Controlled step-down
Knee and thigh · Building · in reps · per side
Why it helps your running
Your knee learns to track straight under load: the go-to exercise against kneecap pain.
- You'll need
- a step
- Tempo
- 3 s down, 1 s up
How to do it
- Stand on a step on one leg, the other foot hanging off the front.
- Bend the supporting knee over 3 seconds until the free heel brushes the floor, without putting weight on it.
- Push back up through the supporting foot, keeping the knee over the second toe.
- Same number on each side.
Common mistakes
- Your knee caves inward on the way down.
- Your hips drop toward the free leg.
- You slam your heel into the ground on every rep.
CautionIf your knee hurts on the way down, lower the step height and slow down rather than stopping: this is exactly the exercise that fixes it, at the right dose.
Strength work, built into your plan.
Your coach picks your movements, their sets and tempo, and slots them into your week — with a guided session, minute by minute.