Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.

Ania Gabb’s fitness resumé is nearly as long as the races she runs.

According to the British running coach’s Instagram profile, she’s now up to 35 full-distance marathons, with an astonishing personal record completion time of 02:49—just 40 minutes shy of the world record.

Bear in mind that’s been accomplished while qualifying as a personal trainer, a group exercise instructor, a Pilates and yoga teacher, a pre- and post-natal fitness specialist, a UK Athletics-accredited running coach and, within the past couple of years, a new mum.

“Basically, every fitness class you can think of, I teach it or I’ve taught it,” she tells Fit&Well.

Gabb also leads the ASICS FrontRunner Community—a network of over 500 runners from 31 countries united by one goal: to inspire others to move for a sound mind in a sound body.

“The way I describe it is you don’t have to be fast to be a runner in the Frontrunner Community,” she says.

“Whether you’re 60 or 18, elite or a complete beginner, running for fitness or mental health, everyone has a different story. That’s what has brought us all together.”

Gabb’s passion for running started in school, where she ran cross country and seemingly took on “all the races on sports day nobody else wanted to run”, but top of her bucket list was the London Marathon.

“I used to watch it as a child. My auntie used to take me along to watch my uncle. I used to think to myself, ‘God, they’re like celebrities’. I’d high-five them and hand out Opal Fruits.”

Then, after leaving university, Gabb got her chance.

Lining up in a big Top Shop hoodie, long Sweaty Betty joggers, clutching her phone in one hand and iPod in the other, things unravelled quickly.

“I was aiming for sub-four hours but it started hailing and I got soaked, and had to stop for the loo about 10 times because I hadn’t trained with gels. I was very naive,” she admits.

Fortunately, that experience didn’t put her off.

Seventeen years and 34 marathons later, Gabb still relishes every race like it’s her first. She’s just a little more prepared for the challenge.

Here, she reveals how she stays race-ready while juggling a busy teaching schedule and navigating early parenthood.

Ania Gabb’s week in workouts

Before the birth of her daughter, Gabb used to get up early each day to exercise or lead fitness classes.

But after initially attempting to slot back into her old routine, she quickly learned she’d need to make some compromises to be fully present for her family, clients and herself.

“When I started to get back into fitness, I was putting a lot of pressure on myself,” she says.

“It was like, ‘I have to get up at 5am. I have to go and run eight miles.’ Very quickly I learned I can’t do this. I’ve just got to look after myself because otherwise I’m going to burn out.”

Here is what the elite runner’s week in workouts looks like with a two-year-old in tow.

Monday
4-6 mile easy run plus a 20-30min light lower-body strength workout.
In the evening, Gabb teaches a Body Pump Les Mills class.

Tuesday
Teaches three HIIT classes back-to-back.

Wednesday
Speed training with interval runs.
Gabb also teaches a gentle over-60s fitness class.

Thursday
Early morning run plus an upper-body strength workout.

Friday
Teaches three fitness classes back-to-back, including strength, HIIT and Pilates.
Gabb then might run with a client, keeping it “nice and easy”.

Saturday
4-6 mile easy run plus teaching a spin class.

Sunday
Long run up to 20 miles.

Ania Gabb on three rules that have made her a better runner

1. Keep a food diary

“What’s the one thing I’ve changed that’s made me a better runner? Definitely nutrition,” says Gabb, without hesitation.

Since that first troubling marathon, she’s tried every energy gel going and a variety of different meals the night before and morning of a race to discover what works for her.

“That was the biggest mistake I made on my first marathon—my stomach was not good,” she says.

“Now I tell all my clients to keep a diary. Trial and test everything. See what keeps your energy levels up. That’s what I did and I didn’t make the same mistake twice.”

2. Prioritize recovery

You can’t get quicker if you’re always ill or injured. That’s a critical lesson Gabb has learned since the birth of her daughter.

“I always go on about recovery and sleep because for a long time I was my own worst enemy,” she explains.

“I would stay up really late, then force myself to get up early to do a long run and I’d be knackered for the rest of the day.

“Or I’d make myself ill because my immune system was down.”

She now sticks to a hard deadline of 9:30pm the night before a long run. “Sleep really is the best recovery,” says Gabb.

3. Be kind to yourself

Lastly, Gabb says she has learned to take each day as it comes.

“Whatever your circumstances or race expectations, don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” she says.

“External factors like how stressful your day has been, how tired you are, how much sleep your newborn allowed you to have, can all affect performance.”

So if your training schedule dictates you need to tick off a long run on the weekend after a highly stressful, sleep-deprived week, run by feel rather than to your plan’s timetable.

You can always catch up later when you’ve had the chance to fully recharge your batteries.

Pilates is a great way to build core strength and stability, helping you feel stronger and more confident in everyday movement. By working the deep core, back and muscles around the pelvis, it can help improve posture, stability and spinal support.

“Whether that’s lifting a box, bending down to tie your laces, or simply surviving a day at your desk, it’s important to do some restorative work for body and mind,” says Pilates instructor Andrew Griffiths, a fitness expert and nutritionist at Net World Sports.

“The breathwork element of Pilates can also help with stress and anxiety,” he adds.

If you’ve never tried Pilates, this short routine created for beginners by Griffiths is a great place to start. You don’t need any experience—just some space on the floor and 10 minutes.

The 10-minute Pilates core workout

1. Pelvic tilt

Sets: 1 Reps: 8-10

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Rest your arms by your sides.
• Inhale to prepare. Exhale, gently tilt your pelvis so your lower back moves toward the floor.
• Inhale to return to a neutral spine.

“The goal is to be aware of your pelvis orientation, and how to activate the muscles that control it,” says Griffiths. “Small and controlled is the aim. The movement comes from the pelvis, not the legs.”

2. The hundred

Sets: 1 Pulses: 40 Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your legs raised and knees bent at 90° over your hips and your shins parallel to the floor.
• Raise your head and shoulders and look towards your knees. If this feels too challenging, keep your head and shoulders on the floor.
• Hover your arms off the floor by your sides, palms facing down.
• Pulse your arms up and down in small, quick pulses.
• Inhale for five pulses, exhale for five.

Make it easier: Keep your feet on the floor.

“The target is to build up to 100 pulses, but if that feels too challenging as a beginner then 40 or 50 is a perfectly good place to start,” says Griffiths.

3. Dead bug

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your arms reaching up over your shoulders and your knees bent at 90° over your hips and your shins parallel to the floor.
• Inhale to prepare. Exhale as you lower your right arm back overhead and extend your left leg forward.
• Keep your lower back connected to the floor throughout.
• Breathe in as you return to the starting position, and repeat on the other side.

“Take it slow—this one rewards control, not pace,” says Griffiths.

4. Glute bridge

Set: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Rest your arms by your sides.
• Inhale to prepare. Exhale as you raise your hips and spine until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top but avoid over arching your lower back.
• Inhale to roll your spine slowly back to your starting position.

5. Bird dog

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 30sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Inhale to prepare. Exhale and reach your right arm forwards and your left leg back.
• Keep your hips level and your back flat.
• Hold for a breath, then return to the starting position, slowly and with control.
• Repeat on the other side.

Griffiths says to maintain stability, “picture a glass of water balanced on your lower back that you’re trying not to spill”.

6. Child’s pose

Sets: 1 Hold: 30-60sec

• Start on your hands and knees then widen your knees out slightly.
• Send your hips back toward your heels and reach your arms out in front.
• Rest your forehead on the floor if that’s comfortable.
• Breathe deeply into your lower back and hips.

Aim to do these exercises three times a week, with a day off between sessions.

“That’s often enough to build real strength and the motor control these moves rely on, while still leaving room to recover,” says Griffiths. “Once the routine starts to feel easy, take it as your cue to progress the programme.”

How these exercises help build core strength and stability

Core strength and stability: “The hundred, dead bug and bird dog work the core and the muscles that help stabilize the spine,” says Griffiths.

Posture and the lower back: “Glute bridge and bird dog strengthen your glutes and the muscles that support your back,” says Griffiths. Strengthening these muscles can help support controlled movement and posture.

Spending prolonged periods sitting can mean your glute muscles become weak, so these exercises help strengthen them. Building strength in your glutes can help reduce the strain and load on your lower back.

Mobility: “Pelvic tilts and child’s pose give the spine and hips a gentle bit of movement,” says Griffiths.

Control and body awareness: “Pilates teaches you to move slowly and intentionally, and to tie your breath to the movement,” he says. “That habit bleeds into almost everything else you do physically.”

If you spend most of your days seated, your hips could be paying the price.

“When we're in a seated position for hours at a time, the hips remain bent for a prolonged period, and it's common to stand up at the end of the day and feel stiffness or tightness,” says Dr Marivi Lao, a physical therapist with Spear Physical Therapy.

To fix that, she suggests moving around regularly and doing targeted stretches, like the three below.

“A good starting point is doing one to three repetitions of each stretch, holding for about 20-30 seconds per side, two to four times per week,” she says. “If someone enjoys stretching and it feels good for their body, they can certainly incorporate these into a daily routine.”

Mobility is different for everyone and Lao says you should bear that in mind when working on your flexibility.

“I think of mobility as having enough comfortable range of motion to move through your day without feeling restricted,” she explains. “I also tell people that stretching shouldn't be a competition with themselves.”

In each stretch, you should feel a gentle-to-moderate pulling sensation, but you shouldn't be forcing your way into a position or feeling pain.

“If you find yourself holding your breath, tensing your entire body, or fighting to get farther into the stretch, that's usually a sign to back off a little,” Lao advises.

For the best results, the physical therapist recommends teaming this mobility routine with some targeted hip-strengthening exercises, like resistance band marches.

Here’s how to do the stretches.

1. Figure four

Sets: 1-3 Hold: 20-30sec each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Cross your left leg over your right, with your left ankle resting above your right knee.
• Lift your right foot off the floor.
• Grasp your right thigh with your hands.
• Gently pull your right knee towards your chest until you feel a stretch in the left hip.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Therapist tips: “I like to keep the crossed foot flexed and encourage people to relax their shoulders and pelvis rather than trying to force themselves deeper into the stretch,” Lao recommends.

“You should feel this mostly through the glute and outer hip. If you're feeling it in the knee or getting a pinching sensation in the hip, that’s a sign to back off and adjust your position.”

If you struggle to get down to the floor for this move, try performing it on your bed.

2. Kneeling hip flexor stretch

Sets: 1-3 Hold: 20-30sec each side

• Kneel on the floor.
• Place your right foot on the floor in front of you, with your knee bent to 90°.
• Tilt the front of your pelvis up slightly.
• Move your torso forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your left hip.
• Squeeze your left glute to deepen the stretch.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Therapist tips: “One of the most common things I see [with this move] is people arching their low back and pushing their hips forward to get a bigger stretch,” says Dr Lao.

“It might feel like you’re getting more range, but you’re often just borrowing the movement from your low back. The movement should come from the hip.”

If you prefer a standing stretch, you can do this lunge version instead.

3. Supine hip twist

Sets: 1-3 Time: 20-30sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Slowly lower your knees to the left.
• Pause for a few seconds.
• Lift your knees back to the starting position.
• Gently lower your knees to the right.
• Pause for a few seconds.
• Lift your knees back to the starting position.
• Continue slowly alternating between your two sides for 20 to 30 seconds.

Therapist tips: “Think of this as gently exploring rotation rather than trying to get your knees all the way to the floor,” Dr Lao suggests.

“I like to encourage people to move slowly and breathe through it. Let the hips rotate while keeping your upper body relaxed. Your shoulder may lift a little depending on your individual range, and that’s okay.”

This is another one you can perform on your bed if you struggle to get down to the floor.

Having a strong core that can stabilize your body is vital at any age, but it gets more important as you get older.

These mid-body muscles protect your spine, keep your posture healthy and help with your balance. All of these things are vital if you want to move with ease and maintain your independence.

There are plenty of core exercises you can do at home, but one of my favorites is the suitcase carry, which involves picking up a heavy weight in one hand and walking for 30 seconds, then switching sides.

During the exercise, the weight will try to pull you off center. You have to switch on your core muscles to stay upright.

It’s not just me who thinks that this is a star exercise—physical therapist Dr Sean Sullivan also says it’s packed with benefits.

“It challenges grip strength, core stability, posture, balance, and walking at the same time,” says the owner of SpineScottsdale.

Here’s how to do the suitcase carry.

How to do the suitcase carry

Sets: 1-3 Time: 20-30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a weight on the floor to your left.
• Engage your core.
• Hinge at your hips, bend your knees, and lower down to grasp the weight in your left hand.
• Stand back up, holding the weight.
• Walk for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch hands.

Tips on how to do it better

“The biggest mistake is using so much weight that you start leaning to one side,” cautions Dr. Sullivan.

You could try using a lighter weight if you struggle to stay upright, but I have a different approach.

When I’m working with a client who’s having trouble maintaining correct form, I’ll sometimes omit the walking portion of the exercise and have them stand holding a weight with one hand. Starting this way can help build deep core strength and stability.

Once they can hold the weight properly for at least 30 seconds, I’ll reintroduce walking for a shorter timeframe, completing 10-20 seconds instead of 20-30.

If you want to make the move harder, you can pick up a heavier weight.

If you don't have access to heavier weights, you can also challenge your balance by lifting one leg and holding it for up to 10 seconds with each step.

You’re not a flamingo, so why would you worry about your ability to balance on one leg?

“Balance is one of the clearest indicators of how well the body is functioning day to day,” says Yancy Culp, Spartan DEKA co-creator and senior director, who’s also trained many of the top obstacle course racers.

“It underpins confidence in movement, reduces risk of falls, and becomes increasingly important as we age.”

It’s why standing on one leg while doing a task is the first of Culp’s five fitness litmus tests, a way of helping people assess if they’ve got all the bases covered (the others cover cardio fitness, strength and mobility).

“If you struggle to stay steady while doing a task such as tying your shoe, it can be a sign that your balance and coordination need attention. The good news is that balance is something you can improve with practice—standing on one leg regularly can help you build your balance and coordination.”

I’m proof that this simple prescription works.

After I edited an article on the old man test, I tried it and realized I couldn’t put on a sock and shoe while standing on one leg.

All I did to remedy this was to almost always put on my socks while standing on one leg. It took months, but my balance has noticeably improved.

However, what if you’re not comfortable standing on one leg at all?

Culp has suggested two simple drills that, when practiced consistently and with the difficulty progressed gradually, should help you see a similar improvement.

Two balance drills

1. Delayed walking

“Many don’t think about it, but walking requires balance and coordination skills that we developed at a very early age,” says Culp.

“It’s a contralateral movement that requires opposite limbs working together to produce movement.

“For several minutes every day, do what I call delayed walking. Walk very slowly so that you’re forced to balance on one foot for a longer period of time compared to your normal walking pace during your leg transitions.

“During every session, challenge yourself to increase the amount of time for each step transition. Your balance will definitely improve!”

2. Slow high knees

“Take the traditional high knee drill and slow it way down,” says Culp.

“Slowly raise your knee and take three seconds to cycle the high knee before returning the foot to the ground.

“Continue cycling for two minutes daily.

“Every fifth day, increase your leg cycle time by one second. In 35 days you’ll be doing 10-second leg cycles and your balance will be greatly improved.

“Challenge yourself during this drill by doing things like closing your eyes for a brief period of time and reaching down and touching your foot with both hands during your leg cycles.”

Scroll through Pilates content on social platforms and you’ll find instructors executing impressive-looking moves that require expert-level core strength and control.

While it’s tempting to try and replicate them at home, you’re unlikely to be able to do them with the precision they require.

“The biggest mistake I see is beginners choosing more advanced [exercise] variations before establishing a strong foundation,” says Marina Enright, certified instructor and founder of Amare Pilates.

This can have serious implications.

“It means you may compensate with the wrong muscle groups, creating unnecessary tension in areas like the neck, shoulders and lower back,” says Enright.

“Over time, this can reinforce poor movement patterns and potentially lead to discomfort or injury.”

Getting the basics right is a necessary part of the practice, and rushing ahead to more advanced moves can actually slow things down in the long term.

Below, Enright shares three key pointers on how beginners can get the most out of Pilates.

1. Focus on quality over quantity

Pilates isn’t about blasting through as many repetitions of a move as possible, Enright says.

“Slow, controlled movements with proper alignment are more beneficial than rushing through repetitions. Always focus on quality over quantity.”

She says participants should focus on engaging the right muscles, rather than trying to do the hardest variation of a move.

2. Pay attention to your breath

Whether you’re practicing Pilates at home or in a class, your breath should be a focus throughout.

“Coordinating your breath with movement can help improve core engagement, control, and overall body awareness,” Enright explains.

“No matter how advanced we get with Pilates, we should always pay attention to the breath.”

3. Don’t be afraid to modify

Most Pilates instructors will give modifications to make a move easier or harder.

Enright encourages beginners to take the easier modifications to learn the fundamentals of each move.

“Modifications aren't a sign of weakness,” she emphasizes.

“They're an important part of building strength safely and effectively.”

If you’re working towards a specific goal or recovering from an injury, Enright also recommends working with a certified Pilates instructor.

“Having an instructor who can provide hands-on guidance, correct alignment and offer personalized modifications can make a significant difference,” she says.

As someone who has been going to the gym for many years, I’ve always, perhaps unfairly, assumed that home workouts aren’t quite as effective as gym workouts.

However, I recently moved to a new area and I haven’t been able to find a gym I enjoy training at, so I’ve switched to home dumbbell workouts and I’ve been surprised by how much progress I’ve made.

But, working out at home means you don’t necessarily have the variety of equipment that you get at the gym. So, I asked personal trainer Pippa Sealey to put together a workout that mimics a varied gym-based workout with just a pair of dumbbells.

How to do this home dumbbell workout

“This workout allows you to increase the intensity at home by adding more sets, reps and a more challenging tempo,” Sealey explains. You’ll notice that as well as sets and reps, two of the exercises include tempo advice, which refers to how many seconds you should spend on each section of the move.

