Introduction

Squats and deadlifts are often hailed as the kings of compound exercises for building strength and muscle. While they undoubtedly deliver results, not everyone can or should do them. Chronic joint pain, past injuries, mobility issues, or simply a desire for more joint-friendly alternatives can make squats and deadlifts a poor fit for some individuals.

Fortunately, there are highly effective alternatives that are easier on your joints while still promoting strength, hypertrophy, and functional movement. This article presents 10 joint-friendly alternatives to squats and deadlifts, categorized into lower-body pushing and pulling movements, along with tips for implementation.

Why Look for Alternatives?

Squats and deadlifts can stress:

• Knees (especially with poor mobility or alignment)
• Hips and lower back (common in deadlifts due to heavy spinal loading)
• Ankles and shoulders (especially in barbell front and back squats)

Joint stress can compound over time and lead to overuse injuries, particularly if form is compromised or recovery is insufficient. Whether you’re recovering from injury, older in age, or simply aiming for longevity in training, choosing alternatives can keep you progressing with less risk.

Lower Body Push Alternatives (for Squats)

1. Bulgarian Split Squats

Also known as rear-foot elevated split squats, this movement isolates each leg while reducing spinal compression. It promotes balance and unilateral strength, ideal for reducing joint strain on both knees and hips.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• Uses lighter loads
• Allows for natural range of motion
• Builds quad, glute, and hamstring strength

Tips:

• Keep front shin vertical to protect the knee.
• Use dumbbells at your sides or a kettlebell in a goblet hold.

2. Step-Ups

Step-ups provide an excellent alternative for squatting patterns and build functional strength without deep knee or hip flexion.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• Minimal spinal loading
• Less shear force on knees
• Builds coordination

Tips:

• Use a moderate-height step (knee level or slightly below).
• Control the descent to avoid knee jarring.

3. Goblet Squats

This variation of the squat uses a dumbbell or kettlebell held close to your chest, promoting better posture and reducing back strain.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• Encourages upright posture
• Activates core and quads with minimal joint stress
• Easier to control depth

Tips:

• Keep elbows inside knees at the bottom.
• Sit back and down to avoid knee dominance.

4. Wall Sits

Though isometric, wall sits build endurance and strength in the quads and glutes without movement-induced joint wear.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• No joint movement
• Full muscle activation in a safe range
• Ideal for rehab and endurance

Tips:

• Aim for thighs parallel to the floor.
• Start with 30 seconds and increase gradually.

5. Sled Pushes

Using a weighted sled offers powerful concentric lower-body work without the eccentric loading that often causes soreness or joint issues.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• No eccentric phase
• Builds strength and conditioning
• Easy on the knees and back

Tips:

• Keep a forward lean and drive through the legs.
• Use a moderate load and short bursts.

Lower Body Pull Alternatives (for Deadlifts)

6. Glute Bridges / Hip Thrusts

These emphasize hip extension and glute development, mirroring the movement pattern of deadlifts without loading the spine.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• No spinal compression
• Focuses on glutes and hamstrings
• Can be done with bodyweight or moderate loads

Tips:

• Keep core tight to avoid lumbar overextension.
• Hold at the top for maximum glute engagement.

7. Kettlebell Swings

This explosive hinge movement mimics a deadlift pattern but uses momentum and less load for joint safety.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• Builds power without heavy lifting
• Less stress on lower back if form is correct
• Great for conditioning and endurance

Tips:

• Hinge at hips, not squat.
• Drive with the hips, not arms.

8. Romanian Deadlifts (With Dumbbells or Kettlebells)

RDLs isolate the posterior chain with better form control and less spinal load, especially when using lighter weights.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• Less overall load
• Controlled range of motion
• Focused hamstring and glute work

Tips:

• Maintain a neutral spine.
• Go only as low as flexibility allows without rounding the back.

9. Cable Pull-Throughs

This cable-based hip hinge reduces spinal compression while delivering a strong glute and hamstring workout.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• Constant tension with minimal joint impact
• No spinal loading
• Excellent for teaching proper hip hinge

Tips:

• Stand far enough from the cable for stretch at the bottom.
• Drive hips forward, not up.

10. Reverse Lunges

Reverse lunges reduce pressure on the front knee compared to forward lunges and challenge balance and coordination.

Why It’s Joint-Friendly:

• Posterior chain focused
• Reduced patellar stress
• Improves hip and knee stability

Tips:

• Keep front knee above ankle.
• Use bodyweight or light dumbbells.

Programming Tips for Joint-Friendly Leg Training

• Volume > Load: Use higher reps with lighter weights to minimize joint strain.
• Form First: Prioritize proper biomechanics over weight lifted.
• Rest and Recover: Joint-friendly doesn't mean no recovery—adequate rest and mobility work are essential.
• Warm Up Properly: Mobilize hips, knees, and ankles before lower-body workouts.
• Rotate Exercises: Avoid overuse by rotating movement patterns weekly.

