Walking outside in the middle of a warm spell with shorts on might seem like a logical thing to do, but if you suffer from fat knees, it might be the last thing on your mind. To gain back your self-confidence and create skinny knees, you need to perform fat-melting exercises with muscle toning exercises. Working the muscles that surround the knees will give you a leaner, sleeker look.
Cardiovascular Exercises
Running, brisk walking, biking, stair climbing and rowing are all forms of cardiovascular exercise that burn a high amount of calories. Any time you do cardio, you lose weight throughout your entire body. As an added bonus, these exercises cause knee flexion and extension, which works the muscles above and below your knees. The key is to exercise long enough to achieve weight loss results. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercising five days a week for 60 to 90 minutes.
Leg Presses
Leg presses work the quadriceps and hamstrings above the knees. Begin by sitting on the seat of the leg press and place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the platform. Keeping your back tight to the backrest, push up the platform by extending your legs and stop when your knees are just short of locking out. Slowly lower the platform back until your knees are bent 90 degrees and repeat.
Leg Extensions
Leg extensions target the quadriceps and are performed on a leg extension machine. Sit on the seat of the machine and place your feet under the padded lever arm. Keeping your back tight to the back rest, bend your knees to lift the arm and stop when your knees are just short of locking out. Squeeze your quads forcefully for a second, slowly lower the arm and repeat. To help stabilize your body, grasp the support handles on the sides of the machine. For a variation, perform these one leg at a time.
Lever Standing Leg Curl
A lever standing leg curl works the hamstrings and calf muscles just below the knees. Begin by standing on the platform of the machine with your feet together and the back of your lower legs touching the padded lever arm. Keeping your stomach tight to the upper padded support, grasp the handles on the sides of the machine. Steadily press against the lever arm with your right leg and move it in the air behind you. Keep your toes pointing down when you do this and go as high as possible. Slowly lower the lever arm, repeat for a set of reps and switch sides.
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