Regardless of your age, strengthening your legs is a vital component of a comprehensive fitness program.
However, the older you get, the more important it becomes totrain your legs regularly.
The following is a list of the best leg-strengthening exercises you should be doing as you pass 40.
Shutterstock
Perform each exercise for eight to 15 repetitions, for a total of three sets.
Aim to include these exercises twice per week in your training program.
Lunges
Lunges are a great exercise for everyone, but they are especially vital to perform as you age.
Shutterstock
I recommend performing walking lunges holding dumbbells for added resistance.
If you are newer to fitness and lunges, then bodyweight lunges are also a good option.
Squats
Squats are another vital functional movement you should be including in your leg-strengthening exercises.
Shutterstock
They are very effective at hitting your lower body muscles.
A classic method is using barbell back squats.
Focus on keeping your torso more or less upright when squatting.
Shutterstock
Push your knees “outward” as you squat down to eliminate the tendency for them to cave inward.
The #1 Strength Workout to Reshape Your Body After 40
3.
Dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells are all viable options.
Shutterstock
Begin with the weight on the floor in front of you.
Hinge forward, and grab the handles of the weight.
Keep a neutral spine and squeeze your glutes as you stand back up.
it’s possible for you to hold weights in each hand or do bodyweight step-ups.
To perform one leg at a time, step up and down repeatedly on the same step.
To alternate, climb the sets of stairs holding the weight.
5 Best Exercises To Maintain Lower-Body Strength as You Age
5.
Ideally, you would perform leg extensions one at a time using a quad extension machine at your gym.
Extend your knee until your leg is straight.
Slowly return back to the starting position.
Hamstring Curls
The last of our leg-strengthening exercises is the hamstring curl.
The best method is performing these on a hamstring curl machine one leg at a time.
Bend one knee, and bring your heel toward your butt.
Slowly reverse the motion.
Repeat for all repetitions on one side, then switch to the other leg.
