Not only does having a strong lower body support health, longevity and everyday movement, research has also linked leg strength to better cognitive function.
One landmark study from researchers at King’s College London, for example, found that women with greater leg power at baseline experienced significantly less decline in overall cognitive performance over a 10-year follow-up.
In a separate study of more than 1,500 older adults, researchers found that greater lower-body muscle strength was associated with better cognitive performance. In fact, participants with stronger legs were 34% less likely to have poor cognitive function.
Scientists are yet to determine the exact mechanisms behind this link, but possible explanations include stronger muscles improving blood flow to the brain, resistance training influencing neurotransmitters and central nervous system function, and better lower-body strength supporting faster walking speed and mobility – both of which have been associated with a lower risk of dementia.
Whatever the mechanism, it’s yet another reason to prioritise lower-body strength in your workouts. And it doesn’t have to be complicated, as fitness content creator Petra Genco recently demonstrated on Instagram with her favourite four-move leg workout.
The workout
For reference, Petra is using two 10kg dumbbells here, but she says that when she first started these workouts a couple of years ago, she used 2kg dumbbells. Use whatever feels comfortable for you – ditching the weights and beginning with just bodyweight is fine
Squat (3 sets of 15 reps)Reverse lunge (3 sets of 15 reps on each side)Romanian deadlift (3 sets of 15 reps)Sumo pulse (3 sets of 20 reps)
Petra performs 3 sets of each exercise. Rest for between 30-60 secs between sets, or longer if you feel you need it.
Squat x 15
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inwards – towards your thighs. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and toes pointed outwards.Push your hips back, hinging to squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your bum slightly lower than your knees. Keep your shoulders back and your hands still by your sides.Push back up through your heels and glutes with your chest proud and open. No slumping!Reverse lunge x 15 on each side
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your dumbbells down at your sides.With your right foot, step back about one and a half times your normal stride length, landing with the ball of that foot on the ground and your heel up. Lower the back leg straight down until it gently grazes the ground or close to, creating a 90-degree angle in the front leg. Push through the heel and mid-foot of the front leg to return to standing, bringing your right foot back in line with your left. Repeat on the left side. Romanian deadlift x 15
Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in each hand, and place them in front of your hips with your palms facing your thighs.Keeping your spine in a neutral position and squeezing the shoulder blades, start sending the hips back. Keeping the dumbbells close to your body, lower them down so they are in front of your shins. Lower yourself until you feel a solid stretch in your hamstrings while maintaining a flat back and neutral spinePause briefly, then drive through your heels to fully extend your hips and knees to drive back to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top, but not thrusting so far that your back overextends.Sumo pulse x 20
Holding your dumbbells in between your legs, palms facing inwards, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.Keeping your weight in your heels, bend your knees and lower your bum back and down, as if you’re about to sit in a chair.As you lower, engage your core, pull your weight back through your hips and ensure your shoulders don’t round.When your thighs are parallel with the floor, pulse the pelvis up and down, raising and lowering no more than six inches with each pulse. Then drive through your heels to push back up to the starting position.
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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.