For example, if the tempo of a squat is 3111, that means you should spend three seconds lowering, one second at the bottom of the movement, one second to stand up and one second at the top of the movement.

Focusing on tempo can increase the time your muscles are under tension, which is a great way to help promote muscle growth, replicating the type of stimulus you achieve in the gym with a heavier weight.

This workout also incorporates supersets, which means you do two exercises back-to-back with no rest. “Adding in supersets is a good way of adding intensity at home,” says Sealey.

Complete all the reps of exercise A, then all the reps of exercise B to complete one superset. Continue until all the sets are complete, then move onto the next pair of exercises.

1A. Deficit calf raise

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 0sec

How to do it:

• Stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of a step, with your heels hanging off the edge.
• Slowly lower your heels below the level of the step, feeling a stretch through your calves.
• Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible, squeezing your calves at the top.
• Lower your heels back down slowly and with control, keeping your legs straight without locking your knees.

1B. Single-leg bridge

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: 60-90sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Engage your core and lift your left foot off the floor.
• Push through the heel of your right foot to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to your right knee.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top, making sure your hips are level and you’re not arching your lower back.
• Slowly lower your hips to the floor.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

2A. Dumbbell goblet squat

Sets: 4 Reps: 12-15 Tempo: 3111 Rest: 0sec

How to do it:

• Hold a dumbbell vertically against your chest with both hands, keeping your elbows close to your body and your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower, keeping your chest upright, until your hips are at knee height or lower—take three seconds to complete this movement.
• Pause for one second, keeping your heels planted and your knees directly above your feet and pointing in the same direction as your toes.
• Push through your feet to stand upright, taking one second to complete the movement.
• Pause for one second and squeeze your glutes.

2B. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Sets: 4 Reps: 10–12 Tempo: 3111 Rest: 60-90sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs with your knees slightly bent.
• Push your hips backwards to lower the dumbbells, keeping them close to your legs and maintaining a neutral spine, stopping when you feel a stretch in your hamstrings—take three seconds to complete this movement.
• Pause for one second.
• Drive your hips forwards to return to standing, taking one second to complete the movement.
• Pause for one second and squeeze your glutes.

3A. Half-kneeling single-arm dumbbell press

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 0sec

How to do it:

• Start in a half-kneeling position with your left knee on the floor and your right foot flat on the floor in front of you, with both knees bent to 90°.
• Hold a dumbbell at shoulder height in your left hand.
• Engage your core.
• Press the dumbbell overhead, avoiding leaning backwards, arching your lower back or letting your ribs flare.
• Slowly lower the dumbbell back to shoulder height with control.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

3B. Dumbbell reverse lunge

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: 60-90sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Step one foot backwards and bend both knees to 90° to lower.
• Keep your chest upright, core engaged and your front knee tracking in line with your toes.
• Push through your front foot to return to standing.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides, or alternate sides with each rep to make it more difficult to maintain your balance.

4A. Dumbbell side bend

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: 0sec

How to do it:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand by your right side.
• Engage your core.
• Slowly bend from your waist to the right side, lowering the dumbbell down the outside of your leg.
• Lower only as far as you can comfortably without twisting your torso or leaning forward.
• Use your obliques (the muscles on the sides of your torso) to lift your torso back to an upright position, moving slowly and with control.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

4B. Dumbbell dead bug pull-over

Sets: 3 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 60-90sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back, holding one dumbbell securely with both hands above your chest with your knees bent at 90° and legs raised with your knees directly above your hips.
• Engage your core and gently press your lower back into the floor, keeping your ribs down throughout the movement.
• Slowly lower the dumbbell overhead while extending and lowering one leg, maintaining tension through your core.
• Return to the starting position with control, then repeat with the opposite leg, alternating legs with each rep.

Shop adjustable dumbbells

To get a gym-like experience at home without taking over a spare room with a weight rack, it’s a good idea to buy a pair of adjustable dumbbells, which allow you to add or subtract plates from one set of handles. Here is our top three picks from our guide to the best adjustable dumbbells.

When life gets hectic and your chest starts tightening, Bronté Terrell says a five-minute mindfulness practice drawn from the field of neuroscience can help restore calm.

“It’s called glimmer hunting,” the Les Mills group fitness presenter tells Fit&Well.

“Looking for those small things in life that bring you gratitude, that help to calm your nervous system and fill your cup, is so important in a job where you’re constantly giving to others.”

Glimmers, according to Terrell, are those small things in life that bring you joy.

“Like going for a walk while the sun’s setting, observing the sky changing color. Or watching the way light bounces off a lake or kisses the sea,” she says.

“Those beautiful things that bring you joy that money can’t buy.”

Actively seeking out these cues, Terrell says, helps manage her symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—but the benefits can be enjoyed by anyone.

“It’s like an anchor for my restless mind. Your brain can spiral 10 to the dozen with ADHD. You’re here, there and everywhere.

“Coming back to five things you can see around you that you’re grateful for or that bring you joy or you find beautiful, I’ve always found is a really good anchor.”

How Bronté Terrell makes glimmer hunting part of her morning routine

Terrell says she will always carve out a few minutes at the start of her day to search for these micro-moments of joy and tranquility.

“For me it’s always my cup of coffee in the morning. It brings me so much joy,” she says.

“Before our call today, I set time aside to sit in the garden. We’ve got parakeets in this area. They’re bright green. That always brings me joy.

“And the sun was out. The sunshine always brings me joy.”

If she’s ever feeling like work or life is overwhelming her, or she’s in a downward spiral of emotions, Terrell says this five-minute practice will serve as a “really good anchor”.

“If you just stop to pause and challenge yourself to glimmer, you’ll start to see the world in a different way. It’s a really good mental health hack,” she adds.

The origins of glimmer hunting

Glimmer hunting is a relatively modern wellness practice born from trauma-informed therapy and the work of psychotherapist Deb Dana.

In her 2018 book The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Dana introduced the concept of glimmers.

The opposite of triggers, which can lead to a spiral of negative thoughts and emotions, glimmers are tiny, everyday cues that spark brief feelings of calm, connection and comfort.

Dana’s application expanded on the research of neuroscientist Dr Stephen Porges.

In 1994, Porges challenged the assumption that our autonomic nervous system works like a two-part on/off switch, flipping between stress and relaxation.

Instead, he proposed a three-state model shaped by evolution, with two influenced by the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to the heart, lungs and digestive organs.

When we feel safe, we’re able to access something Porges described as the social engagement system.

Heart rate stabilizes, defensive arousal drops and we’re more able to feel calm, connected and mentally flexible.

Glimmer hunting is simply the deliberate practice of seeking out these cues to shift our nervous system from stress and anxiety toward calm and connection.

When you’re not an expert and you’re being bombarded by nutrition advice every time you open up your favorite social media app, it can be hard to know what to put in your cart at the grocery store and what to leave on the shelf.

So, I asked registered sports dietitian Roxana Ehsani what she reaches for again and again on her ALDI run.

Ehsani’s staples make it easy to create balanced homemade meals packed with protein, fibre and omega-3s without needing to spend hours in the kitchen.

Here are Ehsani’s ALDI staples.

1. Kefir

“I love using kefir in place of milk, juice or yogurt in a smoothie or smoothie bowl,” Ehsani tells Fit&Well.

“It’s a fermented milk product that contains live and active cultures and is rich in probiotics, which can help regulate a more diverse gut microbiome, and support bowel movements and immune health.”

Kefir is also a source of calcium and vitamin D for bone health. The Friendly Farms kefir Ehsani buys also contains 10g of protein per cup to help her meet her protein target.

Use it in place of milk, stir it into soup for extra creaminess or whip it up into a sauce or salad dressing for a nutritional boost.

2. Pistachios

Pistachios are an underrated nutritional powerhouse that Ehsani always adds to her cart.

“They have a trio of nutrients: containing healthy unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, and plant protein,” she says. “They are also unique in that they contain all essential amino acids, making them a complete plant protein.”

High in protein and fiber, they support heart health, blood sugar balance, weight management and muscle recovery—especially important after a workout.

Have them as a post-workout snack, add them to cereal or sprinkle on top of salads or grain bowls. “You can even use them as a crust on salmon,” suggests Ehsani.

3. Sweet potatoes

“Rich in vitamin A, which can support vision and immune health, sweet potatoes are a great source of dietary fiber—which supports gut health and prevents constipation,” explains Ehsani.

They’re easy to incorporate into your diet too. “You can bake them, roast them or air-fry them,” she says.

“Make them into sweet potato mash, slice them up and use them as toast, or add them to soups, stews or stir-fries. I love using them to whip up healthy baked goods too.”

4. Wild Caught Alaska Sockeye Salmon

“Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that support brain, immune and heart health,” says Ehsani.

“It’s also a high-quality source of protein and it contains vitamin D, a nutrient that isn’t found naturally in many other foods.

“I like to choose wild-caught salmon from Alaska as it contains more nutrients and fewer contaminants compared to other varieties,” Ehsani adds.

You can air-fry, pan-fry, grill or roast salmon, or take inspiration from Ehsani and add it to a sheet pan with vegetables and sweet potato for an easy, balanced midweek meal.

5. Eggs

“Eggs are very versatile and a staple I always pick up at the grocery store,” says Ehsani.

“They are a complete protein source, containing essential vitamins and minerals like lutein, choline, and vitamin D, which support eye, brain and bone health, as well as the immune system.”

There are lots of ways to incorporate them into your diet. “You can use them to whip up pancakes, waffles, make scrambled eggs, easy-over eggs, or hard-boiled eggs.

“Or, pop them into a sandwich, wrap or on top of a salad,” suggests Ehsani.

With age comes a natural decline in muscle mass and mobility. You might first notice this while walking—perhaps you don’t walk as far or as smoothly—but this doesn’t have to mean a loss of independence.

“Many people do not stop walking because they suddenly become too old; more often they stop because life gets busy, pain develops, or walking becomes more tiring than it used to be,” explains Devin Trachman, clinical director of Physical Therapy Central.

“As activity levels decline, the muscles that support walking become weaker, balance decreases and endurance drops, making walking feel even more difficult.”

Trachman says that this cycle can be reversed with gentle strength training to improve balance, confidence and muscle.

“Even small improvements in strength can lead to meaningful improvements in walking endurance and overall quality of life,” she says

“Rather than simply telling someone to walk more, I believe it’s more effective to build the strength and confidence that make walking feel easier and more enjoyable.

“When people become stronger, they’re more likely to stay active, remain independent, and continue doing the activities they love.”

If you’re looking for somewhere to start, Trachman recommends this one exercise to build strength in your walking muscles.

“If I could only prescribe one exercise to improve walking, this would be it,” she says.

1. Sit-to-stand

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 60sec

“Standing up from a chair is one of the most functional movements we perform every day. It builds the lower-body strength needed for walking, climbing stairs and getting up independently.”

Muscles targeted: Quadriceps, gluteus maximus and core stabilizers

How to do it:

• Sit toward the front of the seat of a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
• Lean your chest slightly forward while keeping your back straight. Have your hands crossed over your chest or by your sides.
• Push through your heels to stand fully upright.
• Slowly lower yourself back into the chair with control.

Form tip: Avoid using your hands if possible.

Modifications: If you need to use your hands, use a chair with arm rests for light support until you build up the strength to go hands free. Alternatively, use a table or sturdy support in front of you.

There is plenty of expert advice and evidence backing the need for strength training as we age—particularly for women in midlife. The importance of developing and maintaining power, though, is often overlooked.

“When we talk about power in exercise, we’re talking about the ability to produce force quickly,” explains Kylie Hansen, a NASM-certified personal trainer and coach at Busy Bariatrics.

“That means being able to use your strength at speed—a skill that matters when you need to catch yourself after a trip or move quickly to regain your balance.” It also helps you move rapidly when you need to, like dodging people on a busy sidewalk.

“This becomes particularly important as we get older because the muscle fibers that help us produce quick, powerful movements can decline with age and inactivity,” she says.

Training power might sound intimidating, but you don’t need to start with big jumps or complicated lifts.

“For beginners, we can take familiar movements, use appropriate modifications and focus on moving with control and intent in a safe manner,” says Hansen.

Below, Hansen shares three exercises for producing force quickly, plus a core stability move to complement them.

How to do the four-move power workout

Complete two or three sets of each exercise, then move on to the next exercise. Rest for 60–90 seconds between sets.

Hansen says that the aim is quality reps, rather than pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion.

“Power drops as fatigue builds,” says Hansen, “so I’d rather see someone perform a small number of crisp, purposeful repetitions, take adequate rest, and repeat them well than turn these exercises into a high-repetition cardio workout.”

1. Burpee

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 5-6 Rest: 60-90sec

• Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
• Bend your knees to place your hands on the floor in front of your feet.
• Step or jump your feet back into a high plank, engaging your core to keep your body in a straight line.
• Step or jump your feet back in toward your hands.
• Return to standing and reach your arms overhead with a small jump.

Modification: Step back instead of jumping your feet back, and/or rise onto your toes instead of jumping vertically.

How it helps train power: “The burpee uses the whole body and there’s lots of room to adjust the intensity,” says Hansen. “A beginner can step through the movement, while someone more experienced can move faster with a jump at the end. When performed explosively, it requires your body to produce force quickly while coordinating the upper and lower body.”

2. Squat jump

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 5-6 Rest: 60-90sec

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees to sit your hips back and lower your buttocks, keeping your chest upright.
• Push firmly through your feet and swing your arms up to propel you into a vertical jump.
• Land softly, allowing your hips and knees to bend to absorb the impact.

Modification: Rise onto your toes instead of jumping.

How it trains power: “Squat jumps introduce lower-body power using a movement most people will already recognize,” explains Hansen.

3. Squat to upright row

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 5-6 Rest: 60-90sec

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells in front of your thighs.
• Bend your knees to sit your hips back and lower your buttocks, keeping your chest upright.
• Push firmly through your feet to stand upright and use the momentum generated to pull the dumbbells toward your chest as you rise, moving your elbows up and out to the sides.
• Lower the weights with control.

How it trains power: “This movement combines lower and upper-body movement, so you have to coordinate them at once,” says Hansen.

4. Plank dumbbell pull-through

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 5-6 each side Rest: 60-90sec

• Start in a high plank with your shoulders over your wrists, your body in a straight line from head to heels and your feet apart for stability, with a dumbbell on the floor on the inside of your left hand.
• Engage your core to keep your hips as stable.
• Use your right hand to move the dumbbell to your right side.
• Repeat on the other side.

Make it easier: Perform the movement from your knees.

How it supports the workout: “This exercise is slightly different from the explosive lower-body exercises—the challenge comes from quickly creating stability as your base of support changes,” says Hansen.

This move challenges your core to keep your hips and torso steady as you shift your weight onto one arm to move the dumbbell across the floor. It complements the explosive exercises by training stability and control.

If participants in my exercise classes are anything to go by then cold season is already upon us. Many are nursing sore throats, coughs and congestion that barely clear before symptoms return. This led me to research whether anything could help a cold end sooner.

While there is currently no cure for the common cold, registered dietitian Johannah Katz RD says studies indicate that zinc could shorten a cold, potentially by two days.

“Zinc is interesting because the evidence suggests it may be more useful once a cold starts than as a general immune supplement,” says Katz. “A 2024 Cochrane review found it may shorten symptoms by around two days, although the evidence isn't conclusive.”

She says the strongest evidence supports starting zinc very early, “ideally within 24 hours of the first symptoms.”

What is zinc and how might it shorten a cold?

Zinc is a mineral that the immune system needs to work properly.

Think of your immune cells as a team defending your body—zinc helps them work properly, communicate and respond to germs. It also helps regulate inflammation (the body’s response to infection) so that it doesn’t become excessive.

“The certainty of that [Cochrane review] evidence was rated low because the studies varied substantially in dose, formulation and design.

“I’d describe the research as promising rather than definitive. The same review did not find convincing evidence that zinc meaningfully reduces overall symptom severity.”

A 2027 meta-analysis of seven trials found that zinc lozenges containing more than 75mg of zinc, shortened colds by an average of 33% compared with placebo. Zinc lozenges dissolve slowly, releasing zinc around your mouth and throat.

Researchers suggested that zinc might make it harder for cold viruses to spread and make copies of themselves. Releasing the zinc locally in the mouth and throat may also be a contributing factor, although scientists haven’t confirmed this.

Katz agrees there is “better evidence” for zinc lozenges than a swallowed tablet.

“Both zinc acetate and zinc gluconate lozenges have shown benefit, and a meta-analysis did not find a significant difference between the two.

“I’d look at the amount of elemental zinc [actual weight of zinc mineral] rather than the total weight of the zinc compound [with its carrier elements].

“Intranasal zinc sprays or gels should be avoided because they have been linked with potentially permanent loss of smell.”

What doses have researchers studied and are they safe?

“Trials showing benefits have commonly used roughly 75-90 mg of elemental zinc per day, often around 80-92 mg/day, for the duration of the cold and generally for less than two weeks,” says Katz.

“There’s no evidence that going above about 100 mg/day works better. However, these amounts exceed the usual adult tolerable upper intake level of 40 mg/day, so I wouldn’t recommend routinely self-supplementing at those doses without checking with a pharmacist or healthcare professional.”

This is the US adult upper limit, covering zinc from food and supplements. NHS guidance advises taking no more than 25mg of zinc supplements daily unless advised by a doctor.

Zinc also comes with some side effects, says Katz. “The most common problems are nausea, stomach upset and an unpleasant or metallic taste. Long-term high-dose zinc can interfere with copper absorption and can actually impair immune function.

“Zinc can also interact with tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics and with penicillamine, so anyone taking medications should check with their pharmacist.”

