Leg exercises for women over 70: 5 daily movements to gain strength

Performing regular strength training can help you develop and maintain strong legs.

Losing lean muscle mass is a natural process that can occur as we age. This decline, also known as sarcopenia, can put you at risk for falls, injury, and even early mortality. According to research, performing regular strength training can help improve leg strength and balance.

One study followed 50 people aged 65 to 82. Part of the group performed strength and balance exercises, including leg extensions and lower bends, for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, individuals in the strength training group experienced notable improvements in balance and lower leg strength compared to the rest of the group.

“The goal of leg training should be much bigger than just maintaining muscles. Strong legs are what allow us to get up from a chair without using our hands, walk up stairs, catch ourselves if we lose balance, get up off the ground, and continue doing the activities we love independently,” says Jennifer Scherer, MS, RDN, ACE-CPTmedical exercise specialist and founder and CEO of Fredericksburg Fitness Studio, who has spent over 20 years working with adults on strength, mobility, healthy aging and maintaining independence.

So, if you’re a woman over 70 ready to start building strength in your legs, try these five daily exercises below.

Sit-stand

“It’s one of the most functional exercises a senior can do because it directly trains a movement we do all day. It strengthens the quads and glutes while requiring the hips, core, and ankles to work together,” says Scherer.

1. Start in a seated position in front of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart beneath your knees.
2. Lean forward slightly.
3. Press through your heels to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
4. Pause for a moment.
5. Use control to sit up slowly.
6. Perform 5 to 10 controlled repetitions.

Split squats supported

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“Split stance exercises are especially helpful because real life rarely happens with both feet perfectly equal. They strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes while challenging the hip stabilizers and helping maintain the ability to walk, regain balance, and negotiate stairs,” says Scherer.

1. Start by standing up straight with one hand resting on the back of a sturdy chair for support.
2. Step your left foot forward about 2 to 3 feet to assume a staggered stance.
3. Bend both knees, lowering your buttocks toward the floor.
4. Press through your front heel to come up.
5. Perform 5 to 10 controlled repetitions per side.

Hip hinges

“The hip hinge teaches people to use the powerful muscles in the back of the body—the glutes and hamstrings—rather than relying excessively on the knees or lower back. Maintaining this movement pattern is important for everything from picking something up off the ground to gardening or loading groceries,” Scherer tells us.

1. Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Place your hands behind your head.
3. Press your hips back while keeping your chest high.
4. As you lean forward, feel a solid stretch in your hamstrings.
5. Activate your hamstrings and glutes to drive your hips forward.
6. Perform 5 to 10 controlled repetitions.

Standing Calf Raises

“The calves don’t always get the attention they deserve. Strong calves contribute to walking speed, stair climbing, ankle stability and the push-off phase of gait. I especially like a slow descent phase because strength and control are both important,” says Scherer.

1. Start by standing straight with your feet hip-width apart, facing a counter, with your hands lightly resting on the surface.
2. Engage your heart.
3. Slowly rise on your tiptoes.
4. Pause at the top, holding the lift for 1 to 2 seconds.
5. Lower your back with control.
6. Perform 5 to 10 controlled repetitions.

Standing Hip Abductions

“This targets the muscles on the outside of the hip, specifically the hip abductors, which are extremely important for pelvic stability and balance when we walk. These muscles help us stay stable every time we stand on one leg, which happens with every step we take,” says Scherer.

1. Start by standing straight with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips.
2. Activate your core and shift your weight to your left leg.
3. Keep your right leg straight and toes pointed forward as you lift it out to the side as high as you comfortably can.
4. Hold the top for a moment before lowering it for 3 seconds.
5. Perform 5 to 10 controlled repetitions per side.

Alexa Mellardo