For decades, upper-body training—particularly for men—has ruled the fitness world. Think the broad-shouldered, V-shaped physique of bodybuilders or the TikTok memes about “skipping leg day.” But scientists and trainers say that the real foundation of strength lies below the belt.
“Most men ignore their core, gluteal muscles, and the lower extremity muscles,” says John Gallucci, DPT, CEO of Jag Physical Therapy and medical coordinator for Major League Soccer. Michael Pope, athletic trainer at Houston Methodist, has a theory for why that’s the case: “Upper body—these are our ‘show’ muscles, and our lower body—these are our ‘go’ muscles,” he says. “But when it comes to functionality, our lower body is what’s going to help us the majority of the time,” he says.
Research suggests that lower body strength—specifically glutes—may be one of the most overlooked keys to aging well. As men pass 30, they begin to lose muscle, which can contribute to nagging injuries, low back pain, and decreased mobility. After 60, the rate of decline is even more rapid. One study found that glute muscles showed lower muscle density and reduced force generation than the surrounding muscles in the lower limbs, suggesting they may degrade faster. Bone density also decreases, albeit at a slower rate for men than for women.
“Strength training is a good way to help combat those things,” says Pope. “It’s not going to prevent aging by any means, but it is going to help bones stay stronger and increase muscle mass, as opposed to with a sedentary individual.”
Here’s why your glutes and lower body matter, and how to train them the right way.
Strong glutes protect the body from injury
The glutes (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus) are one of the most important muscles in the body for balance, posture, and injury prevention. As you age, declining strength in your lower body substantially raises the risk of falling, especially among older adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly one in four adults over 65 falls each year, often leading to fractures or loss of independence. Most of these falls are preventable.
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A 2020 meta‑analysis found that exercise programs significantly improved both static and dynamic balance and reduced fall rates in people over 65. Another study found that hip abductor strength and glute muscle composition were the key differences between older adults who fell and those who didn’t.
Weak glutes can also contribute to another common issue: low back pain, say both Gallucci and Pope. Strong glutes support posture by stabilizing the pelvis and trunk and keeping the spine aligned. The supporting hip muscles—the abductors (which move the leg away from the body) and adductors (which bring it back in)—also play a critical role in keeping the pelvis in place. When those muscles are weak, the hips can tip or rotate, which can put strain on the lumbar spine.
Overall, stronger glutes make everyday movement smoother and safer. Tasks like bending to pick up a box or climbing stairs feel easier and are less likely to end in a tweak or strain.
Strong legs improve athletic performance
Your lower body powers far more movements than most people realize—even those that appear to come from the upper body. “There’s not a sport that you can participate in that doesn’t have you engage your core muscles and your gluteal and hip muscles and your lower extremity muscles for balance,” says Gallucci.
Even something as simple as tossing a baseball to your kid begins with the feet and flows up the kinetic chain through the shoulder and elbow before releasing through the fingers. “The amount of power you generate in that movement depends on your lower body,” says Pope.
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As many men enter midlife, they often turn to recreational sports such as pickleball, tennis, or golf. “If your core, your balance, your lower extremity strength, and your gluteal strength aren’t there, nine times out of 10 you end up seeing me at my physical therapy office and I’ve got to treat you back to health,” says Gallucci.
Building lower-body strength can not only protect you from injury during physical activities, but it can also improve your performance. Golfers often see their scores decrease and their drives go farther once their legs and core are stronger. Racquet-sport players discover that the newfound balance and rotational power gained from strength training translate to increased speed and endurance on the court.
Leg day may even support hormone health
Starting around age 35, testosterone levels naturally decline by as much as 1.3 percent a year, contributing to muscle loss, fatigue, reduced bone strength, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Some research shows that resistance training—particularly lower-body lifts—can temporarily increase both growth hormone and testosterone levels.
However, the long-term effects of strength training on testosterone levels are still under debate by researchers. Still, a 2025 study in Frontiers in Physiology found that testosterone levels were linked to muscle mass in young to middle-aged men. These results suggest that preserving muscle may help protect hormone health as you age. Even if strength training can’t directly boost long-term testosterone levels, it can buffer against the side effects of low levels.
How to build a strong lower body
Not sure how strong your glutes really are? One quick way to test is by standing on one leg for 10 to 15 seconds without letting your hips sway or buckle, says Gallucci. If you can’t, your lower body could use more strength and stability.
But learning how to activate your glutes and other lower-body muscles properly takes practice. “A lot of people aren’t sure how to engage their glutes,” says Pope. “That’s why when they are doing movements like picking up a box, they’re lifting with their back.”
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Loading the body beyond daily activities—through weights, resistance bands, or even repetitive bodyweight training—creates adaptations in muscles, ligaments, tendons, and the nervous system. “That’s what builds motor control, what we call muscle memory,” Pope explains. “Doing lifts such as a deadlift can teach you how to engage your glutes.”
Gallucci recommends targeting the glutes, quads, and hamstrings with unilateral exercises (that work one side of the body at a time) like split squats and single-leg step-ups. Moves like glute bridges and clamshells are a great addition to strengthen the glutes and smaller stabilizer muscles.
Still, many people are concerned about injuring themselves from lifting heavy objects. Pope says that you don’t need to (and you shouldn’t) strength train like a bodybuilder to see the benefits. Start with repetitions of bodyweight movements, like a squat, and then incorporate a PVC pipe or broomstick in place of a barbell. As you progress, add weight in the form of a light dumbbell, kettlebell, or even a resistance band around your thighs.