As we age, leg strength becomes increasingly important. Our legs support us during a lot of our everyday movement, from walking and climbing stairs to getting out of a chair and staying steady on our feet. These everyday movements are what help us stay active and independent throughout our 60s and beyond.
But building lower-body strength doesn’t mean you need to start lifting heavy dumbbells or spend hours in the gym. Bodyweight exercises can still challenge the muscles in your legs, particularly when they’re combined with controlled movement and repeated consistently. Better still, you can pair them with something many of us are already doing: walking.
That’s the thinking behind this 10-minute walking-strength workout from Colin Pennington, Exercise Science Program Director at Gwynedd Mercy University. Pennington recommends combining short walking intervals with simple exercises like chair squats, calf raises and step-ups to target the major muscles of the lower body.
The routine he’s designed takes just 10 minutes, requires no weights, and can easily be adapted to your ability level. So, if you’re over 60 and want to make your daily walk work a little harder for you, this could be a smart place to start.
What is the 10-minute walking-strength workout?
Pennington’s routine alternates one-minute walking intervals with simple bodyweight strength exercises, giving you a mix of cardio and resistance work without needing any equipment. The strength moves target the quads, glutes and calves, and there are also balance and coordination challenges in there — all useful for maintaining everyday mobility as you age.
The routine is designed to be adaptable. You can walk in place or use a hallway for the walking intervals, hold onto a chair or wall for extra stability during the strength moves, and swap the step-ups for high-knee marches if you don’t have a suitable step nearby.
Here’s the full 10-minute routine:
- Minute 1: Gentle in-place or hallway walking
- Minute 2: Chair squats — 8–12 controlled reps
- Minute 3: Brisk walking
- Minute 4: Standing calf raises — 12–15 controlled reps
- Minute 5: Brisk walking
- Minute 6: Low step-ups — 8–10 reps per leg, or high-knee marches
- Minute 7: Chair squats — 8–12 controlled reps
- Minute 8: Brisk walking
- Minute 9: Standing calf raises and step-ups
- Minute 10: Gentle cooldown walk with deep breathing
Don’t worry about racing through the strength exercises to fill the entire minute. Prioritize slow, controlled reps and good form, then use any remaining time to reset before moving on to the next interval.
How to do the strength exercises
1. Chair squats
Chair squats strengthen the quads, hamstrings and glutes — the muscles you rely on for everyday movements like standing up, climbing stairs and walking uphill. Using a chair also gives you a clear target to work toward, making this an accessible squat variation.
- Stand in front of a sturdy chair with your feet around shoulder-width apart. Place the chair against a wall so it can’t slide.
- Push your hips back and slowly lower yourself as if you’re going to sit down.
- Lightly touch your glutes to the seat rather than dropping your weight into the chair.
- Press through your heels to return to standing.
- Aim for 8–12 controlled reps.
2. Standing calf raises
Don’t overlook your calves when it comes to building stronger legs. These muscles help propel you forward when you walk and play an important role in ankle stability and balance.
- Stand behind a chair or beside a wall or countertop for support, with your feet hip-width apart.
- Press through the balls of your feet and slowly lift your heels as high as feels comfortable.
- Pause for one second at the top.
- Lower your heels back to the floor with control.
- Complete 12–15 reps.
3. Low step-ups
Step-ups mimic climbing stairs, so they’re particularly useful for building the kind of leg strength that carries over into everyday life. They work the quads and glutes while adding a balance and coordination component.
- Stand at the bottom of a staircase or in front of a sturdy low step and hold onto a handrail or wall if needed.
- Place your whole right foot on the step.
- Press through your right heel to step up, bringing your left foot up to meet it.
- Step back down carefully, one foot at a time.
- Complete 8–10 reps leading with the right leg, then switch and match the number of reps on your left.
If there’s no step nearby, march in place instead, aiming to lift each knee toward hip height.
Why combine walking and leg strength after 60?
Walking is a brilliant way to support cardiovascular fitness, mobility and overall activity levels as we age, but adding strength work helps fill an important gap. Exercises like squats, calf raises and step-ups challenge the muscles that support your knees, hips and ankles, helping you stay stronger as you age.
Combining the two also makes your workout more efficient — you’re getting your heart rate up while strengthening your lower body at the same time. Start at a pace that feels manageable, use support where you need it, and focus on consistency rather than intensity. Over time, those 10 minutes can add up.
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