When trainer Garett Reid of wellness app BetterMe: Health Coaching first starts training clients with diabetes, he typically gets them to start with this tried-and-tested routine.

It’s a simple strength training workout that, when used correctly and with appropriate precautions, can help someone understand how their body responds to exercise.

That’s because building muscle or boosting VO2 max should be secondary to learning how your blood sugar levels fluctuate when lifting weights or performing cardio.

“Your first month, don’t even worry about building muscle,” Reid tells Fit&Well. “In my opinion, you need to learn how your body reacts to the training.

“Strength training is going to improve insulin sensitivity. Cardio is going to improve muscle function. That is going to improve your body’s ability to regulate glucose.

“A year down the road you can train exactly the same as someone without diabetes, but the early workouts should be all about adapting and learning how your body reacts.”

BetterMe has recently launched a series of workouts for people with diabetes in collaboration with the charity Diabetes UK, emphasizing the importance of testing blood sugar levels before and immediately after a workout, and two to four hours later.

Here, Reid, an NSCA-certified trainer, shares a full-body strength workout he recommends to his clients with diabetes when just starting out to introduce exercise safely and smartly.

How to perform the strength workout if you have diabetes

Reid tends to recommend strength training first “because in general people don’t strength train and they have low levels of muscle mass to begin with”.

Increasing muscle mass over time can also aid in glycogen storage, naturally lowering the amount of glucose coursing through your blood.

He typically recommends keeping workouts limited to six exercises that target multiple muscle groups at once.

“Pick one compound exercise for each major body part, including the chest, back, shoulders, legs and core,” he says.

For the abs, Reid favors standing exercises that challenge the entire core region to maintain balance and stability, such as suitcase or front carries, but because you may not have access to weights, the below workout uses a plank to train your core instead.

Start off with two sets per exercise, for eight to 12 reps per set (you should end the set feeling like you could do three or four more reps), and rest for 90 seconds between sets to keep training intensity low.

Repeat this routine two to three times per week for four weeks.

“The next session, do the same [number of sets and reps], then the same again. You might find it a little boring when you start, but that’s intentional.”

Once you know how your body and blood sugar levels respond to the demands of the workout, you can gradually increase the weight you’re lifting and intensity (by lifting closer to failure, feeling like you end the set with two reps in reserve) to encourage your muscles to grow.

Here’s the beginner-friendly, full-body workout Reid recommends for people with diabetes.

1. Squat

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

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing out slightly.
• Sit your hips back and bend your knees to lower, keeping your knees wide and raising your arms to help you keep your chest up.
• Lower until your hips are level with or below your knees, keeping your heels on the floor throughout.
• Push through your feet to stand upright, making sure your knees don’t cave in.

Make it harder: Perform a goblet squat, holding a kettlebell or dumbbell close to your chest.

2. Glute bridge

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

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Press your arms into the floor on either side of your body to aid stability.
• Press through your heels to lift your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from knees to shoulders.
• Pause and squeeze your buttocks at the top of the lift, then lower your glutes to the floor with control.

Make it harder: Perform this exercise with your shoulders elevated on a bench or box.

3. Wall push-up

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

• Stand an arm’s length away from a wall.
• Place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your elbows to bring your chest toward the wall, maintaining a straight line from your shoulders to ankles.
• Push the wall away to return to the starting position.

Make it harder: Step further away from the wall to increase the challenge.

4. Banded bent-over row

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

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a long-loop resistance band under both feet.
• Grasp either end of the band and sit your hips back to hinge forward, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
• Retract your shoulder blades to engage your back muscles and engage your core.
• Pull the band toward your lower ribcage, bending your elbows and drawing them past your torso.
• Pause, then extend your arms slowly.

Make it harder: Use a stronger band or start with your hands further down the band to increase resistance.

5. Resistance band standing overhead press

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

• Stand with your hands inside a small-loop resistance band in front of your shoulders, with your palms facing and your hands pressing out to create tension in the band.
• Squeeze your glutes and engage your core to avoid arching your lower back as you move.
• Lift your hands overhead, maintaining tension in the band.
• Pause, then lower.

Make it harder: Use a stronger band or secure a long-loop resistance band under your feet as you press the other end straight overhead.

6. Plank

Sets: 2 Time: 30-45sec Rest: 90sec

• Lie on your front with your forearms on the floor, elbows directly under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart (move them further important to make the move easier).
• Engage your core and lift your hips so your body is in a straigh line from ankles to shoulders.
• Hold this position, remembering to breath normally as you count down the seconds.

Make it harder: Gently rock forward and backward to introduce greater instability.

BetterMe says it will donate 50% of profits from new sign-ups to its diabetes-supported exercise program to Diabetes UK.

Shop BetterMe bands

It’s well known that strength training can help you age well, but it’s not the only type of exercise that can help with longevity.

I always incorporate coordination training into my chair-based yoga classes and personal training sessions with older adults, to fire up the mind-to-muscle connection.

Doing this helps my clients stay sharp, agile and confident in their everyday movements, whether manoeuvring around people on the bus or multi-tasking at home.

Coordinating your limbs to move in different directions comes fairly automatically when we’re younger, but it needs more intentional training in later years—and research shows that this approach works.

A 2019 review of balance and coordination exercises in older adults found that they can improve cognitive processes like spatial awareness (helping you navigate a crowded street) and postural control and stability in a distracting environment.

Some of my clients can do coordination exercises from standing, which I combine with balancing moves. Others do them seated.

The point is, these exercises can be easily adapted to challenge your movement, balance and coordination, whatever your mobility.

1. Knee and opposite arm raise

Reps: 5-6 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged and chest upright.
• Keep your arms out to your sides at shoulder height.
• Raise your right knee and move your left arm in front of you, staying at shoulder height, slow and controlled.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
• Continue alternating to complete your reps.

Perform it seated: Do a seated march slowly, with control, and raise your opposite arm overhead or in front with each knee raise.

2. Step-out and opposite arm raise

Reps: 5-6 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged and chest upright.
• Step your right foot out to the side—lower into a side lunge if that’s comfortable or stay upright—and reach your opposite arm forward.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
• Continue alternating to complete your reps.

Perform it seated: Do a seated side step-out and open your opposite arm out to the side at shoulder height.

