If you’re over 60, doing squats is really good to start help losing weight and looking after your knees. I used to dread stairs and long walks, until I discovered that the key to relief wasn’t avoiding movement but gently strengthening my legs again.
I used to have sore knees and found through the process I used below helped my knees started feeling better. it also improved my balance and mobility.
And that was because I started building up my muscles in my legs again, which helped fix my joint pain. That’s because strong muscles, especially in the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, take pressure off the knee joint.
When those muscles are weak, your joints absorb more of the load during walking, standing, or climbing. Strengthening them helps improve alignment and stability, which means less wear and tear on your knees over time.
If you haven’t done any exercise for a while, it’s probably going to be pretty hard to start straight off doing squats. I know, because I couldn’t do it even after walking and basic exercising for a few months.
My exercises
So, what I recommend is starting by doing chair squats, that is sitting on the chair and doing squats while holding the sides of the chair.
When you are ready do the same but don’t hold the chair, fold your arms in front of you. Remember it is not a race, take your time.
And then after a month or when you feel you’re ready, use a chair to support your body, and start doing squats, working closer to the ground as you feel ready.
After that you can start doing squats without the use of the chairs.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t get down to the floor first go, take your time and try 50% first and if and when you feel comfortable…continue. The first few times I tried I almost gave up, but I kept going and am damned please I did.
My feelings
I am 67 and now do my squats with a 10-kilo dumbbell, and yes, it is not easy, but my knee pain is gone, and I walk downstairs with confidence instead of bracing for discomfort.
So, if you’re hesitant to start, don’t worry. You don’t need a gym, just a chair and a bit of patience. Build your leg strength, and your knees may just thank you for it. An added benefit is I have lost over 10 kilos in weight, and I feel a lot healthier.
Steve
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