Katz points out that taking zinc as a preventative measure is probably not worth it. “The latest Cochrane review found that preventive zinc supplementation may have little or no effect on the likelihood of developing a cold,” she says. “Its potential usefulness appears stronger as a short-term intervention started once symptoms begin.”

While zinc isn’t guaranteed to stop a cold in its tracks, Katz’s advice is to weigh the possible benefit against the risks. “The evidence suggests that the right formulation, started early, may modestly shorten how long someone is sick and that potential benefit has to be weighed against the dose and side effects,” she says.

Pilates is a fantastic way to move your body, especially if you don’t feel confident lifting heavy weights or doing high-impact cardio and are looking for a low-impact option.

Modern Pilates is a varied discipline, though, and some classes may be more suitable for younger bodies.

So I turned to Claire Seager, 51, a Pilates teacher and founder of Pilatify, which is designed with women over the age of 50 in mind, to ask what benefits Pilates can offer older women.

“Pilates brings the whole body into balance and once we’ve worked one set of muscles, we will stretch them,” Seager says. “Modern life, and age, often brings us into a head-forward and stooped posture, and Pilates aims to counteract this.

“It is low impact, keeps you strong, improves your balance and reduces stress,” she adds.

Below, she’s shared her top five beginner-friendly Pilates moves for women in their 60s and 70s. “The exercises I’ve chosen offer the perfect blend of strength, flexibility and posture correction,” Seager says.

The best Pilates moves for women in their 60s and 70s

1. Rocking cat and cow

Reps: 10

• Get on your hands and knees, pull your tummy in and up, and round your spine.
• Draw your pubic bone to your nose, rounding your back. This is cat.
• Keep that shape and move your butt to lightly touch your heels.
• Rock forward again so your shoulders are back above your hands.
• Arch your back, lifting your tailbone, head and chest. This is cow.

Make it easier: Omit the rocking motion and move between cat position and cow position.

2. Reverse tabletop

Reps: 10

• Sit on the floor with your legs together and extended, your hands on the floor slightly behind your butt, with your fingers facing forward and your chest open.
• Lift your butt so your body is in a straight line from head to feet.
• Lower slowly.

Make it easier: Start with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.

3. Knee circles

Reps: 10 in each direction on each side

• Get on your hands and knees.
• Keeping your pelvis as still as possible, lift your left leg behind you, keeping your knee bent to 90°.
• Move your left leg out to the side then back to the start, drawing an imaginary circle with your knee.
• Once you have completed the reps on one direction, complete another set of reps in the opposite direction.
• Then repeat on the other side.

Make it easier: If you find your pelvis moves as you circle your knee, just lift and lower your knee.

4. Triceps push-up

Reps: 10

• Start in a plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Bend your elbows to lower your body, keeping your elbows tucked in by your sides and your head in line with your spine.
• Push through your hands to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

Make it easier: Keep your knees on the floor underneath your hips.

5. Thread the needle

Reps: 10 each side

• Get on your hands and knees, extend your right leg behind you and lift it to hip height.
• Move your right hand underneath your torso and thread it between your left hand and left knee, twisting your torso to the left and lowering the right side of your face.
• Reverse the movement and raise your right arm, twisting your torso to the right.
• Perform all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

Make it easier: Keep both knees on the floor.

When you like to run, you will never be able to shake the temptation to skip strength training in favor of more miles, but you must remember that regular strength training helps keep you strong enough to run regularly without injury.

“It’s a crucial part of training,” says Paupert, who is a certified personal trainer at Xceleration Fitness.

She’s put together a four-move workout exclusively for Fit&Well readers that strengthens and protects your knees and hips in particular, so you’re less likely to develop an injury and have to stop running. Not only that, the added leg strength and core stability should see you achieve faster times.

The lower-body workout for runners

If you’re unfamiliar with strength training, begin with bodyweight versions of Paupert’s four moves. “Practice this lower-body workout unweighted at first, then you can start to add light weights and build up,” Paupert says.

“As you progress, think about the weight of a big suitcase that you’d take on holiday. That usually weighs around 40lb so if you can lift a suitcase you could try, for example, your kettlebell deadlift exercise with two 20lb kettlebells.”

1. Single-leg step down

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side

How to do it:

• Stand on a yoga block or weight plate that is three to four inches tall with your right foot, holding your left foot behind you so it is off the platform.
• Bend your right knee to slowly lower your left heel to tap the floor, keeping your hips level throughout.
• Extend your right knee to return to the starting position.

Progression: To make this exercise more challenging, increase the height of your block or hold a weight at your chest.

Benefits: Strengthens the quadriceps and the patellar tendon in the front of the knee. It isolates one leg at a time to help with any strength asymmetries you may have.

2. Double kettlebell sumo deadlift

Sets: 3 Reps: 10

How to do it:

• Start with a wide stance that is wider than your shoulders with your toes turned out about 45°, and two kettlebells of equal weight between your feet.
• Bend your knees slightly and push your glutes back, hinging forward from your hips to reach down and take hold of the kettlebells.
• Engage your core and move your shoulders back and down to engage your back muscles.
• Push your hips forward and push the floor away with your feet to stand upright, lifting the kettlebells.
• Slowly lower the kettlebells back to the floor by pushing your glutes back and then bending your knees.

Benefits: Works your glutes, hamstrings and adductors while protecting the lower back and improving hip mobility. As a runner, strengthening the posterior chain is important because that’s what propels you forward as you run.

3. Lateral lunge

Sets: 3 Reps: 8 each side

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet together.
• Take a big step out to the right, keeping your torso over your right leg and your left leg straight.
• Bend your right knee to lower.
• Push through your right foot to return to the start.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Progression: Once you have mastered the movement pattern, hold a kettlebell at your chest or dumbbells by your sides to make it more challenging.

Benefits: Strengthens the hips and knees, while reducing risk of injury by training in a direction we don’t usually move in day-to-day.

4. Suitcase march

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side

How to do it:

• Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell by your left side, slightly away from your body.
• Slowly lift and bend your left knee to hip height (or higher).
• Return your left foot to the floor with control then repeat on the right side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep, then repeat holding the weight on your right side.

Form tip: If the weight is in your left hand, focus on keeping the tension and control in your right obliques.

Benefits: Improves core stability, hip flexor strength and oblique strength.

After working with a personal training client for a while, I like to introduce a new challenge in the form of kettlebells.

These weights are great for building full-body strength and the uneven weight distribution provides new stimulus for muscles in your forearms and around your wrists.

I typically start by introducing kettlebell goblet squats, goblet cleans, overhead presses and halos.

You need to know how to squat, overhead press and deadlift with proper form before attempting this routine.

Here’s how to do it.

How to do this full-body kettlebell workout

I make clients work through these exercises as a circuit, so you perform one set of reps of exercise one, followed by one set of reps for exercise two, and so on. Do all the exercises in sequence to perform one round. Complete between two and four rounds as time and/or your fitness allows. If your form begins to break down, that’s a sign that it’s time to stop.

1. Kettlebell goblet squat

Reps: 8-12

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in front of your chest.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, keeping your back straight, until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
• Pause briefly.
• Push through your feet to stand back up.

Trainer tips: Don’t let your torso lean forward excessively. If that happens, use a lighter kettlebell.

2. Kettlebell goblet clean

Reps: 8-12

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, with a kettlebell on the floor between your feet.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Hinge at your hips, bend your knees, and lean forward.
• Grasp the top of the kettlebell handle with both hands.
• Drive your hips forward to stand upright, generating the momentum to lift the kettlebell vertically.
• As the kettlebell rises, move your elbows up and out to the sides and shift your grip from the top of the handle to the sides, catching the kettlebell in front of your chest.
• Reverse the movements to lower the kettlebell back to the floor.

Trainer tips: Don’t allow your back to arch or round. Stay in control of the movement at all times.

3. Kettlebell overhead press

Reps: 8-12

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in both hands at chest level.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Press the kettlebell over your head.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower the kettlebell to your chest.

Trainer tips: Don’t allow your lower back to arch as you press the kettlebell overhead. Keep your ribs drawn in. The kettlebell should stay aligned with your body; don’t allow it to travel forward or backward as you press it overhead.

4. Kettlebell halo

Reps: 8-12 each direction

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell upside down by its handles at chest level.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Bring the kettlebell to your right shoulder.
• Circle the kettlebell behind your head, then bring it toward your left shoulder.
• Bring the kettlebell back to your chest.
• Reverse directions, bringing the kettlebell to your left shoulder.
• Circle the kettlebell behind your head, bringing it to your right shoulder.
• Bring the kettlebell back to your chest.

Trainer tips: Keep your elbows drawn in as you circle the kettlebell behind your head. Don’t let your back arch excessively. Stay in control of the movement and don’t let momentum take over.

You’ve probably heard about the importance of strength training as you age—it’s one of the most effective ways to preserve muscle mass and bone density.

However, lifting heavy weights isn’t the only thing you should be focusing on for your long-term health, according to Antonietta Vicario, chief training officer at PVOLVE.

To boost your longevity, you should also incorporate exercises that actively challenge your stability and balance.

“As we age, maintaining stability becomes increasingly important because it supports our ability to move through life with confidence and control,” Vicario explains.

“Balance and stability aren't just fitness skills. They're part of maintaining independence and continuing to do the things we love, increasing our healthspan.”

To build better stability, Vicario recommends mixing up your routine with exercises that require your core to keep you steady while other parts of your body are in motion.

“You’re asking your muscles and joints to create strength and control while your position is changing,” she says.

“Your deep core and smaller stabilizing muscles have to communicate with the rest of the body to keep you centered, aligned, and in control.”

One prime example is the leg flutter: lying on your back with your legs extended and torso lifted, you flutter your feet up and down.

While it looks simple, it’s surprisingly hard for your core muscles to stabilize your body and prevent your torso from rocking side-to-side.

To bolster your balance, you need to do unilateral work, like single-leg deadlifts or lunges.

Combined, these styles of exercises strengthen your core muscles and train them to stabilize you when your balance is tested.

Vicario has created a workout that contains both types of moves, so you can hone these skills at home.

All you’ll need is two dumbbells—a lighter option and a slightly heavier weight—along with 20 minutes of free time.

I always tell my clients they don’t need to spend hours at a gym to get a good workout.

In fact, one of my go-to routines takes just 10 minutes and only requires a single dumbbell.

On days when my schedule is packed, I use this sequence to target my legs, arms, back and core.

It’s a circuit workout, which means you’ll do one set of reps for each exercise before moving on to the next. Perform all the exercises to complete one round of the circuit.

I always aim to do two rounds, but you can do more rounds if you have the time.

1. Single-arm bent-over row

Reps: 10 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding a dumbbell in your right hand.
• Engage your core muscles, hinge from the hips and lean your torso forward until your back is nearly parallel to the floor.
• Squeeze your right shoulder blade and pull the dumbbell toward your hip.
• Pause briefly when the dumbbell is near your hip.
• Lower the dumbbell with control.
• Complete all the repetitions, then repeat on the other side.

Trainer tips: Use your other hand to brace yourself on a chair, table, or other solid surface. You can also place one foot in front of the other and place your hand on your thigh for support. Avoid rounding your spine or allowing your lower back to arch excessively. Relax the shoulders and keep the elbow close to your body as you lift the dumbbell.

2. Goblet squat

Reps: 10

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Hold a dumbbell by one of its ends with both hands.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
• Pause briefly.
• Push through your heels to stand.

Trainer tips: Push your hips back before bending the knees. If you’re a beginner, place a chair behind you and aim your hips towards the seat. Keep your spine straight and avoid leaning forward excessively. If you are leaning forward, use a lighter weight or practice the move without a dumbbell. Don’t let your knees cave in as you stand up, and keep your heels on the floor throughout the movement.

3. Dumbbell halo

Reps: 10 each direction

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell by each end in front of your chest.
• Engage your core muscles and move the dumbbell towards your right shoulder.
• Circle the dumbbell behind your head, bringing it to your left shoulder.
• Bring the dumbbell back to your chest.
• Continue circling the dumbbell in this direction 10 times, then repeat in the other direction.

Trainer tips: Keep the dumbbell as close to your body as possible. Avoid letting your elbows splay out to the side as you take the dumbbell behind your head. Keep your core engaged throughout.

4. Dumbbell woodchop

Reps: 10 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the shaft of a dumbbell in both hands.
• Engage your core muscles, hinge at the hips slightly as you bring the dumbbell to the outside of your left hip.
• Drive your hips forward and swing the dumbbell above your right shoulder.
• Hinge your hips behind you as you bring the dumbbell back to the left hip.
• Continue for 10 repetitions, then repeat on the other side.

Trainer tips: Stay in control of the movement at all times, and avoid letting momentum take over. Keep your spine straight and don’t let your back round or arch excessively.

Doing some gentle movements, catching your breath and taking time to notice how you feel can help you recalibrate in the middle of a stressful day.

It’s something I encourage my yoga therapy clients to do, because it's nearly impossible to regulate your nervous system with mental reasoning alone.

Most people need to move their bodies and slow down their breath to activate their rest and recovery (parasympathetic) state.

This slow flow I’ve created can help you do just that. Take three to five breaths in each pose and try to stay aware of your body.

If you’re used to a dynamic yoga practice, moving more slowly through this flow might be harder than moving fast.

But that’s the practice: try to feel the contact points between you and the floor, notice your exhalations, and retrain your mind to observe every inch of movement.

The poses for the two-minute nervous system regulation yoga flow

1. Cat cow

Time: 3-5 breaths

• Begin on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Inhale deeply as you arch your back, gently lifting your chin and chest.
• Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin toward your chest and your pelvis under.

2. Downward-facing dog

Time: 3-5 breaths

• From your hands and knees, press your palms into the floor, straighten your legs and raise your hips. Keep your knees bent for comfort if needed.
• Pedal your feet, lowering one heel as you raise the other.
• Maintain a straight back and focus on your breath.

3. Eight-point salute (ashtanga namaskar)

Time: 3-5 breaths

• From downward-facing dog, come into a high plank position. Your hands and toes should be on the floor, with the rest of your body held in a straight line.
• Engage your core and hold the plank position briefly.
• Lower your knees, chest and chin to the floor, while keeping your elbows pointing up behind you and your hips elevated. If lowering all body parts at once is too challenging, lower your knees first.
• Hold and focus on your breath.

4. Cobra (bhujangasana)

Time: 3-5 breaths

• From the eight-point salute, lower the front of your body to the floor, so you’re lying face down.
• Press your palms into the floor and raise your chest and chin.
• Keep your pelvis grounded as you elongate your back.

5. Child’s pose (balasana)

Time: 3-5 breaths

• From cobra, come to a kneeling position, with knees out wide and toes touching.
• Slide your hips back to touch your heels.
• Lean forward and rest your forehead on the floor or on your hands.
• Reach your arms forward or have them by your sides.

GLP-1 medications are an integral part of many people’s weight-loss journeys.

One of those is NASM-certified personal trainer Kylie Hansen.

“I’ve had bariatric surgery, I currently use a GLP-1 and I’m a personal trainer and nutrition coach,” Hansen tells Fit&Well.

“One of the biggest things I’ve learned through my own weight-loss journey is that seeing the scale go down and building a strong, healthy body are not the same thing.

“At this point in my journey, I’m much less interested in exercising just to burn calories or make the scale move. I want muscle.”

She adds that she sees muscle as an insurance policy that allows her to live an active life.

“I want to be strong, capable and able to continue doing the things I love as I get older.”

Hansen favors dumbbell workouts and strength training with machines at the gym, as the added stability gives her the confidence to lift heavier weights.

“I’ve had spinal surgery, and I find that dumbbells allow me to move in a way that feels more natural for my body,” she says.

“I don’t believe there is one perfect way to strength train,” says Hansen.

“Find movements that work for your body, start where you are and give yourself opportunities to get stronger. These are three movements I personally love.”

1. Goblet squat
2. Walking lunge
3. Dumbbell punch

1. Goblet squat

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12 Rest: 60-90sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell or dumbbell at your chest with both hands.
• Brace your core and keep your chest upright.
• Bend your knees and lower your hips as low as comfortable, keeping your feet flat on the floor.
• Push through your feet to extend your legs and return to standing.

Why Hansen recommends this exercise: “Squats train a lot of muscles in one movement, particularly the quads and glutes, while also involving the hamstrings, core and other muscles that help stabilize the body,” says Hansen.

“If I had to choose one movement, squats would definitely be on my list because there is so much you can do with them.

“You can do a sit-to-stand from a chair, a bodyweight squat, goblet squat, sumo squat, heel-raised squat, close-stance squat—the list goes on.

“I love that because you can meet yourself where you are instead of thinking you have to perform a certain version of an exercise for it to count.

“Maybe today your squat is simply getting out of a chair without using your hands. That's still something worth working on.

“Eventually that might become a bodyweight squat. Then maybe you hold a dumbbell.

“Over time, you can gradually challenge yourself with more resistance or a variation that's appropriate for you.”

2. Walking lunge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 60-90sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and take a step forward with one foot.
• Bend both knees, lower your back knee toward the floor.
• Push through your front foot to bring yourself forward, stepping directly into the next step with your opposite leg leading.
• Continue alternating legs until all reps are completed.

Form tip: Keep your leading foot stable, your torso stable and chest upright.

Make it easier: If walking lunges aren't comfortable or you're still wobbly, perform a supported or stationary lunge.

Make it harder: Hold dumbbells if you're ready for more.

Why Hansen recommends this exercise: “I love walking lunges because they challenge each side of your body independently,” says Hansen.

“They also require balance, coordination and control while building lower-body strength.

“Walking lunges work the quads and glutes while also involving the hamstrings, calves and core.”

3. Dumbbell punch

Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec Rest: 45-60sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and your core engaged.
• Hold a pair of light dumbbells in front of your shoulders.
• Drive one arm forward in a controlled motion, without locking your elbow.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
• Continue alternating while maintaining control.

Form tip: Keep your core engaged throughout the movement and avoid using momentum to throw the weights around.

