As we get older, there’s one part of the body that deserves a whole lot more attention than it typically gets: your lower half.
Your legs, hips and glutes aren’t just there to get you from the car to the front door. They are the muscles that help you climb stairs, get out of a chair, carry groceries, walk farther, maintain your balance and keep you doing many of the things you love.
In other words, your lower body is your engine for independence.
Don’t get me wrong—strong arms absoultely matter. But as we age, there’s a pretty compelling argument for making lower-body strength a priority.
A recent study of more than 13,000 adults over 65 found that better performance on a 30-second sit to stand test—a measure of lower-body strength—was associated with substantially lower risk of death. Among women specifically, lower-body strength was one of the strongest fitness measures associated with longevity.
And another 2026 study looked specifically at more than 5,400 women ages 63–99. Women who could complete five sit to stands quickly had significantly lower mortality risk. The strongest group had about a 31% lower risk of death compared with the weakest group, even after accounting for other factors.
That's pretty remarkable because getting up from a chair doesn't sound like exercise...but eventually, it can become one of the most important measures of whether your body is capable of doing what you ask it to do. (HERE is the blog from a few weeks ago about my mom getting up).
So yes, work your arms. But don't spend 45 minutes worrying about your triceps while ignoring your glutes and hips. Your arms might carry the groceries, but your legs are what get you to the grocery store.
*The research behind this post is HERE and HERE.
