The Glutes After 60: The Muscle Group That Supports Mobility

Each morning, the doors of the local gym open and the same small group arrives with water bottles and quiet trainers. A few make for the treadmills straight away. Others lower themselves carefully onto the exercise bikes, their backs slightly rigid and their movements somewhat guarded. Then there is Elise, 72, who moves in another way. She crosses the room with an easy, assured stride, as though there are springs beneath her feet.

That contrast is not down to magic, “good genes”, or an unusual exercise programme. It comes from an area of the body that many people scarcely consider, despite relying on it with every step, staircase climb and rise from a chair.

One muscle group quietly influences whether someone feels old at 60… or does not.

The muscle group almost nobody talks about after 60

For most people aged over 60, the knees, hips and back are the first concerns. They are the areas that ache, protest or become stiff after walking or spending a day gardening. Yet the often-overlooked force behind mobility is the glutes: the deep muscles of the buttocks.

Think of these muscles as the lower body’s engine. They help you rise to standing, keep the pelvis stable and guide each step you take. If they are weak or inactive, surrounding areas must make up the difference. Knees begin to grind, the lower back tightens and a flight of stairs can suddenly seem like a mountain.

After 60, lack of use can cause the glutes to diminish gradually. The effects, however, are hard to ignore.

Visit a crowded supermarket car park on a Saturday morning and observe people leaving their cars. Some brace themselves on the door frame with both hands, shifting awkwardly and almost hauling themselves upright. Others, frequently of the same age, place one foot down, incline their body slightly forwards and stand in one smooth motion.

The key difference is glute strength. Research into ageing and mobility indicates that people with stronger hip and glute muscles walk more quickly, retain their independence for longer and experience fewer falls. One study even connected stronger glutes with a greater ability to regain balance after catching a foot on a rug or judging a kerb incorrectly.

That split-second in which you steady yourself rather than fall heavily? Your glutes are at the forefront of the effort.

Years spent seated at desks, in cars or in front of the television effectively put the glutes into standby mode. The body gets highly efficient at the activities it performs most often, while losing skill in those it rarely does. As a result, the front of the body takes over. The thighs, hip flexors and lower back work excessively while the glutes remain underused.

Eventually, this imbalance affects posture. The pelvis tips, the lower back becomes more curved, and strides shorten into a shuffle. Walking may start to feel risky, not because the legs are “too old”, but because the body’s principal stabilisers are no longer doing their share.

The straightforward reality is that as the glutes lose strength, balance and confidence can both become less steady.

How to wake up your glutes after 60 without fancy equipment

The encouraging news is that glute muscles can respond rapidly, including later in life. Neither a gym membership nor complex equipment is required. One of the most accessible exercises is the “sit-to-stand”, which is precisely what it sounds like: practising how to rise from a chair.

Use a solid chair and sit near its front edge, with feet flat on the floor and knees hip-width apart. Tip your chest slightly forwards, drive your feet into the ground and stand without using your hands. Next, lower yourself back into the chair slowly and with control. That counts as one repetition. Begin with 5–8, rest, then complete one or two further sets.

Try this three or four times each week. This modest movement trains the glutes directly for what matters most: everyday living.

Many people over 60 are apprehensive about movements involving the hips and lower body. They may worry about falling, worsening arthritis or “doing it wrong”. Consequently, they avoid the very exercises that could help them become more stable.

Another frequent mistake is doing far too much, far too soon. A single enthusiastic exercise session can be followed by a week of soreness and loss of motivation. Honestly, hardly anyone manages this every day. Regularity is more valuable than intensity, and sessions that are simply “good enough” outperform heroic workouts every time.

If an exercise produces sharp joint pain, modify it or stop. If the sensation is muscular effort - burning or tiredness - that is generally where improvement starts. A body over 60 is not fragile. It simply needs clear guidance and consideration.

“I used to walk like I was afraid of the floor,” laughs Daniel, 69. “My physio told me, ‘Your glutes are on vacation.’ We started with tiny bridge exercises on the bed, just lifting my hips a little. I felt ridiculous. Three months later, I realized I wasn’t grabbing the handrail on the stairs anymore.”

For a safe focus on the glutes, choose straightforward, repeatable movements that can be fitted into your daily routine:

• Mini bridges on the bed: Lie on your back with bent knees, raise your hips gently by a few centimetres, hold briefly, then lower them.
• Standing hip extensions: Rest your hands on a worktop, move one leg slowly backwards while squeezing the buttock, then return to the start.
• Side steps: Use light support where necessary and take controlled steps sideways, noticing the work in the outside of the hip.
• Slow step-ups: Step up and down in a controlled way using a low step or bottom stair, alternating legs.
• Glute squeeze holds: While seated or standing, gently tighten the buttocks together for 5 seconds, release and repeat.

Small, consistent signals like these are what tell your glutes: “You’re needed again.”

When stronger glutes change everyday life

When an older person starts building glute strength, a subtle shift takes place. The benefit is not limited to faster walking or climbing stairs with less exertion. The psychological burden also eases when every trip out no longer feels like a possible obstacle course.

The kerb outside the bakery becomes simply a kerb. The stairs to a friend’s flat become a brief climb rather than something to negotiate. Getting out of a car no longer calls for a private countdown.

There is a social effect as well. Those who feel more secure on their feet tend to go out more often, accept invitations and remain engaged with the world around them. Mobility is not only about muscles and joints; it is about continuing to participate in life rather than observing it from the sofa.

That is the understated strength of this neglected muscle group. Glutes do not care about your age. They only care whether you give them work to do. Some people will read this and think, “I’ll start tomorrow.” Others will rise from their chair now, without their hands, to find out where they stand today.

The body over 60 still responds. The question is: what are you going to tell it?