Squats and deadlifts have long stood as cornerstones of strength training due to their effectiveness in building lower body muscle, power, and functional movement. However, their intense loading on the joints—especially knees, hips, and lower back—can become problematic for individuals dealing with injuries, aging joints, or structural imbalances. For many lifters, these staples may eventually cause more harm than benefit when mobility is limited or past injuries linger. The good news is that a wide range of alternative exercises can replicate the benefits of squats and deadlifts without overloading the joints. Bulgarian split squats, for instance, offer a unilateral approach to lower body training that enhances balance and strength while minimizing spinal compression. By elevating one leg behind and focusing on the front leg’s movement, they engage the quads, glutes, and hamstrings without the need for a heavy barbell on your back. Similarly, step-ups provide a functional and joint-friendly exercise by encouraging natural movement patterns with minimal knee stress, making them ideal for improving strength, coordination, and symmetry. Goblet squats, using a dumbbell or kettlebell held close to the chest, encourage better posture and core engagement while reducing pressure on the lower back, allowing for a safer squat motion even for those with mobility issues. For individuals looking to improve muscular endurance and stability, wall sits are an excellent isometric option that strengthen the lower body without any dynamic movement, reducing the risk of aggravating sensitive joints. Sled pushes also present a unique, joint-conscious option by emphasizing concentric movement, which builds leg strength and cardiovascular conditioning without eccentric strain, making them excellent for both rehab and performance. On the posterior chain side, alternatives to deadlifts focus on hip hinge movements that reduce or eliminate spinal loading while still targeting the glutes and hamstrings. Glute bridges and hip thrusts shine in this area, especially when performed with proper technique and moderate resistance; they isolate the glutes and hamstrings with minimal stress to the spine, making them perfect for people managing back issues. Kettlebell swings mimic the explosive hip drive of deadlifts but use momentum and a lighter load to condition the entire posterior chain with far less joint strain, provided the form is solid and the movement stays hip-focused rather than squat-dominant. Romanian deadlifts, when done with dumbbells or kettlebells, offer a gentler alternative to the traditional barbell deadlift, focusing on a controlled hinge pattern that builds hamstring and glute strength without the need for heavy spinal compression; they’re particularly beneficial for improving posture and strengthening weak hamstrings. Cable pull-throughs serve as another outstanding substitute, utilizing a cable machine to create resistance through the hip hinge, providing consistent tension while allowing freedom of motion and virtually no spinal loading—ideal for beginners and advanced lifters alike who are working around back issues. Lastly, reverse lunges round out the list as a highly joint-friendly, posterior chain-driven movement that reduces patellar stress by stepping backward rather than forward, which not only strengthens the glutes and hamstrings but also improves hip stability and overall lower body coordination. When incorporated properly, these exercises offer significant benefits with less wear and tear, making them suitable for everyone from beginners to seasoned athletes seeking longevity in their training. To optimize results while minimizing joint impact, it’s important to program these movements with intention: prioritize higher volume with moderate to light weights, pay strict attention to form, and ensure recovery periods allow joints and connective tissue to adapt safely. Warm-ups should include dynamic mobility work for the hips, knees, and ankles, especially before engaging in unilateral or hinge-based alternatives. Rotating exercises weekly can also prevent overuse and allow for continued progression across different muscle groups and movement planes. Equipment requirements for these joint-friendly alternatives are generally minimal—most can be performed using dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, benches, or a simple cable machine. The most important factor, however, is ensuring each movement fits your body and goals, not forcing your body to fit into a rigid mold of traditional lifts. While squats and deadlifts are not inherently dangerous, they do carry risks when misapplied or repeated excessively without consideration for individual anatomy and mobility. The key takeaway is that progress does not require pain—strength, size, and functional fitness can all be developed using safer, more sustainable alternatives. With thoughtful programming and a commitment to proper movement, anyone can build a strong and resilient lower body without compromising joint health or long-term mobility.

