{"id":961873,"date":"2026-11-12T14:14:21","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T14:14:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/961873\/"},"modified":"2026-11-12T14:14:21","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T14:14:21","slug":"fitness-icon-suzi-jalowskys-3-go-to-workouts-for-building-strong-legs-at-60-and-how-to-do-them-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/961873\/","title":{"rendered":"Fitness icon Suzi Jalowsky\u2019s 3 go-to workouts for building strong legs at 60 \u2013 and how to do them at home"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re ever in need of some fitness motivation, look no further than the icon that is Suzi Jalowsky<\/a>. The 60-year-old fitness enthusiast and content creator regularly shares clips of her home workouts online, accompanied by her signature smile and stylish activewear ensembles. While not a qualified expert, Jalowsky has been training regularly for decades \u2013 and is keen to share what she\u2019s learned with the millions of women who follow her. <\/p>\n

One area of the body Jalowsky pays particular attention to is her lower-body strength<\/a>, which is crucial for healthy ageing. Research has drawn a direct correlation between leg strength and overall mobility, independence and even cognitive function \u2013 and weight training is one of the best ways to build a strong lower-body as we age. <\/p>\n

The only problem, for many of us, is working out where to start. But luckily, Jalowsky has shared plenty of her go-to leg workouts over the years to provide inspiration for anyone looking to make lower-body training an integral part of their routine. <\/p>\n

Below you’ll see a few of Jalowsky’s go-to routines, as well as a guide to how to do the moves. Bookmark this article, and work your way through them whenever you’re in need of a bit of inspiration \u2013 you can thank us later. <\/p>\n

Single dumbbell leg workout<\/p>\n

In this workout, Jalowsky works through a series of lower-body exercises using a single heavy dumbbell \u2013 in this case, a 13kg (or 30lb) one. She completes three sets of 8-10 reps.<\/p>\n

Heels-elevated squatElevate your heels using a pair of plates, dumbbells or a small, stable item (like a book). Hold a single dumbbell between your hands.Standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, squat down by bending your knees and your hips and allowing your knees to track over your toes.Pause briefly at the bottom and then reverse the movement to stand back up straight. That’s one rep.Staggered stance deadlift (kickstand deadlift)Grab your dumbbell with your left hand and stand with your body weight through your right foot and your left foot placed slightly behind you, with your heel lifted. Keeping your back flat and chest upright, hinge forward at the hips to lower the weight toward the floor, keeping a soft bend in both knees.Pause, then squeeze your glutes to return to stand. That’s one rep. Do all reps on one side before repeating on the other.Sumo squatStand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, evenly distribute your weight, and keep your toes turned out to 10 and 2 o\u2019clock. Hold your dumbbell between both hands in front of your hips.Keep your core tight and chest tall as you inhale, bend your knees, and sink your hips down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Lean forward slightly and lower the weight down as you do so.Exhale as you drive through your feet back to an upright standing position. That’s one rep.Staggered stance squat (offset lunge)Hold your dumbbell between both hands and stand with your body weight through your right foot and your left foot placed slightly behind you, with your heel lifted. Lower into a squat, placing most of your weight through your front leg.Stand back up straight with control. That’s one rep. Do all reps on one side before repeating on the other.Reverse lunge pulseStanding with your feet hip-width apart and keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles. Hold your dumbbell between both hands. Take a big step backwards with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don\u2019t let the knee touch the floor.Pulse up and down in this position for the prescribed number of reps. Do all reps on one side before repeating on the other.
Standing clamshellStand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the dumbbell in your left hand. Bend your left leg and, resting the dumbbell against your upper thigh, open your leg out to the side until your upper-thigh is perpendicular with your hip. Close your hip to bring your knees back together. That’s one rep. Do all reps on one side before repeating on the other. 10-minute leg burn<\/p>\n

‘You can do this workout right in your kitchen while you wait for your coffee to brew this morning,’ Jalowsky says. <\/p>\n

This equipment-free routine is made up of eight exercises, each of which are completed for 40 seconds with a quick rest in between. In total, it should take less than 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

