Walking, jogging, running, and elliptical don't do anything to build lower body strength. Those things are about cardio and endurance - which are also useful things to pursue with exercise.
Strength for full functionality is something different. It's not easy to build lower body (hips, glutes, legs) strength without heavy weight exercises like deadlifts and barbell squats, but there are some exercises that can help get in shape for skiing, mountain hiking, etc. - and are good cardio too. I generally do 3 sets of each of them once weekly in addition to my heavy weight regimen:
- Mountain Climbers - 50-100/set (left+right = 1). They toughen your core too, because it's a dynamic plank.
- Body weight squats. I combine them with 90 degree 10-second squat-sits every 10 squats. It burns.
- Squat and press, with lighter hand weights - a good full-body calisthenic. Or Step Up and Press.
- Lunges - forward, backwards, sideways. I do them with lightish hand weights, like 10 lbs.
- Kettlebell swings. Don't use your back - use your hips.
- Box jumps or jumping squats
- Stairmaster machine, at whatever speed you can handle. Your body adapts quickly to this demand. People say it's a fat-burner too but I doubt it unless you go for 45 minutes at a brisk pace. (the first 20 minutes of any cardio exercise burns zero fat)
Last week, we considered whether lower body strength can be improved efficiently without heavy weights. The sad answer is "Not really." Only moving the heavy weights can improve strength efficiently, but some calisthenics can at least mainta
Tracked: Dec 20, 17:12