3. Catch and throw balance

Reps: 5-10

• Stand holding a ball a few steps away from a wall.
• Raise one foot, holding your balance steady on the other.
• Perform an underhand throw to bounce the ball lightly against the wall, then catch it.
• Use one or two hands, depending on your ability.
• Throw the ball in different directions to challenge your coordination and reaction times.

Make it easier: Stand on both feet or perform it seated. Experiment with the size of the ball, too.

Buying a pair of dumbbells is a great way to start strength training at home, but after a few months you may find lifting the same weights stalls your progress.

Pippa Sealey is a personal trainer who regularly trains with dumbbells and she has a couple of tricks that can help keep your workouts challenging without having to buy extra equipment.

“I like to use shorter rest periods and unilateral movements rather than bilateral moves when there isn’t access to as heavy loads at home,” Sealey says.

One tried-and-tested technique for shorter rest periods are supersets, where you do one set of an exercise, immediately followed by a set of a different exercise.

“You may also want to use more agonist supersets,” she suggests, explaining that this involves pairing exercises that target the same muscle groups to increase the challenge to that area of the body.

Below, Sealey has shared a workout that uses these two techniques—unilateral exercises and supersets. It’s designed for people who are already confident performing fundamental movements like squats and deadlifts and are looking to increase the challenge.

How to do the at-home superset dumbbell workout

This workout uses supersets and tri-sets. In both cases, you do one set of exercise A, then one set of exercise B and, where applicable, one set of exercise C, before resting. Once you’ve completed that sequence three times in total, move on to the next group of exercises.

Here’s an overview of the workout, followed by instructions for how to do each exercise.

• 1A. Deficit calf raise x 10-12
• 1B. Hamstring bridge march x 6 each side
• 1C. Wall sit x 60sec
• 2A. Dumbbell single-leg Romanian deadlift x 12 each side
• 2B. Dumbbell split squat x 12 each side
• 3A. Push-up x as many as possible with good form
• 3C. Single-arm dumbbell row x 10-12 each side
• 4A. Side plank hip lift x 12 each side
• 4B. Plank dumbbell pull-through x 6-8 each side
• 4C. Dumbbell sit-up x 12

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 slowly and with control, keeping a slight bend in your knees.

1B. Hamstring bridge march

Sets: 3 Reps: 6 each side Rest: 0sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your heels on the floor.
• Engage your core and push through your heels to lift your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Keeping your hips level, slowly lift one foot, bringing your knee toward your chest.
• Lower your foot back down and repeat on the opposite side, alternating legs while keeping your hips stable throughout.

1C. Wall sit

Sets: 3 Time: 60sec Rest: 60-90sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your back against a wall and your feet approximately shoulder-width apart, positioned slightly in front of you.
• Step your feet away from the wall to slowly slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are bent to 90°.
• Engage your core and hold this position, keeping your knees in line with your toes and breathing steadily throughout.

2A. Dumbbell single-leg Romanian deadlift

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

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding a dumbbell in one or both hands.
• Shift your weight onto your left leg.
• Hinge forward from your hips, lifting your right leg behind you and lowering your torso and the dumbbell, keeping your hips square to the floor.
• Stop when you feel a stretch through your supporting hamstring.
• Drive your hips forwards to return to the starting position, keeping your core engaged and movement controlled.

2B. Dumbbell split squat

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

How to do it:

• Stand with one foot in front of you and one behind you, with your left foot in line with your left hip and your right foot in line with your right hip, holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Engage your core and bend both knees to lower, keeping your torso upright.
• Lower until your back knee is just above the floor, keeping your front knee tracking in line with your toes.
• Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
• Complete all the reps on one side before switching legs.

3A. Push-up

Sets: 3 Reps: As many as possible with good form Rest: 0sec

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees, then step each foot back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels—this is your starting position.
• Engage your core and glutes.
• Bend your elbows to slowly lower your chest, keeping your elbows angled slightly backwards rather than flaring straight out to the sides.
• Push through your palms to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
• Complete as many controlled reps as possible while maintaining good technique.

3B. Single-arm dumbbell push press

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

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand at shoulder height.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your knees slightly to dip down, keeping your torso upright and heels planted.
• Drive powerfully through your legs, generating momentum to help press the dumbbell overhead, fully extending your arm.
• Slowly lower the dumbbell back to shoulder height with control.
• Complete all the reps on one side before switching sides.

3C. Single-arm dumbbell row

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

How to do it:

• Stand with your left foot in front of you, in line with your left hip, and your right foot behind you, in line with your right hip, holding a dumbbell in your right hand.
• Hinge your torso forward from your hips and place your left hand on your left thigh for support.
• Engage your core.
• Lift the dumbbell towards your right hip, bending and lifting your elbow so it brushes past your torso, squeezing your shoulders together.
• Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position, allowing a controlled stretch through your upper back before repeating.

4A. Side plank hip lift

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

How to do it:

• Lie on your right side with your right elbow directly underneath your right shoulder and your legs extended, and your left foot on top of your right.
• Engage your core and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from your head to your feet.
• Slowly lower your hips towards the floor without fully relaxing, keeping your core engaged and shoulders active.
• Complete all the reps on one side before switching sides.

4B. Plank dumbbell pull-through

Sets: 3 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 0sec

How to do it:

• Start in a high plank position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders, feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and a dumbbell on the floor inside your left hand.
• Engage your core and glutes.
• Keeping your hips level and your body in a straight line, pick up the dumbbell in your right hand and move it to the right side.
• Place your hand back on the floor and repeat with the opposite arm, avoiding twisting or rocking your hips.

4C. Dumbbell sit-up

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

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell in front of your chest in both hands.
• Engage your core.
• Slowly lift your upper body until your torso is vertical.
• Slowly lower your torso back towards the floor with control, keeping tension in your abdominal muscles.

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.

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2026 took place in Culver City, California, on Sunday night and it saw some of the world’s biggest models and celebrities take to the stage. It featured the longest-serving Victoria’s Secret Angel—which is how the brand describes their signature models—Adriana Lima.

Lima, 45, has always been dedicated to working out—in 2023 she shared footage of her boxing to show support for Amanda Nunes ahead of Nunes’ UFC bout.

In the last 24 hours, her trainer Walter Savage shared a post on Instagram with some of the exact moves he used to get Lima ready for Sunday night’s show, and they’re surprisingly simple.

