If you are squatting or performing another exercise where your foot is not moving or fixed to something that has a set range of motion, such as a leg press, you are performing a closed chain exercise for the knees. These exercises usually subject your knees to less stress as well as recruit multiple muscles, which often results in a more stable exercise, or at least more knee stability while exercising. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.
The Squat
The squat is not just an excellent closed chain exercise, it allows you to train your legs with perhaps the most stability possible. The squat not only works the quadriceps, or the large muscles on the front of the thigh, but the back of the thigh and the hips as well. The squat is one of the best exercises for developing strength as well as power. The recruitment of the hamstrings, which are the muscles on the back of the thigh, is one of the reasons why the knee is more stable in this exercise than many others, including other closed chain exercises.
The Front Squat
This exercise is similar to the squat, but the bar is held on the front of the shoulders. Otherwise, the lift is performed in the same manner: torso as close to upright as possible, abdominals tight, descend as low as possible with good form and straighten back up without leaning forward. The front squat is a nice alternative to the squat, only slightly less effective, and less weight can be used. One of the benefits of the front squat is it can sometimes give your shoulders a rest if they are tight from other exercises.
The Leg Press
The leg press is extremely popular, yet less effective than the squat exercises. While still a closed chain exercise, the degree of muscular recruitment of both the quadriceps and the hamstrings is less than when you are performing the squat or the front squat. The leg press does require a machine to perform the exercise on, but does not require you to balance a bar, so the recruitment of the abdominals and lower back is almost non-existent. Be careful not to round your lower back at the bottom of the repetition while leg pressing.
The Lunge
Not only is the lunge a good closed chain exercise, you can perform it with either dumbbells or barbells, standing in place or walking. With a barbell, it is usually best to stand in place, with one foot in front of you and the other well in back of you, and you descend by bending both knees, going down until the knee of the back leg nearly touches the ground, then standing back up. This exercise also helps promote flexibility in the hip flexors and the adductors, muscles on the inside of your thighs.
References
- PubMed.gov: Effects of Technique Variations on Knee Biomechanics During the Squat and Leg Press.
- PubMed.gov: A three-dimensional biomechanical analysis of the squat during varying stance widths.
- PubMed.gov: Biomechanics of the Knee During Closed Kinetic Chain and Open Kinetic Chain Exercises.
- PubMed.gov: Comparison of Tibiofemoral Joint Forces During Open-kinetic-chain and Closed-kinetic-chain Exercises.
- PubMed.gov: Quadriceps Activation in Closed and in Open Kinetic Chain Exercise.
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