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How can I build leg strength?
I wrote a post somewhere around here a while back. It mentioned an issue with my kneecap tracking incorrectly and wearing away cartilage. It's thought to be caused by weak muscles and overuse, two things I've had issues with over the years.
So, this year, I've been doing my best to build my leg strength. As time has gone on, I've been able to use an exercise bike on a frequent basis against resistance. I also managed to build up enough strength to then perform challenging exercises such as Bulgarian split squats (an exercise I originally couldn't perform). The muscles in my legs have been clearly getting bigger and seemingly stronger, yet my knee problem remains. I couldn't help but wonder - if this problem is caused by weakness, why am I still suffering?
Anyway, I recently went out for the first time since April. I walked around a park. It didn't take 5 or 10 minutes before my legs began to struggle and suffer. In the end, my legs were in agony and were sore and achy for days. I know walking is a different motion to cycling and numerous kinds of squats, yet after everything I've been doing for months along with evident muscle gains, how could I suffer so easily? I stretch frequently too and there's nothing wrong with my footwear or anything like that.
Well, to be honest, it gave me hope. It proved the point that no matter what I've been doing, my legs are obviously still very weak. That gives me hope that I can still strengthen them up and resolve my knee problems. Still, if everything I've been doing for months has not been enough for me to handle even 10 minutes of walking, what instead should I be doing? Walking? I just feel like I've been wasting my time. How can my legs be more muscular and yet somehow weaker despite also being... stronger? In other ways, of course.
Perhaps it's a dumb question on my part. My body is not used to the motion of walking since I've obviously been training my muscles in different ways, I guess. I just didn't think it would be that bad.
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