“Keeping those leg muscles strong and flexible is a big deal as we get older, whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or you’ve been hitting the gym for ages.
As the years go by, our fitness goals shift from chasing picture-perfect glutes and bulky quads. “Even Arnold Schwarzenegger, who’s well into his 70s, changed up his workout to stay spry, not just for the mirror.
You know, regular things like going upstairs or taking a stroll can become a bit more challenging as we get older.”That’s why having a sturdy lower body is like the foundation of independence in your later years, according to Maurice Williams, a senior fitness guru at the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
After hitting the big 3-0, you can start losing about 3% to 5% of your muscle mass every decade, as Harvard Medical School tells us. Plus, your bones naturally get less dense with time, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reminds us. They say about one in four Americans over 65 takes a tumble every year!
Once you roll into your 50s, it’s a real game-changer to sprinkle in some leg-strengthening moves. It’s like giving your balance a boost and putting up a shield against bone troubles, like osteoporosis. “Williams, the kinesiology expert at Freed-Hardeman University, tells us that as we get older, our joints can start feeling a little rusty, and we might wave goodbye to about a quarter of our smooth moves, which can make us feel kinda stiff.
And if you’ve been hitting the gym for a bit, you’ve likely got the hang of squatting, lunging, deadlifting, and bridging by now.” Once you’ve nailed these basics, Williams suggests upping the ante to keep those muscles on their toes.
He’s got some tips for moving beyond the basics. If you’re new to the whole exercise thing, don’t worry, you can totally kick it off with the basics. Williams is all like, “Age ain’t no thang,” so you can kickstart with doing one to three sets of 12 to 20 reps for each exercise. Take it easy with up to 90 seconds of chill time between sets. But hey, if you’re feeling like a real champ, go for two to four sets of eight to 12 reps, and give yourself two to three minutes of chillax time between sets – that might be more your style.
Oh, and don’t forget, just like with any fresh workout plan, it’s a good move to shoot the breeze with your doctor if you’re feeling any aches or pains. And if things start to hurt, take a breather, there is no need to push it!
Goblet Squat
Purpose: Goblet squats target the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings while alleviating the strain on your back experienced in traditional back squats. They also enhance grip strength and engage the upper body.
Procedure: To initiate the exercise, start by positioning yourself in a stance with your feet separated at shoulder-width, and ensure that your toes are pointed slightly outward at an inclination of 8 to 10 degrees. Grasp a weight firmly with both hands, positioning it close to your chest. Proceed to descend by lowering your hips and pushing them rearward, as if you were in the process of sitting in a chair, while concurrently bending your knees. Aim to descend to a 90-degree angle or lower, concentrating on pushing the floor away as you ascend through your heels. Return to the starting position.
Rotating Lunge
Purpose: This single-leg exercise challenges your balance and introduces rotational movement, mimicking everyday activities like reaching for laundry or twisting to place clothes in a basket.
Execution: Start with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Stand tall, and engage your core by tightening your abdominal muscles. While keeping the dumbbells steady, lift your right leg and rotate it slightly to the right before placing it behind you on the floor. Simultaneously, rotate your left leg to align with your right, allowing your left heel to lift as you sink into a lunge. Focus on bending your left leg more. If possible, bend both knees to 90 degrees. Stand up and come back to the initial stance, beginning with a pivot on the left foot before repositioning the right leg to its original location. Perform the same sequence on the opposite side.
Staggered-Stance Deadlift
Purpose: This exercise replicates common movements where we reach for objects on the floor or perform tasks with our feet in an uneven stance. It strengthens the entire posterior chain, particularly the hamstrings.
Execution: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in each hand. “Position your right foot a little behind, and transfer your weight onto the ball of your right foot. The majority of your body weight should be focused on the front heel.” Hinge at your hips and bend your knees while lowering the weights with straight arms until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. While lowering, rotate your wrists inward so that your palms face your legs. Maintain a flat back throughout. Squeeze your glutes to return to the standing position. Change your stance if desired. For an added challenge, try single-leg deadlifts.
Single-Leg Balance Reach
Purpose: This exercise enhances stability in the ankle, knee, and hip joints, reducing the risk of falls as we age.
Execution: Stand on your left foot with your right leg hovering above the ground. Extend your right foot forward to 12 o’clock, then to the center, next to 3 o’clock, back to the center, and finally around 4 or 5 o’clock. Aim to keep an upright posture and level hips throughout. Repeat on the other side.
Stability-Ball Hamstring Curl
Purpose: This exercise targets the hamstrings, which are crucial for knee flexion and hip extension, and essential for everyday activities like bending and climbing stairs.
Execution: Lie on your back with your heels resting on a stability ball, legs extended, and arms out to the sides with palms facing down for balance. Lift your hips off the ground while squeezing your glutes and pulling your navel toward your spine to stabilize your core. Dig your heels into the ball and draw it toward your glutes before extending your legs again. If this is challenging, start by raising and lowering your hips with your heels balanced on the ball.
Marching Bridge
Purpose: The marching bridge exercise primarily works the hamstrings and glutes. Incorporating leg lifts isolates one side of the body, intensifying the core’s engagement in maintaining balance as you raise one foot.
Execution: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your arms flat by your sides to aid balance. Unlike a full bridge pose in yoga, lift your hips off the ground by approximately 3 inches. Maintain stable hips as you lift your right leg to a tabletop position, pause at the top, and then lower the foot back down. Next, raise your left leg to a tabletop position and continue alternating. If your hips dip as you march, hold one leg up for 10 seconds before switching to the other leg.