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Back squats are not the only way to train strong legs. Carrie Sisson, a 70-year-old fitness coach, recommends these six exercises for working the quads, glutes and hamstrings without placing a bar on your back. They are options, not a universal program: choose movements and loads that suit your ability, and get individualized guidance if you are new to exercise or returning after injury or surgery.
Six exercises to train your legs without a bar on your back
In a Tom’s Guide feature published October 6, 2026, Sisson describes these as some of her favorite ways to train the lower body. The list mixes home and gym equipment, and includes both two-sided and single-leg movements. It is not ranked, and the coach’s descriptions should not be read as proof that any one exercise is safest or right for everyone.
| Exercise | Equipment and setting | Emphasis described by Sisson |
|---|---|---|
| Romanian deadlift | Barbell or two dumbbells | Hamstrings lengthening under load |
| Split squat | Bench and dumbbells | Quads, hip stability and balance; one side at a time |
| Hip thrust | Block or box, barbell or dumbbells; floor version also described | Glutes |
| Leg press | Leg-press machine; goblet squat suggested as a home alternative | Lower-body loading |
| Step-up | Stable bench or box; dumbbells optional | Quads and glutes; one side at a time |
| Cable kickback | Cable machine or resistance band secured to something sturdy | Glutes and hamstrings |
1. Romanian deadlift
Hold a barbell or a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge at the hips with your back straight, lowering the weights along your shins, then stand by pushing through your feet. Sisson says the movement “teaches your hamstrings to lengthen under load.” Start with a load and range of motion you can control.
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With your rear foot elevated on a bench and dumbbells held at your sides, lower into a controlled lunge and rise again. This is a single-leg exercise, so use a stable setup and control your balance. Sisson says it builds quad strength, hip stability and balance while making differences between sides more apparent.
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3. Hip thrust
Set your upper back against a block or box and position a barbell or dumbbells across your hips. Drive your hips upward, then lower under control. The feature also describes a floor-based version if you do not have raised support. Sisson’s reason for favoring the move is that the load goes through the hips rather than the spine; treat that as her rationale, not as a medical guarantee about spinal loading.
4. Leg press
Use a leg-press machine to press the platform away, keeping the movement controlled. Sisson characterizes it as a way to load the lower body without spinal compression and calls it one of the safest ways to push heavy leg volume. Those are her assessments, not independently established guarantees. For a home alternative, the feature suggests a goblet squat with a dumbbell.
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5. Step-up
Use a stable bench or box that can support you. Step up and down with control; dumbbells are optional. Sisson describes step-ups as a functional unilateral movement for the quads and glutes, and says they offer something bilateral exercises cannot. The practical distinction is that each leg works in turn; choose a height that lets you move steadily.
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6. Cable kickback
Attach an ankle strap to a cable machine, or secure a resistance band to something sturdy. Hinge forward slightly, keep your core engaged and drive the working heel backward, then return with control. Sisson calls this an isolation finisher for the glute-hamstring area.
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How to choose equipment and a starting variation
You do not need every item in the list. A home setup can begin with hand-held weights or resistance bands; a gym makes the leg press and cable kickback available. The National Institute on Aging recognizes hand-held weights, weight machines and resistance bands as strength-training options. Adjustable dumbbells can cover several of the listed home movements, but equipment is optional: beginners can start without weights or with bands while learning the movements.
Let the exercise’s setup and your ability guide the choice. A split squat or step-up asks you to manage one leg at a time and maintain balance; a leg press uses a machine, while the Romanian deadlift and hip thrust require you to control an external load. If a movement does not feel right, do not force it simply because it is popular—Sisson makes that point explicitly.
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Use the six as leg exercises, not a complete weekly plan
The list focuses on the quads, glutes and hamstrings. Federal guidance for older adults calls for multicomponent activity that includes balance training as well as aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity; it also recommends strengthening all major muscle groups on at least two days a week. These six lower-body options alone do not cover that broader mix.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThe National Institute on Aging advises increasing activity gradually, warming up, avoiding locked joints and breath-holding, and not training the same muscle group on consecutive days so it can recover. It also says to tailor effort to your fitness and account for chronic conditions. Older age by itself does not mean everyone needs medical clearance: NIA says older adults without an existing injury or chronic condition who plan gradual increases generally do not need to consult a doctor before becoming active. If you are unsure how to do a movement, or are returning after injury or surgery, seek guidance from a doctor or physical therapist.
Why options beyond back squats matter
Sisson’s point is straightforward: back squats are only one route to stronger legs. That flexibility may matter to people who find a bar on their back uncomfortable, but it does not establish that all six alternatives are suitable for someone with back pain or an injury. Choose based on your own comfort, balance, equipment and training experience rather than treating the list as a prescription.
The broader activity figures also give context, not proof of these exercises’ effects. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion reports that fewer than 15% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older meet both aerobic and muscle-strengthening recommendations. Its account of the 2018 National Health Interview Survey says 7% of U.S. adults aged 80 and older, compared with 17% of adults aged 65–69, met both components during leisure-time physical activity. Neither statistic measures outcomes from Sisson’s six movements.
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