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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
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.
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Workout #5: Functional Strength
Functional strength exercises improve your ability to perform daily activities. This workout includes movements that mimic real-life actions.
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1. Chair Squats
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
Actress Jennifer Aniston has launched a new four-week challenge with fitness app Pvolve to help people get into the right mindset to exercise.
The Worth It Everytime campaign, created in collaboration with mental wellness app Headspace, encourages people to view exercise as something that energizes them rather than punishes them.
Pvolve members can access 30-35 minute exercise classes—both in person and online—as well as 30 days of free access to the Headspace app, which offers guided meditations and stress-busting tools to build lasting habits and emotional resilience.
Members who complete all 16 workouts will receive a limited edition Everything Pouch, created exclusively for the challenge.
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Aniston, a Pvolve partner and fitness enthusiast, admits she doesn’t always feel in the mood to exercise.
“People assume I’m always motivated, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I have plenty of days where I don’t want to work out at all.”
However, she says training with Pvolve keeps her going on down days because the app makes exercise feel good rather than a punishment.
Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox.
“What I’ve learned is that the conversation in your head is actually part of the work. You show up for yourself anyway, you move a little, and then something shifts. You feel better. That feeling is what brings me back.”
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“I know I’m doing something good for my body long term, and that makes showing up feel worth it every time.”
Pvolve head trainer Dani Coleman adds that, “when movement and mindset work together, something clicks.
“Consistency becomes natural and a workout stops feeling like something you push through and starts feeling like something that truly supports your total-body health.”
To help new members get started, Pvolve is offering 10% off sitewide.
After a period of inactivity, getting your fitness back can feel like a tough slog.
Jason Smith, a personal trainer, nutritional advisor and founder of Fit in Midlife, knows this from personal experience. He got fit again at 50 after years of inactivity, then started training people of a similar age, helping them to do the same.
One type of client that Smith often works with is the ex-athlete—someone who was sporty in their teens or 20s, but became less active with age.
These people are often ready to jump back in at the deep end: running long distances or lifting heavy weights, but find their brain is writing checks their body can’t cash.
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“Your brain still thinks that you can do the things that you used to do,” says Smith.
“Your body has had the longest rest period it’s ever going to have and during that period of time, your muscles have gone into atrophy, your cardiovascular system has diminished and you won’t be as capable as you were when you were in your 20s. This is just an unfortunate fact of life.”
“It can be really demotivating because you don’t feel capable,” adds Smith. “You don’t feel as though you’re actually able to do anything. But of course, the truth is very different.”
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And in Smith’s experience, there are two things that will help you overcome the dejection that can come when expectations meet reality.
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1. Find something you enjoy
Smith tells me that the first run he went on after deciding to move more turned into a walk. “Once I’d run about 300 meters, I realised it was much harder than I thought it would be,” he says.
Instead of stopping, Smith decided he was going to do the distance he planned, but by walking, breaking into a jog now and then.
“Despite not being able to do what I intended to do when I left the house, I enjoyed being out in the fresh air, moving my body and being active,” he says.
Now he runs because he loves experiencing beautiful places.
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“You don’t have to set a personal best every time that you go for a run,” he says.
“It doesn’t hurt to enjoy the environment while you’re out there,” says Smith. “If you see something that you want to stop and look at, stop and look at it.
“You are still doing the run. You are still improving your cardiovascular fitness. You are still burning calories. You are still getting your heart rate up.”
2. Be consistent and add small challenges
Because he enjoyed his first outing, Smith tried again, and crucially, he tried to do a little more running than last time.
“The next time I went, I was able to run a little bit further and walk a little bit less,” he says. “And I went again. Over time, walks turned into proper runs.”
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“By being consistent, you will build up the strength, endurance and stamina that make you more capable,” says Smith. “Start easy and gradually increase the challenge.
“Go to that next lamppost if you’re running, or an additional repetition on each of your sets if you’re weight training.”
“These things add up and make all the difference.”
Three weeks later, he ran up his nearest hill without stopping at all. “It was such a great feeling,” he says.
And that’s how Smith advises formerly athletic midlifers to return to exercise. Find a form of movement they enjoy and aim for achievable, consistent progress. These two simple things will set you up for success in the future.
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“You will feel stronger. You will feel fitter. You will have probably lost a little bit of weight as well,” says Smith. “This will also mean you’ll feel a little lighter and more energized. Then you will feel good about the progress that you’ve made.”
You don’t need a gym to exercise. Here’s how to work out at home.
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Whether you’re focused on building muscle, improving your balance or working on your ability to complete longer, sustained workouts, one thing’s for sure: you’ll need to take small, actionable steps to reach your fitness goals.
Remember, you don’t need to drastically overhaul your life on January 1. In fact, before making any major changes to your dietary pattern and exercise routine, it’s best to have a conversation with your doctor first, especially if you live with any chronic conditions. In the long run, you’ll most benefit from taking small, actionable steps to help achieve your fitness and nutrition goals, the experts say.
