New Squats for Older Legs
Once you’ve mastered the basic squat, you might want to try one or more of these variations. Why? Your muscles are fast learners, so within four to six workouts, they’ll figure out how to do the same old squat exercise using less energy and fewer muscle fibers — leaving you with fewer results. Just the slightest change to the squat reminds your muscles to pay attention, which improves your overall strength and fitness and helps enhance balance.
Split squats
Instead of keeping your feet alongside each other, step forward with your left foot and plant it about three feet in front of your right foot. Your left foot should be flat on the floor, while your right foot — because of the angle — should have only the ball of it touching the floor with your heel slightly elevated. Either put your hands on your hips or let your arms hang down at your sides.
Holding this posture, slowly squat down until your left thigh is parallel to the floor — your right knee will naturally lower down to just above the floor. Push yourself back up, repeat 6 to 8 times, then switch positions (putting your right foot forward) and repeat 6 to 8 more times.
Heel-raise squats
Get into the same position as a regular squat. Squat down as usual, then stand back up, but once you’re back in a standing position, keep raising up by lifting your heels off the floor as far as you can without losing balance (even a centimeter off the floor still counts). Pause at the top for a second or two if possible — if you can’t for now, that’s OK, you’ll get there! — then lower your heels back down to the floor. Repeat 8 to 10 times.
Dumbbell-offset squats
This exercise forces your body to find its balance. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a light dumbbell in each hand. Curl the weight in your left hand up and rest the dumbbell on your left shoulder — leave your right arm hanging down at your side. Do one set of 8 to 10 repetitions of squats. Once finished, switch positions (resting the dumbbell in your right hand on your right shoulder, keeping your left arm straight) and perform a second set of 8 to 10 repetitions.
Side-kick squats
Position yourself as if you were about to do a traditional squat, but bring your hands up in front of your chest. Squat down, then as you push yourself back up into a standing position, shift your weight onto your right leg and gently sweep your left leg out to the side, so that you use only your right leg to push yourself back up. Bring your left foot back down into the starting position, then squat down once again, this time shifting your weight onto your left leg as you rise and gently sweep your right leg out to the side. Continue alternating from left to right for 8 to 10 repetitions.
— Myatt Murphy, certified strength and conditioning specialist