Why Hansen recommends this exercise: “This one might not be the first exercise people think of when they hear strength training, but I love it because movement doesn't always need to feel intimidating,” says Hansen.

“Not every exercise has to be complicated. Especially for someone who is just beginning to exercise or coming back to it after a long time. I think there's value in finding movement you actually enjoy doing.

“Sometimes picking up a couple of very light dumbbells and moving can help someone begin seeing themselves as a person who exercises.

“I would use this as a lighter resistance movement rather than treating it as a replacement for progressively loaded strength exercises like squats, lunges, presses or rows.”

“Light dumbbell punches involve the shoulders and arms while your core stabilizes your body as your arms alternate.”

Hansen’s tips for exercising on GLP-1s

You’ve got the GLP-1, you’ve got the workout; you’re sorted, right? Maybe not.

Hansen found that her relationship with motivation changed dramatically while on GLP-1 medication.

“The medication helps me eat less, so the scale can move without me feeling like I'm doing a tremendous amount of extra work,” she explains, “and my brain says, ‘Oh, I don't need to do anything!’ That's where I have to challenge myself.”

She adds that weight loss and building a healthier body aren't necessarily the same thing.

“I still have to decide to exercise. I still have to think about my nutrition. I still have to work on the habits I want to have long after losing weight stops being my immediate goal,” she says.

“A GLP-1 doesn't strength train for me. It doesn't build my habits for me. That's still my job.”

“Whether you're taking a GLP-1, you've had bariatric surgery, or neither applies to you, your mind is one of the most powerful tools you have.

“We have to learn to recognize and challenge the thought patterns that either move us toward the person we want to become or keep us stuck where we are.”

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice that focuses on building a mind-body connection through gentle, low-impact movement and deep breathing.

You can practice at any time of the day, but if you’re struggling to sleep at night Tai Chi teacher Brian Thompson recommends a five-minute practice that could help.

“The benefit of an evening Tai Chi practice is that it helps to unwind accumulated physical tension in the back, neck and shoulders from the day,” says Thompson, founder of BNEW4LIFE.

“It also signals to the parasympathetic nervous system to downshift, helping quiet late-night mental chatter and promote restorative sleep by calming the heart rate and settling breathing before bed,” he adds.

Thompson shares his favorite five minute Tai Chi practice to close out the day, focusing on gentle movement to relax and unwind.

The five-minute evening Tai Chi practice

1. The waterfall

Time: 1-2min

• Sit up straight on a sturdy chair with your butt in the middle of the seat and your feet flat on the floor, in front of your knees.
• Follow your natural breath, in and out through your nose, softening your stomach, shoulders and chest.
• Allow your breath to rise and fall like a waterfall.

2. Lift water

Reps: 2-3

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders relaxed, a slight bend in your knees and spine extended.
• With your hands relaxed and fingers loosely hanging down, raise your arms gently to shoulder height as you inhale.
• Extend your wrist joint so your palms face forward, and gently lower your arms to return to the starting position.

3. Single-hand silk reeling to double-hand silk reeling

Set up:

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, shoulders relaxed, chest upright and chin slightly tucked.
• Bend your knees slightly, with your weight centered.
• Raise your right hand in front of at chest or waist height, keeping your elbow lower than your wrist.
• Rest your left hand on your left hip or waist.
• Practice one-hand outward reeling on both left and right sides.

Four steps of silk reeling:

• Turn 1: Rotate your waist slightly toward your left, and rotate your right hand so your palm faces up.
• Weight shift 1: Shift your bodyweight toward your left leg, bending your left knee, and moving your right hand across your body and up to shoulder height.
• Turn 2: Turn your palm down, and move your right hand across your body to your right, then lowering your right hand to waist level as you rotate it so your palm faces up.
• Weight shift 2: Shift your bodyweight to your right leg, bending your knee slightly.
• Switch sides after practicing slowly on one side first.

Transition to double-hands silk reeling:

• Transition to using both hands together.
• Circle your arms into your middle, with your weight even on your feet and knees slightly bent.
• Circle your arms out to the sides, shifting your weight onto one leg.
• Return to center and repeat on your other leg.
• Float your arms out to the same side, shifting your weight onto your opposite leg. Repeat on the other side, following the silk reeling instructions above.
• Synchronize your movement with your breath.

4. Body massage and body cupping

• Stand or sit off the side of your bed.
• Relax your shoulders and begin massaging your neck, arms, midsection and legs, to help you activate the relaxation response.
• Cup your hands and pat up and down your shoulders, arms, chest, torso and legs, creating a suction motion.

Training your deep core muscles—the ones that wrap around your spine in your torso—can help with everything from your balance to your posture and spinal health.

One of the best ways to target these muscles is through Pilates, a practice that involves moving your limbs with control in sync with your breath.

“It builds foundational stability from the inside out,” says Madison DiSalvo, Pilates instructor at STRONG Pilates Commack.

DiSalvo recommends starting with these four moves that require you to hold your mid-body still while your limbs are moving. Here’s how to do them.

1. Dead bug

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side

• Lie on your back.
• Reach your arms straight up, bend your knees, and lift your legs so your calves are parallel to the floor. Your spine should be in a neutral position.
• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale and lower your right arm above your head and extend and lower your left leg, stopping just before your back arches.
• Inhale as you return to the starting position, then perform with the opposite limbs, switching sides with each rep.

The trick here is to keep your torso, lower back, and pelvis completely still, resisting the pull created by the movement of your arms and legs. This will activate your transverse abdominis, a corset-like muscle that sits below your ribs.

2. Bird dog

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side

• Get on your hands and knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders, your knees under your hips, and your spine in a neutral position.
• Exhale as you reach your right arm forward and extend and lift your left leg behind you to hip height, without letting your hips tilt or your lower back arch.
• Lower with control on an inhale, then perform with the opposite limbs, switching sides with each rep.

As with the dead bug, this move creates a cross-body rotational torque, which your deep-lying core muscles have to resist.

The dead bug exercise is more challenging for your deep core muscles, but the bird dog will test out your balance and coordination.

3. Bear plank

Sets: 3-5 Time: 20-30sec

• Get on your hands and knees, with your toes tucked and your hands underneath your shoulders.
• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale, draw your navel to your spine, and lift your knees one inch off the mat.
• Hold this position for time.

As you lift, keep your back flat and your neck elongated. Try to activate your pelvic floor as you execute the move.

4. Plank leg lift

Sets: 2-3 Time: 10-12 each side

• Get on your hands and knees, then step your feet back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
• Keeping your pelvis level and your back in a neutral position, exhale as you lift your right leg, squeezing your right glute.
• Lower on an inhale, then repeat with your left leg without shifting your weight from side to side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Make sure your lower back doesn’t arch as you lift your leg.

If you spend extended periods looking down at a device or slouching forward in front of a screen, you might have experienced discomfort in your neck—now widely known as tech neck.

Raj Suppiah, a physical therapist at Foundation Physical Therapy and Wellness, says this is the “strain of neck muscles as a result of a prolonged flexed [looking down] posture”.

“Spending a lot of time hunched over phones and computers can cause the muscles of the neck to become tight and overloaded, which can cause stiffness, pain or headaches,” he says.

To avoid developing tech neck, Suppiah recommends the following four points:

1. Take short movement breaks, every 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Adjust your screen so the top third aligns with your eyes or forehead.
3. Keep your keyboard and mouse close enough that you’re not forced to look down or reach forward.
4. Commit to regular exercise—specifically walking, strength training and mobility work for your neck, shoulders and upper back.

While you adopt Suppiah’s preventative measures, I asked Ashley Katzenback, a doctor of physical therapy and the owner of Cape Concierge Physical Therapy, what are the best exercises to ease screen-related neck discomfort and why they work.

1. Side neck stretch

The side neck stretch can ease tightness between your neck and shoulder, encouraging comfortable sideways movement.

Reps: 3 Hold: 5sec each side

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and shoulders relaxed.
• Hold the right side of your chair with your right hand.
• Carefully move your left ear toward your left shoulder, keeping your chest facing forward.
• Feel a gentle stretch down the right side of your neck.
• Hold for five seconds, repeat twice more.
• Move gently within a comfortable range and stop if there’s any pain.

Why it helps: “The side neck stretch works on your upper traps, levator scapulae, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid,” says Katzenback. “When these muscles are tight, your head migrates forward, leading to headaches, jaw pain and upper-back pain.

“I encourage this stretch to be done actively rather than passively because you work on recruiting the opposite side muscles while stretching the side in question.”

Active stretching is when you use your neck muscles to move your head into the stretch, rather than pulling it with your hand.

“For example, when you actively side-bend your neck to the right you are stretching the left side, while strengthening the right side,” says Katzenback. “This has been shown to be more effective than pulling on your neck.”

2. Chin back tuck

Reps: 5-10 Hold: 2sec

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and shoulders relaxed.
• Place your finger on your chin.
• Move your neck and head backward, moving your chin away from your finger.
• Hold for a couple of seconds.
• Release the position and repeat.

Why it helps: The chin tuck helps to gently lengthen the back of your neck, and draws your head back from a forward position. It’s a movement exercise as well as a stretch.

“This exercise activates the deep neck flexors that become weak and shortened from excessive sitting with forward head posture,” Katzenback says. “It also stretches tight suboccipital muscles that tend to cause headaches and tension radiating down into your shoulder blades.”

3. Seated chest stretch

Reps: 5 Hold: 5-10sec

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and shoulders relaxed.
• Extend your arms down by your sides, palms facing forward.
• Lift your chest slightly to feel a stretch across the front, without arching your lower back.
• Hold for 5-10sec, then release.

Why it helps: The chest stretch targets tightness rather than pain, stretching chest muscles to counteract the forward slouch towards a keyboard or device.

“Sometimes no matter how hard we try to strengthen the posterior chain [muscles in the back of your body including the neck and upper back], if your anterior chain [muscles in the front of your body including the chest and shoulders] is too tight, it's like pushing against a brick wall,” Katzenback says.

“When you do this stretch while seated at your desk, you must actively recruit your mid-back muscles [rhomboids, lats, mid traps, delts] to help pull your shoulders back.

“As the day progresses while you work at your computer, your lower back tires of supporting you, causing the thoracic spine to round, pulling everything forward. These stretches are all geared toward keeping your spine in optimal position.”

Walking is an effective form of exercise that can improve cardiovascular fitness, support mental health and mobility.

“Walking is one of the most underrated workouts out there. It's free, low impact, and you can do it almost anywhere,” says NASM-certified personal trainer Nelly Flaque from Nelly F Fitness.

And there’s a straightforward way to get more out of it—add short bursts of faster walking.

“Picking up the pace is the easiest upgrade you can make to your daily walk,” she says. “Faster intervals push your heart rate higher, burn more calories, and make your legs and glutes work harder with every step. Then the easy walking section lets you recover so you can push again.”

“Over time, your heart gets stronger, your endurance improves, and your normal walking pace gets faster,” says Flaque.

Research suggests that walking pace matters alongside daily step count. A new study of 64,743 people, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that a faster stepping pace was associated with a lower risk of death, including among people taking fewer than 5,000 steps a day.

Below, Flaque shares a beginner-friendly 20-minute walking workout, plus advice on finding your pace, refining your technique and progressing the routine.

“Don’t forget to wear supportive shoes, bring some water and start conservatively,” says Flaque. “If you have heart, joint, or balance issues, always check with your doctor before adding faster intervals.”

How to do this interval walking workout

At first, aim to perform this workout three times a week on non-consecutive days. Keep your regular easy walks on the days in between.

Warm-up

Time: 4min

Walk at an easy pace. Don’t be tempted to skip this part. “Cold calves and shins are the first to complain when you speed up!” says Flaque.

Intervals

Time: 12min

Alternate one minute of fast walking with two minutes of easy, slower walking to complete one round. Perform four rounds in total.

“During your easier stretches of walking, you should be able to hold a full conversation,” says Flaque. “During your fast intervals, you should only be able to get out a few words at a time.”

She suggests an effort of around four out of 10 for the easy sections and seven or eight for the faster intervals. “It should feel challenging, but something you can hold for a minute or two.”

Make sure you pace yourself so you can complete all four rounds. “If your first interval wipes you out, the rest of the workout falls apart. Save something.”

Cool-down

Time: 4min

Return to easy walking. Finish with a calf and hip flexor stretch if you like. Here’s a short routine of post-walk stretches to try.

How to walk with good technique

To help you speed up, Flaque recommends using your arms. “Bend your elbows to about 90° and swing them front to back—not across your body,” she says.

She also says to take quicker steps, not longer ones. “Reaching your front foot way out in front acts like a brake and stresses your shins and knees.

“Land on your heel, roll through the foot and push off hard with your toes. That push-off is where your speed comes from,” she adds.

Keep your shoulders relaxed, look ahead and lightly engage your core. “Think tall, not leaning,” she says. “This causes your head to drop, your posture collapses and will inevitably slow you down.” Keep your gaze ahead and upper body relaxed.

How to progress

“Once the workout feels comfortable, change one thing at a time,” says Flaque. Her progression options include:

• Shorten the recovery time from two to one minute.
• Increase the fast interval from one to two minutes.
• Add more rounds to build up to a 30-minute session.
• Walk up a gentle hill for your fast intervals.

Shop walking shoes

If you need to upgrade your footwear, consider these top picks from Fit&Well’s guide to the best walking shoes.

Your hips can suffer from stiffness and feel uncomfortable after sitting for long periods. But not moving enough isn’t the only cause.

Often pain comes down to a “mismatch between what your body is currently prepared to handle and what you’re asking it to do,” explains physical therapist Raj Suppiah.

“You might sit most of the week and then play three hours of pickleball on Saturday,” he says. “You might suddenly increase your running mileage. Or you might start a new gym program and do significantly more than your hips are accustomed to.”

The hip likes movement, says Suppiah, co-founder of Foundation Physiotherapy & Wellness, but it also needs to be strong and supple to tolerate the demands we put on it.

“There are obviously other reasons for hip pain,” he tells Fit&Well. “Arthritis can contribute to pain and stiffness as we get older. Tendons around the hip can become irritated. And sometimes what feels like hip pain is actually coming from the lower back.”

If your hips need some care, Suppiah has three stretches that can help ease stiffness and discomfort associated with prolonged sitting.

“I commonly recommend these three stretches because together they target the front, back and inside of the hip,” he says.

1. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch

Reps: 5-6 each side Hold: 10sec

• Start in a half-kneeling position with your right knee on the floor and your left foot flat on the floor in front of you, with your left knee bent to 90°.
• Gently tuck your pelvis and lean forward until you feel a stretch through the front of your right hip.
• Avoid arching your lower back when leaning forward.
• Hold the stretch, then swap sides.

Why it helps: “We spend a lot of time with our hips in a flexed position,” says Suppiah. “This stretch gets the hip moving in the opposite direction and can be especially helpful if you feel stiff through the front of your hips after sitting for a long time.”

2. Figure-four glute stretch

Reps: 5-6 each side Hold: 10sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Cross your right ankle over your left thigh.
• Take hold of the back of your left thigh with both hands and gently pull it toward you until you feel a comfortable stretch through your right glute and right hip.
• Hold the stretch, then repeat on the other side.

Why it helps: “This is a simple way of improving mobility through the back and outside of the hip,” says Suppiah. “The glutes [buttock muscles] and deeper muscles around the hip are important for everything from walking and running to climbing stairs and getting out of a chair.”

3. All-fours adductor stretch

Reps: 8-10 each side Hold: 6sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
• Extend your right leg out to the side, with your foot on the floor.
• Keeping your back neutral, slowly rock your hips back toward your heels until you feel a stretch along the inside of your thigh.
• Hold the stretch, then repeat on the other side.

Why it helps: “We often focus on the front and back of the hip and forget about the inner thigh—the adductors,” says Suppiah. “These are an important part of how the hip moves and controls load. I like the rock-back element because you’re not just stretching, you're taking the hip through a comfortable range of motion.”

For all movements, stay within a comfortable range and seek advice if the exercises cause you any pain.

Suppiah advises against relying on stretching alone, adding: “It can help you maintain mobility, but strength and capacity are just as important for keeping your hips healthy,” he says.

These five hip-strengthening exercises are a great place to start for building strength, stability and hip mechanics.

“Regular movement, strength exercises—like squats—also strengthen your back and core, and play roles in preventing hip pain.”

Teaching chair workout classes for older adults has changed the way I think about exercise.

My regulars are aged from their late 60s to early 90s, and they all come for the same reason—they want to stay independent.

They want to walk further, get in and out of a car without help, carry their groceries, and reach into a high cupboard.

I hear first-hand from them about how strength training has changed their lives.

After one of my clients had a hip replacement, a nurse commented on the upper-body strength that helped her get out of her hospital bed.

Another now finds it easier to get in and out of her daughter’s car, while one of my regulars can now swim for longer and walk further to the bus stop without her stick.

Their progress reminds me why building strength and balance in our 40s and 50s matters.

If you want to stay independent later, I'd recommend doing routines like this one now.

The four exercises

• Seated knee lift and sit-to-stand
• Dumbbell hold and leg raise
• Farmer carry
• Shoulder press

Do each exercise eight time (per side if relevant), apart from the farmer carry, which you will do for 30 seconds. Aim for two rounds overall.

You will need a sturdy chair and a pair of dumbbells. Start with weights you can comfortably control throughout each move.

1. Seated knee lift and sit-to-stand

Sets: 2 Reps: 8

• Sit towards the front of a sturdy chair with your feet about hip-width apart. Place your hands on the chair for balance, if needed.
• Lift, then lower your right leg in a smooth movement.
• Do the same with your left leg.
• With both feet planted back on the floor, put your hands across your chest, lean forward slightly and push through your feet to stand.
• Lower back into the chair with control. That’s one rep.

Why this move? Getting out of a car involves two movements we often take for granted—bringing your legs out and standing up from a low seat.

