

This movement is targeted to strengthen your quads in a lengthened position, which results in stabilizing of knees under movement.

3. Get Comfortable with Full Knee Bending

If you could bend your knees fully, and that too with no pain, then that is a great achievement, but most people neglect it.

Steps to perform kneeling squats:

• Start in a high kneeling position
• Try to lower your hip towards your heels and do it till it feels comfortable
• Then get back.

Do 10 reps (slowly). As you perform each rep, you will find that you can reach further than the previous rep. This exercise will help you build strength and increase flexibility.

4. Train the Toes and Ankles

People often ignore their foot and ankle health, which can also lead to knee pain. One of the best exercises for this is the toe tuck kneel:

• Get in the kneeling position and tuck your toes
• Gently sit back onto your heels
• Try to hold this position for 10-20 seconds.

This exercise targets your muscles in the feet and stretches the fascia.

5. Open the Hips, Strengthen the Knees

Most of the exercises keep the hips flexed. That is not the issue, but your knees should be strong even when the hips are open.

Perform the 90-degree isometric lunge hold:

• Get into a lunge position.
• Lift your knees a few centimeters off the ground & hold for a few seconds.
• Then lower it and repeat it.

You will feel your hip flexor and quads targeted.

6. Full Slant Board Squats

By now, your knees should be comfortable performing top and deep movements. So now it is time to go for a full slant board squat.

You can use support if required — go down slowly, then push up using your hands (if needed). The goal is to do:

• 10 controlled reps
• Pain-free
• Full range of motion

This movement is great for making your knees bulletproof and reducing the risk of injuries.

Don’t Skip the Couch Stretch

If you have tightness in the quads and hip flexors, they will pull on your knees. The couch stretch aims to help you lengthen these muscles, helping you in full knee bending.

Go slow even if you’re having issues getting to the right position, as with time, you will get:

• Hip extension
• Better squat mechanics
• Reduced anterior knee pressure

Bonus: Toe Squats Without Assistance

As you progress, you will crave to have full control with no constraints, so toe squats are your next challenge.

• Stand on your toes or flat-footed
• Move your knees forward
• Lower your hip as far as you can
• Go slowly and keep it controlled (5 seconds eccentric)

This exercise plays a vital role in making your knees bulletproof and giving you a knee that is free from pain.

Final Thoughts

At the end, there are no shortcuts to get pain-free and bulletproof knees, it is a process that eventually works. As you progress, it will help you get more flexibility, stability, strength, control, and pain-free knees.

When doing exercise, focus on keeping a full range of motion and don’t push too much. Start with 10-20 minutes a day, focus on consistency and quality movements. With time, you will have better control, and you will be amazed at how effective these exercises are. With the consistency, you will get to see real results, now you will be able to move freely with no pain or mobility issues. Now you don’t need any pain relief gel, all you need to do is some real stuff, and live with bulletproof knees.