Thick Thighs Save Lives

6 ways to have strong legs in midlife and beyond:

A stable foundation

Lower-body strength matters a lot! It’s linked with lower mortality risk and healthier aging, not to mention that building lean muscle during perimenopause and menopause can support insulin sensitivity, metabolism, joint stability, and bone health. Well, it does those things at all times, but in perimenopause and menopause it’s especially important.

Here are 6 ways to do it:

1. Deficit split squat: start with a basic split squat before progressing to a deficit version, focusing on reaching the full range of motion rather than immediately adding weight; raising the front foot increases the stretch on the quads, particularly the rectus femoris, while also challenging hip mobility and stability.
2. Lying leg extension: changing the hip position can alter which quad muscles are emphasized, with a more extended hip position increasing the focus on the rectus femoris; pause at full knee extension and if you feel so inclined, you might also consider pairing this isolation movement with a compound exercise such as the deficit split squat.
3. Lean back: lean backward from the knees while keeping your abs braced and glutes squeezed, rather than sitting back at the hips; the quads are loaded while lengthened and then contractrf as you return upright.
4. Heel-raised goblet squat: elevating the heels in this one reduces the ankle-mobility requirement while allowing the knees to move farther forward and emphasizing the quads.
5. Dumbbell leg extension: squeeze a dumbbell between your legs while extending your knees, using a small range of motion and focusing on the end position; this can also involve the adductors and provides a great at-home option when there is no cable machine, leg-extension machine, or ankle weights.
6. VMO exercise: put a light resistance band around your leg, angle your toe inwards, and work through the very end range of knee extension while keeping your heel down; the small movement targets the teardrop-shaped quad area near the inside of the knee and can also involve the glute and ankle mobility.

For more on all of this plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

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Take care!