Women's Health November 14, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock Ageless Strength: The 2 Simple Leg Moves This 108-Year-Old Swears By for Daily Vitality!

What’s the real secret behind living past a century with vigor and a twinkle in your eye? Meet Susan Young Browne from Delaware, a remarkable woman who recently celebrated her 108th birthday—and guess what? She just renewed her driver’s license all the way through 2033. Yep, you read that right. At an age when most folks are slowing down, Susan is still embracing life with grit, grace, and a commitment to movement that’s absolutely inspiring. Whether it’s chair dancing at her local community center or a simple daily routine focusing on stretching, strengthening, and balancing, Susan proves that staying active doesn’t need to be some grand, complicated ordeal. What really caught my attention, though—aside from her incredible age—is her laser focus on leg strength, which science suggests might do wonders not just for mobility but for keeping the mind sharp too. So, what can we learn from a centenarian who’s still defying the odds with such a refreshing “keep your legs moving” mantra? Let’s dive into her straightforward yet powerful approach and see how a few minutes a day might just add some serious quality to our years. LEARN MORE

Earlier this year, Susan Young Browne from Delaware celebrated her 108th birthday—the news of which travelled across the world. Everyone wanted to know the retired teacher’s longevity secrets. How did Susan, who had just renewed her driving license until 2033, retain such a good quality of life?

Well, movement, it seems, has played an integral part. Firstly, Susan, who still walks unassisted, told TODAY that she continues to attend chair dancing classes at a local community centre.

But she’s also committed to consistent, everyday movement.

Susan’s simple daily fitness routine

Susan begins every morning with a 10-minute stretching, strengthening, and balancing routine.

With flexibility, mobility, strength and balance all being key markers of longevity, Susan’s routine is a reminder that workouts do not need to be long and complicated to have far-reaching benefits.

Another key part of Susan’s daily exercise routine that likely contributes to her impressive healthspan (the number of years spent living in good health and free from chronic disease)? Her focus on leg strength.

“I get up and stand against the wall and exercise my legs. I make sure my legs are exercised,” Susan told TODAY.

“I make sure my legs are exercised”

Not only do strong legs help us move freely and reduce fall risk, but a growing body of evidence also points to an association between lower-body strength and cognitive function—another key element of longevity.

One oft-cited study found that older adults with greater leg strength had 34% lower odds of low cognitive function than those with weaker legs. Meanwhile, a 10-year study of more than 300 twin sisters reported “a striking protective relationship” between leg power and cognition. The twin with greater leg power at the beginning of the study maintained their cognitive function better and showed fewer age-related brain changes over the following decade.

While the exact mechanisms behind this association remain unclear, among scientists’ hypotheses are that stronger muscles may improve blood flow to the brain, that resistance training may influence nervous system function, and that lower-body strength can help preserve walking speed and mobility—both of which have been associated with a lower risk of dementia.

2 simple lower-body exercises to add to your routine

Using a wall for support, Susan can be seen balancing on one leg, which is a simple, effective, single-leg exercise that supports strength and balance.

susan young browne 108 year old fitness routine: susan smiling while exercising her legs at home

Lynnette Overby

108-year-old Susan prioritises leg strength in her daily routine

Another simple move that only requires a wall? As the name suggests, a wall sit.

“Defined as an isometric exercise—an exercise where the working muscle doesn’t change length during the exercise and the joint doesn’t move—wall sits are super safe to perform, and put very little stress on the spine,” personal trainer Aimee Victoria Long previously explained to Women’s Health.

Mainly targeting the quadriceps (the muscles at the front of your thigh that support knee stability and everyday functional movements such as walking, getting up from a chair, and climbing stairs), wall sits can also improve endurance, balance, core, and lower-back strength.

Lean against a stable wall or flat surface, then engage your core as you slide down into a squat position, keeping your back firmly against the wall and ensuring your spine makes contact from the bottom of your neck all the way down to your pelvis.
Walk your feet out until you achieve a 90-degree angle in your knees and hold. Your arms can be out to the side, left to rest on your thighs, or, for more of a challenge, they can be extended out at chest height.

Another simple, no-equipment exercise that supports functional lower-body strength is the humble bodyweight squat. Plus, one study even found that doing 60 seconds of squatting exercises during long periods of sitting may help preserve cognitive function.

How to do a squat

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Toes can point slightly out if that feels natural.
With your ribcage stacked over your pelvis, send your hips back and bend your knees—as if sitting onto a chair behind you.
Keep your chest relaxed and upright as you lower to a comfortable, pain-free depth.
Push the floor away through your whole foot to return to standing.

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Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.