Whenever strength training is mentioned, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking it has to mean hours-long gym sessions and jumping straight in with super-heavy weights.
But the reality is that consistency often comes from simplicity – and building lifelong strength starts with nailing the basics. It’s a message fitness content creator Shannon Gillespie is keen to highlight.
‘At 55, I’m not trying to get “smaller.” I’m trying to stay strong, capable, mobile, and independent for as long as possible,’ she recently shared on Instagram. ‘You do not need complicated workouts in midlife. You need consistency with the basics.’
For lower-body strength, Shannon says she keeps returning to the same five exercises.
‘Strong legs matter for everything: getting up off the floor, climbing stairs, protecting your bones, improving balance, and staying independent as you age,’ she wrote.
Indeed, a significant body of research has linked stronger legs with better health outcomes – both physical and cognitive.
A systematic review and meta-analysis examining data from almost two million participants found that higher knee-extension strength – a measure of lower-body strength – was associated with a 14% lower risk of death from any cause.
Meanwhile, a widely cited study published in the Journal of Lifestyle Medicine found that older adults with greater leg strength had 34% lower odds of having low cognitive function than those with weaker legs.
What’s more, another study that tracked 324 healthy female twins – with an average age of 55 at the start of the study – found that women with greater leg explosive power experienced less cognitive decline over the following 10 years.
So there are plenty of potential body and brain benefits to building lower-body strength – and it needn’t be complicated.
‘These are the 5 dumbbell leg exercises I keep coming back to because they help build strength, muscle, balance, bone health, confidence,’ Shannon noted on Instagram.
5 dumbbell leg exercises for strength after 50
If you’re new to strength training, it’s completely fine – and often a good idea while you’re learning the technique – to start by performing these exercises with bodyweight only.
Otherwise, you’ll simply need a pair of dumbbells. You can read our guide to choosing the right weight for you here.
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Stand with your feet around hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.Keeping a soft bend in your knees, push your hips backwards as you lower the dumbbells down the front of your legs.Keep the weights close to your body, your core engaged and your spine neutral throughout.Lower until you feel a stretch through your hamstrings – your exact range of motion will depend on your mobility.Drive through your feet and extend your hips to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
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Hold a weight in front of your chest and stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes turned out slightly.Brace your core, then bend your knees and hips to lower into a squat, keeping your chest up and knees tracking in line with your toes.Lower as far as you comfortably can while maintaining good form.Push through your feet to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
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Stand facing a sturdy step or bench, holding your dumbbells by your sides.Place one foot firmly on the step, keeping your whole foot supported.Brace your core and drive through your front foot to straighten your leg and bring yourself up onto the step.Lower yourself back to the floor slowly and with control.Complete your reps before switching sides.4. Sumo deadlift
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Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and your toes turned out around 30 to 45 degrees. Hold your weight between your legs.Brace your core and hinge at your hips, bending your knees as you lower the weight towards the floor.Keep your chest up and spine neutral throughout.Drive through your feet, extending your hips and knees to return to standing and squeezing your glutes at the top.Lower the weight again with control.
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Stand with your back to a sturdy bench or step and place one foot behind you on the elevated surface.Keep your hips square, core engaged and torso leaning slightly forwards.Bend your front knee and lower your back knee towards the floor, keeping your front knee tracking in line with your toes.Lower as far as you comfortably can while maintaining control.Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.Complete your reps before switching sides.
Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.