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Step 1
Try chair pose. Stand up straight with the feet about shoulder width apart. Bring the arms up to shoulder height with the palms facing each other. Begin to bend the knees. Keep the back straight, hinge forward at your hips and reach the buttocks back as if you were about to sit in a chair. Try to get most of the weight into your heels. Go as low as you can without hurting your knees, but do not drop the hips below the knees. Hold for five to 10 deep belly breaths. Remember you want to feel this posture in your thigh muscles, not your knees. If you feel it in your knees do not go as low and you can use a wider stance. The wider your feet, the less pressure on your knees.
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Step 2
Attempt the victory squat. Step the feet wide apart and turn the toes out so the feet point away from one another. Bring the arms into a “W” shape with the elbows at shoulder height and the palms facing forward. Keep the shoulders down and relaxed. Start to squat down. Focus on pressing the hips and buttocks forward and open the knees as much as possible. Try to not let the knees drop forward, keep them aligned over your ankles. Hold for five to 10 deep belly breaths. On each exhale sink a little lower, pull the hips and buttocks forward and the knees back. Remember you want to feel this posture in your thigh muscles, not your knees. If you feel it in your knees do not go as low and you can use a wider stance. The wider your feet, the less pressure on your knees.
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Step 3
Do seated leg stretches. Sit on the floor with the right leg stretched out to the side and the left knee bent with the left foot touching your right inner thigh. Place one palm on each side of your right leg for support. Rotate the upper body to the right and keeping the back straight, reach out from the hips and bring your chest to your right thigh. Hold for five to 10 deep belly breaths. On the exhale focus on lengthening forward out from the hips. To release tighten your abdominal muscles and use your hands to come back up. Repeat with the other leg. Stretch both legs out to the side in a “V” position. Keeping the back straight, reach out from the hips and bring your chest towards the floor. Hold for five to 10 deep belly breaths. On the exhale focus on lengthening forward out from the hips. To release tighten your abdominal muscles and use your hands to come back up. Bring the soles of the feet together and let the knees drop towards the floor. Keeping the back straight, reach out from the hips and bring your chest to your feet. Hold for five to 10 deep belly breaths. On the exhale focus on lengthening forward out from the hips. To release tighten your abdominal muscles and use your hands to come back up. Repeat with the other leg. If any of these stretches bother your knees try doing them with a slight bend in the knee as this will take the stretch more into the muscle and take pressure off of the joint. If it bothers your back to sit on the floor try sitting on a cushion that lifts your hips up higher then your knees. This will help to alleviate back pressure.
