Strength exercises are important at any age, especially as you hit the ages of 30 or 40. This is when you begin losing muscle mass, which can affect your balance, strength, and stability. As such, building your lower body strength should become a bigger priority in your workouts. To get you started, here are some basic exercises to strengthen your legs.
- Hip Marching - Sit on a chair and alternately raise each of your knees as high as you can.
- Lunges - Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Put your hands on your hips and step forward with one foot while keeping your torso upright. Return to your original position, then repeat the lunge with the opposite leg.
- Sit-To-Stand - Stand right in front of a chair, with the backs of your knees in contact with the seat. Bend down with your hips close to the chair, then stand back up slowly before repeating again.
- Ankle Circles - Sit on a chair and alternately lift each of your knees and draw a circle with your foot. Repeat in the opposite direction before switching sides.
- Calf Raises - Hold a chair or railing for balance while maintaining your posture. Go up on your tiptoes and hold for a few seconds before returning back down and repeating again and again.
By incorporating these exercises into your routines, you will surely strengthen your legs and lower body. For more strength training exercises for seniors, check out some of our previous posts at Senior Strong today!
Elizabeth Kogut works as the editorial head of Senior Strong. Armed with her degree in Nursing from the University of Missouri, Elizabeth ensures that all the site’s content is relevant to seniors today.
