Im a missionary spreading the gospel of strength exercise for older adults.

This article is a part of that gospel. You may think that only body builders do squats, but they are the first exercise anyone of any age should do as he or she begins an exercise program. When you do a squat, you are strengthening the thigh muscles (quadriceps) that you use to get up out of a chair--I call them the muscles of independence. Just doing a couple of sets of 8 repetitions daily will increase your leg strength. Getting up off the couch will be easier and youll be less likely to fall.

Here are your in-depth instructions for doing squats. Stand with your feet hip width apart. If you are afraid of falling, stand behind a heavy chair and hold on to the back of the chair. If there is a chance you may tip the chair over, place some heavy weights on the seat. If you dont need to hold on, make sure you pull your stomach muscles in to keep your back straight so it is not arched. If you dont need to hold on, hold your hands in a prayer position in front of you.

In the strength classes I teach I say, Stick your bottom out behind. Pretend you are Donald Duck and waggle your tail. Then slowly lower your bottom as if you are going to sit. Keep most of your weight back on your heels. Your upper body should remain upright--do not bend at the waist. As you lower your body, extend your hands out in front of you until your arms are parallel with the floor. This will help keep you from bending over.

Keep your knees over your toes. You can injure your knees if you dont. When you look down as youre doing a squat, you should always be able to see your toes. If you cannot, youre not doing the squat properly. If your knees hurt, try making your bottom stick out further. This will keep your knees over your feet. If they still hurt, dont go down so far. If that doesnt work, do not do this exercise. If you cant get the hang of it, actually sit down slowly in a straight chair and watch to see how you do it.

Lower your bottom very slowly down as far as you are comfortable. Inhale as you go down Do not go beyond the point at which your thighs are parallel with the floor. If your leg muscles are very weak or if your knees begin to complain, lower your body only a few inches. Check to be sure your bottom is protruding out behind. The further you stick out your bottom, the less your knees are likely to hurt. You should take approximately four seconds for the lowering phase.

Stand back up while you concentrate on tightening your thigh muscles and making them do the work. Push up with your thighs. Do not stand back up quickly; slower is better. Exhale as you stand back up. Take about two seconds to lift your body back up to its original position.

This is not a glamorous exercise. I tell class members that they leave lady-like at the door. We are athletes while we are working out.

Do eight repetitions of this exercise very slowly. It should take about six seconds for each repetition and your legs should feel tired when you finish. If they do not, you have probably not been tightening the thigh muscles as you stand back up; youve been letting your knees do much of the work. As you begin to straighten your legs, tighten the thighs and push. I find it often takes new exercisers several weeks to really get the hang of this.

If your thighs are burning when you finish the set, youre getting the maximum benefit from the exercise. You may want to shake out your legs if they feel very tired. You will be amazed how doing this simple exercise regularly will make it easier to climb stairs, arise from a chair and get in and out of the car. It will also improve your balance because your legs will become strong enough to hold and support you securely as you stand.

Tip: Make sure you do not bend at the waist so you are looking at the floor. If you are not sure you are doing this exercise correctly, get someone to watch you or exercise in front of a mirror.

See your doctor before beginning an exercise program. If any exercise causes pain, stop immediately. Modify the exercise so it does not cause pain or find another exercise to work the same body part. Any exercise program carries risks of injury. Phyllis Rogers and/or Senior Fitness, Inc. are not responsible for any injuries incurred during or after doing the exercises described in this article.