4 Simple Exercises That Rebuild Lost Muscle Faster Than Weight Machines After 60

By Alexa Mellardo

December 21, 2025

Weight machines are like old favorite friends at the gym—especially for building muscle. The isolated muscle movements they provide help move your body in a fixed path, promoting solid muscle growth. They’re safe to use and support proper form. But not everyone has access to weight machines and may even prefer an alternative method. We have some interesting news to share, because muscle loss is a common problem everyone faces as they age.

We spoke with Domenic Angelino, CPT with International Personal Trainer Academy, which offers NCCA-accredited Personal Trainer (CPT) and Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) programs, and learned four simple exercises that can rebuild lost muscle faster than weight machines after 60.

“If you’re generally not very active, don’t lift weights regularly, and don’t have a balanced diet that supports maintaining muscle mass, then you’re probably going to have much less muscle mass and strength than you did decades earlier,” Angelino tells us. “You’ll naturally lose muscle mass and strength as you age, and the effects compound over the years.”

If this sounds familiar, it’s time to get started. And the good news is, you don’t have to perform your routine with standard gym machines—or even at the gym!

“Doing bodyweight or free-weight exercises will help you get stronger in a way that translates to real-life much more effectively. You rely on a complex network of stabilizer muscles to help keep your posture healthy as you go throughout your day, even if you don’t realize it,” Angelino says.

Here are four seamless exercises that help rebuild lost muscle.

Romanian Deadlift

“This [exercise] is extremely effective at reducing your risk of injuring your lower back while lifting something. It strengthens the leg muscles that help you lift when your back would be in a more compromising position. And, as a bonus, it also strengthens your lower back directly,” Angelino notes.

1. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. (If you’re not comfortable working with dumbbells, use just your body weight.)
2. Bend your knees slightly and hold the weights in front of your thighs.
3. Press your hips back as you lower the dumbbells down your leg. Maintain a straight back as you do so.
4. Squeeze your glutes to return to the start position.
5. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

Squats

“This [bodyweight move] allows you to train a large number of lower body muscles through a large range of motion, which means it allows you to adapt and improve more quickly than other options. It also closely mimics the movement pattern of sitting down and standing up, something that is really important to build strength in early,” Angelino points out.

1. Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Extend your arms before you, place your hands on your hips, or hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
3. Bend at the knees and hips to lower into a squat.
4. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
5. Press through your heels to return to standing.
6. Perform 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps.

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Lateral Lunges

“This [move] emphasizes muscles that aren’t often targeted, but are helpful to strengthen, such as your gluteus medius. It also helps you get stronger when  moving from side-to-side rather than just forward and back,” Angelino says.

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Take a big step out to the side with your left foot, press your hips back, and lower into a lateral lunge.
3. Press through your left heel to rise back up.
4. Repeat on the other side.
5. Perform 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Foot-Elevated Calf Raises

“This strengthens your calves, which are really important for maintaining your ability to walk a long distance without experiencing major discomfort,” Angelino explains.

1. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart on an elevated surface—such as a step—with your heels hanging off of the edge.
2. Hold an optional dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
3. Gradually lift your heels as high as you’re able to, holding at the top for a moment.
4. Lower.
5. Perform 5 sets of 15 to 20 reps.