“Ultimate Knee”

How to Get Out of Knee Pain and Back to Training the

Squat, Olympic Lifts and other Lower Body Exercises
-
Accessory Program

Guidelines:
- 2 weeks in each phase
- Some people take 6 months or more to improve
- When in doubt get your knee pain checked out by a licensed professional
- The program will serve as an accessory program in addition to your regular
training:
- This means that you may have to decrease some of the total volume of knee
intensive training initially to make up for the addition of more exercise
- Accessory movements follow training
- Accessory exercises should be performed following your regular training session
- Modification of squats, olympic lifts and lower body strengthening
- Utilize the modification charts to find exercise modifications that allow you to train
with minimal to no pain
- As you progress over time work your way back up the modification charts to the
more challenging movements on your knee
- Modifications of all other painful movements
- Any other painful movements in your training program must be modified to a pain
free alternate movement. This could mean things like box jumps, wall balls,
running etc...
- Pain guidelines:
- Pain of ~3/10 is allowed during training
- Anything more painful must be modified to meet these guidelines
- Pain levels must return to baseline that night and the following day
- Otherwise the movements on the day prior were too challenging and
should be modified
- Progress should be seen from week to week and month to month
- If not make sure to see a health care provider
- 1a) and 1b) and 1c)
- These designations simply mean to alternate between the a) and b) exercises
until all sets are completed
- Rest Periods:
- Rest between 60 and 90 seconds between sets unless otherwise noted
 - Tempo:
- Assume normal repetition speed unless otherwise noted
- Eg: (30X0) - 3 seconds lower, 0 second pause in the bottom of the rep, Xplosive
lift phase, 0 seconds rest at the top of each rep
- RPE: Rate of Perceived Exertion
- RPE is a way to quantify how challenging the set is
- 10/10 is the hardest possible set imaginable
- 1/10 is a super easy set
- Training Intensity:
- Goal is 7-8/10 Rate of Perceived Exertion RPE for most movements unless
otherwise written

Mobility: Perform mobility program each day prior to training

- Hip Flexor Softball Mobilization x 60 seconds
- True Hip Flexor Stretch x 60 seconds / side
- Glute Softball Work x 60 seconds / side
- Quadruped Glute Mobility x 60 seconds / side
- Sidelying Quad Stretch x 60 seconds / side
- Quad Foam Rolling x 60 seconds / side
- RFE Split Squat Eccentric x 5 / side (only if well tolerated)
- ½ Kneel Hamstring Stretch x 60 seconds / side
- Soleus Stretch vs. Wall x 60 seconds / side
- Soleus Eccentric x 5 reps (5 second lower and 5 second pause in bottom)
- Squat to Stand with Overhead Reach x 5-10
- Modify depth as needed to ensure no pain
Week 0-2
Day 1:
- 1a) Band Resisted Bird Dog
- 3 x 10 / side
- 1b) ½ Bridge Clamshell (band resisted)
- 3 x 10-12 / side
- 1c) Band Resisted Dead Bug (1 second pause at reach)
- 3 x 10-12 / side

Day 2:
- 1a) Dumbbell Split Squat (reduced range)
- Contralateral load (Only 1 dumbbell held in opposite hand as stance leg)
- 3 x 10/side
- 2010 Tempo
- 1b) Standing Single Leg Calf Raise
- 3 x 12 / side
- Load with a dumbbell if needed
- 1c) Plank + Leg Marching
- 3 x 10-12 reps / side

Day 3:
- 1a) Split Stance Dumbbell RDL
- 3 x 8-10 / side
- 1b) Side plank
- 3 x 30-60 seconds / side
- 1c) Copenhagen Plank (On Mid-shin) Hold
- 3 x 30-60 seconds / side
Week 2-4
Day 1:
- 1a) Dumbbell Split Squat (long stride length)
- Full range - knee to floor
- Contralateral load (Only 1 dumbbell held in opposite hand as stance leg)
- 2010 Tempo
- 1b) ½ Side Bridge Abduction
- 3 x 10
- 1c) Band Resisted Dead Bug - 1 second pause @ reach
- 3 x 8-10 / side (Use ankle weights if available)

Day 2:
- 1a) Low box (8-12”) step-up (slow lower)
- 3 x 8-10 reps
- Contralateral load (Only 1 dumbbell held in opposite hand as stance leg)
- Slow lower (2-3 second eccentric)
- 1b) Standing Deficit Single Leg Calf Raise
- 3 x 8-10 / side
- Load with a dumbbell if needed
- 1c) Plank with overhead reaches
- 3 x 8 reaches / side

Day 3:
- 1a) Single Leg Deadlift (dumbbell in opposite arm)
- 3 x 8-10
- 1b) Side bridge (feet apart)
- 3 x 20-40 seconds / side
- 1c) Copenhagen Plank (On Mid-shin) Reps
- 3 x 10-12 reps / side
Week 4-6
Day 1:
- 1a) Barbell Back Rack Reverse Lunge
- 3 x 8-10
- 20X0 tempo
- 1b) Seated Single Leg Calf Raise (NO deficit)
- 3 x 15 / side
- 1c) Copenhagen Plank (On Mid-shin) Reps
- 3 x 8-10 reps / side
- Pause at top of motion 1 second

Day 2:
- 1a) Kickstand barbell RDL - 2 second lower
- 3 x 8-10 / side
- 1b) Lateral pillar hold
- 3 x 20-40 seconds / side
- 1c) Plank with Plate Drag
- 3 x 6-8 / side

Day 3:
- 1a) Dumbbell Medium / Tall Box (16-20”) Step-up
- 2-3 second lower
- 3 x 6-8 reps / side
- 1b) Side bridge - feet elevated
- 3 x 30-60 seconds / side
- 1c) Physioball Stir the Pot
- 3 x 6-8 / direction
Week 6-8
Day 1:
- 1a) Dumbbell Reverse Lunge off 4” deficit
- 3 x 6-8 reps / side
- 20X0 tempo
- Dumbbells in BOTH hands
- 1b) Ab Wheel (band resisted)
- 3 x 6-8 reps
- 1c) Copenhagen Plank (On foot) Reps
- 3 x 8-10 reps / side

Day 2:
- 1a) Kickstand barbell RDL
- 3 x 6-8 / side
- 1b) Seated Single leg Calf Raise with Deficit
- 3 x 12 reps / side
- 1c) Lateral pillar hold + press
- 3 x 20-30 seconds / side

Day 3:
-
- 1a) Rear Foot Elevated Dumbbell Split Squat
- 3 x 6-8 / side
- 20X0 tempo
- 1b) Side Bridge Abduction (band around knees)
- 3 x 6-10 reps
- 1c) Plank with Opposite Arm and Leg Reaches (1 second pause at top)
- 3 x 6-8 lifts / side