“Lower body strength is one of the greatest predictors of healthy aging and independence”—here’s how a Pilates teacher suggests building lower-body muscle in just three moves
The exercises will help to keep you mobile and active into old age
We can’t stop time, but we can take action to keep feeling physically young.
For Tatiana Schloessman, a certified Pilates instructor and the founder of Élan Pilates Studios, Westlake Village, that starts with keeping her legs strong.
“Lower body strength is one of the greatest predictors of healthy aging and independence,” she tells Fit&Well. “Your youth is in your legs.
“Strong legs and hips allow us to climb stairs, get up from a chair, carry light and heavy items, maintain balance, and reduce the risk of falls.
“The stronger your lower body, the more freedom and confidence you'll have for years to come.”
Schloessman says that age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) speeds up when we don’t actively train.
“Building strength isn’t just about looking fit; it’s about being stronger and preserving the ability to live life on your own terms,” she says.
Schloessman thinks that Pilates offers a unique way to develop lower-body strength, with a little extra benefit that most traditional workouts miss.
“Rather than just adding resistance, Pilates emphasizes precision, control, proper alignment, and full range of motion,” she explains.
“During Pilates exercises, the legs work together with the core, glutes, hips and ankles, so you’re doing more than building muscle; you’re strengthening the hip, knee and ankle joints as well.”
I asked Schloessman to share her three favorite Pilates exercises to strengthen the lower body.
You’ll need a mat, a weight and a slider (or a towel) to give it a go.
1. Bridge
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30sec
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and push through your heels to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line.
- Inhale and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Exhale and slowly lower back to the starting position.
Primary muscles worked: glutes, hamstrings, core and pelvic floor.
“If I could only choose one exercise for beginners, bridge would be at the top of my list,” says Schloessman.
“It strengthens the glutes, hamstrings and core while improving hip mobility and spinal stability. It's one of the few exercises that even people with knee issues can do comfortably.”
2. Goblet squat
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30sec
How to do it:
- Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell close to your chest with both hands.
- Brace your core and keep your chest lifted as you sit your hips back and bend your knees, as if you're lowering yourself into a chair. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as far as your mobility allows.
- Press through your heels to return to standing.
Primary muscles worked: quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, core and upper back.
“This exercise teaches proper squat mechanics while building strength through the ankles, knees, hips and core all at once,” says Schloessman.
“What I love about it specifically is that holding the weight in front naturally encourages better posture, a more upright torso and great core engagement.
“With this one, you’re reinforcing good movement patterns while you build strength. It’s beginner-friendly but challenging enough to keep progressing for years.”
3. Side lunge with sliders
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: 30sec
How to do it:
- Stand with your right foot on the floor and your left on a slider or towel.
- Engage your core and keep your chest lifted as you slowly slide your left foot out to the side, bending your right knee and pushing your hips back—stopping when your thigh is parallel with the floor, or as close as your mobility allows.
- Press through your right foot to stand upright, sliding your left foot back in.
- Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides.
Form tip: keep your stationary knee in line with your toes.
Primary muscles worked: glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, abductors and core stabilizers.
“Most people spend their entire lives moving forward and backward. We almost never train side-to-side movement,” says Schloessman. “That’s precisely why I love this exercise.”
“It strengthens the legs along a completely different plane of motion, while improving hip mobility, balance and pelvic stability.
“As we get older, lateral strength becomes increasingly important for preventing falls and moving confidently in everyday life.
“The slider adds a layer of control that makes the standing leg work even harder to stabilize. This exercise is about strength, mobility and coordination, all in one move.”
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Tatiana Schloessman is the founder of Élan Pilates Studios in Westlake Village, CA. She has more than 30 years of fitness training under her belt and is a certified Pilates instructor
