Fitness
6 Best Leg Workouts for Men After 50
As men age, maintaining strong and healthy legs becomes increasingly important for overall mobility, balance, and quality of life. Leg workouts can help prevent muscle loss, improve joint health, and support cardiovascular fitness. So, I’ve rounded up six of the best leg workouts I recommend for men over 50. I’ve curated each of these workouts to ensure a comprehensive approach to lower-body strength and endurance.
Tailor the below exercises to your fitness level and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new workout regimen. Stay active, stay strong, and enjoy the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Now, let’s dive into the best leg workouts for men after 50.
Workout #1: Classic Strength Training
Strength training is crucial for building and maintaining muscle mass, especially as you age. This workout focuses on fundamental exercises that enhance strength and stability.
1. Squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms extended in front of you or placed on your hips. Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your chest and back straight. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
2. Leg Press
Sit on the leg press machine with your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform. Push the platform away by extending your legs, keeping a slight bend in your knees at the top. Slowly lower the platform back by bending your knees, ensuring your lower back remains against the seat. Repeat the movement. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
3. Calf Raises
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands resting on a support for balance. Lift your heels off the ground, rising onto the balls of your feet. Hold the position for a moment, then slowly lower your heels back to the ground. Repeat the movement. Perform three sets of 15 reps.
Workout #2: Balance and Stability
Improving balance and stability is essential for preventing falls and maintaining independence as you age. This workout focuses on exercises that enhance these critical skills.
1. Single-leg Stance
Stand on one leg with your other foot lifted slightly off the ground. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, maintaining balance. Switch legs and repeat. Perform three sets on each leg.
2. Side Leg Raises
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips or holding onto a support. Lift your right leg to the side, keeping it straight. Lower it back to the starting position. Repeat the movement for the specified reps, then switch legs. Perform three sets of 12 to 15 reps on each leg.
3. Heel-to-Toe Walk
Walk forward in a straight line, placing the heel of one foot directly in front of the toes of the other foot. Take slow and controlled steps, focusing on balance. Continue for 20 steps. Perform three sets.
Workout #3: Flexibility and Mobility
Maintaining flexibility and mobility helps reduce stiffness and improve joint range of motion. This workout includes stretches and movements to keep your legs limber.
1. Hamstring Stretch
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step your right foot forward and bend at the hips, keeping your back straight. Reach down toward your toes, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch legs. Perform three sets on each leg.
2. Quad Stretch
Stand on one leg and pull your opposite foot toward your buttocks, holding your ankle with your hand. Keep your knees close together and your back straight. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch legs. Perform three sets on each leg.
3. Ankle Circles
Stand or sit with one leg extended. Rotate your ankle in a circular motion, first clockwise for 15 seconds, then counterclockwise for 15 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. Perform three sets on each leg.
Workout #4: Cardiovascular Endurance
Cardiovascular exercises improve heart health and stamina. This workout includes leg-focused cardio exercises to boost your endurance.
1. Walking Lunges
Stand with your feet together. Step forward with your right leg and lower into a lunge, keeping your back straight. Push through your right heel to bring your left foot forward into the next lunge. Continue alternating legs as you move forward. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps per leg.
2. Step-ups
Stand in front of a sturdy bench or step. Step up with your right foot, then bring your left foot up to meet it. Step down with your right foot, followed by your left foot. Repeat the movement, alternating the lead foot. Perform three sets of 12 reps per leg.
3. High Knees
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Lift your right knee toward your chest, then quickly switch to lift your left knee. Continue alternating knees as quickly as possible. Perform continuously for 30 seconds. Perform three sets with a 15-second rest between sets.
Workout #5: Functional Strength
Functional strength exercises improve your ability to perform daily activities. This workout includes movements that mimic real-life actions.
1. Chair Squats
Stand in front of a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body to sit on the chair, then stand back up without using your hands. Repeat the movement. Perform three sets of 12 reps.
2. Side Lunges
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step out to the right side, lowering your body into a lunge while keeping your left leg straight. Push through your right heel to return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps per leg.
3. Standing Hip Abductions
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips or holding onto a support. Lift your right leg to the side, keeping it straight and your toes pointed forward. Lower it back to the starting position. Repeat the movement for the specified reps, then switch legs. Perform three sets of 15 reps on each leg.
Workout #6: Low-impact Aerobics
Low-impact aerobic exercises are gentle on the joints while still providing a good cardiovascular workout. This workout is perfect for maintaining heart health and leg strength.
1. Marching in Place
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Lift your right knee to hip level, then lower it. Lift your left knee to hip level, then lower it. Continue alternating knees in a marching motion. Perform continuously for one minute. Perform three sets with a 30-second rest between sets.
2. Side Steps
Stand with your feet together. Step your right foot to the side, then bring your left foot to meet it. Step your left foot to the side, then bring your right foot to meet it. Continue stepping from side to side. Perform continuously for one minute. Perform three sets with a 30-second rest between sets.
3. Heel Raises
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands resting on a support for balance. Lift your heels off the ground, rising onto the balls of your feet. Hold the position for a moment, then slowly lower your heels back to the ground. Repeat the movement. Perform three sets of 15 reps.
