Knees Over Toes for Beginners: Build A Stronger Squat with KOT

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February 16, 2024

Let’s talk about knees over toes for beginners and see how you seamlessly can get into the KOT training regimen.

Let’s get one thing out of the way – knees over toes for beginners is not hard. It’s challenging a bit, maybe, but it’s far from impossible.

KOT is perfect for beginners and athletes coming from other sports and disciplines, from running to powerlifting. This goes double for sports that involve jumping as well (e.g. basketball).

So, what’s all the hype about, and how can you benefit from knees over toes training as a beginner?

Let’s talk about it.

Knees Over Toes 101 - The Basics

KOT is one of those methodologies that explain themselves in the title. But, knowing that you have to push your knees over your toes while you squat is not that clear.

The main point of KOT squatting is to learn how to properly align your body in the stretched position, and utilize your muscles for movement in multiple plains. These movements range from repetitive (long-distance running) to explosive (jumping and weightlifting).

Let’s make it even simpler – with KOT you’re bound to build strength, mobility, AND longevity in your lower body. It’s not just squatting, it’s a wide range of assisting exercises and progressions. And, the sooner you start – the better!

What Do You Need For Knees Over Toes As A Beginner?

Above all, knees over toes for beginners is there to help you with three things:

Mobility of and around the main three joints of the lower leg: ankles, knees, and hips
Strength in the lower leg through proper muscle utilization and imbalance fixing
Injury prevention and bulletproofing, especially of the ankle and knee joint

*mobility, although similar, is not to be mixed with flexibility. Here’s our take on the mobility-vs-flexibility.

Now, all this sounds amazing and a bit too good to be true (hey, every athlete wants these). But, the key is, as always – consistency. Knees over toes for beginners starts very slow and easy, and offers a nice progression path.

There’s a zero-equipment and an equipped approach to knees over toes for beginners.

Zero Equipment KOT Approach

As the name suggests, this KOT approach allows you to work on your mobility limits. To get you started on your journey here’s a list of no-equipment knees over toes exercises for beginners:

Backward walking
Tibialis raises
FHL calve raise
KOT calve raise
Patrick Step
ATG Split Squat
Elephant walk
L-Sit
Couch stretch

Equipped KOT Approach

Now, zero-equipment can take you far, especially if KOT is new to you. Some exercises, like the pistol squat, are hard enough as is.

However, knees over toes equipment is for beginners as well, especially for people who want to jumpstart their mobility game.

Here’s a list of our KOT equipment favorites, alongside their main benefits:

- Slant board – great for boosting ankle mobility and doing heel-elevated exercises and tib raises
- Tib bar – the king of tibialis anterior training. Great for working on ankle mobility and ankle strength
  - Solo Tib Bar – the single-leg version of the tib bar for more isolated training
- Ankle straps for dumbbells – an amazing, simple tool to help you tackle hip flexors by attaching a dumbbell to your foot

Can I Do Knees Over Toes For Beginners Everyday?

This is the best part when it comes to knees over toes for beginners – you absolutely can do it every day. At first, during the adaptation period, you will feel a whole new set of stabilizer muscles pumping up. However, due to the low-weight and body-weight nature of KOT for beginners, you can expect a quick recovery.

Later on, when you get some equipment in and start working through those plateaus, you should space certain exercises apart. No need to force Nordic curls and seated good mornings every day.

Lastly, we must emphasize one thing – never work through pain. Even if you’re doing a simple exercise, if it hurts – stop, reassess, and ask for professional help. As you get older, you should stop ignoring joint pains, for they might be hiding a more severe injury.

Luckily, knees over toes for beginners has bulletproofing and longevity as the main objective!

Knees Over Toes For Beginners - The Conclusion

So, to round things up:

Knees over toes for beginners is there to help you build strength and mobility, especially around the leg joints
There are two approaches when it comes to gear – zero-equipment and equipped approach. Both are fine, but the later offers more progressions and challenges
Yes, you can and should implement KOT into your training every day, no matter where you are on your athletic journey.

This training methodology is here to help you commence, develop and maintain your strength and mobility, and it’s there for the long run (pun intended).