I learned the hard way why women over 40 need to prioritise leg strength

There was a moment recently when an injury in the gym left me completely freaking out. I couldn’t lift my legs to step into the car, walking up the stairs was agony and my back was screaming at me when I sat down. For a couple of weeks I felt so utterly vulnerable, until I was directed to an osteopath whose feet I almost kissed when she tweaked me back into place.

It was scary, I felt like I had aged 50 years and gave me an insight into what was coming for me if I don’t start looking after my body – and my weak legs in particular.

Your legs, I have come to realise hold the power to anti-ageing. If you don’t have strong legs in older age it can cause so many issues, and at my grand age of 47 I should be starting now (or yesterday) to make sure they are in good shape to keep me dancing into my 80s – or even just getting off the sofa without needing a crane.

Last year I tried out a Dexa Scan to test how strong my bones were and if I was at risk of osteoporosis, a condition which can cause brittle bones that can fracture easily. I came out of there feeling smug at the fact my bones were as strong as a 25 year old, but I was warned; “Your muscles need some work, you need to start exercising them now to keep strong, otherwise you will start getting into trouble.”

Obviously I took it all on board … then pushed it into the long grass with the idea of doing a ‘leg day’ at the gym only rearing its head again when I couldn’t walk properly after my accident. And that, I realised, is the problem – working on an issue when it’s already too late is going to lead to a lifetime of regret and shuffling in comfy shoes.

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So it was time to start building up my strength. I reached out to Claudia Evans, celebrity Personal Trainer at KXU and Studio Fix in Kensington, to find out which exercises I should be adding to my routine. The key to all of it is consistency. 

“Squats, lunges and dead lifts are the best exercises to keep your legs strong,” said Claudia, who will also be sharing her knowledge on stage at The Big Retreat in Cambridgeshire.

“Squats and lunges using your own bodyweight help with your strength and balance as you age so that the risk of falling is lower.

“If you build in some resistance with weights that will also help with glutes, hamstrings and quads.

“Dead lifts with weights for keeping the posterior chain and glutes in check. If you work on those they will definitely help you get off the couch when you are older!”

The posterior chain she refers to is the group of muscles, tendons, and ligaments on the backside of the body, extending from the neck down to the ankles. These muscles are usually called the ‘powerhouse’ for movement and are critical for posture, walking, running, jumping, and lifting, which are essential to keep us feeling supple and able as we age.

Brains and brawn

But it’s not just for physical reasons that I am keen to keep my legs strong. According to scientific research, focusing on your legs can also help with your mental health and potentially stave off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Keeping your calf muscles strong in particular is thought to help slow cognitive decline.

By walking, running, or doing the exercises Claudia recommends, the blood pumped back up carries oxygen and nutrients that feed into the heart and brain.

If your calf muscles are weak then that pump isn’t as effective, meaning circulation slows down. Studies have also shown that higher lean muscle mass in the legs and arms can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, and research has shown that older adults with stronger legs perform better on memory and thinking tests.  

So if you want to figure out the secret to longevity, get back to basics and start looking after your legs. In a couple of decades time when I see you dancing on a table in Ibiza or down at the pub quiz, you will be thanking me for it.