Seated knee lifts work the hip flexors that help you move your legs in and out of the car, while sit-to-stand strengthens your thighs and glutes for standing.

Practicing both in your 40s and 50s is a simple way to build strength for an everyday task.

2. Dumbbell hold and leg raise

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 each side

• Stand holding a dumbbell in your left hand.
• Slowly lift your right leg out to the side, keeping it straight.
• Lower the leg without leaning to either side.
• Complete eight repetitions, then swap sides.

Why this move? Doing unilateral (one-sided) exercises helps to build balance by making each leg work independently while the muscles around your hips and core keep you steady.

3. Farmer carry

Sets: 2 Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Walk around the room with control, keeping your torso upright and avoid leaning from side to side.
• After 30 seconds, bend at your hips and knees to put the weights down.

Why this move? Walking with weights mimics holding heavy grocery bags and challenges your grip and carrying strength. Grip strength is also used as a marker of overall muscle strength and has been associated with long-term health outcomes.

4. Shoulder press

Sets: 2 Reps: 8

• Start in a standing or seated position.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, with your palms facing forward and elbows bent.
• Keep your wrists straight and your torso steady. Breathe out as you press the weights overhead, without arching your lower back.
• Lower the weights slowly to shoulder height.

Why this move? This strengthens the shoulders and arms so that lifting items onto a high shelf and taking them down again is easier.

It’s never been more difficult to get a good night’s sleep, according to physiologist and wellbeing expert Oli Patrick.

“Everything is now anti-sleep. The modern world—from light to temperature, to noise and stimulus—has made it the most difficult time in lived history to sleep well,” he says.

Patrick was speaking at an Eight Sleep event to mark the launch of Pod 6, a smart mattress cover that can track health metrics (like your heart rate) and adapt its temperature.

He's an advocate for the device, but he tells Fit&Well that you can improve your sleep without any kind of tech.

If you’ve been struggling to switch off at night, try running through Patrick’s five-point checklist to give your mind and body the best chance of a restorative night’s sleep.

1. Give yourself the opportunity to get seven hours of sleep

Getting seven hours of sleep is the sweet spot, according to Patrick.

This amount of rest allows your body to fulfill its biological duties, including consolidating memories and repairing tissues.

“You’re a pretty special creature if you can genuinely do all the amazing jobs sleep does in less than seven hours,” he says.

2. Stick to the same wake and sleep times every day

Consistency is another essential point to respect.

“Sleep forms a vital part of our 24-hour biological clock, often referred to as the circadian rhythm, and that clock does not like to be disrupted,” Patrick explains.

With consistency, the body gets used to producing the hormone cortisol two hours before you wake up in the morning, to help you surface gradually.

Shuffling your sleep and wake times every day can confuse your body.

“If you wake up two hours later than usual, cortisol will have been produced too early, and you’ll experience this social jet lag where the hormones that give you energy in the morning and help you go to sleep in the evening aren’t running in time with your normal day,” he says.

Patrick sets himself a hard deadline of going to bed by 22:30, aiming to be asleep by 23:15, with his alarm set at 06:45 each day.

“That gives me the opportunity for seven hours and while I’m not stressed if I don’t hit it, I know if I get that right I’ll tend to feel more rested.”

3. Seek daylight for 10-15 minutes within the first hour of waking

Once awake, Patrick recommends “letting bright light into the back of your eye” to give your circadian biology the cues it needs to get you ready for the day ahead.

The perfect scenario would be to get outside in sunlight, possibly combined with a light walk.

But artificial light produced by LED alarms or light therapy boxes that emit bright, UV-filtered white light to mimic natural sunlight can also do the trick.

If you don’t manage to get seven hours of sleep or keep your wake and sleep times consistent, bright light first thing in the morning can help reset your circadian rhythm.

4. Make your bedroom as dark as possible

Minimizing light exposure in the evening signals to your body that it’s time to sleep.

Patrick says you want your bedroom to be as “dark as you can tolerate.”

That means avoiding taking your phone to bed and limiting use of your laptop and TV.

5. Lower your core temperature by one degree

Another factor affecting your circadian biology is temperature.

“We want to cool our body temperature before bed,” says Patrick.

That might mean avoiding late meals, which can raise core temperature, as well as exercising or working too late into the evening

For others, it’s taking a quick shower before bed, which can bring more blood to the surface of the skin, helping your body lose heat in the early stages of the night.

Intelligent sleep systems, like Eight Sleep, can also lower the temperature of your bed to suit your individual needs.

What to do if your sleep is still poor

If you don't see improvements after ticking off all the above, Patrick says three other behavioral factors could be disrupting your sleep.

First, he says, you need to look at avoiding caffeine after lunch.

Next, avoid alcohol altogether, which he describes as “the greatest sleep disruptor” of all.

Then, if you’re still struggling, you might need to experiment with practices like journaling, breathwork or yoga to help clear and calm your mind.

“However, I’ve not met many people who have ticked off all of the above behaviors and still struggled,” he says.

“In most cases, when we've got those key biological cues right, we unlock the body's single best opportunity to recover and restore energy.”

I recommend walking to all my personal training clients as a low-impact way to improve their cardio fitness, but I know many of them skip stretching after their stroll.

Doing that once or twice is fine, but regularly neglecting to stretch after movement can lead to stiff muscles.

Most of my clients don't have time to do a full-body routine after every walk, so instead I suggest they do one simple move: the bodyweight good morning.

It releases tension throughout your body's posterior chain—the muscles running down the back of your body—including your glutes (buttocks), erector spinae (the muscles alongside your spine), hamstrings (on the back of your thighs) and calves.

It also involves hinging forward from your hips, which helps with joint mobility.

Here's how to do it.

How to do the bodyweight good morning

How to do it:

Time: 60sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
• Have your hands on your hips or by your ears with your elbows out to the sides. Doing the latter will activate your back and stretch your chest and shoulders.
• Hinge at your hips, pushing your buttocks back as you lower your torso until it’s parallel to the floor, or until you feel a stretch in the back of your legs.
• Keep your shoulder blades engaged and your back flat.
• Drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.

Trainer tips: Avoid straightening your knees, as this will reduce the stretching effect on your hamstrings and back. Focus on pushing your hips behind you for best results.

You’ve probably heard about the importance of lifting weights as you get older, because it’s a fantastic way to future-proof your muscles, bones and joints.

However, there are some good reasons why you might not feel confident with weights right now. Perhaps you’re recovering from an injury, haven’t exercised in a while, or don’t want to pay for a gym membership or invest in bulky equipment.

Jill Brown is a 59-year-old board-certified health and wellness coach, personal trainer and Pilates instructor and, as you’d expect, she’s seriously fit. As she revealed in her workout diary, she says that lifting heavy weights is no longer part of her routine.

“I don’t lift heavy because of injuries,” Brown tells Fit&Well. “There’s plenty of research that shows that muscle grows just as well with lighter to moderate weights.”

But if you’re going to use a light weight, something else needs to increase to make sure your body is challenged enough to respond by building muscle. Brown does this with reps.

“I’m a fan of 20 reps,” Brown says. “When you're doing high reps, your heart rate stays up, which means you burn more calories.”

However, she doesn’t recommend that beginners start this high. “For a beginner, start at six to eight reps and work your way up,” she suggests.

“Start wherever you are—see how many you can do. Write down that number, and then the following week, add some more,” Brown advises. “If you can do a plank for 20 seconds, great. Do 20 seconds for the first week. Then the next week, 25 seconds. Then the next week, 30 seconds.”

Below, Brown shares the 30-minute workout she recommends for anyone getting started with strength training. She suggests starting by doing as many reps of each move as you can do with good form, and increasing your reps incrementally each week.

You will need a long loop and short loop resistance band for this workout. Here are a couple of options from Theraband.

Jill Brown’s 30-minute resistance band workout

1. Squat

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet around shoulder-width apart with your toes pointing slightly outwards.
• Engage your core.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat, keeping your chest upright.
• Push through your feet to return to standing.
• To make this more challenging, place a resistance band just above your knees and gently press your knees out against the band as you move.

2. Lunge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8 each side

How to do it:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a big step forward with one foot, then bend both knees until you tap your back knee on the floor, keeping your front knee tracking over your toes and your torso upright.
• Push through your front foot to step back to the starting position.

3. Banded bent-over row

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and place a long resistance band underneath your feet.
• Engage your core.
• With a slight bend in your knees, hinge forward from your hips and push your butt back, keeping your back straight.
• Take hold of the band in both hands, with your hands hip-width apart and tension in the band between your feet and your hands—this is your starting position.
• Pull the band towards your lower ribs, bending your elbows and drawing them past your torso, gently squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
• Slowly extend your arms to return to the starting position.

4. Banded lat pull

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

How to do it:

• Hold a resistance band overhead with your arms extended and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with a small amount of tension in the band.
• Pull your hands apart as you bring the band down towards your upper chest, bending the arms and drawing your shoulder blades down and back.
• Slowly extend your arms overhead, keeping tension in the band as you return to the starting position.

5. Child’s pose to kneeling push-up

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

How to do it:

• Kneel with your butt resting on your heels, your knees hip-width apart, your arms extended forward, and your palms and forehead resting on the floor—this is child’s pose.
• Move your body forward and up so your arms are extended.
• Once your shoulders are directly above your hands, bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor.
• Push through your hands to extend your arms and return to child’s pose, moving your butt back to touch your heels.

6. Banded floor press

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

• Lie on your back with a resistance band wrapped underneath your upper back, holding the ends with your elbows bent and upper arms resting on the floor.
• Brace your core and extend your arms straight up.
• Slowly bend your elbows to lower your arms back towards the floor with control, keeping tension in the band.

A friend recently decided to improve his fitness and running, but within a few weeks, he was taking time off to nurse aches and niggles—not ideal.

With my marathon running history and personal trainer hat on, I advised him on where he might be going wrong. It turned out he wasn’t doing any mobility or strength work—two non-negotiables for running well and staying injury-free.

“When you’re running, you’re using multiple joints and muscles at once and they need to seamlessly work together,” says personal trainer Saima Husain, who regularly posts mobility routines online.

“Your mobility needs to be dynamic—not static—and it needs to mimic the mechanisms of running,” says Husain.

“Dynamic mobility teaches your brain and muscles to expand your range of motion through controlled flexibility.”

Without effective mobility work, joints won’t be as supple, forcing other body parts to compensate—setting you up for injury.

“When you’re running, you’re pounding your feet,” says Husain. “Your calves will feel it but your ankles are going to take the load too.

“You’re also running with your hips. But if those two joints are not as flexible and strong, then your knees might take more of the brunt and your lower back might start to ache.”

If your joints are stiff it will also affect your strength training.

“Your mobility is what’s going to help you with weighted training, too,” says Husain.

“If you don’t have good ankle mobility, for example, when it comes to squatting, you might find you don’t have low depth, or you might be leaning forward, or you experience hip or knee issues.”

“See it as your pre-workout,” adds Husain. “If you have a drink to energize you for your workout, your mobility work is basically the same. Do it first, before every run or strength session.”

Watch coach Saima’s lower-body mobility routine for runners

Want to give it a go? She breaks down all six moves below.

1. Knee-over-toes hip stretch

“This is like a buy-one-get-one-free move,” says Husain. “You’re targeting your ankles, big toe—essential for push-off—and it activates your glutes and hips.

“Your hip flexors are lengthening and shortening—as they do in running—and the same for your hamstrings. So it’s a real posterior [back] and anterior [front] extension and flexion, all-in-one kind of move.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 6 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and take a large step back with your left foot.
• Lower your left knee to the floor, balancing on your toes.
• Lean forward to shift your right knee over your toes.
• Hold briefly to work your ankle flexion.
• Lean back onto your left ankle, pointing your right toes up.
• Hold briefly to stretch through your right leg hamstrings.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then repeat on the other.

2. 90/90 hip rotation

“The two key elements here are to always raise your top leg to your maximum range, then bring your other leg through,” says Husain.

“Use your hands for support because not everyone can do it without hands. Your hands will help you with controlling the movement.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 3-6 each side

• Sit on the floor with your left knee resting in front at a 90° angle.
• Place your right knee at a 90° angle on the floor to your side.
• Raise your right knee, then your left, rotating from your hips, until your feet are flat on the floor.
• Continue rotating until your right knee is in front and your left knee to your side.
• Reverse the movement to return to your starting position.

3. World’s greatest stretch compression flow

“I like this flow as it gets into your lower back and helps you coordinate movement with your breath, which is super important when you run,” says Husain.

“Aim to inhale as you step forward in the world’s greatest stretch and exhale as you go back over your heels.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 3-6 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and take a large step forward with your right foot.
• Lower your hips close to the floor and place both hands on the floor.
• Lower your right elbow and forearm to the floor then stretch your right arm overhead.
• Look up at your right hand, stretching through your chest.
• Lower your right hand back to the floor and shift your hips back toward your ankles, stretching through your straight arms and lower back.
• Repeat on the other side.

4. Kneeling hip CAR (Controlled Articular Rotation)

“This is all about hip control through the hip joint. It’s great to do leg swings forward and sideways [in a warm-up] but controlled, isometric moves are important for building strength,” says Husain.

“This also helps you see if one side is weaker, stronger or tighter than the other, and activates your core.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 3-6 each side

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Engage your core muscles and keep your spine neutral.
• Engage your right hip, raise your right foot and bend your knee to a 90° angle.
• Rotate your right knee slowly out to the side, back and then forward in a circular motion.
• Repeat in the opposite direction.
• Complete your reps on one side, then repeat on the other.

Trainer tip: “Imagine you have a bowl of water on your lower back. Control the movement and maintain stability so this imaginary water doesn’t tip over at any point,” adds Husain.

5. Deep squat plus knees to floor

“This move opens the knees and improves knee flexion. You’re also working your toes, as you go forward and back,” says Husain.

“A lot of running’s pushing mechanism comes from the toes, especially the big toes. If your toes are weak, your ankles could be weak, which might work up to affecting your knees.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 6

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then lower into a deep squat. Hold a sturdy surface for support if you need.
• Push your knees forward to tap them on the floor in front—your heels will come up and you’ll press forward into your toes.
• Reverse the movement.

Make it easier: If ankle and hip mobility is limited, place a raised surface in front of your knees to reduce the range.

6. Kneeling shin lift

“Working your tibialis [the muscle along the front and outer side of your shin bone] through this extension and stretch, is going to help improve your ankle flexion, which is what you're constantly doing in running,” says Husain.

“Your tibialis takes the load so this will help avoid shin splints. It’s a neglected area but it’s important.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 6 each side/direction

• Sit in a low-kneeling position with your buttocks on your feet.
• Place your hands on the floor either side of you for support.
• Raise one knee off the floor, stretching the front of your lower leg.
• Repeat on the other side.

Many of my personal training clients over age 60 are unable to get down to the floor. That prevents us from doing traditional core exercises like crunches, sit-ups, or planks.

Luckily, my favorite deep core moves are done while standing upright, anyway.

Training your abs and wider core muscles while standing can improve your balance, help you maintain good posture, and make everyday activities easier. These moves can also be quite challenging, even if you’re relatively strong and fit.

That’s why I give the following standing core exercises to both my younger clients and seniors alike.

How to do the workout

You’ll need a pair of moderately heavy dumbbells for this workout. The right weight will allow you to do all of the reps in a set without needing to rest, but leave you feeling fatigued by the end of your set.

Start by doing one set of each exercise, and progress to three sets as you get stronger. I’d suggest doing this workout for a minimum of three times a week to see progress.

These exercises are doable for most, but if you’re a beginner, consider meeting with a certified personal trainer for guidance on proper form.

1. Farmer’s carry

Sets: 1-3 Time: 20-30sec

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Walk for 10-15 seconds.
• Turn around and walk in the opposite direction for 10-15 seconds.

Trainer tips: Keep your spine extended and your chest up throughout the exercise. Don’t let your body tilt to one side as you walk.

2. Dumbbell woodchop

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 10-12 each side

• Stand holding a dumbbell.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Hinge at your hips, push your buttocks back behind you and bring the dumbbell to your left side.
• Drive your hips forward and swing the dumbbell above your right shoulder.
• Bring the dumbbell back to your left side.
• Continue for 10-12 reps, then repeat on the other side.

Trainer tips: Stay in control of the swing motion at all times and avoid letting momentum take over.

3. Overhead march

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 10-12 each side

• Stand holding dumbbells.
• Engage your core and lift the dumbbells overhead, extending your arms.
• Lift your left knee to hip height, bending it to 90°, and hold it in this position for one second.
• Lower your left foot to the floor.
• Repeat the movement with your right knee.
• Continue alternating knee lifts, aiming for 10-12 reps on each side.

Trainer tips: Don’t let your lower back arch excessively. If you find that happening, use lighter dumbbells or practice the exercise unweighted. Avoid rushing and keep the dumbbells aligned with your shoulders throughout the movement.

Weighted vests have been having a bit of a moment this year, with athletes and influencers espousing their many benefits across social media.

It’s hard to argue with load-bearing exercise, widely considered an effective remedy for age-related conditions like sarcopenia (muscle loss) and osteoporosis (bone weakening).

So, when I was offered the chance to test out a new streamlined weighted vest from U.S. brand OMORPHO I seized it—and promptly set about using the 6lb G-Vest Run and 10lb G-Vest Icon for all my workouts for 30 days.

The problem was that I happened to be training for a marathon at the time and forgot one of the fundamental principles of how to exercise safely.

Instead of building strength gradually, I bit off far more than I could chew.

I compounded the added load I was wearing during workouts by running further each session, or at faster speeds, which led to my knees swelling up and my fitness plateauing.

Now that I’m on the other side of the marathon, I’ve had time to reflect. Here’s what I would have done differently.

1. Start as light as possible

Strapping on an extra 10lb might feel manageable at first, but over the course of a 30-minute workout, it can really take its toll.