What is Adriana Lima’s workout routine?

The workout routine Savage shared consists of dumbbell and bodyweight exercises. They include:

• Biceps curls
• Straight-leg kickbacks with ankle weights
• Push-ups
• Triceps dips
• Single-arm bent-over rows

Savage doesn’t specify whether this is just part of Lima’s workout, or the entire thing, but we can assume this is an upper-body-focused workout and that the model does a separate routine to train her legs. However, the moves she is doing here are surprisingly simple and beginner-friendly, much more so than the exercises revealed in Jessica Biel’s Matchbox workout last week.

You might be surprised that someone who has been training seriously for more than 20 years chooses such basic moves, but according to Laura Johnson—a master trainer at 1Rebel who just launched their strength-focused Reshape Reps classes—simple workouts are often the most effective.

“The basics are the basics for a reason,” she says. “Curls, press-ups, dips and rows work every major muscle in your upper body, and because there's nothing complicated to think about, all your attention can focus on control, tempo and form.”

“These four moves cover pushing and pulling, so the front and back of your upper body both get worked, ensuring nothing gets left behind,” Johnson continues. “If you keep progressing them with more reps, a slower tempo or a harder variation, they’ll keep working for you, whatever your level.”

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.

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.

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.

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.”

One of our favorite celebrities spreading the word about strength training is Jessica Biel.

The internet went bananas for the arm and back workout she posted in December 2025, and now she’s sharing footage of how she physically prepared for her role in Matchbox The Movie.

Her latest post features commentary from her long-time trainer Ben Bruno and opens with a clip of her on set in a green backless dress.

“People understandably want to know about her back workout—the thing is, Jess does full-body workouts and actually focuses a bit more on legs and butt than upper body,” Bruno says in the clip.

He also adds that Biel tweaked her lower back a few months before getting ready for the movie, so he had to get creative to keep challenging Biel without aggravating her back.

Two moves in the video, the squats which use a foam roller, are great examples of that creativity, and could help some people squat while reducing the pressure on their lower back.

But the exercises Biel is performing are very advanced, and shows the strength she’s already working with. The moves combine isometric holds (a technique Alison Brie also uses to develop strength without bulk), balance through core stabilization and weighted compound movements (exercises that employ multiple muscle groups at once).

I put my personal trainer hat on to take a look at the exercises Biel’s doing and how they’re useful.

Horizontal ring row with forward slide

Gymnastic rings are a fantastic way to build strength across your upper body.

This move targets all the posterior muscles (those that run along the back of your body) —rhomboids, trapezius, rear deltoids and latissimus dorsi—combined with core strength for stability, particularly in the forward shift with bent knees.

In the hold at the top of the movement, your shoulders are actively retracted, improving shoulder strength and stability.

Wall-assisted goblet squat

This squat against the wall with a foam roller is a more supportive way to squat, targeting your quads, glutes and hamstrings, while bolstering your posture and protecting your lower back.

Adding weight increases the intensity and core resistance.

Wall-assisted double dumbbell squat

This wall-supported squat has the same setup with the foam roller behind the back, but holding two dumbbell weights instead of one at your chest.

The difference allows you to load more total weight, challenging your grip strength and upper back and shoulder muscles.

Wall-assisted double dumbbell Bulgarian split squat

This is a variation on the traditional Bulgarian split squat where the top of the rear foot rests on a weight bench. By pressing the sole of your back foot against a wall instead, it shifts more of the work onto your front leg.

It also makes your glutes work harder than your quads, changing the focus of the strength work.

High-side plank with resistance band knee and elbow drive

This is an advanced core and hip strengthening exercise where the resistance band (hooked onto an anchor point out of shot) forces your core to resist the band pulling you out of position.

As you drive your knee and elbow close together, your core has to work hard to keep you stable and balanced.

Resistance band weighted lateral lunge

The resistance band on an anchor point for this weighted lateral lunge creates horizontal tension, forcing Biel’s core and hip stabilizers to work harder.

Loading the movement by reaching a weight to the floor trains mobility and depth of movement. The challenge here is resisting the forward pull from the weight simultaneously with the side pull of the resistance band.

Bulgarian split squat hold with lateral raise

This is a traditional Bulgarian split squat with your rear foot on a weight bench but held at the bottom of the movement in an isometric position.

This unilateral move challenges your balance and stability, quads and glutes, with an extra demand from the single-arm dumbbell side raise, working your deltoids.

Raising your arm out to the side while in a low split squat forces your core to keep your pelvis stable against wobbling or twisting.

Side-lying press and reach

This is more of a mobility move to improve general shoulder mobility and scapular health. These smaller movements with lighter weights ensure you can do the heavier lifting with less risk of injury.

Once you’re lying sideways on a bench up to the hips, you press a light weight out in front of you at shoulder height, then raise it overhead.

Biel has her legs locked in place by husband Justin Timberlake, but you could also use a glute-ham developer machine in the gym.

Low-side plank with leg raise hold

This side plank hold is extra challenging with the leg raised. Raising the arm overhead makes the move even harder because your obliques (side abdominal muscles) have to work harder to keep you stable. It also engages your upper back and shoulders, preventing your chest from collapsing forward.

Keeping your raised ankle flexed ensures engagement through your side hip and glutes.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

Amanda Lim knows how to build a strong, resilient body—and it’s not through complicated exercises or fitness trends.

“I always joke that I have the most boring workout routine in the world,” she says.

“I do a real balance of functional strength training, zone two cardio, and I get a lot of steps.”

The 43-year-old has been a trainer for over 20 years and is the CEO of liftCLINIC, a metabolic health center focused on longevity.

She’s also a mother of three. Her youngest child is two and a half years old, but she still includes pelvic floor, deep core and postpartum rehab in her routine.

“Moms think about it right after they have the babies, but they don't think about it as part of their long-term fitness strategy,” she explains, adding: “I'm just riding that wave into perimenopause, and this is basically when all of the things that you experienced during postpartum come back.”

Below, Lim has shared an example of what a week of exercise looks like for her, as well as tips for people who want to exercise more consistently with longevity in mind.

Amanda Lim’s weekly workout routine

Monday 8.30am
Leg-focused strength workout.

Tuesday 8.30am
Upper-body-focused strength workout.

Wednesday 1pm
Postpartum core rehab.

