Leg-strengthening Exercises For Seniors

Exercise during the golden years can strengthen your body, prevent injuries related to falls, improve quality of daily life, and prevent aches and muscular stiffness associated with aging. By strengthening your legs, you can experience increased energy while walking, reduced pain while standing and improvements in balance. Leg-strengthening exercises help fight muscle mass deterioration that is common with aging. Make sure that you perform safe and effective low-impact strength-training exercises, and do not perform isometric quadriceps contractions or isometric wall squats if you have high blood pressure--isometric exercises may cause spikes in blood pressure.

Isometric Quadriceps Contractions

Strengthen the top of your legs, the quadriceps. Sit on an exercise mat. Extend your legs straight in front of you, resting them on the ground. Bend your right knee and place your heel on the ground, next to your left knee. Squeeze your left thigh and use your leg muscles to push your left knee against the mat. Hold for 10 seconds, release and switch legs. Alternate between the legs until you complete the exercise three times on each side.

Isometric Wall Squats

Exercise your quadriceps, your glutes and your hamstrings. Rest your head, shoulders, back and hips against a wall. Walk your feet two feet in front of your body and stack your knees directly over your ankles. Slide your back down the wall, lowering your body towards the ground. Stop when the back of your legs are parallel to the ground. Stop earlier if it is too challenging to lower your body that far. Build your strength at a position that challenges your leg muscles. Hold in the lowered position for 20 to 30 seconds. Lift back to start and rest for a minute. Repeat the exercise.

Leg Marches

Build leg and hip flexor strength with leg marches. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Tighten your abdominal muscles and relax your shoulders. Lift your chin and look forward. Lift your right knee as close to your chest as possible and then drop your foot back to the ground. Lift your left knee high as possible and then lower your foot to the ground. Alternate between legs until you complete 10 repetitions on each side.

Knee Extensions

Sit on a chair and straighten your back. Adjust your positioning so that the edge of the chair is directly under your knees. Squeeze the top of your legs and dig your heels into the ground, toes pointing towards the ceiling. Lift your legs until they are parallel to the ground. Lower and repeat until you complete 10 repetitions.