4 Bed Exercises That Restore Thigh Strength Faster Than Squats After 60

By Alexa Mellardo

April 13, 2026

Thighs are often one of the most underrated priorities at the gym. After all, aside from beach season, they’re pretty covered most of the year. But that mindset is totally misleading. Strong thighs are critical to stay active, mobile, and independent—they’re also essential for your overall metabolic health. Your thighs help you tackle everyday functional movements like walking, standing, climbing steps, and more. But that’s not all. Your thigh muscles—which include your hamstrings and quadriceps—support better posture and joint health. So if you’ve been skipping leg day, it’s time to reevaluate your routine.

We’ve taken it one step further and spoke with Denise Chakoian, Rhode Island Certified Fitness Trainer and Owner of Core Cycle and Fitness LaGree, who has 16+ years of experience under her belt training individuals of every age and level of fitness. Here are four bed exercises that can help restore thigh strength faster than squats after 60. It’s never too late to get started!

“For a lot of older adults, squats are a non-starter. Bad knees, balance issues, or joint pain make them more discouraging than helpful, and that’s before factoring in the fear of falling,” says Chakoian. “Bed exercises remove the load of body weight and the balance demand, so the muscle can actually work without the nervous system being on high alert the whole time. Straight leg raises, supine leg presses against a footboard, and resisted hip flexion done lying down can target the quads and hip flexors pretty directly—and you can add resistance bands to make it harder over time.”6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Consistency is more important than intensity in this phase of life, and people are much more likely to stick with something they can do before even rolling out of bed each morning!

Straight-Leg Raises

1. Start by lying flat on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs out straight.
2. Activate your core as you lift one leg off the mattress, keeping it extended and your lower back pressed into the surface.
3. Hold for a moment at the top.
4. Use control to lower your leg.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Supine Leg Press

1. Begin by lying flat on your back.
2. Place a resistance band under the soles of your feet and hold the ends in each hand.
3. Press both feet forward against the resistance of the band.
4. Hold for a few seconds before releasing.

Inner Thigh Squeeze

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet flat on the mattress.
2. Place a pillow between your knees and squeeze them together.
3. Hold the squeeze for 5 to 10 seconds before releasing.

Heel Slides

1. Start by lying flat on your back with your legs on the mattress.
2. Place your arms at your sides and gently press your lower back into the mattress.
3. Slide one heel back toward your hips before lengthening it back out.

Resisted Hip Abduction

1. Begin lying flat on your back, feet flat on the mattress, with a loop resistance band placed around the thighs.
2. Press your knees apart against the resistance of the band.