It’s like reaching for a heavier set of dumbbells in the gym.

If you’ve benched 45lb weights all your life, you wouldn’t suddenly increase that by 20lb. You’d move onto 48lb, then 52lb, then 57lb and so on.

The same principle should apply to weighted vests.

“The general recommendation, like with most resistance training, is to start light and gradually build up as strength and comfort with the vest improve,” Holly Haywood, lead instructor at Third Space, a chain of luxury health clubs in London, tells me.

A good starting point is no more than 5% of your bodyweight.

“For example, someone who weighs 160lb might begin with an 8lb vest,” says Haywood.

“As your body adapts and if your technique remains sound, you can progressively increase the weight, so long as wearing the vest doesn’t affect your technique.”

If using the vest for running workouts, like I was half the time, I’d argue you’d be better off starting even lighter, more like 1-2% of your body weight.

Then, when you feel ready to go up in weight, progress gradually in incremental jumps of no more than 2lb at a time.

2. Don’t wear it on long runs

I thought wearing the weighted vest during my slow-paced, long runs would be easier and more effective than during short interval sprint sessions.

I was wrong.

In practice, the extra weight gradually wore down my joints, muscles and resolve, bringing one particularly sapping 14-mile run to a grinding halt at the 12.5-mile mark.

That’s why I also wouldn’t recommend wearing one when taking long walks either.

“Wearing a weighted vest and moving under a heavier load forces your body to work harder, resulting in more calories being burnt,” says Haywood.

“But if the vest is too heavy, or worn incorrectly, it can put additional strain on joints such as knees, hips and ankles.”

It can also compromise form, elevating risk of injury.

“It’s vital to always speak to trainers or physios to make sure your vest is working for you, not against you,” adds Haywood. “If it begins to feel uncomfortable on your joints, move to a lighter vest, or remove it completely.”

3. Save the vest for bodyweight workouts

While giving my knees time to recover, I focused on using the vest to add incremental load to bodyweight exercises like push-ups, dips and pull-ups.

This, I found, is where the OMORPHO vest excels.

Its figure-hugging design meant the vest didn’t clatter into the floor when performing push-ups or restrict upper-body mobility on the pull-up bar (nor while running, jumping, sprinting or doing sit-ups for that matter).

That meant I could focus on executing each rep with good form.

The added resistance offered by the vest also made workouts more efficient, because I was able to increase the intensity of the session without having to perform more reps.

Just make sure your movement patterns are sound before adding load, warns Haywood. “Good form should always be your top priority.”

4. Remember, weight is not the only variable

The biggest mistake I made during my month-long weighted vest experiment was forgetting one of the fundamental principles of exercise: only increase one variable at a time.

In the context of running, the duration of your run is one variable. The tempo or speed at which you run is another.

Then there’s the weight, or load, of the vest.

I was increasing multiple variables at once: running further, or faster, or more frequently, while carrying a heavier load.

With hindsight, in the first week I should have run the same distances at the same paces as the previous week, just wearing the 6lb (or lighter) G-Vest Run, and taken note of how my body coped.

If you’re still determined to introduce a weighted vest into your workouts, Haywood recommends starting with something as simple as a treadmill walk.

“Build up your volume as you would your mileage if you were training for a run or race,” she says, suggesting beginning with a brisk walk for 15-20 minutes.

“Provided you’re feeling good with the weight, add a 1% incline to increase the effort, rather than increasing speed or time.”

Once that feels comfortable, in your next session you could increase the incline by another 1%, or your speed by half a mile per second.

Just don’t increase everything all at once.

“Adding a weighted vest to your workouts will make every step or rep feel a little harder,” says Haywood.

“So all you’ll need to do is make slight tweaks to your variables over time to see improved muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness.”

Spending hours at your desk and hunching over your phone can hurt your posture—but the right kind of exercises can undo some of the damage.

Boston-based Pilates instructor Julie Erickson, founder of Endurance Pilates and Yoga, suggests practicing this three-move sequence.

Done regularly, it can restore mobility and strengthen your back, making it easier to sit and stand upright.

1. Roll up / roll down

Reps: 8-10

• Sit with your legs straight and your arms reaching forward.
• Inhale, then tuck your tailbone under and slowly roll your torso down to the floor.
• Reach your arms overhead so they’re lying on the floor, then point them up to the ceiling.
• Exhale, engage your core, and curl your head and chest up until you’re sitting up.
• Inhale and roll forward over your legs, then come back up to sitting.

Make it easier: Roll down only halfway, or tuck your feet under a strap or the couch.

2. Swan prep

Reps: 5

• Lie face down with your palms flat on the mat next to your ribcage and your elbows bent at about 90°.
• Press into your hands and lift your chest off the mat, drawing your shoulders back.
• Look forward and elongate your neck.
• Slowly lower back down.

Make it harder: Use your back muscles to lift your chest further off the mat, straightening your arms if you can.

3. Spine twist

Reps: 5 each side

• Sit with your legs straight and arms out to the sides. Your shoulders should be dropped down away from your ears and your elbows slightly lifted.
• Inhale, then elongate your spine and rotate your ribcage to the right without moving your hips or lower back.
• Exhale, then try to rotate a little further.
• Return to the centre and repeat on the other side.

Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.

Georgia Testa has always enjoyed working out, but it became central to her recovery after health issues.

The Pilates instructor and Studio 281 founder had skin cancer in 2018, when she was just 22. Three years later, she had a complicated C-section birth.

“It took me around three years [after the birth] to feel as though I had properly rebuilt myself,” she tells Fit&Well.

Pilates was central to her postpartum recovery: “It taught me to slow down, reconnect with my body and rebuild strength from the foundations rather than trying to rush back to where I’d been before.”

Now, the instructor says she feels stronger than ever, but her definition of fitness has changed.

“It’s much less about pushing myself as hard as possible and more about building a body that is strong, capable and healthy for the long term.”

To maintain that strength, she works out for a minimum of three times a week, for 20 to 45 minutes each time.

“Three proper sessions a week is my non-negotiable. If I manage five [sessions], that’s a brilliant week, but I deliberately don't tell myself that I have to train five or six times,” she says.

Here’s what an average week looks like for her.

Georgia Testa's workout diary

Monday
A walk or treadmill session

Tuesday
Hyrox or a functional fitness session

Wednesday
30 minutes of boxing

Thursday
Strength training

Friday
Rest day

Saturday
Hyrox training

Sunday
Rest day

Georgia Testa’s tips for developing an exercise routine

1. Routine over motivation

“I don't rely on motivation because it naturally comes and goes,” says Testa.

“For me, routine is much more powerful. If I've decided Tuesday at 8.30 am is when I train, I try to treat that commitment in the same way I would a work meeting.”

2. Make exercise part of your social life

Testa says that community is a factor that keeps her coming back to work out day after day.

“Training with people you genuinely enjoy being around makes exercise something you look forward to rather than another thing on your to-do list,” she says.

“That's a huge part of what we try to create at Studio 281.”

3. Identify why exercise is important to you

Testa says her daughter is a driving force behind her fitness.

“I want to have the energy to keep up with her and I want her to grow up seeing that looking after yourself is important,” she says.

“I also want her to grow up seeing exercise as a normal, positive part of life.”

She adds that this means her priorities have shifted to building strength and promoting longevity.

“I want to be strong, mobile and capable for as long as possible and strength training plays a huge part in that.”

4. Variety keeps things interesting

Testa says that varying her routine helps her maintain consistent progress and keeps things interesting.

“Some days I want the energy of a class and to train alongside other people and other days I want to put my headphones on, go for a run or set myself a challenge,” she says.

“Fitness doesn’t have to look exactly the same every day.

“Pilates will always be a huge part of my training—both Reformer and mat—but I also love strength training, running and functional fitness, particularly Hyrox-style sessions.”

5. Build up slowly and sustainably

“People often decide they're going to completely overhaul their lives and suddenly train five or six times a week,” says Testa.

“It might work for a fortnight, but if it isn't realistic, eventually something gives and you feel like you've failed.”

She advises beginners to commit to two or three achievable sessions a week and build up from there.

“Twenty or thirty minutes absolutely counts. Find movement you enjoy, ideally find people you enjoy doing it with, and focus on consistency rather than perfection,” she says.

There are some celebrities who appear to achieve superhuman levels of fitness. For many actors and singers, that’s because staying in shape is part of the job, so they dedicate much more time to training than the average person.

But celebrities also have access to some of the best trainers in the business. Alison Brie, who stars in “Mad Men”, “Community” and “Masters Of The Universe”, recently talked through her workout routine with trainer Jason Walsh in an interview with Women’s Health.

The star is 43 years old now, but says she started strength training 15 years ago after working with Emily Blunt. She then upped her training when she played a wrestler in the series “GLOW”.

It’s resulted in Brie developing serious strength. For instance, part of her routine involves doing weighted pull-ups with 45lb plates.

In the video, Walsh revealed some of the clever techniques he uses to ensure each session is as effective as possible.

One approach involves performing an isometric hold of an exercise before doing reps of the same exercise. “It recruits the nervous system at such a high rate that you can get really strong without getting bigger,” he explains.

During this particular workout, Brie pushes against a fixed bar in the Zercher squat position as hard as she can, before doing Zercher squats with a barbell.

To help you add this technique to your workout regime, I asked Mark Harris, a level 4 personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, and ambassador for Mirafit, to put an accessible home workout together that uses this method.

What are the benefits of isometric holds?

“Isometric holds involve contracting your muscles forcefully without actually moving the joint,” explains Harris. “The primary benefit is a massive increase in time under tension without creating friction or wear and tear on the joints.”

“Isometrics are also incredible for building structural stability and overcoming strength plateaus, as you can specifically target and strengthen the exact angle of a movement where you usually struggle,” Harris explains.

He says that this technique is a great way to upgrade strength workouts. “Holding the most difficult part of a lift (like the bottom of a squat or the bottom of a push-up) forces you to brace your core and find your true balance point,” says Harris.

“This perfectly primes your posture for the functional reps that follow.”

A 15-minute isometric hold contrast workout

“Perform the isometric hold first, then immediately complete the functional reps,” says Harris. “Move to the next exercise with minimal rest. Once you complete all four exercises, rest for 60 to 90 seconds.” Repeat, completing four rounds in total

1A. Goblet squat hold

Time: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart with your toes turned slightly out, holding a kettlebell in both hands in front of your chest.
• Engage your core.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, pausing when your hips are in line with your knees, or lower.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds, keeping your chest up and core braced.
• Push through your feet to extend your legs and hips, standing upright.

1B. Goblet squat

Reps: 10

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart with your toes turned slightly out.
• Hold a kettlebell with both hands at your chest.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, pausing when your hips are in line with your knees, or lower, keeping your chest up and core braced.
• Push through your feet to extend your legs and hips, standing upright.

2A. Push-up hold

Time: 10sec

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands underneath your shoulders. Allow your elbows to turn out slightly.
• Step your feet back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels and engage your core—this is your starting position. (Lower your knees to the floor from this position to perform kneeling push-ups instead.)
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest.
• Pause when your chest is an inch off the floor and hold this position for 10 seconds.
• Press through your hands to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

2B. Push-up

Reps: 10

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands underneath your shoulders. Allow your elbows to turn out slightly.
• Step your feet back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels and engage your core—this is your starting position. (Lower your knees to the floor from this position to perform kneeling push-ups instead.)
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest until your chest is just above the floor.
• Press through your hands to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

3A. Bent-over row hold

Time: 15sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing you.
• Engage your core and move your shoulders back and down to engage your back muscles.
• Hinge your torso forward from your hips and push your butt back, keeping your back straight and lowering the dumbbells down your legs—this is your starting position.
• Lift the dumbbells to your ribs, squeeze your shoulder blades together, and hold this position for 15 seconds.
• Lower the dumbbells with control.

3B. Bent-over-row

Reps: 10

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing you.
• Engage your core and move your shoulders back and down to engage your back muscles.
• Hinge your torso forward from your hips and push your butt back, keeping your back straight and lowering the dumbbells down your legs—this is your starting position.
• Lift the dumbbells to your ribs, squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Lower the dumbbells with control.

4A. Glute bridge hold

Time: 15sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back and plant your feet a few inches away from your butt with your feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart.
• Push through the heels and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Squeeze your glutes and hold this position for 15 seconds.
• Lower your hips to the floor with control.

4B. Glute bridge

Reps: 15

How to do it:

• Lie on your back and plant your feet a few inches away from your butt with your feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart.
• Push through the heels and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Lower your hips to the floor with control.

Rarely does a day pass when I don’t reach for one of my long-loop resistance bands.

This simple bit of exercise equipment, which is discounted in the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale, is one of the smartest investments you could make for your health and fitness.

It’s often the first thing I’ll reach for at the start of my workouts to prepare my body for action, or to simply ease stiffness in my neck and shoulders after a long day at work.

I’ve used it with virtually every client I’ve ever coached to unlock tight shoulders.

And since I first introduced my 75-year-old relative to its potential to reverse years of poor posture, it’s now the first thing he asks to borrow whenever he visits.

The name of the exercise that has worked wonders for my step father-in-law? Shoulder dislocations.

Don’t let the name put you off. Here I am demonstrating the move earlier in the year, as part of another shoulder routine I recommended to readers.

How to do shoulder dislocations with a resistance band

• Hold the band in front of your thighs with your arms straight and your palms facing you.
• Gently pull your hands apart to create tension in the band.
• Lift the band over your head.
• Maintaining tension in the band, bring your hands behind your body, until the taught band taps your behind.
• Reverse the motion to return to the start.

Bringing the band over your head and behind your body gently forces the socket joint in your shoulders to explore a range they rarely get asked to venture into.

As a result, the first few reps will feel especially sticky as the joint re-familiarizes itself with its full range of motion.

Take those first few reps slowly, giving your body a chance to adapt.

Pretty quickly your range will improve and you should feel a nice sensation as synovial fluid lubricates the inner workings of the socket, making it easier to pass overhead each rep.

As this move becomes easier, bring your hands closer together to add tension and challenge your shoulders to explore an ever greater range of motion.

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If you’ve never come across the magic circle, you’re not alone—I hadn’t heard of it until Nikkii Behrens introduced me to it last week.

“The magic circle—also called a Pilates ring—is a lightweight resistance tool designed to add gentle but effective resistance to Pilates exercises,” says the founder of Rare Street Pilates.

Unlike traditional gym weights, it's not designed to provide a high amount of resistance. Instead, it trains your body to move with control and precision.

“Think of it this way: dumbbells train your muscles to produce more force, while the circle trains your body to use that strength with greater control, balance and efficiency.”

Behrens tells Fit&Well that both weights and precision equipment like the Pilates ring should be part of a well-rounded fitness routine, but the latter will help with posture, movement quality and core stability.

Here are three exercises that will teach you the basics of how to use the ring. If you’re new to exercise, scale back the workout times as needed and rest for longer between moves.

The workout

1. Dead bug crunch

Rounds: 2-3 Time: 60sec Rest: 20-30sec

Works: Deep core and stability.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with the magic circle held between your knees and your arms folded behind your head.
• Raise your legs, keeping your knees bent, so that your shins are parallel with the ceiling.
• Lift your head and shoulders toward your knees, squeezing the circle at the top of the movement. Repeat this crunch three times, then hold.
• While in your crunch position, gently squeeze the circle and extend your legs.
• Extend and bend your legs three times, then lower your head and shoulders back to the starting position.

“This is one of my favourite exercises for building deep core strength,” says Behrens.

“By pressing into the circle, you activate your inner thighs, pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles while teaching your spine to stay stable as your arms and legs move. It’s functional core training that translates into better posture and reduced back pain.”

2. Squat and press

Rounds: 2-3 Time: 60sec Rest: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with a wide stance and your toes slightly turned out.
• Hold the circle overhead or extended in front of your chest. Squeeze the circle and release.
• Bend your knees and hinge at your hips until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Squeeze the circle and release.
• Return to the starting position, then repeat.

“This exercise strengthens your legs, glutes, shoulders and postural muscles all at once,” says Behrens.

3. Side-lying leg lift series

Rounds: 2-3 Time: 30sec per side Rest: 20-30sec

Works: Glutes and hip stability.

How to do it:

• Lie on your right side, supported by your right forearm.
• Place the circle between your ankles (or just above them) and fully extend your legs.
• Squeeze the circle, lifting both legs off the floor so you are balanced on your right hip.
• Swing your legs forward and back three times.
• Extend your left arm toward the ceiling.
• Squeeze the circle and lift your legs up and down, lowering your left arm to meet your shin as it rises. Repeat three times.
• Lower both legs to the floor and take the circle from between your ankles.
• Place the circle in front of your torso and press down on it with the palm of your top hand (avoid grasping).
• Lift and lower the top leg while maintaining gentle pressure on the circle, pressing down as you raise your leg and releasing pressure as you lower. Repeat this six times.
• Hold the final leg raise while you press down on the circle in short pulses, pushing it down by an inch then releasing seven times.
• Lower both legs and repeat the series on the other side.

Behrens says you should focus on keeping your pelvis completely still during the movement.

If you find the full series too difficult, stick to the first part (swinging the legs back and forward). When you're confident with this movement, try doing the other steps, one at a time.

“Using the magic circle increases muscle activation around the outer hips and glutes while challenging control rather than momentum,” adds the teacher.

Many people choose to practice yoga postures to improve their flexibility and balance. But one underrated benefit of getting on the mat is building better core strength.

The control required to hold certain postures and move through yoga flows naturally engages your core in ways that can develop functional strength more effectively than sit-ups and crunches, which only train one type of movement.

I asked Melissa Leach, a yoga instructor at Yoga-Go, to share her favorite poses for targeting the core, as well as modifications for making the moves easier. These postures will also work your balance, posture and mobility.

As with all yoga practices, take time to observe your breath, body and mind as you move.

