{"id":808044,"date":"2026-10-19T23:48:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T23:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/808044\/"},"modified":"2026-10-19T23:48:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T23:48:14","slug":"108-year-old-stays-strong-with-daily-leg-exercises-2-simple-moves-anyone-can-do-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/808044\/","title":{"rendered":"108-year-old stays strong with daily leg exercises \u2013 2 simple moves anyone can do at home"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier this year, Susan Young Browne from Delaware celebrated her 108th birthday \u2013 the news of which travelled across the world. Everyone wanted to know the retired teacher\u2019s longevity secrets. How did Susan, who had just renewed her driving licence until 2033, retain such a good quality of life?<\/p>\n

Well, movement, it seems, has played an integral part. Firstly, Susan, who still walks unassisted, told TODAY<\/a> that she continues to attend chair dancing classes at a local community centre.<\/p>\n

But she\u2019s also committed to consistent, everyday movement.<\/p>\n

Susan\u2019s simple daily fitness routine<\/p>\n

Susan told TODAY that she begins every morning with a 10-minute stretching, strengthening and balancing routine.<\/p>\n

With flexibility<\/a>, mobility<\/a>, strength<\/a> and balance<\/a> all being key markers of longevity, Susan\u2019s routine is a reminder that workouts do not need to be long and complicated to have far-reaching benefits.<\/p>\n

Another key part of Susan\u2019s daily exercise routine that likely contributes to her impressive healthspan (the number of years spent living in good health and free from chronic disease)? Her focus on leg strength.<\/p>\n

\u2018I get up and stand against the wall and exercise my legs. I make sure my legs are exercised,\u2019 Susan told TODAY.<\/p>\n

‘I make sure my legs are exercised’<\/p>\n

Not only do strong legs help us move freely and reduce fall risk, but a growing body of evidence also points to an association between lower-body strength and cognitive function \u2013 another key element of longevity.<\/p>\n

One oft-cited study<\/a> found that older adults with greater leg strength had 34% lower odds of low cognitive function than those with weaker legs. Meanwhile, a 10-year study<\/a> of more than 300 twin sisters reported \u2018a striking protective relationship\u2019 between leg power and cognition. The twin with greater leg power at the beginning of the study maintained their cognitive function better and showed fewer age-related brain changes over the following decade.<\/p>\n

While the exact mechanisms behind this association remain unclear, among scientists\u2019 hypotheses are that stronger muscles may improve blood flow to the brain, that resistance training<\/a> may influence nervous system function, and that lower-body strength can help preserve walking speed and mobility \u2013 both of which have been associated with a lower risk of dementia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2 simple lower-body exercises to add to your routine<\/p>\n

Using a wall for support, Susan can be seen balancing on one leg, which is a simple, effective single-leg exercise that supports strength and balance.<\/p>\n

\"susanLynnette Overby<\/p>\n

108-year-old Susan prioritises leg strength in her daily routine<\/p>\n

Another simple move that only requires a wall? As the name suggests, a wall sit.<\/p>\n

\u2018Defined as an isometric exercise \u2013 an exercise where the working muscle doesn\u2019t change length during the exercise and the joint doesn\u2019t move \u2013 wall sits are super safe to perform, and put very little stress on the spine,\u2019 personal trainer Aimee Victoria Long<\/a> previously explained to Women\u2019s Health.<\/p>\n

Mainly targeting the quadriceps (the muscles at the front of your thigh that support knee stability and everyday functional movements such as walking, getting up from a chair and climbing stairs), wall sits can also improve endurance, balance, and core and lower-back strength.<\/p>\n

\"ImageLean against a stable wall or flat surface, then engage your core as you slide down into a squat position, keeping your back firmly against the wall and ensuring your spine makes contact from the bottom of your neck all the way down to your pelvis.Walk your feet out until you achieve a 90-degree angle in your knees and hold. Your arms can be out to the side, left to rest on your thighs, or, for more of a challenge, they can be extended out at chest height.<\/p>\n

Another simple, no-equipment exercise that supports functional lower-body strength is the humble bodyweight squat. Plus, one study<\/a> even found that doing 60 seconds of squatting exercises during long periods of sitting may help preserve cognitive function.<\/p>\n

How to do a squat<\/a>\"ImageStand with your feet about hip-width apart. Toes can point slightly out if that feels natural.With your ribcage stacked over your pelvis, send your hips back and bend your knees \u2013 as if sitting onto a chair behind you.Keep your chest relaxed and upright as you lower to a comfortable, pain-free depth.Push the floor away through your whole foot to return to standing.<\/p>\n

Want to train like Liz Earle<\/a>? Liz\u2019s PT, Michael Garry, has created a 4-week training plan exclusively for members of the WH COLLECTIVE. It\u2019s designed to remove one of the biggest barriers to fitness: time. You\u2019ll train for just 35 minutes three times a week \u2013 Liz\u2019s exact strategy to build muscle, boost metabolism and support long-term health. Tap the link below to unlock 14 free days of training and start Liz\u2019s plan today.<\/p>\n

Get the plan<\/a><\/p>\n

\"liz<\/a>\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women\u2019s 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. \u00a0She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s 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. \u00a0A 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\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Earlier this year, Susan Young Browne from Delaware celebrated her 108th birthday \u2013 the news of which travelled…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":808045,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[149631,148305,148106,152529,379,265234,381,6647,102,190731,1156,265233,223205,149735,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-808044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-collection-fit-at-70-and-beyond","tag-collection-fit-at-any-age","tag-collection-fitness-app","tag-collection-lower-body-exercise-library","tag-content-type-news","tag-contentid-adba703c-6cf4-4afd-91b7-032cc5859d1b","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-issyndicated-false","tag-locale-gb","tag-shorttitle-108-year-old-stays-strong-with-daily-leg-exercises","tag-sponsored-false","tag-subsection-strength-training","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/808044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=808044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/808044\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/808045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=808044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=808044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=808044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}