Thursday 5pm
Walking as part of active recovery.

Friday 7am
High-intensity running intervals.

Friday 6pm
Yoga

Saturday 10am
Power-focused workout.

Sunday 9am
Zone two run.

Amanda Lim’s five tips to help you develop a consistent workout routine

1. Don’t track your progress on the scales

“We have to separate the number on the scale—the weight of our bodies—from the assessment of our health, because those two things don't typically track beautifully together,” says Lim.

“Finding another way to measure progress, like your lifts or your muscles is important,” she adds.

The trainer assesses her own progress by tracking the number on the weights she’s lifting and measuring her muscle mass.

2. Embrace the benefits of being a beginner

“New beginnings are magic,” says Lim.

“Beginners actually see a greater delta in their initial muscle development than trained athletes like myself, so they get more for their money in the early days.”

3. Learn a new skill

“Learning something like a cartwheel or how to kick up into a handstand—mastering a new skill—especially as you age, really unlocks that next level of capability that you maybe thought was behind you,” says Lim.

4. Start walking

“The first piece of advice for any beginner is to get walking because that’s a fundamental human movement that we all need to do,” Lim says.

“If you have no other form of exercise in your life, get outside for a five minute walk. Start with five minutes. If you start with that, your probability of success is almost 100%.”

5. Have self-compassion

Lifestyle medicine recognizes six pillars that contribute to our health: nutrition, sleep, physical activity, stress management, social connection and minimizing your exposure to harmful substances.

But Lim says something is missing from this list.

“I always say the seventh pillar of lifestyle medicine is self-compassion,” says Lim.

“You have to be able to forgive yourself for not rising to the level of your goals, and you need to be able to find a way to continue even in the worst of times.”

Pelvic floor health is usually associated with pre- and postnatal care. But it actually plays an important role throughout women’s lives.

For Anne Hathaway, who stars in The Odyssey and The Devil Wears Prada 2, pelvic floor health has been life-changing.

In an interview with Fandango promoting her new film Verity, Hathaway said that she wants to write the “bible” of pelvic floor health.

“I’ve learned so much throughout my life and there’s so much information that wasn’t available to me as a young woman,” Hathaway said in the interview.

“As I’ve aged and discovered it, my life has improved, my energy has improved, my strength has improved.”

“I would want to interview every single expert I could find and write a bible that would actually really help women,” Hathaway added.

Hathaway, 43, is currently pregnant with her third child. Pelvic floor health becomes particularly important during pregnancy and after giving birth.

However, strengthening your pelvic floor muscles earlier in life and maintaining pelvic floor health later in life can be equally beneficial.

While we await Hathaway’s in-depth guidebook, we asked Hollie Grant, founder of The Bump Plan, Pilates instructor and pre- and post-natal fitness expert, for guidance on the best way to train these muscles.

Why is pelvic floor health so important?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of the pelvis.

“Your pelvic floor is involved in so many things, but we probably take it for granted until it stops working as well as we’d like it to,” explains Grant.

“It helps support the pelvic organs, contributes to bladder and bowel control, plays a role in sexual function, and works alongside the diaphragm and abdominal muscles as part of our wider core system.”

Your pelvic floor also plays a part in day-to-day movement and exercise.

“Whether you’re coughing, picking up your child, running, jumping or lifting weights, your pelvic floor needs to respond appropriately to changes in pressure through your abdomen,” Grant says.

Who is most likely to suffer from pelvic floor health issues?

During pregnancy and childbirth, your pelvic floor is under increased demand, which is why pelvic floor exercises are often a part of pre- and postnatal care.

“Things like hormonal changes around menopause, ageing, high-impact exercise, chronic coughing and constipation can all affect pelvic floor function too,” Grant says.

Where to start with looking after your pelvic floor health

You don’t need to wait for pelvic floor issues to arise before you start taking care of your pelvic floor.

In fact, Grant says that prevention is much better than cure.

“I’d love pelvic floor health to be something women understand throughout their lives, rather than something we only start talking about during pregnancy, after having a baby, or once there’s a problem,” she explains.

If you’ve heard of kegels or pelvic floor squeezes, Grant says this isn’t always the best place to start.

“Start by learning where your pelvic floor is and what a contraction and a relaxation actually feel like,” she advises.

“Imagine gently trying to stop yourself from passing wind and urine at the same time. You should feel a subtle squeeze and lift around the back and front passages. Then completely let that contraction go again,” Grant continues.

Avoid holding your breath, clenching your bottom or gripping your stomach really hard.

A healthy pelvic floor can also be part of your full-body health routine.

“Breathing, managing pressure, strength training and gradually exposing the body to the movements and loads you want it to tolerate can all be part of good pelvic floor health,” Grant explains.

Ready to get started? Try this 20-minute functional pelvic floor routine that will help you feel stronger.

If you are experiencing significant discomfort, pain or dysfunction, speak to a specialist before attempting these exercises.

There’s a $10 piece of fitness equipment I regularly recommend to my personal training customers who want a stronger core and glutes: sliders.

These small round discs might not look particularly challenging, but they introduce instability and resistance to your workout. They force your muscles to work extra hard as you control the slider away from your body and back again.

Take a mountain climber. When you perform this move with a slider, it switches on deep core muscles, along with your obliques (side abs) and trunk stabilizers, as they work to keep your central body steady while you control the slider.

You can use them in glutes-focused exercises, too, like lateral lunges, balancing on one leg while you slide the other one out to the side and back. Controlling the sliding leg in both directions slows the exercise down, increasing the time your muscles spend under tension.

Here’s a beginner-friendly slider workout that I give my clients.

The moves

Do each move for 10 repetitions per side then take 30 seconds rest. Aim for two full sets with one minute recovery in between.

• Mountain climber
• Lateral lunge
• High plank jack step
• Step back
• Glute bridge heel slide

How to do the moves

1. Mountain climber

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 per leg

• Start in a high plank with your hands and toes on the floor and your body in a straight line. Position a slider under each foot.
• Engage your core and slide your right knee towards your chest.
• Extend your leg back to the starting position then slide your left knee towards your chest.
• Move slowly and keep your hips level.

2. Lateral lunge

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 per leg

• Stand with your right foot on a slider.
• Bend your left knee and push your hips back as you slide the right foot out to the side.
• Press through your left foot and squeeze your glute to return to standing.
• Repeat 10 times then switch legs.

