At any stage of life, workouts should focus on simplicity, efficiency, and steady progression rather than doing more for the sake of it. As we get older, muscle mass and bone density naturally decline, making strength training even more important for maintaining mobility, balance, and long-term health. While the classic “big lifts” work well for many people, there’s no strict rulebook. The best exercises are the ones that suit your body, your goals, and your ability level. If I had to recommend one lower-body move for women focused on healthy aging, it would be a compound exercise that strengthens multiple joints and muscle groups at once.
The One Exercise I Recommend Most
The foot-elevated sumo squat may sound complicated, but it’s one of the most efficient movements you can add to your routine. It builds leg strength, improves balance, supports joint mobility, and challenges your muscles through a greater range of motion. This exercise targets the glutes (especially the outer glutes), quads, hamstrings, adductors, hips, calves, and core. When holding heavier weights, it also develops grip and forearm strength—both linked to long-term functional health.
Why Elevating Your Feet Makes a Difference
Raising your feet increases the range of motion, which means your muscles stay under tension for longer. This helps improve mobility while allowing you to squat deeper than usual, loading the muscles more effectively and encouraging strength and muscle development.
How To Do the Foot-Elevated Sumo Squat
Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart on sturdy blocks or weight plates, toes turned slightly outward. Hold a weight between your legs with both hands, arms extended. Engage your core, keep your chest lifted, and look forward. Push your hips back and lower into a deep squat while keeping your spine neutral. Lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, or until the weight reaches the ground between your feet. Pause briefly, then drive through your heels to stand, squeezing your glutes as you extend your hips and knees.
Why This Exercise Supports Healthy Aging
From our 40s onward, muscle loss and reduced bone density can accelerate, affecting strength, balance, and mobility. Balance, in particular, often declines with reduced muscle mass, increasing injury risk later in life. Strengthening the lower body helps preserve independence, supports joint health, and improves coordination. This squat variation also engages the core, which is essential for posture, lifting, and daily movement well into later decades.
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Relative Strength Over Maximum Strength
Instead of focusing only on how much weight you can lift, it’s more useful to think about relative strength—how strong you are compared to your body size. Progress doesn’t always mean lifting heavier immediately; it can also mean better control, improved form, or increased range of motion. You can progress this movement by increasing the load, adding more plates under your feet, adjusting reps and sets, or slowing down the lowering phase to increase muscle tension.
Why Leg Strength Is So Important
Strong legs are a key indicator of overall health. They support walking, climbing stairs, lifting, and daily tasks. Larger muscle groups like the glutes and quads also play a major role in metabolic health, helping maintain a healthier body composition as you age. Strength training places healthy stress on bones, encouraging them to stay strong. Combined with a full range of motion, this makes the foot-elevated sumo squat especially effective for long-term strength and resilience.
How To Program This Exercise
Aim for 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps. As you get stronger, gradually increase the weight, add elevation, or adjust rest periods. Slowing down the lowering phase can further challenge your muscles and improve results. Even if building new muscle isn’t your main goal, maintaining the strength you already have is essential for staying active, confident, and injury-free as you age.