The best yoga poses for building core strength

1. Bird dog (parsva balasana)

“Bird dog is a beginner-friendly pose that’s excellent for building stable core strength,” Leach says. “Your abdominals and lower-back muscles work together to keep your spine steady and level as you extend your opposite arm and leg, training your core to resist rotation and maintain balance.”

Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees, with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
• Engage your core by drawing your navel toward your spine, keeping your back flat and stable.
• Lift your right arm in front of you while extending and lifting your left leg straight behind you.
• Hold briefly, keeping your core engaged, your neck neutral and your hips and shoulders level, resisting any twisting or tilting.
• Slowly lower your arm and leg back to the starting position with control.
• Repeat on the other side.

Trainer tip: “Focus on quality over height. It’s better to extend your arm and leg just slightly while keeping your core and hips level than to reach further and let your body wobble or twist,” says Leach.

How to modify bird dog: “If you are finding it hard to balance, start by extending just one limb at a time,” Leach suggests, explaining that you should start by extending your arm and leg on their own before raising them both together.

“You can also keep your extended leg or arm closer to the ground rather than lifting it fully parallel to your torso.”

2. Chair pose (utkatasana)

“Chair pose is a foundational standing pose that builds strong, functional core engagement alongside lower-body strength,” says Leach. “Your abdominals work continuously to stabilize the spine and pelvis as your body fights the instinct to lean forward. At the same time, your core supports your lower back against the deep bend in your knees.”

Reps: 5-10

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet together.
• Inhale as you raise your arms overhead with your palms facing.
• Exhale as you bend your knees and push your hips back as if sitting into a chair.
• Keep your weight in your heels and your knees behind your toes.
• Draw your lower abs in and up to support your spine and prevent your lower back from arching.
• Keep your chest lifted and your gaze forward or slightly upward.

Trainer tip: “Squeeze your inner thighs together and imagine zipping up from your pelvic floor to your ribs. This engages deep core stabilizers, and helps protect your knees.”

How to modify chair pose: “If you feel your lower back overarching, start by extending your arms forward to shoulder height instead of overhead,” Leach advises.

“You can also reduce the depth of the bend,” she adds. “A shallow chair pose still builds core strength while you develop stamina. Practice near a wall for support and hold the bend for a shorter time. Gradually building up your endurance can help too.”

3. Boat pose (Navasana)

“Boat pose is one of the most efficient core exercises because it doesn’t just isolate the abs, it engages the hip flexors, glutes, pelvic muscles, and back all at once, helping build functional core strength rather than working one single muscle in isolation,” Leach explains.

“This is part of why it can outperform traditional exercises like sit-ups, which target a much narrower range of muscles,” she adds.

“Boat pose also helps build stability rather than just endurance,” Leach continues to explain. “Over time, this can translate into better posture, a stronger lower back, and a core that supports your everyday movement.”

Sets: 2-4 Hold: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Lean your torso back slightly while keeping your spine and chest upright.
• Engage your core and slowly raise your feet until your shins are parallel to the floor.
• Balance on your sit bones (avoid leaning back onto your tailbone).
• Once stable, extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height, with your palms facing.
• If your core is strong enough, slowly extend your legs to create a V-shape with your body.

How to modify boat pose: “For beginners, keeping your legs bent in a half boat pose instead of straight can help reduce the core strain and effort required at the start. Lightly gripping the backs of your thighs can also provide support to help you balance,” Leach says.

“If you struggle with balance and maintaining a straight spine, you can either sit on a folded blanket or cushion to help tilt the pelvis forward or sit with your back a few inches from the wall for reassurance,” she adds.

The downsides of long days spent hunched over your desk are well documented: rounded shoulders, tight hip flexors, lower back grumbles.

Using a standing desk, taking regular breaks and strengthening vulnerable areas can lighten some of this load.

But the best remedy to counteract the dreaded desk slump is to mobilize your body in all the ways it isn’t moving while you’re at your keyboard.

This 15-minute routine from certified trainer Maxwell Thompson of David Lloyd Clubs is designed to do just that.

“It’s ideal for anyone who spends six-plus hours a day at their desk or screen,” Thompson tells Fit&Well.

He recommends slotting the routine into your lunch break or whenever you feel your body seizing up.

How to do the workout

You will need a long-loop resistance band for the third move in this routine. Alternatively, you can use a towel to create tension in your upper back muscles.

Perform each exercise in order as a circuit, doing three or four rounds in total.

“It’s suitable for all training levels, including complete beginners,” says Thompson.

“Move slowly, lead with your breath and allow aches and pains to gently melt away.”

1. Cat-cow

Reps: 10 Rest: 30sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Inhale, then exhale to round your back, pressing your palms into the floor.
• Exhale as you arch your back, relax your belly and raise your chin.
• Continue flowing, synchronizing your movement and breath.

2. Thread the needle

Reps: 8 each side Rest: 30sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Raise your right hand overhead and rotate your torso to look at your right hand.
• Lower your right hand under your body to the other side, lowering your right shoulder to the floor.
• Breathe into the stretch, feeling it in your mid-back.
• Complete all the repetitions on one side, then switch.

3. Band pull-apart

Reps: 15 Rest: 30sec

• Stand or kneel with your feet or knees hip-width apart.
• Hold a long-loop resistance band with arms extended in front of your chest.
• Adjust your hand position to create tension in the band.
• Retract your shoulder blades slightly to engage your upper-back muscles, then pull the band wide apart out to your sides.
• Control the band back to the starting position and repeat.

4. Wall slide

Reps: 10 Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your back flat against a wall and your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees and lower your buttocks into a quarter squat.
• Raise your arms out to your sides so your elbows are at 90° angles level with your shoulders, with your palms facing forward and fingers pointing up.
• Keep your lower back pressed into the wall, slowly slide your arms up and down, working through a comfortable range of motion.
• Keep your arms in contact with the wall throughout.

5. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch

Time: 30sec each side Rest: 30sec

• Kneel on the floor, then step one leg forward, keeping your knees bent.
• From this half-kneeling position, tuck your pelvis (the reverse of sticking your butt out), then gently lean forward over your front knee into a deep lunge.
• Feel a stretch in the front of your hip on your back leg—avoid arching your lower back.
• Sink deeper into the stretch with each breath.
• After 30 seconds, switch sides.

6. Standing chest opener

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Interlock your fingers behind your back.
• Roll your shoulders back and lift your chest.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together to stretch through your chest further.
• Avoid arching your lower back.

I love running, so having to take an extended break during pregnancy and postpartum recovery was tough.

I couldn’t wait to lace up my sneakers once I got the go-ahead from my doctor.

Unfortunately, my return to running hasn’t been as smooth as I’d hoped.

I figured that I’d need to start slow and with short distances, but when an old running nemesis—IT band syndrome—reared its ugly head, it almost stopped me before I made any progress.

“IT band syndrome is basically lateral knee pain that's actually deriving from the hip and the lateral hip muscles,” says Dr Zaki Afzal, owner and founder of Optimize Physical Therapy and Performance.

“The IT band is a dense collagen tissue that attaches to the TFL muscle up at the hip, and runs all the way down to the outside of the knee,” explains the physical therapist.

“What causes the syndrome is irritation of that tissue at the outside of the knee, where it gets a little compression.”

Not wanting to give up my runs, I decided to focus on alleviating the pain and fixing my IT band syndrome once and for all.

Part of my strategy was to do this standing IT band stretch every day for two weeks.

Azfal confirmed that the stretch was safe to do daily, so I set out on my two-week experiment.

Before getting started

The standing IT band stretch is appropriate for all fitness levels, but you should consult with your doctor before trying it yourself, incase your knee pain is actually something else.

It’s also important to note that calling this move (demonstrated below) an IT band stretch isn’t entirely accurate.

“The IT band is not built to be stretched,” explains Azfal.

“The forces needed to deform tissue like this are way beyond anything you can apply with your hands or a stretch, and the IT band is firmly anchored to the thigh bone along its whole length, so it's not some loose strap you can lengthen.

“Where you actually get an effect is in the muscle it attaches to, the TFL, and the rest of the lateral hip musculature,” he continues.

“Those [muscles] you can influence, and that's what shows up downstream as feeling looser [in the knee].”

If you’re a beginner, consider meeting with a certified personal trainer or physical therapist to ensure that you’re doing the stretch correctly. A trainer or therapist can also provide modifications or alternatives if you can’t do the standard version of the stretch.

How to do the standing IT band stretch

Hold: 15-45sec

• Stand with your feet hip width apart.
• Cross your left leg behind your right leg, placing your feet next to each other (or as close together as possible).
• Bend forward and reach towards your toes. You should feel the stretch in your left leg.
• Hold for 1530 seconds (you can build up to 45 seconds for week two).
• Stand up slowly.
• Repeat on the other side.

How I did the standing IT band stretch

While I don’t run every day, I decided to do the standing IT band stretch daily to ensure I wasn’t losing any progress between runs.

I held the stretch on each side for 30 seconds for the first seven days, and then increased my stretch time to 45 seconds for the second week.

I also decided to lean into the hip of the stretched leg during week two. So if my left leg was behind me, I’d lean to the left to deepen the stretch a bit more.

On run days, I’d actually do the standing IT band stretch twice: once before my run, and once after.

I run twice a week, so there were four days in the two-week experiment that I was doubling my stretching time.

Here’s what I learned after two weeks of doing the stretch.

1. I could run further

During the first few months of my postpartum runs, I could only get to about three miles before my knee pain started kicking in, even with proper rest and recovery.

The initial runs during my experiment weren't much longer, but the results were promising. The first run yielded three-and-a-quarter miles before any pain started, and on the second run, I got three-and-a-half pain-free miles.

By week two I hit four miles and was feeling pretty confident. I’d gotten a mile further than I had in a long time without any IT band syndrome-related pain getting in the way.

Unfortunately, I got a little too confident.

2. I had to stop before I hit my five-mile goal

I decided that on the last run of my experiment, I would try to hit five miles.

That’s the distance I’d go regularly before pregnancy, and since I wasn’t feeling any pain with my current mileage, I thought I’d be able to make it to five.

I was wrong. One of the biggest risk factors for IT band syndrome is increasing your distance too quickly, which is how I developed the condition in the first place many years ago.

I made it to four-and-a-half miles before the pain started—and I had to stop.

While I didn’t hit my goal, I was happy to get further than I had in a really long time.

3. I need to fine tune my workouts to rid myself of the pain

Doing this experiment has given me hope that I will get back to my old distances, but as Azfal pointed out, the standing IT band stretch is only a small part of a full solution.

“Hip strength and hip reactive strength matter because your body has to absorb force when you run, and it will either do that with muscle or it will lean on structures like the IT band,” he says.

“Which strategy your body uses depends on the demands you put on it, your training history, and what resources it has available.”

It was clear that my running plan was a case of ‘too much and too soon,’ so I’ll be dialing it back a bit, for now.

But the standing IT band stretch, along with some hip strengthening exercises, will all have a permanent place in my routine.

I spent a gloriously sunny weekend at Chesil Beach recently, an 18-mile (29km) stretch of coastline in Dorset, England.

I was surprised by just how physically demanding it was to walk across its famous pebbles. Every step felt like a turn on the Stairmaster, and I could really feel the effort in my calves, thighs and glutes when I got home.

Unlike a smooth sidewalk or treadmill, an uneven surface shifts beneath your feet, forcing the muscles around your ankles, knees and hips to work harder to keep you stable. It also challenges your balance, coordination and core as your body continuously adjusts to changes underfoot.

It got me thinking—could I recreate some of those demands at home?

While I can’t import a ton of pebbles and dump them in my yard, I can create a clever workout that strengthens the movement patterns and muscles that keep me steady of my feet.

The workout below does exactly that by combining lower-body strength exercises with balance and coordination drills.

The moves

• Reverse lunge and knee drive
• Lateral step skater
• Single leg deadlift
• Squat to calf raise
• Fast feet

How to do the moves

Perform each move for 30 seconds, followed by 15-20 seconds of rest. Then move onto the next exercise, doing all five to complete the circuit. Aim for three circuits in total.

You can add a dumbbell to the single leg deadlift, or do this move with your own body weight.

1. Reverse lunge and knee drive

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec per leg Rest: 15-20 sec

• Stand with feet hip-width apart.
• Step your right foot back.
• Bend both knees to lower into a reverse lunge.
• Push through your left foot to stand, bringing your right knee forward and up toward your chest.
• Pause briefly while balancing on your standing leg, then step straight back into the next lunge.
• Repeat for 30 seconds, then swap sides.

2. Lateral skater steps

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15-20 sec

• Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
• Lean forward, hinging at your hips, while keeping your back straight.
• Bend your right knee and shift your weight over your right foot, lowering your hips and keeping your left leg extended out to the side.
• Push through your right foot to rise and hop onto your left foot, bending your left knee and extending your right leg out.
• As you move from side to side, swing your arms diagonally across your body like a speed skater.
• Continue alternating sides.

If you need to make this low impact, step instead of jumping from side to side.

3. Single leg deadlift

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec each side Rest: 15-20 sec

• Start with a dumbbell in your right hand (or no weight if you prefer) and legs close together.
• Shift your weight onto your right leg, keeping a slight bend in your knee.
• Hinge forward from the hips and lift your extended left leg behind you.
• Keep your back flat and lower your hand (or the dumbbell if you are holding one) to around shin-level or when you feel tension in the back of your standing leg.
• Squeeze your glutes and push through your right leg to return to standing.
• Repeat for 30 seconds, then swap sides.
• Have a chair or wall nearby if you need support.

4. Squat to calf raise

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15-20 sec

• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing out slightly.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat, keeping your chest lifted.
• Push through your feet to stand, then lift both heels and rise onto the balls of your feet.
• Pause, then lower into a squat.
• Repeat for 30 seconds.

5. Fast feet

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15-20 sec

• Stand with your feet together.
• Keeping your weight on the balls of your feet, quickly step your right foot out to the side, followed by your left, so your feet are wider than hip-width apart.
• Step both feet back one at a time.
• Repeat this in-out pattern for 30 seconds, moving at speed.

Your body is designed to rotate and move in different directions, but not all exercise plans reflect this.

“A lot of workouts will only move forward and backward, but life doesn’t happen in a straight line,” says certified personal trainer Angela Wilkinson, aka the Strength Queen.

“Whether you’re reaching sideways, turning to pick something up, or steadying yourself after a stumble, your body must control movement in different directions.”

To make sure you can build this well-rounded strength and control, Wilkinson has created a five-move workout that trains the body in every plane of motion.

All you need to do it is a mini loop and a long resistance band.

The moves

• Standing chest-height woodchop
• Mini-band knee drive
• ⁠Lateral band walk
• Standing hip circle
• Low-to-high woodchop

Wilkinson recommends doing the five exercises back-to-back, resting for two minutes, and then doing one more set (aiming for two sets in total).

Try to do the workout two to three times a week if you want to see progress. It should take around 10-15 minutes to complete the circuit.

When anchoring the band, make sure it's attached to a fixed, load-bearing point strong enough to withstand the pull.

Check that the band and anchor are secure before beginning—don’t use furniture that could slide or tip.

How to do the moves

1. Chest-height woodchop

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 per side

• Anchor the band at chest height.
• Stand with the anchor on your left and your feet wide.
• Hold the band with both hands out in front of your chest. Make sure there is some tension in it.
• Rotate and pull the band horizontally across your body to the right, keeping your arms roughly at chest height throughout. Think of the movement as chopping straight across, not up or down.
• Return slowly to the start position, resisting the band's pull back toward the anchor.
• Repeat eight times, then switch sides.

Form tip: Rotate through your ribs and hips together—feet can pivot slightly, but keep the movement controlled rather than using momentum.

Wilkinson says: “This trains rotational power through the torso at chest height, mimicking movements like swinging a bag round, turning to hand something to someone beside you, or twisting to reach across a car seat.”

2. Mini-band knee drive

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 per side

• Stand and loop a mini band around the middle of both feet.
• Keep your back straight and hands either by your sides or on your hips.
• Keeping your right foot on the floor, drive your left knee up to hip height, pulling against the band’s resistance.
• Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.

Form tip: Don't let your standing hip hike up or your torso lean back to help the knee up—isolate the movement.

“This exercise challenges the hip flexors and single-leg balance, which are useful for movements such as climbing stairs,” explains Wilkinson.

3. Lateral band walk

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10 steps per direction

• Stand in the middle of a long resistance band with your feet hip-width apart.
• Hold the opposite side of the resistance band at roughly waist height to maintain tension, bending your elbows at 90°.
• Bend your knees and hinge forward slightly.
• Take eight to 10 steps to the right, then switch directions.

Form tip: Keep your elbows fixed at a 90° angle and your arms steady. Maintain tension in the band as you move.

“This variation loads the glute medius—a muscle at the outer part of your hip that helps stabilize your pelvis—exactly as a standard band walk would,” says Wilkinson.

“But holding the band up adds a shoulder and core stability component, since you're bracing your upper body while your lower half moves side to side.”

4. Standing hip circle

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 per side

• Put the mini band around your ankles or just above your knees.
• Hinge forward from your hips slightly with a flat back, with your hands on a wall or support if needed.
• Stand on your right leg and sweep your left leg forward, out to the side, round and back, as if drawing a semi-circle.
• Reverse the movement and repeat eight times, then switch sides.

Form tip: Keep the movement slow and controlled through the whole circle.

Wilkinson says: “Taking the hip through a full circular range works the glute from multiple angles in one move, rather than just the single straight-line path of a standard kickback—closer to the varied, multi-directional way your hips actually move day to day.”

5. Low-to-high woodchop

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 per side

• Anchor the band low, near the floor.
• Stand with the anchor to your left.
• Come into a slight squat, holding the band with both hands near your left hip.
• Pull the band up and across your body in one controlled motion, finishing with your arms extended high, above your right shoulder. Allow your feet to pivot as you move but drive the movement from your hips and torso.
• Return to the start position and repeat eight times, then switch sides.