3. High plank step jack

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 per leg

• Start in a high plank position, with your hands and feet on the floor and your body in a straight line. Position a slider under each foot.
• Keep your core braced and hips steady as you slowly slide your right foot out to the side, then back to the starting position.
• Slide the left foot out to the side and back.

4. Step back

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 per leg

• Stand with a slider under each foot.
• Bend your left knee as you slide your right leg backwards.
• Press through your left foot and squeeze your glutes to slide your right foot forward.
• Alternate legs and repeat 10 times per side.

5. Glute bridge heel slide

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 per leg

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and a slider under each foot.
• Lift your hips to get into a glute bridge, holding a straight line from your knees to your head.
• Staying in the glute bridge, slowly slide your right heel away until your leg is almost straight then pull it back in.
• Alternate sides, completing 10 repetitions per leg. Keep your pelvis level and don’t let your hips sag.

Most of my personal training clients have work and family commitments that make it hard to find time to exercise.

For those days when a workout seems impossible, I suggest this 15-minute routine full of compound movements that target the upper body, lower body, and core.

It’s a circuit-style workout, which means you’ll repeat each exercise 12 times before moving on to the next one. Once you’ve done all the exercises, repeat the routine from the beginning.

If you’ve just started to work out regularly, this routine may take you a bit longer than 15 minutes. That’s okay—move at a comfortable pace and rest as needed.

As you build strength and endurance, challenge yourself to rest for shorter periods and move at a quicker tempo.

Don’t sacrifice your form for speed, though. Be sure you’re doing each exercise correctly. Improper form can lead to muscle imbalance, pain and injury.

These exercises should feel challenging, but never cause sharp pain. If at any point you feel pain beyond muscle fatigue, stop immediately and check in with your doctor.

1. Dumbbell squat to press

Sets: 3 Reps: 12

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
• Engage your core.
• Bring the dumbbells to shoulder level.
• Hinge your hips behind you, as if you were about to sit down, and bend your knees to lower into a squat.
• Pause briefly when your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Stand and extend your arms overhead to raise the dumbbells.
• Bring the dumbbells back to shoulder level and repeat.

Trainer tips: Avoid rounding the spine or letting your torso lean forward. If you notice either of those things happening, choose a lighter dumbbell.

2. Dumbbell deadlift to row

Sets: 3 Reps: 12

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
• Bend your knees slightly.
• Hinge forward from your hips and lower your dumbbells to the floor, keeping your arms extended.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift the dumbbells to your hips.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower the dumbbells back to the floor.
• Squeeze your glutes and stand.

Trainer tips: Keep your spine neutral and aim to bring your torso parallel with the floor. Don’t allow your shoulders to shrug as you lift the weights toward the hips. If you’re a beginner, practice the deadlift portion of the exercise without weights first to master the proper form.

3. Dumbbell lateral lunge to curl

Sets: 3 Reps: 12

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and core engaged, holding a dumbbell in each hand near your thighs.
• Step your right foot to the side.
• Bend your right knee and lower your hips toward the floor, keeping your left leg straight. Keep your arms extended so the dumbbells lower toward the floor.
• Push off your right foot and return to standing.
• Bend your elbows and lift the dumbbells to your shoulders.
• Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
• Step your left foot to the side.
• Bend your left knee and lower your hips toward the floor, keeping your right leg straight.
• Push off your left foot and return to standing.
• Bend your elbows and lift the dumbbells toward your shoulders.
• That’s one repetition.

Trainer tips: Don’t let your torso lean forward excessively, and don’t allow your back to round or arch. Hinge your hips behind you as you bend the knee. Keep your elbows drawn in toward your ribcage as you lift the dumbbells toward your shoulders.

4. Dumbbell glute bridge to chest press

Sets: 3 Reps: 12

• Lie on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your elbows resting on the floor and the dumbbells elevated.
• Engage your core and lift your hips off the mat.
• Extend your arms and press the dumbbells toward the ceiling.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower the dumbbells.
• Continue for 12 repetitions, then lower your hips.

Trainer tips: If you’re a beginner, lower your hips back to the mat between each repetition. Avoid any excessive arching in your lower back. Keep the glutes engaged throughout the set and aim the dumbbells directly above the shoulders.

Last week, in the circuits class I run, there was one exercise that a few people struggled with.

It involved standing in front of a chair with your leg extended and your foot on the seat. You then raise your foot slightly to tap your heel on one side and then the other.

It challenges your balance and works your leg muscles. The men in the class found it fairly easy, but several women said they struggled to raise their leg high enough because their hips felt stiff.

I hear this often from my female personal training clients in their 40s and beyond. Hormonal changes around menopause can contribute to muscle and joint discomfort, while spending long periods sitting may leave your hips feeling stiffer.

The five moves below combine mobility, strength and balance to help you move your hips with more control and greater ease.

I recommend using them as a warm-up (by doing one round without weights), a finisher or a standalone circuit, building up to three rounds at a pace that feels comfortable.

If your hip pain persists, gets worse or affects your everyday activities, speak to a healthcare professional.

Five exercises for younger feeling hips

1. Plank walkout
2. Chair heel tap
3. Dumbbell lateral lunge
4. Dumbbell reverse lunge
5. Glute bridge march

For this workout, you’ll need a pair of dumbbells and a stable chair or low step. You can also perform the lunges without weights.

1. Plank walkout

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
• Hinge at your hips and place your hands on the floor.
• Walk your hands forward until you’re in a high-plank position with your shoulders over your hands.
• Pause briefly with your core engaged, then walk your hands back toward your feet with control.
• Return to standing.

How it helps: By folding forwards and returning to standing, you move your hips through flexion and extension, while the plank challenges your core muscles to stay steady. Bend your knees as much as needed to reach your hands to the floor comfortably.

2. Chair heel tap

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec each side Rest: 30sec

• Stand in front of a chair, with the seat facing you, and shift your weight onto your left leg.
• Raise and extend your right leg to place the heel of your right foot on the chair.
• Raise your right heel slightly to tap the two sides and middle of the chair seat in turn.
• Reverse the sequence and continue for 30 seconds before switching legs.

Trainer tip: If you cannot perform this without leaning back, use a lower surface or a stable surface to hold for support.

