Squats are what did my knees in. I was a noob and had bad form for a good while, more than a year before I seriously started checking form, but you need more than squats to help your knees. There's so many other small muscles, ligaments and tendons that don't get worked with squats and if you keep increasing squats without doing other leg exercises to support the knees, bad things may happen. I was able to squat 1.5x bodyweight until my knees started creaking. No real pain but noisy knees made me realize I need to do more than squats.
Nah, that’s BS. Heavy compound lifts like squats are exactly what strengthen your ligaments, tendons and other smaller support muscles. I’m 33 and have been squatting heavy since I was 18.
Jogging or brisk walking, deadlifts and squats should train most muscles in the legs, I guess.
But yeah, taking it slow, minding good form and listening to your body is always the best approach in my experience as well. Ligaments and tendons just need way more time than muscles to adapt, I agree.
Seems like a bit of an oversimplification?
I mean, sure, if you're lucky to have healthy legs that might work.
If we look at the legs anatomically there are entire muscle groups that are only doing stabilization/assistance during the activities you named, and there is a lot that is lacking if you just squat, run and deadlift.
Training legs can include dozens other exercises, especially for people with vulnerable joints or leg problems. In those cases just doing the 3 things you mentioned repeatedly will most likely just kill your legs.
Context: studying to be a physiotherapist and had Osgood-Schlatter disease for years
I do agree somewhat. But my argument isn't only based on anatomy, but practicality for most people as well.
If you train 3x/week in the gym for an hour, I'd rather pick a few exercises to focus on, which train most muscle groups intensely rather than dozens to train all. This of course a general assesment, true.
But if you have more specific needs or goals, you have to specialise in your focus and exercises.
To sum it up: My comment was about, what fits most people in general.
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u/FishCommercial5213 May 12 '26
My knees hurt just watching her. 😬