Squats and deadlifts are often considered foundational movements in any serious strength training program because of their ability to activate multiple muscle groups, enhance functional strength, and build overall athleticism, but despite their effectiveness, these exercises can be problematic for many people, especially those dealing with joint pain, prior injuries, poor mobility, or simply the effects of aging, and in such cases, continuing to perform traditional barbell squats and deadlifts can do more harm than good, particularly to the knees, hips, and lower back due to the axial loading and high joint demands involved in these movements, so it becomes essential to explore safer yet equally effective alternatives that allow for continued lower body strength and muscle development without placing unnecessary stress on vulnerable joints, and one such alternative is the Bulgarian split squat, which targets the quads, glutes, and hamstrings through a single-leg movement that reduces spinal compression and forces the stabilizing muscles to work harder, improving balance and coordination, and another excellent squat replacement is the step-up, which mimics the action of climbing stairs and allows for a more natural range of motion while building unilateral strength and minimizing pressure on the knees, especially when performed with a moderate-height platform and controlled tempo, and for those who still want to squat without the burden of a barbell, goblet squats offer a great solution by using a dumbbell or kettlebell held close to the chest, encouraging proper posture and reducing stress on the spine while still activating the quads, glutes, and core, making it ideal for beginners or those recovering from injury, while wall sits provide a low-impact isometric alternative that builds muscular endurance in the thighs without requiring movement or deep knee flexion, which is especially beneficial for those with limited mobility or osteoarthritis, and sled pushes are another dynamic alternative that allow for powerful leg drive and conditioning work without the eccentric loading that typically contributes to muscle soreness or joint irritation, as they involve mostly concentric movement that is easier on the joints but still highly effective for strength and endurance, while on the other side of the movement spectrum, alternatives to deadlifts should still target the posterior chain, especially the glutes and hamstrings, without subjecting the lower back to high levels of compressive or shear forces, and glute bridges and hip thrusts are top-tier choices for this purpose, as they isolate the hip extensors and allow for progressive overload with minimal spinal stress, which is especially useful for those with lower back pain, and kettlebell swings also replicate the explosive hip hinge pattern seen in deadlifts but in a way that uses momentum and dynamic rhythm to train both strength and cardiovascular capacity without loading the spine excessively, provided the form remains tight and the movement remains a hinge rather than a squat, and Romanian deadlifts using dumbbells or kettlebells further allow for posterior chain development through a more controlled and limited range of motion that reduces spinal load and focuses tension on the hamstrings and glutes, making it a gentler yet still effective substitute, particularly for those aiming to improve muscle balance and correct movement mechanics, and cable pull-throughs offer a machine-based hinge variation that maintains constant resistance throughout the motion and allows for a full hip extension without any load directly on the spine, making it especially useful for gym-goers dealing with lumbar sensitivity or tight hip flexors, and rounding out the list is the reverse lunge, which differs from its forward counterpart by stepping backward, a motion that naturally reduces the strain on the front knee and shifts the workload more toward the glutes and hamstrings, all while building balance, coordination, and core engagement, and these ten exercises, when properly programmed and executed, can deliver the same—or in some cases superior—benefits to squats and deadlifts without the downside of excessive joint strain or injury risk, especially when attention is paid to proper technique, progressive overload, and adequate recovery, and the key to making these alternatives effective lies in programming them thoughtfully, using moderate to high repetitions with lighter weights to reduce mechanical stress, rotating exercises to avoid overuse injuries, warming up properly with mobility drills targeting the hips, knees, and ankles, and ensuring that each movement pattern is executed with control and precision rather than maximum weight or speed, and for those worried about losing strength or mass by avoiding barbell lifts, it's worth noting that muscle hypertrophy is primarily driven by mechanical tension and metabolic stress—not just heavy loads—meaning that consistency, effort, and intelligent training design matter far more than any specific exercise, and when these joint-friendly alternatives are used in place of traditional squats and deadlifts, lifters of all levels can continue to build strength, improve function, and support long-term joint health without compromising their performance goals, ultimately proving that strength training doesn’t have to be painful or high-risk to be effective, and that with the right choices, anyone can train smart, stay healthy, and continue progressing for years to come.

Conclusion

While squats and deadlifts are effective, they aren’t always the best fit for everyone. Whether due to age, injury, or personal preference, there are many alternatives that still build lower body strength and muscle. From unilateral movements like Bulgarian split squats to hinge-based options like hip thrusts and RDLs, these exercises provide similar benefits with less wear and tear. The key is choosing what feels right for your body and goals—fitness should enhance your life, not cause long-term damage.

Q&A Section

Q1: What makes squats and deadlifts hard on the joints?

Ans: They involve heavy axial loading and deep joint angles, which can stress the knees, hips, and lower back—especially if form breaks down or mobility is lacking.

Q2: Can I still build muscle without doing squats or deadlifts?

Ans: Absolutely. Muscle growth depends on resistance, volume, and progressive overload. Many alternatives activate the same muscle groups with less joint strain.

Q3: How often should I do these alternative exercises?

Ans: 2–3 times per week is sufficient for most people, depending on recovery, goals, and whether you split your workouts or do full-body sessions.

Q4: Are these alternatives suitable for beginners?

Ans: Yes. Many are more beginner-friendly than barbell lifts. Start with bodyweight or light dumbbells and master form before increasing load.

Q5: What equipment do I need for these exercises?

Ans: Most require minimal equipment like dumbbells, resistance bands, a bench, or a cable machine. Bodyweight options are also effective.

Q6: Should I completely avoid squats and deadlifts if I have joint pain?

Ans: Not necessarily. Modified versions or professional guidance may allow safe practice, but it’s often wise to substitute with joint-friendly options when in pain.