At any stage of life, workouts should be simple, efficient, and progressive rather than focused on doing more for the sake of it. However, as we get older, muscle mass and bone density naturally decline, making it even more important to prioritize strength, lean muscle, and bone health.
While I often recommend the five classic compound lifts, there are no strict rules about which exercises you must follow. What matters most is choosing movements that work well for your body. That said, if I had to select one exercise for women looking to build leg strength and support healthy aging, it would be a compound movement that engages multiple joints and major muscle groups to improve strength, balance, and muscle mass.
Below is the exercise I consistently recommend as a personal trainer.
Why the Foot-Elevated Sumo Squat Stands Out
The foot-elevated sumo squat may sound complex, but it is highly effective for building strength, improving joint mobility, and enhancing balance.
This movement targets the entire lower body, with emphasis on the glutes—particularly the gluteus medius—as well as the quads, adductors, hamstrings, hips, calves, and core. Your shoulders and arms also contribute by supporting the weight. When performed with heavier loads, it can even improve grip strength and forearm endurance, both of which are linked to longevity.
Elevating the feet increases the range of motion and extends time under tension, meaning the muscles remain engaged for longer. This deeper movement pattern also helps improve mobility as you lower the weight beyond the level of your feet.
How to Perform the Foot-Elevated Sumo Squat
The movement can be practiced with bodyweight at first, but once proper form is established, adding resistance will increase its benefits.
- Place yoga blocks or weight plates wider than shoulder-width apart and stand on them with toes slightly turned outward. Higher elevation increases difficulty.
- Hold a weight between your legs with arms fully extended, gripping it securely with both hands.
- Engage your core and keep your gaze forward.
- Push your hips back and lower into a deep squat, keeping your chest lifted and spine neutral.
- Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor or until the weight touches the ground.
- Pause briefly at the bottom, then drive upward, squeezing your glutes as you extend your hips and knees.
Benefits of Sumo Squats for Women Over 40
As women move through their 40s, 50s, and beyond, sarcopenia—the gradual loss of muscle mass—can accelerate. Strength and bone density may also decline, though the rate varies from person to person. Some women continue training with minimal adjustments, while others need to modify their routines.
One area that commonly changes is balance. As muscle and strength decrease, mobility and stability can suffer, which directly affects independence and long-term health.
Prioritizing lower-body strength, balance, mobility, bone density, and lean muscle mass is essential, and the foot-elevated sumo squat addresses all of these. It also engages the core, and a strong core plays a critical role in healthy aging, especially for those who want to remain active well into later decades.
Understanding Relative Strength
I often encourage clients to focus on relative strength rather than absolute strength. Absolute strength is the maximum weight you can lift, while relative strength compares your strength to your body size and weight.
This perspective helps women progress safely and effectively. Many can lift loads close to or even exceeding their bodyweight by gradually increasing resistance and maintaining consistent training.
In short, progress is not about lifting the heaviest weight possible. It’s about steady improvement over time.
How to Progress the Exercise
As strength improves, you can increase the load, adjust sets and repetitions, or elevate your feet further to expand the range of motion.
Starting with a kettlebell is often recommended because it is easier to grip with an overhand hold. A dumbbell can also be used, though it becomes more challenging to control as the weight increases.
Why This Exercise Deserves a Place in Your Routine
Training every muscle group supports healthy aging, but leg strength is especially important because it reflects overall health and is linked to a lower mortality risk. Strong legs support walking, climbing, running, and everyday movement, helping you stay mobile and confident.
The lower body also contains some of the body’s largest and most powerful muscles, including the glutes and quads. Lean muscle is more metabolically active than fat, meaning a higher muscle-to-fat ratio supports a healthier metabolism and improved calorie burn. This is why the belief that cardio always burns more calories than strength training is a misconception.
Elevating the feet during sumo squats allows the weight to move below foot level, encouraging a deeper squat and fuller range of motion. Greater stretch and load improve muscle activation and hypertrophy.
Strength training also places healthy stress on bones. Applying sufficient load is what signals bones to maintain and rebuild density, supporting long-term skeletal health.
Why Women Over 40 Benefit Even More
This exercise is beneficial for everyone, but it is especially relevant for women over 40. During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes—including reduced estrogen—can significantly affect musculoskeletal health.
Estrogen plays a direct role in the health of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Adequate levels support muscle strength, lean mass, and collagen production in connective tissue. Estrogen also helps reduce stiffness and aids muscle repair.
Even if building additional muscle is not your goal, preserving existing muscle is vital for staying strong, mobile, and injury-free as you age.
Recommended Sets, Reps, and Tempo
To begin, aim for 3–4 sets of 8–12 repetitions. Over time, increase the weight or adjust rest periods, repetitions, or foot elevation.
Placing extra focus on the eccentric phase—slowing the descent into the squat—can significantly increase muscle tension and enhance overall results.
