Quad press

The quad press is a particularly good quadriceps exercise for people who feel pain when they bend and straighten their knees.

Getting set
Roll up a bath towel. Sit on the floor and lean against a wall with your legs straight out in front of you. (Or bend the nonworking knee into your chest if that’s more comfortable.) Place the towel underneath the well of your right knee. See photo A.

The exercise
Squeeze your quadriceps tightly and press down on the towel. Hold for five slow counts, relax, and repeat until you complete the set. Then switch legs.
See photo B

Do’s and don’ts

• DO bend your nonworking knee into your chest if that makes the exercise more comfortable.
• DON’T tighten your face, hunch your shoulders, or round your back.

Other options
Modified quad press (easier): If you experience pain in your knee when you do this exercise, try squeezing your muscle for a shorter period of time. Start with one second and build up. Also try squeezing without the towel underneath your knee. Or to make the exercise tougher, replace the towel with a firmer object such as a tennis ball or filled water bottle. This replacement allows you to squeeze harder.
Straight leg raise (harder): Sit in the same position, but instead of pressing your thigh downward, lift your entire leg up and off the floor a few inches. Hold a moment and slowly lower to the start. You can also do this version of the exercise with an ankle weight wrapped around your ankle or draped across your thigh.

Kneeling butt blaster

The kneeling butt blaster works your butt with some emphasis on your hamstrings, too.
Make sure that you keep your abdominals pulled in on this exercise, especially if you’re prone to lower back discomfort.

Getting set
Kneel on your elbows and knees on top of a thick towel, with your knees directly under your hips and your elbows under your shoulders. Clasp your hands together or turn your palms toward the floor. Flex your right foot so it’s perpendicular to the floor. Tilt your chin slightly toward your chest, and pull your abdominals in so your back doesn’t sag toward the floor. See photo A.

The exercise
Keeping your knee bent, lift your right leg and raise your knee to hip level. Then slowly lower your leg back down. Between repetitions, your knee almost, but not quite, touches the floor. Complete all the repetitions with one leg before switching sides. See photo B.

Do’s and don’ts

• DO keep your neck still and your shoulders relaxed.
• DO move slowly.
• DON’T throw your leg up in the air.
• DON’T raise your knee above hip height.
• DON’T arch your back as you lift your leg.

Other options
Kneeling butt blaster with weight (harder): Add an ankle weight to this exercise
or squeeze a small dumbbell in the well of your knee. We love this last option because your muscles have to work even harder to hold the weight in place.
Butt blaster machine: This machine mimics the kneeling butt blaster. You kneel with one knee on a platform, place your other foot onto a foot plate, and then press back and up. This machine is fine as long as you remember to keep your abdominals pulled in and resist arching your lower back.

Leg press machine

The leg press machine covers a lot of ground, strengthening your butt, quadriceps, and hamstrings. It’s a good alternative if the squat or lunge bothers your lower back.
You may want to try the modified version if you experience pain in your hips or knees.

Getting set
Set the machine so that when you lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the foot plate, your shoulders fit snugly under the shoulder pads and your knees are bent to an inch or so below parallel to the foot plate. Place your feet as wide as your hips with your toes pointing forward and your heels directly behind your toes. Grasp the handles. Pull your abdominals in and keep your head and neck on the back pad. See photo A.

The exercise
Pressing through your heels, push against the platform until your legs are straight. Then bend your knees until your thighs are parallel with the platform and the weight plates you’re lifting are hovering just above the weight stack. See photo B.

Do’s and don’ts

• DO press your heels into the foot plate instead of allowing them to lift up.
• DON’T lower your thighs past parallel with the foot plate or allow your knees to shoot in front of your toes.
• DON’T arch your back off the pad to help move the weight.
• DON’T lock your knees when your legs are straight.

Other options
Different types of machines: You may run across several types of leg press machines. One has you sitting in an upright position, pressing your legs out straight. Another is called a 45-degree leg press: You lie in a reclining position and press up and out diagonally. Yet another version has you lie on your back and press your legs straight up. All these variations are acceptable. Just remember: Don’t bend your legs so far that your thighs are smooshed against your chest and your knees are hanging out there in Never-Never Land. Keep in mind that your foot position changes the emphasis of the exercise. The higher you place your feet on the foot platform, the more you emphasize your butt muscles.
Modified leg press (easier): If you have chronic knee problems, you can still do this exercise. Set the seat height so your thighs are a few inches above parallel — this position limits the distance you can bend your knees. However, this version focuses more on your front thigh muscles and less on your butt.
One-leg leg press (harder): Use the same form as with the basic version of this exercise with one foot lifted up and off the foot plate. After you complete your reps, switch legs.