Do you want to build stronger legs after 60? It's possible even if you have knee arthritis!
Watch the video below to learn how to strengthen your legs without causing or worsening knee pain.
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Why Build Stronger Legs After 60?
As we age, maintaining strong legs is crucial for balance, mobility, and overall health.
Strong legs reduce the risk of falls, improve daily function, and help prevent joint pain. The key is to strengthen your legs in a way that avoids knee pain.
The Chair Squat: A Knee-Friendly Leg Exercise
The chair squat (or sit-to-stand) is an excellent beginner-friendly exercise. It builds strength without putting excess strain on your knees.
How to Perform the Chair Squat:
- Start from a chair height where you can stand up without using your hands.
- Place your feet hip-width apart or slightly wider, at a comfortable angle.
- Turn your knees outward slightly to keep them aligned over your feet.
- As you squat, push your hips back first instead of moving your knees forward.
- Lower yourself until you lightly touch the chair, then rise back up.
Progressing Your Squats for More Strength
To continue building leg strength, increase the difficulty by:
- Lowering the chair height.
- Performing more repetitions.
- Assisting yourself with your hands only when necessary.
Once you reach a point where you struggle to stand up, you are working your muscles to fatigue, which is essential for strength gains.
Adding Weight for Stronger Legs
Once comfortable with bodyweight squats, you can add resistance with a goblet squat:
- Hold a dumbbell or weighted object at chest level.
- Perform the squat with the same form, keeping your trunk upright.
- Go as deep as comfortable without knee pain.
Using weight increases muscle engagement and further improves leg strength.
CAP Barbell 52.5-Pound Adjustable Dumbbe...
$126.57 (as of April 26, 2025 18:21 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)Why Muscle Fatigue is Key to Strength
To truly strengthen your legs, you must work your muscles until they fatigue.
This means performing squats until you struggle to complete a rep with good form.
When using weights, stop once your knees start wobbling or your form breaks down.
If needed, continue with bodyweight squats to extend the fatigue phase.
How Long Should You Rest Between Sets?
When strengthening your legs, rest time between sets matters:
- About 50-70% of your energy (ATP) is restored within 30 seconds.
- After one full minute, about 85% is recovered.
- It takes 3-5 minutes for complete recovery.
Most people don’t need the full 3-5 minutes, but waiting at least one minute between sets is ideal for maintaining strength and endurance.
How to Increase Resistance Without Adding Weight
One effective way to make an exercise harder without adding weight is to shift from using both legs to just one. This essentially doubles the resistance.
A great example is moving from a standard squat to a lunge.
Lunges challenge your balance, stability, and strength, making them a powerful addition to any leg workout.
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