This knee friendly workout for women over 40 is the one to reach for when your knees need a break but you still want to lift, sweat and feel strong. 🔥
A Complete Workout, Zero Squats
This was so much fun. Honestly, such a good blend of strength and conditioning.
I love that this entire knee friendly workout is standing. No floor work, no squats, no lunges, and yet it still feels like a proper complete workout. My heart rate was up, I felt strong and powerful, and I finished feeling really good.
I’ve had a little niggle in my knee for a while now, so this kind of training is exactly where I’m at. But knee friendly definitely doesn’t mean easy.
We’re working with shorter intervals, just 30 seconds per exercise, which means you can pick up something a little heavier and really make those strength moves count. Then we add faster conditioning moves to keep the heart rate up.
Heavy weights. Short intervals. Quick transitions. Such a fun way to train.
And 35 minutes? Done and dusted.
If your knees need a break from squats and lunges but you still want a proper strength and cardio session, grab your dumbbells and let’s go.
What You’ll Gain From This Knee Friendly Workout
- ✔️ A complete strength and cardio session in 35 minutes
- ✔️ Zero squats and zero lunges, giving your knees a break while your legs still work hard
- ✔️ Every exercise standing, so there’s no floor work and no mat needed
- ✔️ Rotational core and power work for strong, athletic movement
- ✔️ Short 30 second intervals that give you the chance to load up on the bigger compound moves
- ✔️ A non-stop cardio finisher to close it all out
Workout Overview
| ⏱ Duration | 35+ minutes including warm up and cool down |
| 🔥 Calories | Around 276 |
| 🏋️ Equipment | Three sets of dumbbells, no mat needed |
| 💪 Focus | Full body strength, conditioning, rotational core |
| 📊 Level | All levels, fully scalable |
| 🎯 Format | 4 blocks, 2 rounds, 30s work / 15s rest, plus a non-stop finisher |
Why This Knee Friendly Workout Format Works for Women Over 40
Strength training matters more as we get older, not less. From midlife onwards, maintaining muscle and strength becomes something we actually need to train for. Muscle loss becomes more of a concern through perimenopause, which is why consistent strength training is so important. We want to stay strong, capable and able to keep doing the things we love.
A knee friendly workout isn’t a lesser workout. Taking out squats and lunges doesn’t mean taking out the challenge. Instead, we’re using deadlift patterns, swings, presses, rotation and standing cardio to work your legs, core and upper body while still getting your heart rate up.
Knee friendly and low impact aren’t quite the same thing in my workouts. A low impact workout means we’re taking out the jumping, but you may still see squats and lunges. When I call a workout knee friendly, I’m specifically taking those deeper knee-bending movements out as well. This session is built around hinges, swings, presses and rotational movements instead.
Shorter intervals mean you can challenge your weights. Thirty seconds of work gives you the opportunity to pick up something heavier than you might use for a longer 45 or 60 second interval. That keeps the strength work challenging, while the short rests and quicker conditioning exercises keep your heart rate moving.
The workout builds as you go. We start with heavier compound strength, move into conditioning, then athletic full body combinations before finishing with rotational power. You get the chance to settle into the workout before we turn things up.
Strong and energised, not exhausted. Always.
The Full Knee Friendly Workout
Complete each block for 2 rounds at 30 seconds work and 15 seconds rest, then finish with the non-stop finisher for 1 round at 45 seconds work.
Warm Up
1️⃣ Hamstring Sweeper
2️⃣ Alt High Knee Pulldown
3️⃣ Windmill
4️⃣ Goodmorning to Reach
Block 1 | Build · 2 Rounds · 30s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Sumo Deadlift | 10kg/22 lbs
2️⃣ Rotational Pendlay Row | 10kg/22 lbs
3️⃣ Heels Elevated RDL | 10kg/22 lbs
4️⃣ Curl to Push Press | 7kg/15.5 lbs
5️⃣ O’head March | 10kg/22 lbs
Block 2 | Condition · 2 Rounds · 30s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Alt Hang Snatch | 10kg/22 lbs
2️⃣ Kickstand RDL Swing (L) side | 7kg/15.5 lbs
3️⃣ Kickstand RDL Swing (R) side | 7kg/15.5 lbs
4️⃣ X Body Crunch | 7kg/15.5 lbs
5️⃣ Jack Press | 5kg/10.5 lbs
Block 3 | Athletic · 2 Rounds · 30s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Deadlift High Row | 7kg/15.5 lbs
2️⃣ Ground-to-Overhead | 7kg/15.5 lbs
3️⃣ DB Knee Repeater (Switch Halfway) | 5kg/10.5 lbs
4️⃣ Alt Cross Body Curl | 7kg/15.5 lbs
5️⃣ DB Skier Swing | 7kg/15.5 lbs
Block 4 | Power Finish · 2 Rounds · 30s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Standing Wood-chop | 7kg/15.5 lbs
2️⃣ Triangle Abs (L) side | 7kg/15.5 lbs
3️⃣ DB Front Press & Twist | 5kg/10.5 lbs
4️⃣ Triangle Abs (R) side | 7kg/15.5 lbs
5️⃣ Rotational Push Press | 7kg/15.5 lbs
Non-Stop Finisher · 1 Round · 45s work
1️⃣ DB Clean & Press | 5kg/10.5 lbs
2️⃣ DB Fast Feet In & Outs | 5kg/10.5 lbs
Workout Complete 🔥
I burned approximately 276 calories.
