Bed Exercises to Restore Leg Strength After 60

Whether you want to boost leg strength or restore it, add these bed exercises to your routine.

Leg strength is important for many reasons. At the top of the list is it helps you continue to lead an active, independent life. Many individuals take this essential strength for granted, but your legs help you stay mobile, balanced, and avoid falls and injuries. Sadly, sarcopenia is a natural age-related loss of muscle that occurs after 50—and it does not help leg strength.

Whether you want to increase leg strength or restore it because you are nursing an injury, we spoke with an expert to learn five bed exercises that restore leg strength faster than squats after 60.

“When you’re lying down, you can still strengthen a lot of the same muscles that squats work—including your glutes, quads, hamstring and inner thigh muscles,” explains Nikkiey Stott, BSN, AAAI/ISMA-CPT certified coach, 3x Pro Bodybuilder (OCB), and co-founder of WarriorBabe. Stott is a leading voice in women’s health, fitness, and empowerment with more than a decade of experience in strength training and nutrition.

She adds, “The difference is that floor exercises remove the pressure from your knees and hips and you don’t require balance. This makes them a great starting point for women over 60 who want to rebuild strength in a safe and controlled way.”

Kicking things off with simple bed or floor workouts can help build strength and confidence, first and foremost. Over time, your goal should be to progress into standing bodyweight exercises when you feel supported enough.

Below, Stott outlines five bed exercises that help restore leg strength faster than squats alone after 60.

Glute Bridges

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides with palms pressing into the mattress.
2. Press through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
3. Squeeze your buttocks, holding at the top for 2 seconds.
4. Lower your hips back to the start position.
5. Perform 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.

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Straight Leg Raises

1. Lie flat on your back, arms at your sides and legs straight.
2. Lift both legs off the floor, keeping them extended.
3. Use control to lower without allowing your legs to touch the ground.
4. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps on each leg.

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Inner Thigh Squeeze

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet flat on the mattress.
2. Place a pillow between your knees and squeeze them together.
3. Hold for 5 seconds before releasing.
4. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 13 reps.

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Side-Lying Leg Lifts

1. Begin by lying on one side with your legs stacked, your head resting on your bottom arm, and your top hand placed on your hip.
2. Lift your top leg upward.
3. Hold it for a moment.
4. Slowly lower.
5. Repeat on the other side.
6. Perform 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps on each side.

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Heel Slides

1. Start by lying flat on your back with your legs on the mattress.
2. Place your arms at your sides and gently press your lower back into the mattress.
3. Slide one heel back toward your hips before lengthening it back out.
4. Complete 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

Alexa Mellardo

Alexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home. Read more about Alexa