Leg workout help...

[sticky fingers]

WHat are some good exercises and routines for my chopstick legs?
My aim is to develop functional muscle for explosiveness and kicks, weight gain would be a bonus. I do wing chun so I don't need to be super flexible, but I have a bad right knee so I prefer exercises with minimal impact on the knees.
I have a cable machine for leg curls and squats and barbells and dumbells.
I have just started doing curls and squats with light to medium weight on the machine and my knee is holding up fine. I intend to get more serious soon so I thought I would check with you guys first. Thanxx

[SevenStar]

squats
deads
hindu squats
one leg squats - that may be uncomfortable to your knee though.

[Kempo Guy]

one-legged deadlift
deck squat
dumbell clean & jerk
dumbell snatches
dumbell swings
bootstrappers

also look at plyometric training...

KG

[Mr. Bao]

I am a functional strength specialist and do plenty of rehab and functional strength training for members for new york sports clubs. I also a wing chun student of the Yip Man Kung Fu Academy in NYC.

First thing I suggest is stay away from single joint leg exercises and work more on isometric exercises to strengthen your knees and then do some stability lower body work out on a swiss ball or stability ball. For more information pls check www.performbetter.com and order Carlos Santana's stability ball workout tapes for a better understanding of functional exercises using the ball and dumbells. I worth the investment.

In general people would tell you do this or that exercises, but since you have a serious limitation, you need special attention. Pls, get an expert of check out your knees, my friend. I wish you live in the area, I would give you a look and give your a progressive program for your lower body. That is wing chun brothers are for.

Take care and stay healthy.


Bao

[Lung Hu Pai]

If you can find a way to learn them, I'd highly recommend Olympic Lifts. I've been learning them for the last 3-4 months or so and I think it may be what you're looking for, for explosiveness and size.

[Shisio]

Sticky fingers,
Have you tried swimming much? I suffer the same plight and the safest way for me to work my legs is to swim freestyle laps (no impact). Depending on your injury you may want to stay away from certin forms though. Tons of skipping can help with your calfs as well. You can get a great leg workout that way without lifting- word of caution- I highly recommend you stay away from leg curls, they put a lot of pressure on your knee caps.

What kind of kicks can you do? Can you do the oblique ok? Are there any specific ones that bother your knee? I for one can't do a RT thai kick just because of the reverb that goes threw my leg.

Be safe & good luck

[sticky fingers]

thanks for your replies

My knee has been great over the past few weeks so I'm going to try out Olympic lifts, just need somebody to show me how to do them properly.
Definitely avoiding single leg stuff.
I'm a crap swimmer and doing laps in a pool just isn't my thing.
My leg movement isn't restricted at all so I can do any kick except super high ones, but that's more a problem with flexibility than my knee.