4 Morning Exercises That Restore Lost Thigh Muscle Faster Than Squats After 55

By Alexa Mellardo

February 22, 2026

There’s one word for flabby thighs after 55: frustrating. But there’s a good explanation—and it’s completely natural. As you age, your body goes through a process called sarcopenia, the gradual decline in strength and muscle mass. In fact, muscle mass drops as much as 8% to 10% every decade during middle age. Over time, the loss adds up. Hence, large muscle groups like your quadricep muscles are negatively impacted. There are several contributors to sarcopenia, including reduced activity, lower hormone levels, and less protein synthesis.

It may sound pretty grim, but don’t despair. We learned four morning exercises to restore lost thigh muscle even faster than squats after 55. After all, a healthy dose of exercise is the best way to kick off the day!6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

“While traditional lower-body exercises are a powerful base toward building strength in your lower body, they tend to prioritize larger muscle groups like the quads and glutes,” explains Virginia Kinkel, bodybuilder, nutrition expert, and founder at Bodymass Composition Testing. “While your adductors, the muscles of your inner thighs, do play a role, it’s minimal. In order to prioritize strengthening the adductors, a different approach, and more isolated exercises may be necessary to add to your repertoire.”

Below, Kinkel breaks down the best morning exercises to add to your routine.

Glute Bridge March

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet on the floor. Keep your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
2. Push through your heels to lift your hips into a glute bridge.
3. At the top, lift one knee to your chest.
4. Use control to lower, and switch sides.
5. Perform the exercise for 3 sets of 8 reps on each leg, alternating.

Lateral Lunges

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 3 sets of 5 to 8 reps on each leg, alternating.

Single-Leg Deadlift Reach

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
2. Shift your body weight onto your right foot.
3. Keep a tall chest as you hinge at the hips and lean forward with your torso, reaching your arms out ahead of you.
4. Extend your leg straight behind you until your torso becomes parallel to the ground.
5. Press through the standing heel to rise.
6. Perform 3 sets of 8 reps on each leg.

Modified Copenhagen Side Planks

1. Lie on your side next to a sturdy box, workout bench, or chair.
2. Place your top knee on the surface so it’s bent to 90 degrees. Your bottom leg should stay below you on the floor.
3. Place your elbow right under your shoulder with your forearm flat on the floor.
4. Stack your hips and shoulders so your body forms a straight line from your head to your bottom knee.
5. Lift your hips off the ground and hold.
6. Then, use control to slowly lower your hips to the ground.
7. Perform 3 sets of 15 to 20-second holds on each side.

Isometric Adductor Activation

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet flat on the ground, hip-distance apart.
2. Place a rolled towel or yoga block between your knees.
3. Activate your core and keep your lower back neutral.
4. Squeeze the object between your knees.
5. Relax gradually.
6. Perform 2 sets of 20-second holds.