Back squats aren’t the only way to train strong legs. Fitness coach Carrie Sisson, 70, favors six exercises that work the quads, glutes and hamstrings without putting a bar on your back. They range from home-friendly dumbbell moves to gym machines, and they are options—not a one-size-fits-all program. Sisson told Tom’s Guide on October 6, 2026: “You don’t have to force an exercise that doesn’t feel right just because it’s popular.”
What to know before trying these exercises
These six movements are leg-training choices, not a complete weekly fitness plan or a guarantee that a movement will suit everyone. If you are new to strength training, returning after surgery or injury, or unsure whether a movement is appropriate for you, ask a doctor or physical therapist for guidance. Age alone does not automatically require medical clearance: the National Institute on Aging says older adults without an existing injury or chronic condition who plan to increase activity gradually generally do not need to consult a doctor first.
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The NIA recommends starting with no weights or resistance bands until you are comfortable with the movements, then increasing gradually. Warm up, keep joints from locking, avoid holding your breath, and allow recovery by not training the same muscle group on consecutive days. The agency’s guidance is available in its overview of four types of exercise.
These exercises also cover only lower-body strength. Federal guidance says older adults should include balance training alongside aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity, and recommends strengthening all major muscle groups on at least two days per week. See the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, second edition; tailor effort to your fitness and any chronic conditions.
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Six exercises Sisson uses to build strong legs
1. Romanian deadlift: hamstrings
Hold a bar or a pair of dumbbells in front of your thighs. Hinge at the hips with your back straight, lowering the weights along your shins; then stand by pushing through your feet. Sisson says the movement “teaches your hamstrings to lengthen under load.”
2. Split squat: quads, hip stability and balance
Place your rear foot on a stable bench, hold dumbbells at your sides, and lower into a controlled lunge. This is a unilateral exercise, working one side at a time. Sisson says it builds quad strength, hip stability and balance while making side-to-side differences more apparent.
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3. Hip thrust: glutes
Rest your upper back on a stable block or box, with your feet planted on the floor. A bar or dumbbells can be placed across your hips; if you do not have raised support, use a floor-based version. Sisson’s rationale is that the load goes through the hips rather than the spine, allowing her to load the movement and feel her glutes working. That is her explanation, not a claim that the movement is right for every back or every lifter.
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At a gym, use a leg-press machine and follow its setup instructions. Sisson describes it as a way to load the lower body without spinal compression and calls it one of the safest ways to push heavy leg volume. Those are her assessments, not a universal safety ranking. At home, the source suggests a goblet squat: hold a dumbbell at your chest and squat with control.
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5. Step-ups: quads and glutes
Use a stable bench or box that can support your weight. Step up, stand tall, then step down under control; add dumbbells only if appropriate for your ability and balance. Sisson calls step-ups a functional, one-sided movement for the quads and glutes, and says they target those muscles in a way bilateral exercises cannot. That comparison reflects her view, rather than a claim that step-ups are the only way to train them.
6. Cable kickbacks: glutes and hamstrings
Attach an ankle strap to a cable machine, or secure a resistance band to something sturdy. Hinge slightly forward, brace your core, and drive the working heel backward with control. Sisson describes kickbacks as an isolation finisher for the glute-hamstring area.
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What equipment do you need?
You can do several of these movements at home with hand-held weights or bands; a cable machine and leg press require gym equipment. The NIA lists hand-held weights, weight machines and resistance bands as strength-training options. Adjustable dumbbells are one possible home setup, but no special purchase is required to begin: the NIA advises starting without weights or with bands while learning the movements.
| Exercise | Equipment and setting | Main emphasis | Movement type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romanian deadlift | Bar or two dumbbells; home or gym | Hamstrings | Two-sided hinge |
| Split squat | Bench and optional dumbbells | Quads, hip stability and balance | One side at a time |
| Hip thrust | Block or box, or floor; bar or dumbbells optional | Glutes | Hip extension |
| Leg press | Leg-press machine; goblet squat is the suggested home alternative | Lower body | Machine press; home alternative is a squat |
| Step-up | Stable weight-bearing bench or box; dumbbells optional | Quads and glutes | One side at a time |
| Cable kickback | Cable machine or resistance band secured to a sturdy anchor | Glutes and hamstrings | Single-leg isolation |
How to fit leg strength into broader activity
Strength work matters, but the available statistics describe overall activity—not the results of these six exercises. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion reports that fewer than 15% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older meet both aerobic and muscle-strengthening recommendations. In leisure-time activity data from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey, 7% of U.S. adults aged 80 and older met both components, compared with 17% of adults aged 65–69. The figures are reported in the ODPHP’s Midcourse Report Q&A.
For a reader whose back makes back squats uncomfortable or unsuitable, these alternatives may be worth discussing with a qualified professional. Sisson’s point is not that every exercise here suits every person; it is that strong-leg training has more than one route.
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