How it helps: Raising your foot toward the chair works your hip flexors and moving your foot from side to side builds control through the hips. Balancing on the other leg strengthens the muscles that stabilize your pelvis.

3. Dumbbell lateral lunge

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec each side Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell vertically with both hands at your chest.
• Step your right foot out to the side and push your hips back and bend your right knee to lower.
• Keep your left leg straight and both feet flat on the floor.
• Push through your right foot to return to standing.
• Complete all your reps on one side, then repeat on the other side.

How it helps: Stepping sideways moves your hips in a direction that many everyday activities miss. The bent leg works your glutes and thighs, while your straighter leg gets a gentle stretch along the inner thigh. Don’t step out too wide if you feel really stiff.

4. Dumbbell reverse lunge

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in each hand.
• Step your right foot back and bend both knees to lower.
• Keep your chest upright and your front knee tracking in line with your toes.
• Lower as far as feels comfortable and pause briefly.
• Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
• Alternate legs with each rep.

How it helps: Stepping back allows your rear hip to extend, while your glutes and quads in your front leg help to keep you upright. This builds strength in your hips. Your rear hip flexors might also feel a stretch if you keep your torso upright.

5. Glute bridge march

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
• Raise your hips, forming a straight line from your shoulders through your hips to your knees.
• Keeping your hips lifted and pelvis stable, slowly raise one foot, bringing your knee toward your chest.
• Lower it and repeat on the other side.

How it helps: Your glutes keep your hips lifted and stable as you alternate knee lifts. Your hip flexors raise each knee and by keeping your pelvis level, the muscles around your hips work harder to stabilize you.

Many of us grew up equating exercise with cardio, but thankfully, things are changing and strength training is getting the prominence it deserves.

“Strength training becomes increasingly important as we age, especially for women,” says ACE-certified personal trainer Margarita Severnaia, from San Diego Health and Fitness.

“From midlife onwards, we gradually lose muscle mass and strength, while changes associated with menopause can also accelerate bone density loss. This increases the long-term risk of sarcopenia, osteoporosis, falls and fractures.

“Resistance training helps preserve and rebuild muscle, supports bone strength, improves balance and physical function, and makes everyday activities easier.

“So, for a woman in her 50s, strength training is not simply about appearance—it is an important investment in long-term health and independence.”

But since we’ve probably never set foot in the weights room of the gym, we’re a generation that’s unprepared for this new era. But never fear, Severnaia has shared the best way for a beginner to approach strength training.

“The first few weeks should focus on learning the exercises, improving coordination, and developing confidence rather than training to exhaustion,” Severnaia says.

“Learn the main movement patterns, then gradually introduce resistance.

“I would begin with two or three full-body strength sessions per week with enough recovery between sessions.

“Consistency matters far more than making the first workouts difficult. The objective is to build a routine she can continue for years.”

The five-move workout for women in their 50s

If you are new to lifting weights in your 50s, Severnaia recommends starting with these five moves:

1. Chair squat
2. Romanian deadlift
3. Supported one-arm dumbbell row
4. Incline push-up
5. Farmer carry

Begin with one set of eight reps and gradually build to two or three sets of eight to 12 reps.

1. Chair squat

Sets: 1 Reps: 8 Rest: 30-90sec

• Stand in front of a chair or bench with your feet hip- or shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees and hips to lower your buttocks to lightly tap the chair.
• Push through your feet and return to standing.

“Once the movement is controlled, you can progress to a goblet squat, holding a light dumbbell vertically in front of the chest,” says Severnaia.

Form tips: “Avoid dropping onto the chair/bench. Avoid your knees collapsing inward, lifting your heels, or forcing more depth than your hips and ankles can comfortably control,” she says.

“The goal is not to squat as deeply as possible on day one. It is to own the range of motion you currently have, and then gradually improve it.”

2. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Sets: 1 Reps: 8 Rest: 30-90sec

• Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs.
• Push your hips back to lower the dumbbells, keeping your back flat and the dumbbells close to your legs.
• Stop when you feel tension through your hamstrings (muscles in the back of your thighs).
• Push your hips forward to stand upright.

“Learning to hinge at the hips is one of the most useful skills a beginner can develop because it teaches you how to load the posterior chain without simply bending through the lower back,” explains Severnaia.

Form tips: “Be careful not to turn the movement into a squat, or round the back,” she adds. “Letting the dumbbells drift too far away from the body or finishing by leaning backward and overextending the lower back are also common mistakes.”

3. Supported one-arm dumbbell row

Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side Rest: 30-90sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your right hand.
• Hinge forward at your hips, keeping your back flat, core engaged and torso stable and place your left hand on a stable support in front of your.
• Pull the dumbbell toward your right hip, keeping your elbow close to your body and your shoulder down, away from your ear.
• Pause at the top of the movement, squeezing your shoulder blade.
• Slowly lower the weight to the starting position.
• Complete all your reps on one side, then repeat on the other.

Severnaia says: “For a beginner, I prefer a supported version because it allows you to learn pulling mechanics and shoulder-blade control without asking you to stabilize the entire body at the same time.”

Form tips: “Avoid shrugging the shoulder, rotating the entire torso to lift the weight, using momentum, or choosing a dumbbell that is too heavy to control,” adds Severnaia.

4. Incline push-up

Sets: 1 Reps: 8 Rest: 30-90sec

• Stand with your feet together, and place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on a low stable surface, like a bench, chair or couch.
• Step back until your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels. This is your starting position.
• Bend at your elbows to lower your chest toward your surface.
• Push powerfully through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

“I usually teach a new client an incline push-up before putting her straight onto the floor,” says Severnaia. “It’s easy to adjust the difficulty simply by changing the height of the support.”

Form tips: “Avoid your hips or lower back to sag during the movement, and don’t shrug your shoulders, let your head drop forward, or progress to a lower surface before you can control the current variation.”

5. Farmer’s carry

Sets: 1 Time: 30sec Rest: 30-90sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Walk forward, keeping your shoulders retracted, chest proud and core engaged.
• After 30 seconds, lower the weights by bending your hips and knees.

“Carries are extremely practical because they combine grip strength, trunk control, posture and walking,” says Severnaia.

“If you’re a beginner, start with a dumbbell in each hand and simply walk slowly while maintaining an upright, controlled position. Once that feels stable, you can progress to a suitcase carry, holding weight on only one side.

