Back to library
Exercise Library
Half Knee Bends (Male)
A quick, shallow bodyweight squat performed rhythmically to warm up the knees and build light leg endurance.
CardioBodyweightPartial squat
GoLightWeight mediahalf-knee-bends-male
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Quadriceps
Secondary
GlutesCalvesHamstrings
Equipment
Bodyweight
Pattern
Partial squat
Setup
- 01Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out.
- 02Keep weight balanced over the mid-foot.
- 03Hold the arms in front of the chest or on the hips for balance.
- 04Set a steady tempo before starting.
Execution
- 01Bend the knees and sit down to roughly a quarter to half squat depth.
- 02Keep the heels down and the torso upright.
- 03Rise back to a full stand without locking the knees hard.
- 04Repeat rhythmically for the target reps or time.
Checkpoints
- -Knees track in line with the toes on every rep.
- -Heels stay on the floor throughout.
- -Depth stays consistent from first rep to last.
- -The tempo stays smooth and continuous.
Common mistakes
- -Letting the knees cave inward as reps accumulate.
- -Rising onto the toes at the bottom of the bend.
- -Bouncing sharply out of the bottom position.
- -Bending from the waist instead of the knees and hips.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 25 reps as a lower-body warm-up.
- -Use 30 to 60 second continuous bouts in beginner conditioning circuits.
- -Progress by slowing the descent or moving to full-depth squats.
Related exercises
Almost there
Coming soon to iOS & Android
GoLightWeight is in the final stretch. Free to download, no account required to start.
Coming soonApp Store
Coming soonGoogle Play