One of my fitness goals is to dunk a basketball.
Before this year, I had put that goal on hold. The reason was every time I started jumping, or playing basketball for that matter, the next day I would be in pain. My knee would feel weak, damaged, and fragile.
This year I found out about Knees Over Toes Guy (KOTGuy) and it has changed my life.
Walking backwards.
The foundational exercise he teaches is walking backwards.
Very simple. You find somewhere with nothing to trip over, or get good at looking over your shoulder, and walk backwards. Make it a slight incline for extra benefit.
I pull my son backwards in his stroller in the mornings before work.
Tibialis raises.
If you don’t know what your tibialis muscle is, neither did I.
It is the muscle on the front of your lower leg. To do this exercise, you lean your rear end against a wall with your legs extended at a 30-45% angle. Keep your heels planted and lift your toes towards your head.
Three sets of 25 is the starting point.
Extra long lunges.
KOTGuy calls them “ATG split squats.”
Basically you do a lunge, but you knee will end up above or past your toe. Your upper leg will be fully pressed against your lower leg. For beginners, you often need the front foot elevated and some sort of balance assist.
Check out his youtube channel and/or instagram for guides on the above three exercises.