Knee Ability Zero

This book was a real game changer for me. I had knee surgery when I was 20. I started having more consistent knee pain in my early 40s. I wanted to keep playing tennis and golf. I love the exercises and how the author approaches modifications. I did the standard program 3 days a week for a year and now do it once or twice a week. The pain is mostly gone and my muscles are a lot stronger.

I’ve only had this book for a week and I’m already feeling results in my knees. I was having extreme pain in one knee, so I started walking backwards for 10 minutes, (I saw one of Knees Over Toes Guy videos on YouTube). After feeling results from this I wanted to get the book, and wow!!! Very simple and detailed explanations with corresponding pictures of different levels for each exercise, and why it works with graphics of muscles and ligaments. I’m really looking forward to having strong knees again so I can ride my bike and hike with out weeks of recovery. Very grateful for this book.

Where to start? Just turned 70, and have been dealing with bad knees for many, many years, courtesy of 41 years in law enforcement with numerous injuries throughout the years. I dodged surgery early in my career, mainly by declining and working through the pain, doing rehab, and stuffing supplements down my throat. I was not going out on injury retirement, I wanted to retire on my terms. Since retirement, my doctor has put me on notice that, mainly due to my mobility issues, arthritis, and pain (mainly in left knee) that I am a candidate for knee replacement. That's my background. Oh, and I was 80 pounds overweight to boot. After losing close to 60 pounds recently, and still going, I am pleased with a definite mitigation in my knee pain, but not so for my flexibility, strength, etc. In fact, I developed a "mystery pain" in my left leg, radiating from the knee to the ankle. Doctor ruled out DVT and finally said the pain is basically a mystery, possibly nerve related. I heard about the KOT guy at the gym, and researched the concept. I bought this book, frankly expecting it to end up in the attic with all the other broken toys (gizmos "guaranteed" to "cure" the knee pain, strengthen the legs, etc). The book consists of 8 exercises, the first 4 especially being simple, and the last 4 a bit more challenging. In fact, the last 2 exercises I am staying away from for the time being. Anyway, I started slowly, like Patrick advised, and did not overdo any of the exercises. I quickly found Youtube videos (a lot of them) which detail each of these movements (I recommend using them). Within less than a week, my pain and discomfort improved by about 20%, a BIG deal for me. That was about a month ago. Presently I am seeing about an 80% lessening of pain! And my flexibility has improved. I attribute much of this improvement to the strengthening of the muscles around the knees, and hamstring stretching, which was always a problem for me. I also swear by his opening pre-exercise, a simple walking in reverse for about 20 minutes on flat ground. What a difference it made for my balance. Also, I splurged and purchased a pulling harness and a pulling sled for weights (both for well under $100). I waited a couple weeks before trying the sled pull, and believe me, even starting slowly with small weights, it really, really helped. I truly wished these exercises where incorporated in my numerous rehabs my work sent me too, I could have avoided a lot of future injuries, and lived pain-free these past few years. The best advise I can give is that sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands, like I did when I bought this book and seriously started using it. Second piece of advise is that you WILL feel better, and that may cause you to jump the gun and start overdoing the exercises, or thinking you'll be clever and "modify" the exercises (like with more weights, or increasing the angle for more resistance). Don't! Keep it simple, and follow his plan. I look forward to the day I can do the more advanced stretching exercises in the last two exercises.

I am trying to strengthen my knees if I can. This book tells you simple things you can do. I usually exercise in a swimming pool to support my weight and take pressure off my joints. I am starting with one basic exercise then going up to another and gradually increasing. If I do my pool walking I do 10 minutes, and if I do it at home outside the pool, I only do 5 minutes. The pictures are great. The exercises are doable. I am a senior who is starting small and building up.

I bought Knee Ability Zero and did the routine as is for a month and have scaled it back to only a few exercises the last few months. My knee DEFINITELY feels better. Exercises I could not do without pain before, I can now do pain free, and my knee feels much better when squatting heavy. The information is great. However, this is only a very basic introduction book. If you get a membership via Bens website, it is only $25 for the first month and you get all the information in this book, plus much more. Going back, I would have just gotten the membership for a month and then gauged from there. It literally took me an hour to read this whole book, and while it was good information, it would be the same info you get on his site (you literally get a PDF of this book with a membership). The book only goes over 10 exercises. The website membership, however, has MUCH more information for what to do after KAZ. So, yes, this does work. My patellar tendonitis is much improved, however, I would say to just subscribe to Ben's site, not get this little book.

Easy to follow, simple exercises that make a huge difference so quickly.

I bought this book after seeing some videos of its author, Ben Patrick, on YouTube, and I'm very satisfied with the purchase. I have been following the book's program for about five weeks now and have noticed a marked improvement in the strength and flexibility of my knees, and I am hopeful that the results will continue. I started doing the Knee Ability Exercises about six weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on one of my knees to remove some calcified bursa "floaters." I liked the book's emphasis on not doing anything that causes pain, and I started at a very beginner's level; the programs' exercises are easily scalable, with an abundance of photos detailing beginner to advanced possibilities with the movements. There are also many colorful diagrams showing how the muscles, bones, and ligaments are activated, and the writing is simple and complete. It's a great book, particularly for it's price, and seems to represent the life's work and research of its author. I wish it had been around twenty years ago or more; I think it would have saved me a lot of pain.

Worth the price. Buy the book, do the exercises. You won’t regret it.