“With a suitcase carry, the weight tries to pull the body sideways, so the trunk has to resist that lateral movement. This makes it a very practical way to train core stability while walking.”

Form tips: “Avoid leaning away from or toward the weight, shortening the steps excessively, shrugging the loaded shoulder, or choosing a weight that changes your walking pattern.”

What weight should I start with?

“The correct starting weight is one that allows you to complete approximately eight to 12 controlled repetitions with good form, while still feeling that you could perform another two or three good-quality repetitions if necessary,” says Severnaia.

“If your technique starts changing after six or seven repetitions, the weight is probably too heavy. If you can perform 12 to 15 repetitions very easily with no meaningful effort, the resistance can gradually increase.”

For someone training at home, adjustable dumbbells are often the most practical option, she says. “Otherwise, pairs around 5, 10 and 15lb can provide a useful starting range, particularly because the lower body will normally tolerate considerably more resistance than smaller upper-body exercises.”

The most important piece of advice from Severnaia is to be cautious when considering moving up to a heavier weight. “Don’t rush to use a heavier weight until you can perform the exercise correctly and with control every time.” Learn and practice the technique first, she says, then gradually increase the weight once your form is reliable.

What should I wear for strength training?

You don’t need a new and expensive workout wardrobe to begin strength training, reassures Severnaia.

“The priorities are comfort, freedom of movement, adequate support, and footwear that matches the activity,” she says.

“For clothing, I would look at brands such as Athleta, Vuori, Alo Yoga, Nike, and Under Armour. For sports bras, Athleta, Brooks, Nike, and Under Armour all offer good options with different levels of support.”

She recommends Athleta, Vuori, Beyond Yoga, and Alo Yoga for leggings and training tops.

“The sports bra should feel supportive without restricting normal breathing. Leggings or shorts should allow the hips and knees to move freely, and the top should not be so loose that it catches on equipment,” she says.

For footwear, Brooks, Hoka, and On are Severnaia’s personal favorites, depending on the person and the activity.

“However, I would make an important distinction—a highly cushioned running shoe is not the best option for strength training. During squats, deadlifts, and loaded carries, I prefer a shoe with a stable, relatively firm base rather than a very soft, compressible sole.

“For dedicated strength training, shoes such as Nike Metcon, Reebok Nano, or Under Armour TriBase can provide a more stable platform. Brooks, HOKA, or On can be excellent choices for walking and cardio, depending on the model and the individual foot,” she adds.

When you think about building core strength, what are the first exercises that come to mind? If it's sit-ups and crunches then stay with us.

These moves can help you build strength in your abdominal muscles. However, the core is made up of other muscles too—the pelvis, obliques and lower back, to name a few—but crunches and sit-ups isolate the abdominals, rather than working the core as a whole.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that crunches are a bad core exercise—they have their place—but our core has a much bigger job than simply flexing the spine forwards,” explains Pilates instructor and strength coach Rebecca Daodun.

“In real life, our trunk needs to bend, rotate, resist movement, transfer force between our upper and lower body and keep us stable while our arms and legs are moving,” she continues.

Below, Daodun has shared four moves that she does each week to strengthen her entire core.

“I like including exercises that challenge the core in different planes and in different positions, rather than relying solely on crunches,” Daodun adds.

Four core exercises to try instead of crunches

1. Weighted side bend

“This challenges the core through lateral flexion [side bending] with the weight adding resistance,” explains Daodun. “The obliques are working to control both the movement down and, importantly, the return to upright.”

“I love this move because we tend to think of core training as everything happening at the front of the body, when actually our trunk needs to be strong in every direction,” she adds.

How to do it:

Reps: 8-12

• Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand by your side.
• Keep your ribs stacked over your pelvis and your shoulders relaxed.
• Bend your torso toward your side holding the weight.
• Pull yourself back to an upright position.

Trainer tip: Use your core muscles on the opposite side of your weight to move through your waist not your hips.

2. Standing cross-body knee drive

“This is a much more integrated core exercise,” says Daodun. “You’re balancing on one leg while bringing the opposite knee and arm towards each other, so the obliques are involved in the cross-body movement while the rest of the trunk and pelvis have to stabilize you.”

“It combines core strength with balance, coordination and hip control—all things we need outside the gym too,” she explains.

How to do it:

Reps: 8-12

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your left arm.
• Raise the dumbbell overhead and hold your other arm out to the side for balance.
• Drive your right knee up and across your body while bringing your left elbow down and across your body toward it.
• Return to the starting position with control

Trainer tip: Keep your standing leg and pelvis stable to avoid wobbling or rotating excessively.

3. The Hundred

“This is a classical Pilates movement,” says Daodun. “Rather than repeatedly curling up and down as you would in a crunch, you maintain the abdominal curl while the arms pump and the legs are held away from the body.”

“That creates sustained abdominal work and asks the trunk to remain controlled while the limbs are moving,” she continues, adding: “The further the legs move away from you, the greater the demand, so it can also be modified very easily by bending the knees or bringing the legs closer.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 30 pumps

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, then raise your head and shoulders into a gentle abdominal curl.
• Extend your arms straight by your sides and raise your legs into tabletop position with your knees over your hips and your knees bent to a 90° angle.
• For an extra challenge, straighten your legs—the lower and straighter your legs, the more challenging this move will be.
• Begin pumping your arms up and down in small, controlled movements while keeping your abdominal curl.

Trainer tip: Breathe rhythmically throughout the movement, keeping your lower back against the floor and your neck relaxed.

4. Back extension

“I always include extensions when talking about a strong core because the core isn’t just your abs,” Daodun says.

“The muscles along the back of the trunk, including the spinal extensors, are part of the system that supports and controls the spine,” she continues.

“Back extensions strengthen the posterior side of the body and balance all the flexion we tend to focus on when we think about traditional ab exercises.”

How to do it:

Reps: 8-12

• Lie on your front with your legs extended behind you.
• Place your arms on the floor by your head with your elbows bent to 90° in line with your chest.
• Keep your neck long and your pelvis grounded.
• Gently raise your chest, upper torso and arms by engaging your back.
• Stretch your arms in front of you overhead and then return them to 90° by your sides.
• Lower your body and your arms and repeat.

Fact: Injuries are no fun.

