If you’ve ever struggled with knee pain, resigned yourself to avoiding heavy squats, or endured surgeries without results, Ben Patrick — known as the “Knees Over Toes Guy” — might just change everything you know about knee rehab.
Through techniques that challenge long-held beliefs, he’s built a growing following of people reclaiming full mobility and, in many cases, becoming stronger than ever.
In a recent workout and assessment with a visibly knee-battered individual — complete with references to his “rusted over Corolla” knees — Ben demonstrated how backward sledding, tip raises, and targeted joint-strengthening exercises can reverse chronic pain and future-proof the knees.
So what makes Patrick’s method so different — and why are pro athletes, average Joes, and bodybuilders praising these unconventional moves?
Jump to:
- Challenging Old Science: Why Knees Over Toes Isn’t Dangerous
- The Backward Sled: A Game-Changer for Knee Pain
- The Importance of Strengthening the Tibialis and Tips
- The Key Rule: Never Work Through Pain
- How Recovery Fits Into “Hard Work”
- Consistency Beats Intensity: How Much Is Enough?
- From Dunking Dreams to Real-World Knees Impact
- Listening to Data Over Ego
- The Bottom Line: Knees Over Toes Works — If You Stick with It
Challenging Old Science: Why Knees Over Toes Isn’t Dangerous
Back in the 1970s, researchers believed that allowing the knee to travel over the toe during squats or lunges created dangerous pressure on the joint.
That belief became orthodoxy in sports training and physical therapy for decades. But Patrick, backed by over 160 research papers, says this was a misinterpretation of biomechanics.
“It’s true that knees over toes increases pressure,” he explains. “But pressure — when progressively loaded — is what strengthens that area.”
Instead of fearing the motion, Patrick’s program embraces it using progressive, measured techniques that build up the knees from the foundation up.
The Backward Sled: A Game-Changer for Knee Pain
If there’s one exercise synonymous with the Knees Over Toes program, it’s backward sled pulling. Patrick calls it the safest, most effective movement for rehabilitating bad knees — even for those who’ve been told their knees are “beyond repair.”
- Low impact: Unlike squats or lunges, sled pulls don’t compress the spine or knees.
- High blood flow: The backward motion pumps blood into the tissues around the knee, promoting healing.
- Progressively scalable: Beginners can start with no weight and step up gradually.
He even recommends trying to rack up 100 miles of backward walking over 2–3 years. It may sound ridiculous, but he insists it’s the foundation for rebuilding new knees without pain. “You can build a different set of knees,” says Patrick. “It changed my life.”
The Importance of Strengthening the Tibialis and Tips
Patrick emphasizes often-neglected muscles like the tibialis anterior — which runs along the front of the shin — as well as the VMO (vastus medialis oblique) and the hip flexors. These stabilizer muscles form the knees’ first line of defense.
Using simple tools like a slant board and tip bar, he has clients perform:
- Seated tibialis raises
- Tip raises between bench press sets
- Heel-elevated step-downs with half bodyweight
“Even people with years of pain start noticing results in a few weeks,” Patrick says. “Because it’s not about maxing out — it’s about sustainable adaptation.”
The Key Rule: Never Work Through Pain
During a one-on-one assessment, when a client attempted a loaded step-up and winced in pain, Patrick immediately stepped in. “There’s no point in working through pain,” he says. Instead, he pivots them back to the sled or lower-impact movement.
This approach helps reshape the mindset of many athletes and lifters who’ve been taught to push through discomfort. “I sledded my way off painkillers,” says Patrick. “That’s how powerful it is.”
How Recovery Fits Into “Hard Work”
A surprising takeaway from Patrick’s approach is that true hard work includes consistent recovery. The program isn’t about max effort every day — it’s about intelligent, long-term training.
“What’s often lost in the definition of hard work,” Patrick says, “is dedication to recovery and self-care.”
For many, especially those from sports or bodybuilding backgrounds, this is a mental shift. Grinding through pain is seen as discipline, but it can lead to breakdowns. Patrick’s method respects the body’s limits — building it up without beating it down.
Consistency Beats Intensity: How Much Is Enough?
One common question from those with knee pain: how much time do you really need to devote to this?
Surprisingly, not as much as you’d think. According to Patrick:
- Backward sled – 2 to 3 times weekly
- Tip raises and slant board exercises – incorporated during rest sets or once per week
- Deep squat variations and mobility work – 1 time per week for most people
“It’s more about micro-consistency than long, brutal training sessions,” Patrick explains. “Just don’t skip it.”
From Dunking Dreams to Real-World Knees Impact
Patrick proudly claims that his vertical leap doubled using these principles. Once unable to dunk, he’s now throwing down regularly in his 30s.
More importantly, people from all backgrounds — those with partial knee replacements, chronic tendinopathy, or years of degeneration — are seeing practical gains. “This guy has better knees than I started with,” Patrick tells one client, despite his long journey filled with breakdowns and surgeries.
Listening to Data Over Ego
Unlike many fitness influencers, Patrick isn’t afraid to update, delete, or revise techniques when new data emerges. “If I posted a video showing someone using full bodyweight on a knee that couldn’t tolerate it, and new research shows it’s risky, I’ll take it down — even if it had a million views,” he says.
This refreshing focus on safety over social media metrics is one reason the medical and athletic communities are taking notice. More and more physiotherapists are now integrating his protocols.
The Bottom Line: Knees Over Toes Works — If You Stick with It
Patrick’s method isn’t about hacks or shortcuts. It’s about intelligent, progressive programming. Whether you’re a weekend warrior tired of chronic pain or an athlete navigating the aftermath of knee surgery, his system offers a new approach based on real-world experience and backed by revitalized science.
“This isn’t just about working out,” Ben reminds clients. “It’s about rebuilding your knees — and your life — one backward step at a time.”
