"It mirrors real life better than most gym exercises" A celebrity PT recommends this simple move as the best strength exercise most over 50s aren't doing | Tech Radar
Overview
News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
Details
Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
"It mirrors real life better than most gym exercises" A celebrity PT recommends this simple move as the best strength exercise most over 50s aren't doing
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Will & Deni Mc Intyre)
There’s a reason why some of the most effective exercises tend to mirror movements in real life. It’s not because personal trainers and coaches lack imagination, but because the body doesn't care how creative your programming is — it cares whether you can climb a flight of stairs without grabbing the banister, for example, or if you can catch yourself from a stumble.
These are just a few of the benchmarks that matter in later life, and for elite performance coach David Higgins — who has trained everyone from Margot Robbie and Scarlett Johansson to Samuel L. Jackson, David Harbour, Game of Thrones' Richard Madden and the entire cast of The Batman, among many others — one exercise sits at the top of the list for anyone over 50: the step-up. Here’s why.
Most people understand that strength declines with age. What they underestimate, however, is how quickly it begins to matter in practical terms, despite not being able to be measured on the best smartwatches' fitness age metrics.
“Lower body power becomes critical after 50 because we naturally lose muscle mass, reaction speed and balance as we age,” says Higgins. “The glutes, quads and calves are what keep you upright, stable and independent.”
If you can't generate force through the floor, he says, “everyday movements like climbing stairs, getting out of a chair or catching yourself from a fall become harder.” The step-up addresses all of this in a single movement: “it trains strength, balance and coordination all at once and mirrors real life better than most gym exercises.” It's slightly similar to the farmer's carry, an application of a real-life movement.
The forward lunge is the best simple move you're not doing, and it's vital for over-50s
A celebrity PT shares his go-to exercise for staying pain-free over 30
I asked Chat GPT to build me a realistic weekly workout for a 54-year-old
It’s also the reason Higgins places it above more popular alternatives. Walking is excellent, of course, but doesn't load the body enough to preserve muscle. Squats are bilateral — they share the work equally between both legs, which means they don't expose or address the kind of side-to-side imbalances that tend to develop quietly over decades. Step-ups, however, are unilateral, as each leg works independently, building the stability and gait mechanics that bilateral training misses.
“If I could only choose one lower-body movement after 50,” says Higgins, “step-ups would be near the top because they combine strength, stability, balance, gait mechanics and unilateral control in one movement; they bridge the gap between rehab and performance.”
Watch the tutorial video below for advice on how to do a step up:
Before thinking about adding height, load or additional reps, Higgins is more concerned with something more fundamental: the quality of the movement itself. “The biggest mistake older adults make is chasing fatigue instead of quality movement,” he says. “Rushing through reps, leaning through the hips, or pushing through the stronger side of the body.” Your nervous system, he says, “has to trust the movement before your body can own it.”
Rushing through step-ups doesn't just reduce the benefit — it reinforces the compensations you're trying to correct. If you're relying on the trailing leg to push you up, or leaning forward as you step, you're not actually building the unilateral strength and hip control the exercise is there to develop.
3 reasons to get a walkingpad for Prime Day — and where to find the best deals
'It’s no longer enough for an app to tell you what to do. People want to know why': Fitness app Fitbod's founder on the reason behind the AI fitness boom
Forget Whoop, Apple, Garmin, and all the rest — when it comes to lifting weights, I've never found a better solution than a spreadsheet
Instead, Higgins’ coaching cue is worth memorising: “push the floor away and finish tall through the glutes.” Most people pull themselves up through the knee, instead of driving through the hip. It's a subtle distinction, but makes an enormous difference to where the effort is actually made.
To perform the step-up, stand facing a sturdy bench, box, or step. Place one foot fully on the platform, then drive through that heel to lift your body up until both feet are on the step. Step back down with control and repeat for the desired reps before switching legs. Keep your chest up and avoid pushing off excessively with the trailing leg.
For step height, beginners should start with a low box, roughly ankle to mid-shin height. "You want control, not compensation," he says. Fitter adults with solid mobility, balance and hip control can work up to knee height.
As for volume, Higgins prescribes 2–3 sets of 8–12 controlled reps per leg. "Tempo matters more than volume," he says. Drive through the whole foot, stand tall at the top and lower slowly under control.
Higgins confirms that just your bodyweight is sufficient resistance to begin with and, for many people over 50, it's exactly where they should stay — probably for longer than they'd expect. “Most people over 50 need to relearn movement patterns before adding load,” he says. “Once control, balance and posture improve, adding dumbbells or a weighted vest is a brilliant progression.” The dumbbells can wait. As for frequency? Two to three sessions a week is enough to see real benefit, Higgins says. “Consistency beats intensity every time.”
Step-ups are accessible to most people, but Higgins flags a few situations worth considering. Anyone with severe knee osteoarthritis, significant balance issues or acute hip pain should approach the exercise carefully and ideally with professional guidance. “Often it's not that the exercise is wrong,” he says, “it's that the height is too ambitious or the body isn't controlling the movement properly yet.” Low and slow is always the right answer.
What leg-day moves are your go-tos in the gym? Have you tried the step-up yet? Let us know below.
Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.
A freelance writer and former Deputy Digital Editor at Men's Health, Ed specializes in health and fitness. He has previously written for WIRED, British GQ, ASOS, Runner's World, Esquire, Lululemon and many more.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
1VPN firms and digital rights groups join forces to urge the UK government to leave VPNs alone
2 Save 49% on the 1TB WD_BLACK SN7100 SSD with blazing fast PCIe Gen 4 speeds
3'One of the fastest laser printers' we've tested just got a major price cut at HP
4 These bone conduction headphones have a tiny 4K camera for recordings
5'Removing discs doesn’t represent progress – it simply removes choice' — The Entertainment Retailers Association denounces Sony's decision to kill physical discs
Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Key Takeaways
- News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
- Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
- Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
- Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
- Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards
