Runners put a lot of stress on their knees with every mile, but most knee pain comes from weak supporting muscles around the hips and thighs, not the running itself. Strengthening those areas helps your stride feel smoother and your knees stay resilient on every run. These four moves target the muscles that keep your knees steady, strong and ready for anything.
Spanish squat
The move builds quad strength without stressing the knees, ideal for downhill running and joint alignment.
Loop a resistance band behind your knees and anchor it to a post or heavy object.
Step back until there’s tension on the band, feet shoulder-width apart.
Sit back into a squat while keeping your torso upright and knees over ankles.
Push through your heels to return to standing.
Single-leg Romanian deadlift
This strengthens hamstrings and glutes, reducing knee strain and improving landing control.
Stand on one leg, holding a light weight or dumbbell.
Hinge at the hips and lower the weight toward your foot, keeping your back flat.
Return to standing by squeezing the glutes.
Copenhagen plank
This style of plank targets inner thigh and hip stabilizers that prevent knees from collapsing inward during long runs.
Lie on your side and rest your top inner thigh on a bench or chair.
Support your body on your forearm, keeping a straight line from head to toe.
Hold for 15–30 seconds, then switch sides.
Heel-elevated bridge
With this move, you’ll strengthen hamstrings, calves and glutes to balance forces on the knees and improve stability.
Lie on your back with heels on a low step or box, knees bent.
Lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
Lower slowly and repeat.
Add these to your training regime once or twice a week, ideally after an easy run or on cross-training days. Aim for 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps per exercise, or 20–30 seconds per side for holds. Keep movements slow and controlled for best results.