Fitness
Kendal fitness coach 'prescribes' swimming for health issues
A fitness coach who “prescribes” exercise to those with health issues is encouraging older swimmers to get back in the pool.
Danii Vipond Houghton helps people with chronic pain at Kendal Leisure Centre in Cumbria.
Her work to improve health through exercise has led to her winning a national award.
“To be able to go to work, empower someone to move more and manage their medical condition to lead a happier, healthier life is fantastic,” she said.
Ms Vipond Houghton runs “exercise on prescription” classes and has increased the number of people accessing the centre’s Healthwise programme from 26 to 630 in just two years.
She was named “physical activity hero” at the UKactive awards on Thursday.
Ms Vipond Houghton wants to inspire those who think exercise is “not for them” and has helped many older swimmers return to the pool.
Arthur Westbook joined the classes after breaking his leg in a fall three years ago, leaving him unable to walk.
The 78-year-old said: “The confidence you get with being with these professionals here, it makes you want to do more.
“I’d never heard of anything like this, but I am really pleased I have done.”
Fitness
Local fitness coach educates BU students on exercise and mental wellness
VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – An Endwell fitness coach is teaching others how to turn their pain into strength.
Conner Spicer recently spoke to students in the Binghamton University Wellness Through Weight Training Class about how to change their mindset.
Spicer began her fitness journey in February of last year as a way to cope with a string of difficult hardships.
Spicer is a young mom and had to handle motherhood on her own. Additionally, her aunt was murdered, and her son had been taken from her for nearly a month by his father.
She says she had so much pain inside of her and decided she needed to do something with it so, she turned to strength training.
Now, she competes in bodybuilding competitions and coaches others through their wellness journey.
Spicer says changing your mindset is the first step.
“I think what clicked with me is I just didn’t want to feel that way anymore. I was tired of feeling like ‘this is my life, what am i going to do’. All of this negative mindset I was going through, I was tired of feeling that way. I just wanted to be positive and do positive with my life and so instead of just thinking about it, I decided to start doing it,” said Spicer.
Spicer encourages anyone who is feeling down to consider exercise.
To connect with Spicer and inquire about fitness coaching, visit her Instagram @SweetWithSomeSpice.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT – News 34.
Fitness
Core, Cardio and Legs: How This Multifaceted Military Fitness Workout Will Improve Your Rucking Ability
Working a combination of cardio and the core system of muscles can complement a leg day focusing on muscle stamina. If you are looking for a routine that can help you with the demands of rucking or other load-bearing activities, consider this moderate-intensity workout idea:
Warm up with a squat and toe touch pyramid 1-10, with 100-meter walks/jogs in between (stop at 10/10 each): This warm-up mixes in jogs, walks and other dynamic stretches during the 100-meter distance between each set of the progressive 10-set pyramid/ladder. It looks like this:
- 1 air squat, 1 toe touch*, jog 100 meters
- 2 squats, 2 toe touches*, jog 100 meters
- Continue up the ladder until you get to 10 squats and 10 toe touches and stop.
* The toe touch exercise involves bending at the waist with your back straight and touching the lower leg or foot, depending on your flexibility. You may see improvement in each set as you warm up with this movement. Treat it like a straight-legged deadlift but with no weight.
After the warm-up pyramid, run or walk one mile or bike for 10 minutes. Depending on your cardio preferences, you can run or bike to work the heart, lungs and legs to continue the warm-up.
Leg and Cardio Section: The section below requires only a kettlebell or dumbbell and a place to run or cardio equipment of your choice. Run or bike for four minutes, and while catching your breath, start lunging for 10 lunges per leg. Then have your kettlebell or dumbbell ready to perform the swing and squat. Hydrate and stretch as needed and start the next set. Make this a limited rest circuit:
Repeat three times.
- Run 800 meters or bike for four minutes — steady pace
- Lunges 10/leg
- Kettlebell/dumbbell swings 10-20
- Kettlebell/dumbbell squats 10
Core System and Cardio: The section of the workout below involves faster-paced cardio activity (near sprint), followed by a circuit of core exercises. The farmer’s walk is a single weight in one hand only. Change hands at the halfway mark of the 50-meter farmer walk and walk upright and fast. Then drop the weight and perform 10 hanging knee-ups. After that, drop in the plank pose for the next two minutes, doing a regular plank for one minute and holding a side plank for 30 seconds on each side. Hydrate and stretch as needed and start the next set. Make this a limited rest circuit.
Repeat three times.
- Run 400 meters or bike for two minutes fast
- Kettlebell farmer’s walk 50 meters
- Hanging knee-ups 10
- Plank pose one minute
- Left side plank 30 seconds
- Right side plank 30 seconds
Final Option — Cooldown Section: For the remaining time in your training time budget, pick an easy cardio activity and cool down for the next 20-30 minutes. This can be a walk, ruck, jog, easy bike, elliptical machine, rower or stair stepper. You can also do a series of short cardio and stretch/foam-roller exercises if you prefer to use them as your cooldown section.
Repeat two times.
- Bike or row for five minutes.
- Stretch or foam roll for five minutes.
For more ideas for your training goals, check out the Military.com Fitness Section. It contains hundreds of articles with workouts for any fitness and military standards goal.
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