Calf raiseStand on a flat surface with your toes pointed straight ahead. Lift your heels off the floor to flex your calf muscle.Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the floor. That\u2019s one rep.Air skippingStand with your feet close together, your knees slightly bent and your arms relaxed by your sides. Keep your elbows tucked in.Brace your core and jump off the floor, landing softly on the balls of your feet. Keep a soft bend in your knees. At the same time, rotate your wrists and arms as if you were skipping with a jump rope.Keep bouncing for the prescribed time period.Lateral lungeStand with your feet hip-width apart.Take a big step to the side with your left leg, then bend your left knee, push hips back and lower until your left knee is bent 90 degrees. This should take around two seconds. Push back to start. Alternate between sides for the prescribed time period.In-and-out jumpsStart standing with your feet close together.Jump upwards and move your feet out, so you land with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Land with a soft bend in your knees.Jump again to bring your feet back together. Again, land with a soft bend in your knees. Repeat for the prescribed time period. Reverse lungeStand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your hands by your sides or on your hips.Step your right foot back around one and a half times your normal stride length, landing on the ball of your foot with your heel raised.Lower your back knee towards the floor until it almost touches the ground, aiming for roughly a 90-degree bend in your front knee.Push through the heel and mid-foot of your front leg to return to standing, bringing your right foot back in line with your left.Alternate between legs for the prescribed time period.Split jumpsStand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your hands by your sides or on your hips.Jump your right foot back around one and a half times your normal stride length, landing on the ball of your foot with your heel raised. Jump up into the air and swap your feet, so your left leg lands at the back and your right foot is forward.Alternate between legs for the prescribed time period.SquatStanding with your feet hip-width apart, hinge at the knees to come into a squat position \u2013 making sure your knees track over your toes and don’t extend past.With the weight in your heels push back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top. Repeat for the prescribed time period.Squat holdStanding with your feet hip-width apart, hinge at the knees to come into a squat position \u2013 making sure your knees track over your toes and don’t extend past.Hold this position for the prescribed time period. High-rep, slow tempo leg workout<\/p>\n

This workout is all about slowing things down and nailing your form. Jalowsky uses a 13kg (or 30lb) dumbbell for each of the exercises. <\/p>\n

She suggests aiming for 12 to 15 reps of each move and completing three slow rounds. <\/p>\n

Single-leg Romanian deadlift \"ImageStand with your feet slightly narrower than hip-width apart.Shift your weight onto your left leg, keeping a soft bend in the knee.Hinge at your hips to lower your chest while raising your right leg behind you. For extra balance, you can keep your toes lightly touching the floor, as Suzi does.Lower the dumbbell towards the floor, then reverse the movement to return to standing.Remember: hold the dumbbell in the opposite hand to your planted leg.Split squat \"ImageStand with your feet underneath your shoulders, holding the dumbbell in one hand.Step your opposite foot forwards into a split stance.Keep your torso upright as you bend both knees, allowing your back heel to lift as you lower under control.Pause, then drive through your front heel to return to standing.Wide-stance squat with step\"ImageStand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly.Hold the dumbbell with both hands between your legs.Squat down, keeping your weight through your heels.Push back up to standing, squeezing your glutes as you step one foot in towards the other until your feet are close together.Alternate sides with each rep.Goblet squat \"ImageHolding the dumbbell in front of your chest, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes turned out slightly.Keep your elbows tucked underneath the weight.Bend your knees and sit your hips back as though lowering into a chair.Keep your core engaged and avoid rounding your shoulders or back.Pause when your thighs are roughly parallel with the floor, then drive through your heels to stand.Sumo deadlift\"ImageStand with your feet shoulder-width apart, or slightly wider, with the dumbbell on the floor between your feet.Turn your toes out by around 30-45 degrees.Hinge at your hips, keeping your chest lifted as you reach down and grip the dumbbell with both hands.Brace your core, squeeze your glutes and stand tall by driving your hips forwards.Lower the dumbbell back to the floor with control.\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Lauren Geall is deputy site editor for Women\u2019s Health UK and Men\u2019s Health UK. She graduated from Exeter University with a BA in English Literature before studying an MA in Magazine Journalism at City, University London. She\u2019s been writing about health, fitness and wellbeing for over five years, with a total of seven years in digital journalism. Prior to her current role, she worked at Stylist as the acting health and fitness editor. As well as being a keen runner, Lauren is passionate about women\u2019s sport and can often be found cheering on Arsenal Women at the Emirates or keeping tabs on the Red Roses\u2019 latest win.\u00a0<\/p>\n