Exercises Worth Calling Out
Heels Elevated RDL. This is such a good way to really slow down and feel that hinge. Keep a soft bend through the knees, push your hips back and think about lengthening through your hamstrings before squeezing your glutes to stand tall again. Don’t turn it into a squat. The movement comes from the hips.
Kickstand RDL Swing. I love this one because you get that slightly staggered stance without having to balance on one leg. Start with a strong hinge, then use your hips to create the power for the swing. Your arms are really just along for the ride.
Ground-to-Overhead. Such a good full body movement. You hinge to pick the dumbbells up, use your hips to create power, then finish overhead. It gets a lot of muscle working at once, which is exactly why your heart rate climbs so quickly.
Rotational Push Press. Power, shoulders and core all working together. Let the back foot pivot as you rotate rather than trying to keep your feet glued to the floor. Stay tall through the body and move with intent.
Trainer Tips
- ✔️ Set out your dumbbells before you press play. Those 15 second rests disappear very quickly
- ✔️ Take advantage of the shorter intervals and challenge your weight on the bigger compound moves like the Sumo Deadlift and Deadlift High Row
- ✔️ On every hinge, think hips back rather than down. Keep a soft bend through the knees and let your hamstrings and glutes do the work
- ✔️ On rotational exercises, allow your back foot to pivot so your hips and knee can turn naturally with you
- ✔️ During the finisher, the goal is to keep moving. Drop your weight if you need to rather than stopping completely
- ✔️ If something doesn’t feel right in your knee, reduce your range or swap the exercise for something that feels better for you
Who This Workout Is Perfect For
This knee friendly workout is for you if your knees are feeling a little grumpy, you’re managing a niggle, or squats and lunges just aren’t feeling great right now.
You still want to lift. You still want to sweat. You still want your workout to feel worthwhile.
We’re simply changing the movement patterns.
It’s also a great option if you want a short, complete strength and cardio workout with no floor work. Perfect for busy mornings, days when you don’t feel like getting up and down off the mat, or if you simply love standing, athletic training.
If your knees are feeling great and you’re ready for a proper squat-and-lunge leg day, save this one for another day and choose one of my heavier leg sessions instead.
And of course, if you’re dealing with a specific knee injury or ongoing pain, check in with your physio or healthcare professional before starting.
Save This Workout
I’ve made you a workout card for this one so you can keep track of your weights as you go.
Fill it in on screen and save it to your phone, or print it out and write on it by hand. Either way, you’ll have the whole workout in front of you without having to pause the video.
👉 Knee Friendly Workout Card | Interactive PDF
👉 Want a full month planned out for you? Grab my free monthly workout calendar: https://garagefitnessgirl.com/calendar
What to Try Next
- 👉 Low Impact Strength and Cardio Switchback
- 👉 Full Body Barbell Workout
- 👉 No Repeat Full Body Strength
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this knee friendly workout suitable for perimenopause?
Yes. Strength training is especially important through perimenopause, and this workout gives you a mix of resistance training and cardio without any jumping, squats or lunges.
What weight dumbbells should I use?
I used 5kg/10.5 lbs, 7kg/15.5 lbs and 10kg/22 lbs. Go lighter if you’re newer to strength training or heavier if you’re experienced and want more of a challenge. The last few seconds of each set should feel hard while still allowing you to maintain good form.
Is this good for bad knee days?
That’s exactly why I created it. There are no squats or lunges, and the workout relies much more heavily on hinges, swings and standing strength work. That said, everyone’s knees are different, so if something causes pain, change the range, swap the exercise or stop.
Can I do this knee friendly workout as a beginner?
Yes. Scale your dumbbells down, focus on learning the movements and take extra rest when you need it. You could also complete one round of each block rather than two while you’re building up.
How many calories does this workout burn?
I burned approximately 276 calories during this workout. Your number will be different depending on your body, fitness level, intensity and the weights you choose, so use calorie burn as a guide rather than a goal.
How often should I do this knee friendly workout?
You could include a session like this 2 to 3 times per week depending on the rest of your training, your recovery and how your body is feeling.
Do I need a gym?
No. A few sets of dumbbells and enough space to stand and move is all you need.
Why doesn’t this workout include squats or lunges?
I specifically designed this one for days when I wanted to give my knee a break from deeper knee-bending movements. Instead, we’re still training the legs through deadlift patterns, swings and athletic full body exercises.
This one was honestly so much fun to film.
Short. Heavy. Knee friendly. And still a proper workout.
Press play, give it a go, and when you’re finished come back and leave me a comment on YouTube. I want to know how your knees felt and what weights you used.
Remember: consistency over intensity. Strong and energised, not exhausted. Always. 🔥
Penny x
