{"id":618631,"date":"2026-09-08T22:00:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T22:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/618631\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T22:00:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T22:00:20","slug":"leg-exercises-for-women-over-65-to-build-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/618631\/","title":{"rendered":"Leg Exercises for Women Over 65 to Build Strength"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sculpt a strong, stable lower body to maintain an active life.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re over 65, you\u2019ve likely already experienced some\u2014or many\u2014of the changes that can happen to your body in this stage of life. Weight gain<\/a>, poor sleep, and mood swings are just a few potential challenges that may add extra steps to your wellness routine.<\/p>\n

One more thing to add to the list is a decline in leg strength<\/a>. From walking to running errands to enjoying your favorite hobbies and beyond, having the right workout routine in place is essential for preserving an independent, active life.<\/p>\n

To get you on the right track, we spoke with Ryan Read<\/a>, Certified Fitness Trainer, LaGuna Niguel, California.<\/p>\n

\u201cStrong legs are what let you get up off the floor if you go down, catch yourself if you trip on a curb, carry your own groceries, get in and out of a car without thinking about it,\u201d
Read explains. \u201cI tell my clients: Nobody wakes up one day and decides to lose their independence. It happens 2% at a time, in the muscle you didn\u2019t use this year. The good news is it works in reverse too, leg strength is one of the most trainable things at any age. I\u2019ve had women in their 70s add real strength back in a matter of months. It\u2019s never too late to make a deposit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below are five morning exercises<\/a> women over 65 need to keep their legs strong. The best part? You don\u2019t need a gym in order to achieve real results. You just need consistency and about 10 minutes of your time \u201cbefore your coffee gets cold,\u201d Read says.<\/p>\n

Below is exactly what Read prescribes to his clients.<\/p>\n

\tSit-to-Stands<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the single best predictor of independence as we age\u2014if you can get up from a chair without using your hands, you\u2019re doing great,\u201d Read says.<\/p>\n

Begin seated at the front of a sturdy chair with your feet placed on the floor under your knees.
\nLean forward slightly.
\nTry to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
\nUse control to slowly sit back down.
\nPerform 10 to 12 slow and controlled reps.<\/p>\n

9 Best Daily Exercises for Women Over 50 to Sculpt a Lean Waistline<\/a><\/p>\n

\tMarching in Place <\/p>\n

\u201cThis exercise wakes up your hip flexors and gets your balance system firing before you\u2019ve even left the kitchen,\u201d Read tells us.<\/p>\n

Begin standing tall.
\nSlowly lift one knee up to hip level.
\nAlternate marching your knees up, keeping your ribs stacked and arms extended.<\/p>\n

If You Can Do These 4 Squat Variations, Your Lower Body Is Bulletproof<\/a><\/p>\n

\tWall Pushups With Mini Squat<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

This exercise builds quad strength without placing excess pressure on the knees.<\/p>\n

Begin standing tall, arms-length away from a wall.
\nPlace your hands shoulder-width apart on the surface.
\nEngage your core and bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the wall.
\nGently push off the surface as you sink into a small squat.
\nReturn to the start position.<\/p>\n

Over 40? If You Can Do This Many Wall Pushups, Your Strength Is Above Average<\/a><\/p>\n

\tHeel-to-Toe Walk<\/p>\n

\u00a06254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e<\/p>\n

\u201cThis looks simple and it is not\u2014it\u2019s one of the best things you can do for balance and ankle stability, which matters just as much as leg strength for preventing falls,\u201d Read notes.<\/p>\n

Begin standing tall.
\nStart to walk straight, placing one foot right in front of the other, heel to toe.<\/p>\n

If You Can Do These 8 Lower-Body Moves, Your Leg Strength Is Elite<\/a><\/p>\n

\tStanding Calf Raises<\/p>\n

\u201cStrong calves protect your knees and keep you steady on stairs and uneven ground,\u201d Read tells us.<\/p>\n

Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart.
\nFace a countertop with your hands lightly resting on the surface for support.
\nEngage your core.
\nRise onto your toes slowly.
\nHold for 2 to 3 seconds at the top.
\nLower back down with control.
\nPerform 15 slow raises.<\/p>\n

Alexa Mellardo<\/p>\n

\t\tAlexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home.\t\t\t\t\tRead more about Alexa <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sculpt a strong, stable lower body to maintain an active life. If you\u2019re over 65, you\u2019ve likely already…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":618632,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[499,103,61,60,133842,167615,91623,78767,5172],"class_list":["post-618631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-leg-exercise","tag-morning-exercise","tag-over-60","tag-womenu2019s-health","tag-workouts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618631"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618631\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/618632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=618631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}