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We asked fitness experts to break down their top tips to help you kick off 2026 stronger than ever.
How to fit exercise into a busy schedule
If you’re hitting the reset button on your fitness routine, start small and choose an exercise you enjoy, says Dr. Kimberly Burbank, a primary care sports medicine fellow and team physician at UCLA Athletics. You don’t necessarily need to do the movements traditionally associated with exercise to get a good workout in, either. “I really encourage people to choose (a movement) they actually enjoy doing, because they will probably stick with it more,” she says.
To help set attainable fitness goals, one route is to use the SMART framework of goal setting, recommends Dr. Brandee L. Waite, a professor and vice chair of Wellness & Community Engagement Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at UC Davis School of Medicine, the medical director of the UC Davis Health Sports Medicine Clinic and the director of Lifestyle & Longevity Medicine Innovation.
The SMART acronym stands for goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound, and what’s great about using this framework in an exercise context is that you’re able to approach fitness as you would any other appointment — if it’s scheduled on your calendar, there’s a greater likelihood you’ll honor it, Waite says.
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We all know physical fitness is crucial. But how many days weekly should you work out?
When it comes to fitting exercise into a busy schedule, “I try to encourage consistency over perfection,” Burbank says. Often, her patients will express frustration that they’ve missed a week of exercise — and therefore their entire workout schedule has been thrown off. While it’s important to “be as consistent as you can, (understand) that you don’t have to be perfect to still make a meaningful difference,” she says.
If you’re someone who prefers to exercise in the morning, try to make it easy for yourself when you wake up. “It’s so easy when that alarm goes off to just ignore it and move on. But if you have laid out your clothes the night before, have your coffee prepped (and) have your bag packed, then there’s so many (fewer) variables and barriers,” Burbank says.
How often should you exercise?
There’s no perfect cadence as to how often you should exercise. “What works really well for one person, will not work at all for another person. So, it does need to be personalized and realistic,” says Waite. However, there is something to be said about shorter, more frequent workouts. There’s a lower risk of injury, and they’re faster to complete and generally easier to stay consistent with, Burbank says.
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Ultimately, what’s most important is to meet a certain number of goal minutes every week, says Dr. Julia L. Iafrate, a sports medicine physician at NYU Langone Health and a team physician for the U.S. Ski Team. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend adults participate in 150-to-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week. While this might sound intimidating, that breaks down to only 30 minutes of exercise a day over the course of five days, and could consist of a mix of pilates, yoga or brisk walking.
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If you prefer vigorous-intensity aerobic exercises (like HIIT or running), it’s recommended you complete at least 75 minutes a week, which evens out to a little more than 20 minutes of exercise a day over the course of three days. On top of these exercises, the organizations suggest adults should partake in muscle-strengthening workouts at least two days a week.
What are the most beginner-friendly exercises?
There are a few forms of exercise that should be a central focus of your workouts: cardio, muscle strengthening and balance work. Practicing each type of exercise can help improve your ability to do the others and also reduce your risk of injury, Iafrate says.
Cardio. Incorporating aerobic exercises that get your heart rate up (such as running, swimming or cycling) is key to improving endurance, supports heart and lung health, and lowers your risk for a number of chronic diseases, Iafrate says.
Muscle strengthening. Resistance training with weights stimulates two types of muscle contractions: eccentric loading and concentric loading. When you perform a bicep curl with a dumbbell in hand, that’s considered a concentric motion. As you lower the dumbbell and your arm straightens, that is an eccentric motion, Iafrate says. Both movements are important for strength building, tendon health and bone mineral density, she explains.
Balance work. Functional movement training, including tai chi and yoga, is especially beneficial for maintaining flexibility, stabilizing your body and limiting the likelihood of falls down the line, Iafrate says.
Weight-bearing exercise. “Walking, especially for beginners, is super underrated,” Burbank says. Getting your step count up to 7,000 steps a day offers immense benefits for health, including lowering your risk for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, according to a 2025 study published in Lancet Public Health.
If you’re relatively new to exercise and don’t know what is helpful or harmful, Waite recommends having at least two-to-three sessions with a physical therapist to develop the right type of exercise program. For instance, if someone has a medical condition like hip arthritis, a professional can provide “modifications for a regular fitness training program that won’t further exacerbate the problem that is currently bothering them,” Waite says.
How can nutrition support fitness goals?
“Nutrition and exercise have such a symbiotic relationship,” Burbank says. Throughout your week, prioritize whole, fiber-rich foods, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Americans aren’t consuming nearly enough protein, which is essential to muscle building, muscle recovery and satiety, Burbank notes. Your minimum daily intake of protein should hover between 0.8 grams to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. To increase your protein intake, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends incorporating more lean meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, legumes, nuts, seeds and soy into your diet.
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Hydration is particularly important, especially prior to working out. “When you’re dehydrated, (it will) increase your likelihood for fatigue and poor peak performance,” Iafrate says. Ideally, we should be drinking between 2.5 to 3 liters of water a day, Burbank says.
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