A Pain-free Way to Build Your Legs

8 Effective and Pain-Free Leg Exercises

Do not skip leg day, even if you have painful knees or a sensitive lower back. Instead, try out these eight pain-free exercises to build muscle mass.

Recurring knee and back issues can hinder your progress and take a toll on your motivation. However, you can still exercise your legs using ranges of motion that load your muscles adequately while avoiding pain. Here are eight exercises that can strengthen your legs even if you have a temperamental back or an aching knee.

1. The Good-Thrust

A combination of good mornings 127 and hip thrusts 75, this exercise helps you train your glutes without hurting your spine.

While the standard good morning exercise is not necessarily a bad exercise, it places significant shear force on your lumbar region, which can cause back issues. In contrast, the Good-Thrust integrates the hip thrust’s long-lever position, making it more challenging while also emphasizing hamstrings, glutes, and lumbar extensors. Placing your toes on the edge of the bench can further engage your posterior chain. Unlike the standard good morning, the Good-Thrust’s most challenging part is at the top of the thrust as your hips extend.

When equipment is limited or your back hurts, try the Good-Thrust instead of good mornings or back extensions. Use additional weights on your hips to increase the difficulty of the exercise.

2. Modified Kickstand RDL

This exercise is suitable for deadlifting without hurting your back.

To reduce the torque at your hip and decrease the chance of hurting your back, find your optimal depth and use a dumbbell or a kettlebell to perform Kickstand Romanian deadlifts (RDLs). They target your hips, help you develop single-leg stability and strength, and are less challenging than full single-leg exercises. Use a low split-squat stand or place a foam roller on the floor if you want to modify your kickstand positions. These modifications give you a point of contact and more stability while limiting cheating.

3. Eccentric Reverse Nordic Curl

Use this exercise to improve quad growth.

This joint-friendly exercise involves a controlled three-second lowering (eccentric) segment that challenges the quads while promoting muscle growth and strength. Additionally, it enhances both patella and knee tendon health. Start with body weight if you are new to the exercise and progress to a dumbbell when