If you follow online fitness influencers, you may have noticed that lunges and their many variations are go-to exercises in nearly every lower-body workout. It makes sense—they look impressive, and research shows that they help build leg strength in your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. But lunges also demand a lot of your body. After 65, things like your single-leg balance, deep knee flexion, ankle mobility, and the confidence to lower your body toward the floor unassisted become daunting, if not downright impossible. If you can relate, we have good news: You can incorporate other exercises that are just as effective at restoring leg strength faster than lunges after 65.

As you age, leg strength is a clear predictor of whether daily life stays easy or starts getting complicated. It’s what lifts you out of a low chair, carries you up a flight of stairs, keeps your stride steady on an uneven sidewalk, and gets you back on your feet if you stumble. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that more than one in four adults aged 65 and older falls each year, and a weak lower body is one of the biggest risk factors.

The good news is that you don’t need a gym membership, fancy equipment, or intense exercises to restore leg strength after 65. What you need is exercises that you can do consistently and sustainably, with proper form, every single morning. The following four exercises are designed to work your entire lower body, including your thighs, glutes, calves, and hips, using nothing more than a sturdy chair, a bottom stair, and about ten minutes before the day gets going.

To help build the routine, we chatted with James Brady, CPT, a certified personal trainer at OriGym, who shares his top four morning exercises that deliver the same strength benefits as lunging while asking far less of your balance and joints. Read on for the exercises and step-by-step instructions. Then, when you’re finished, check out these 5 Standing Exercises That Trim Upper Arms Faster Than Gym Machines After 60.

Sit-to-Stands

The sit-to-stand exercise helps strengthen your thighs and glutes through the exact range of motion you use getting out of a chair, a car, or off the edge of the bed. According to Brady, sit-to-stands can be a more accessible alternative to lunges for adults over 65 because they build the same muscles with far more stability.

How to do it:

1. Sit near the front edge of a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor and roughly hip-width apart.
2. Pull your feet slightly back so they are under your knees.
3. Lean your chest forward over your toes and press through your heels to stand up tall.
4. Stand without using your hands if you can, or push off the armrests if you need to.
5. Lower yourself back down slowly rather than dropping into the seat, then repeat.
6. Aim for two to three sets of 8 to 12 reps.
7. Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.

Step-ups

Step-ups work one leg at a time, which is the main benefit people are chasing when performing lunges. However, step-ups don’t require the deep knee bend or the balance demand of stepping into open space as seen with lunges.

How to do it:

1. Stand facing a bottom stair or a low, sturdy step, with a handrail or wall within reach for support if needed.
2. Place one whole foot on the step while keeping your heel down.
3. Press through that heel to lift yourself up under control and avoid pushing off your back foot.
4. Bring your other foot up to meet it and stand tall.
5. Step back down with the same leg leading, lower with control, then repeat before switching sides.
6. Complete two to three sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg.
7. Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.

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Calf Raises

Studies show that strengthening your calves can help improve stability and how well your ankles respond when walking on uneven surfaces. “Calf raises help strengthen the lower legs, which play an important role in walking and stability, and that the movement is simple, controlled, and easy to progress as strength improves,” explains Brady.

How to do it:

1. Stand up tall behind a sturdy chair while holding the backrest lightly for support.
2. Place your feet hip-width apart with your weight spread evenly.
3. Rise slowly onto your toes and lift your heels as high as comfortable.
4. Pause for one to two seconds at the top of hte movement and keep your ankles from rolling outward.
5. Lower your heels slowly all the way back to the floor, then repeat.
6. Perform two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
7. Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.

RELATED: The 6-Minute Bed Routine That Restores Hip Strength Faster Than Floor Stretches After 60

Glute Bridges

Your glutes are the engine that drives your ability to walk, climb stairs, and get up from a seated position, so strengthening them is paramount for healthy aging. “Glute bridges target the glutes and hips without requiring a standing position, rounding out the routine with strength work that asks nothing of your balance,” says Brady.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart.
2. Rest your arms alongside your body with your palms down.
3. Squeeze your glutes first, then press through your heels to lift your hips.
4. Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders without arching your lower back.
5. Lower your hips slowly to the floor, reset, and repeat.
6. Do two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
7. Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.

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