Form tip: Drive the movement from your hips and torso, not just your arms.

“This exercise mimics a common real-life pattern—lifting something up and across your body, like putting a bag on a shelf or lifting a bag of shopping out of the trunk,” says Wilkinson.

“Training this rotational lift in a controlled way builds strength through exactly the movement that often causes back strain when done carelessly.”

Finding a workout routine that fits your goals and lifestyle is hard, so it’s all the more frustrating when that regimen stops delivering.

“I often hear from frustrated people who have been working out the same way for five years and then all of a sudden, reach their 40s or their 50s and those workouts don’t work anymore—they start gaining weight,” says personal trainer and Pilates instructor Jill Brown.

Brown says the most common issue is that your daily calorie burn is lower, typically due to reduced movement and lifestyle changes, but hormones can play a part too.

“People say that they’re exercising just as much, or exercising more, but your body's not burning [the same] calories,” she explains.

Your predictable exercise routine may have locked you into a fitness plateau, too, if your gym sessions now feel easy.

“Your body adapts to the workouts that you do, so if you don’t change your workouts regularly, you’ll stop seeing progress,” Brown says.

Luckily, there are some workout tweaks you can make if this has happened to you—here’s what Brown recommends doing first.

1. Increase the volume of your workouts

A straightforward way to get out of your fitness plateau is to work out more.

Brown suggests adding 10-15 minutes onto the end of your workout or adding one more gym session to your week.

If you want to increase your calorie expenditure but don’t want to increase your workout volume, you could add in other movement. Try increasing your daily steps or take a longer walk at the weekend.

2. Up the intensity of each session

Not got time for more exercise? Make each session feel harder instead.

Scale up the weight you’re using, add faster sections to your walking workouts, or try completing more repetitions when you’re lifting a weight.

Don’t try to increase intensity and volume at the same time; allow your body to adjust to the new challenge first before adding on anything else.

3. Introduce new stimulus

You can usually tell you’ve hit a fitness plateau when a routine that used to push you suddenly feels comfortable.

“When your body becomes more efficient at a workout, that sounds like a wonderful thing. But the definition of being more efficient at a workout means you burn [fewer] calories,” says Brown.

To break this cycle, change the type of exercise you're doing.

“If you strength train with dumbbells, maybe add some kettlebells. Maybe add a TRX, maybe add some cardio to the mix,” Brown suggests.

Providing a fresh stimulus forces your muscles to adapt all over again.

Lifting weights is a brilliant way to build muscle. But when you’re starting out, you might be surprised by how much progress you can make with just your bodyweight.

“Barre is one of my favourite ways to build strength because it uses your own bodyweight for resistance,” explains Lotty Campbell Bird, instructor and founder of Collective Fitness.

“You don’t need to use dumbbells, resistance bands or any specialist equipment to still get a challenging workout in.”

Barre is inspired by the principles of ballet—borrowing certain positions—and designed to challenge the muscles in a similar way. However, in practice, it’s actually more similar to Pilates.

“Despite its name, you don’t even need a ballet barre,” says Campbell Bird.

“At home, you can simply use a sturdy chair, kitchen worktop or wall if you need a little support with balance.”

If you’ve never tried this style of movement before, the instructor explains that it might be quite different to other workouts you’ve done in the past.

“The key to barre is moving with control, rather than relying on momentum, which makes these small movements surprisingly effective,” she says.

Below is a full-body, equipment-free barre workout. Complete the routine once through for a 15 to 20-minute workout. Or, repeat it two or three times if you want a longer session.

1. Curtsy lunge

Reps: 8-10 each side

• Stand tall with your heels together and toes slightly turned out, creating a small v shape with your feet.
• Keeping both feet turned out, step your right foot diagonally behind your left leg.
• Bend both knees as though you’re curtsying, while keeping your front heel grounded and your back heel slightly lifted. Keep your chest up, spine straight and your weight primarily over your front leg.
• Press through your front foot to straighten both legs and return to standing.
• Complete all repetitions on one leg, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: “Keep the movement controlled and think about driving through your front heel to really engage your glutes.”

2. Wide second plié

Reps: 12-15, followed by 10 pulses

• Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and turn your toes slightly outwards.
• Bend your knees and lower your body, keeping your spine straight and your knees tracking in line with your big toes.
• Straighten your legs to return to the starting position, then repeat.
• For an extra burn, finish with small-range pulses at the bottom of the movement, moving an inch up and an inch down.

Trainer tip: “Imagine you’re sliding your back down an invisible wall, keeping your chest lifted and your shoulders relaxed.”

3. All fours single-leg work

Reps: 10 straight leg lifts followed by 10 bent knee lifts, each side

• Start on your hands and knees with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.
• Extend your right leg straight behind you, keeping your hips square to the floor. Lift your leg to hip height, then lower it slowly.
• For the second part of the movement, bend your knee and lift your heel toward the ceiling, then slowly lower.
• Repeat 10 times, then switch sides

Trainer tip: “Keep your core engaged and your hips as still as possible. The more controlled the movement, the harder your glutes will work.”

4. Slow-motion mountain climbers

Reps: 10 each side, followed by a 30sec hold each side

• Begin in a high plank with your hands and toes on the floor, arms straight, and your body forming one long line from your head to your heels.
• Keeping your core engaged and hips as still as possible, slowly draw your right knee toward your chest, then extend your leg back to the starting position.
• Repeat on your left side, moving slowly and with control as you alternate sides.
• After completing your repetitions, hold the final position with one knee drawn towards your chest, then repeat on the other side.

Trainer tip: “Think about moving in slow motion rather than rushing through the exercise. Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your hips level throughout to make your core work harder.”

5. Tabletop toe taps

Reps: 10 each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and legs elevated, so that your shins are parallel to the ceiling.
• Engage your core and gently draw your lower back against the floor, keeping your pelvis stable.
• Slowly lower your right foot, tapping your toe on the floor, then return it to your starting position.
• Repeat with your left foot, and continue alternating.

6. Alternating leg extensions

Reps: 8-10 each side, followed by a 20-30sec hold

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and legs elevated, so your shins are parallel to the ceiling.
• Engage your core and gently draw your lower back against the floor, keeping your pelvis stable.
• Straighten one leg away from you, keeping it hovering above the floor, then draw it back to your starting position
• Switch sides and repeat, keeping the movement slow and controlled.
• For an extra challenge, extend both legs away from you and hold for up to 30 seconds, only lowering them as far as you can while maintaining floor contact with your lower back.

Trainer tip: “The lower you extend your legs, the harder your core has to work, so only go as low as you can while maintaining control.”

Doing balance exercises is a great way to future-proof your body as you age.

And yoga is one of the best forms of movement to help improve stability and support balance, according to yoga teacher Cheryl McColgan.

“One of my favorite things about yoga is that it trains proprioception—your body’s ability to sense its own movements and position—so it can definitely help with balance and stability,” says McColgan, founder of Heal, Nourish, Grow

“It works on both by improving muscular endurance and strength, especially when practicing poses that require balancing on one leg.”

To improve balance, McColgan recommends three yoga poses in particular: tree pose, eagle pose and warrior three pose.

“All three poses focus on single-leg work to strengthen the muscles around the ankle, knee and hip while developing proprioception,” she explains.

McColgan recommends beginners start with tree pose, and work their way to eagle and then warrior three.

For all balance poses, the teacher recommends fixing your eyes on a single point to help you stay stable. You can also hold onto a wall or chair for extra support.

“If you can’t do the full poses yet, try standing on one leg while you brush your teeth to start training your balance,” she also suggests.

Here’s how to do each pose.

1. Tree pose

Hold: 3-10 breaths

How to do it:

• Stand and shift your weight into your right foot.
• Place your left foot against your right ankle, calf or inner thigh, avoiding putting any pressure directly on the knee.
• If you can, bring your hands to prayer position or raise both arms overhead, or hold onto a wall or chair to aid balance.
• Hold for three to 10 breaths.
• Switch sides.

2. Eagle pose

Hold: 3-10 breaths
How to do it:

• Bend both knees slightly and shift your weight into the right foot.
• Cross your left thigh over your right leg and wrap your left foot behind your right calf. Your left toes can stay on the floor if wrapping your foot around the calf isn’t possible.
• Cross your arms in front of your body and try to bring your palms together.
• If comfortable, sit your hips back and bend your knees.
• Hold for three to 10 breaths.
• Switch sides.

3. Warrior three pose

Hold: 3-10 breaths
How to do it:

• Stand and shift your weight into your right leg.
• Hinge forward from your hips as you extend your left leg behind, while keeping your standing knee slightly bent.
• Bring your palms to prayer position or extend them behind, in line with your torso. For more of a challenge, extend your arms out in front.
• Hold for three to 10 breaths.
• Switch sides.

If you can’t fit a full workout into your day, that doesn’t mean you have to forget about movement altogether.

In fact, exercise snacks—short bursts of movement throughout the day—are a great way to improve your overall health, particularly if you spend a lot of time sitting down.

Try this five-minute routine from Pilates instructor and Barre coach Vanessa Michielon to help you activate your core, shoulders and glutes.

How to do this “exercise snack” five-minute Pilates workout

The short workout is essentially made up of four exercise positions. We break down the moves below.

1. Plank knee drives

“This is a great way to prepare the whole body for the sequence ahead, activating your core, shoulders and hip flexors while warming up the body through a dynamic, weight-bearing movement,” says Michielon.

“The cross-body action also challenges coordination and control through the trunk.”

How to do it:

Reps: 5 each side

• Start in a high plank with your hands and toes on the floor and your body in one long line.
• Slowly drive your right knee toward your right shoulder, then toward your left shoulder, creating a gentle rotation through the hip.
• Extend your right leg back and bring your foot down into the plank position.
• Alternate sides, keeping your shoulders stable and your pelvis as level as possible.

How to modify this movement:

“For a more gentle variation you can start from an all four position and always keep one knee on the ground when the other leg moves,” Michielon suggests.

2. Kneeling forearm foldover with leg extension

“This is a brilliant combination for your deep core, glutes and shoulders, challenging you to stabilize the trunk while the leg moves through different directions, mobilizing the hip,” Michielon explains.

“The repeated knee drive adds a dynamic core challenge, while the long leg extension strengthens your glutes and posterior chain,” she adds.

How to do it:

Reps: 10 each side

• Start on your forearms and knees, with your elbows underneath your shoulders and your spine straight.
• Turn the fingertips of your left hand toward your right elbow.
• Lift your right forearm off the ground and place your right palm flat in a press-up position toward the right side of your mat.
• Extend your right leg behind you, then draw your right knee toward your right shoulder.
• From here, extend your leg back and up.
• Keeping your right leg straight, slowly lower it and tap the floor.
• Lift your right leg back up and draw the knee toward the shoulder to begin the next repetition.
• Complete 10 repetitions, then repeat on the opposite side.

How to modify this movement:

Stick to the first part of the movement only, simply drawing the knee in and out.

3. Kneeling side kick

“This strengthens your mid glutes and outer hips, and stretches your hamstrings and hip flexors, while your supporting shoulder and core work continuously to stabilize your body,” says Michielon.

“The combination of controlled kicks, pulses and bicycles challenges muscular endurance and hip stability while also improving coordination.”

How to do it:

Reps: 8 sweeps followed by 10 small pulses and 8 bicycles, each side

• Start on your forearms and knees, with your elbows underneath your shoulders and your spine straight.
• Keep your left forearm on the floor and turn your hips to face the right.
• Lift your right arm toward the ceiling or place it on your right hip.
• Extend your right leg in line with your hip height.
• Keeping your pelvis stable, sweep your leg forward and back with control.
• After completing eight repetitions, perform 10 smaller pulses back and forth.
• Next, bicycle your leg eight times by bending your knee into your body, then stretching it back out again, repeating this in a circular motion.

How to modify this movement:

For a more supported version, lay your left hip on the floor and keep your left knee bent.

4. Side plank with rotation

“This is a powerful full-body movement that combines core and shoulder stability with rotational strength,” Michielon explains.

“It particularly challenges the obliques and lateral core while the shoulder and glutes work to keep you stable.

“The rotation also encourages mobility through the upper back while maintaining control through the pelvis.”

How to do it:

Reps: 8 followed by an 8-second hold, each side

• Move into a side plank with your left hand underneath your left shoulder and your legs extended.
• Lift your hips, creating one long line through your body.
• Reach your right arm up.
• Rotate through your chest, threading your right arm underneath your body while keeping your hips still.
• Return to the starting position, opening your chest toward the ceiling.
• Finish with a side plank hold or balance, then repeat on the other side.

How to modify this movement:

For a more gentle version for the wrists, keep your left forearm down instead of extending the bottom arm.

I’m always looking for ways to build more movement into my day, especially when I’m spending hours at my desk.

That’s why an idea shared by personal trainer Kate Rowe-Ham on Instagram struck a chord: simply leave a pair of weights at the bottom of the stairs and carry them up whenever you go upstairs, then bring them back down on your next trip.

She credits nutrition consultant Laurel Seabrook with the idea, who did the same thing with a 25lb kettlebell.

Without setting aside time for a workout, you’ve added several farmer’s carries to your day.

I rarely go upstairs when I’m working, so I adapted the idea and moved my weights between rooms.

For two weeks, I carried two 22lb (10kg) dumbbells between my desk in the kitchen and the living room.

Whenever I had a task that took me from one room to the other, I carted over the weights and took them back again.

Here’s what I noticed.

1. It eased my tech neck and I stood taller

I often find myself hunching over my phone or laptop for long periods, with a stiff neck to show for it.

Carrying the dumbbells from room to room gave me a reason to take a desk break, walk tall, and engage my core.

Doing that several times a day made me more aware of my poor posture and how I was holding myself—so I was more likely to adjust when I got back to my desk.

By the end of the two weeks, my neck felt less stiff and I felt taller and stronger.

I can’t say the carries alone were responsible, but the short breaks from sitting felt good and made me more conscious of my posture.

2. My grip felt stronger

Holding the dumbbells on every trip gave my hands and forearms more of a workout than I expected.

By the end of the first week, the weights felt easier to carry, and by week two, I noticed I could manage a couple more reps than usual in exercises where my grip usually tires first, like the wood chop.

It’s a small change, but one I could feel during my workouts.

I noticed the change outside my workouts, too. Heavy grocery bags felt easier to carry, and I seemed to be dropping things less often.

3. I could hold a side plank for longer

A farmer’s carry makes your obliques—the muscles along the sides of your torso—work to keep you steady as you walk, with a single-arm farmer's carry being the ultimate for oblique activation.

One way of testing for improvements is to see whether my side plank endurance changed during this two-week experiment. I timed a hold on day one and managed 1 minute 33 seconds.

At the end of the two weeks, I held the side plank for 1 minute 48 seconds. That’s 15 seconds longer, and I felt noticeably steadier, with less shaking than on my first attempt.

One test can’t tell me how much of that improvement came solely from carrying the dumbbells, but as I've enjoyed fitting these little bursts of movement into my day, I’m going to keep it up.

I might even add in some single-arm carries and see how I progress over time.

My 73-year-old dad has always been active, but he’s recently neglected his strength work. He cares for my mother, who has Parkinson’s, so he ends up with little time for himself.

But at his age, maintaining and building strength is vital.

As we get older, muscle mass naturally declines, joints become stiffer and reduced grip strength impacts everyday activities.

Maintaining these things takes work. So with my personal trainer hat on, I stepped in with a plan.

I bought him a rack of light-to-medium dumbbells and refreshed his memory on proper form—how to hold a weight close to your chest, how to engage your core, and the importance of maintaining an upright position when lifting weights.

We spent a few weeks focusing solely on bodyweight movements, practicing good technique for the squat, hip hinge, lunge and pushing movements.

Given his limited time, I suggested focusing on three essential moves to build functional, full-body strength and maintain his mobility: the dumbbell goblet squat, dumbbell row and dumbbell overhead press.

Here’s how to do them and why they’re so effective.

1. Dumbbell goblet squat

Why it’s important: This functional exercise mimics moves everyone does daily—standing up from a chair, getting off the toilet or bending down to pick something up. Practicing it improves strength, balance and stability. The weight adds resistance, helping to strengthen bones and muscles in your glutes, legs and core.

How to do it:

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outward slightly and a dumbbell held vertically at your chest.
• Push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor or lower.
• Keep your chest upright, core engaged and knees out, over your toes, not caving in.
• Push through your heels to return to standing.

Make it easier: Perform a bodyweight squat until you build the confidence and strength to add weight. For extra support, use a chair for a sit-to-stand exercise.

2. Single-arm dumbbell row

Why it’s important: This move builds your back and strengthens the pulling action everyone needs in everyday life (think picking your bags up from the floor). It also helps to counteract the forward-leaning tendency that’s common with older age. Rows also strengthen your shoulders, which can help protect them from injury.

How to do it:

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with the other hand on a sturdy surface beside you.
• Hinge at your hips, keeping a slight bend in your knees, lowering your torso to a 45° angle. Keep your back flat and your core engaged.
• Pull the weight toward your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blade at the top of the movement.
• Lower with control.

Make it easier: Perform this kneeling on one knee for more stability.

3. Dumbbell overhead press

Why it’s important: Reaching for shelves, lifting objects and even dressing involve overhead pressing power. Doing this move will also improve your core strength and shoulder health.

How to do it:

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your shoulders—palms facing your ears.
• Engage your core, keep your chest upright and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Push the weights overhead.
• Pause briefly at the top, arms extended.
• Lower the weight back to your shoulders.

Make it easier: Perform a seated overhead press on a sturdy chair with back support. Or focus on using one arm at a time if bilateral pressing is too challenging.

Make it harder: Use a heavier weight if you’re comfortable and make it a push press instead of a strict press. The knee bend and leg drive in a push press will generate more power, allowing you to lift more weight overhead.