The Blueprint

The key to living out your years pain-free relies on your ability to move well. Start here.

- by BRITTANY SMITH

WHETHER SQUATTING or lunging, athletes are told ad nauseum never to let their knees go over their toes under the assumption it adds undue pressure to the joints. But as Ben Patrick, founder of Athletic Truth Group (ATG), came to find, that very pressure bolsters the knees, increasing strength for protection and longevity. He's since taken to Instagram to share his breadth of knowledge. “Knees over toes was a broadly misunderstood subject and my dedication to making it safe and simple has arguably resulted in the most knee success stories—ever,” he says, with the likes of Henry Cavill and Sam Heughan among his loyal backers.

DIRECTIONS

These exercises can be scaled to all abilities. Do each at least once per week, adding to body part-specific or full-body routines for a balanced program—and less pain. Perform exercises as supersets, when noted.

SKILL 1

FORWARD AND BACKWARD EFFICIENCY

WHY IT WORKS

Walking and running are fundamentals of cardio, and the reverse is true for rehab! The better you move backward, the more capable you are moving forward. Studies show backward training reduces the overall impact and compressive forces on the knee joints, bulletproofing your lower body.

Backward Sled Pull

HOW TO DO IT: Load a sled with light-to-moderate resistance. Attach a sled pulling belt and position against your lower back. Walk backwards, "reaching" lead foot back, then driving through ball of foot to propel each step at whatever pace feels good. "The load isn't bearing down on you, so you can exercise vigorously with stunningly low risk," Patrick says. 4x100 yards

Forward Sled Push