But, as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining and I’ve come to appreciate that injuries almost always teach you something.

After being diagnosed with a bulging disc in L4/L5, I had to take a whole year off exercising. Some gentle walking and light stretching were all I could manage with the extreme pain.

When I was finally able to exercise (gently) again, I realized how much I’d neglected my lower core during all my years of training—despite being a personal trainer and competing in Olympic lifting and CrossFit.

Working with a musculoskeletal coach, I discovered that building deep-core strength is critical for stabilizing and supporting the lower spine. It became the bedrock of my recovery.

Over the past two years, I’ve progressed slowly and mindfully through a range of exercises and modifications. But one move has remained unchanged: the grasshopper.

What is the grasshopper core exercise and why is it useful?

The grasshopper is a dynamic take on a traditional high plank (not to be confused with the Pilates move sharing the same name). From the high plank position, you add a knee drive, twist and cross-body leg extension.

This combination targets the lower-core stabilizing muscles—like the transverse abdominis and internal obliques—that attach to a layer of dense tissue and collagen connected to the lower back.

This often overlooked area of the body is called the thoracolumbar fascia (TFL). It’s an essential bridge between your lower and upper body, and a sometimes underappreciated way to remedy lower-back issues.

By working your lower-core muscles you load the TFL, leading to more resilient fibers being laid down. For a well-functioning lower back, the TFL needs to be supple, smooth and flexible.

When your lower core muscles are neglected, the TFL can become stiffer and less elastic, potentially leading to chronic lower-back issues.

How to do the grasshopper core exercise

The version I’ve focused on is slow and controlled, as in the demonstration below.

Reps: 4-8 on each side

• Get in a high-plank position with your shoulders over your hands, your arms extended and your body in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Bring your right knee in between your arms, moving with control.
• Extend your right leg out to your left side, so your right lower leg is perpendicular to your torso, and tap your foot on the floor.
• Reverse the movement with control and repeat on the other side.

At the start of my rehab journey, I could barely complete eight reps in total (four on each side) and my leg extension was far from a 90° angle.

It took many months of consistent work—three times a week—to see results. A year on, I can now do up to 20 reps in total with good form and no discomfort.

No matter how my recovery progresses, I know grasshoppers will stay with me.

Prolonged sitting—whether at your desk, on the couch or behind the wheel—can lead to muscle and joint weakness that affects posture and the ability to perform everyday activities.

But uninterrupted sitting is sometimes unavoidable.

Regular movement and stretching throughout the day can help offset negative consequences. However, targeted exercises—like the ones in the workout below—can be even more effective, by addressing areas of weakness and reversing some of the damage.

Certified trainer Maxwell Thompson of David Lloyd Clubs has designed a routine to support your hip flexors and strengthen your posterior chain—the muscles running down the back of your body.

The exercises will recruit all the major muscle groups using just your bodyweight or a kettlebell. They pay particular attention to the hip-hinge movement—used with the Romanian deadlift and kettlebell swings—involving bowing forward with a flat back and straightening up.

If you are doing this workout in the gym or have access to a rower, then try the rowing and kettlebell swing finisher, which Thompson says, is a “low-risk way to re-establish good training habits”, helping develop strength and cardiovascular power.

Thompson personally likes to turn to this routine after an extended absence from the gym, such as after holidays, illness or a busy patch.

How to do the workout

Perform the first five exercises as straight sets: complete all three sets of one move before moving to the next, resting 60 seconds between sets.

Optional: finish with three rounds of 500m row straight into 10 kettlebell swings, again resting 60 seconds between rounds.

When selecting a kettlebell, choose a load that allows you to keep your technique good across all reps. If your form breaks down, reduce the weight or modify the movement (for example, do incline push-ups).

“This routine is aimed at beginner to intermediate trainees,” notes Thompson.

“Anyone newer to training should use lighter loads and focus on form before adding weight.”

1. Goblet squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 12 Rest: 60sec

• Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outward.
• Hold a kettlebell upside down close to your chest in both hands.
• Inhale to brace your core.
• Sit your hips back and bend your knees to lower, pushing your knees out so they don’t cave in, and keeping your weight distributed across your feet, your heels down and your chest facing forward.
• Exhale as you stand up, squeezing your glutes.

Make it easier: Perform without the kettlebell.

2. Push-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60sec

• Start on your hands and toes, with your hands under your shoulders, your legs extended and your body in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to avoid your hips sagging.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest, allowing your elbows to move at roughly 45° from your torso.
• Press through your palms until your arms are straight, but don’t lock out your elbows to protect the joint.

Make it easier: Perform the push-up on a bench or against the wall to reduce the load.

3. Kettlebell Romanian deadlift

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in both hands by the handle in front of your legs.
• Retract your shoulder blades to engage your upper back, and engage your core.
• With a small bend in your knees, push your hips back to lower the weight, keeping it close to your legs and maintaining a flat back, until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
• Push your hips forward to stand and squeeze your glutes at the top of the move.

Make it easier: Reduce the weight or swap for a bodyweight good morning.

4. Dual kettlebell bent-over row

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 60sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a light to medium-weight kettlebell in each hand.
• Brace your core, then hinge forward at your hips, keeping a flat back and a slight bend in your knees.
• Let the weights hang with your arms extended.
• Retract your shoulder blades to engage your upper back.
• Lift the weights toward your hips, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
• Lower the weights under control without rounding your spine.

Make it easier: Perform a one-arm kettlebell row holding a bench for support with your other hand.

5. Plank

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

• Lie on your front, propped up on your forearms, with your elbows under your shoulders.
• Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your feet.
• Hold this position, squeezing your glutes and engaging your core to avoid your hips dropping or rising.
• Keep your neck neutral and gaze slightly ahead of your hands.
• Breathe steadily throughout the hold.

Make it easier: Perform the plank on a raised surface like a chair, bench or couch, or your knees.

6. Rowing and kettlebell swing

Sets: 3 Reps: 500m + 10 kettlebell swings Rest: 60sec

For the row:

• Perform a few gentle practice strokes before you start your 500m.
• Use a strong leg drive, pushing hard through your feet, then lean back and finish with the arm pull.
• Reverse the motion: extend your arms, lean forward, bend your knees to return.
• Keep your stroke rate consistent and breathe rhythmically with each pull.

For the kettlebell swing:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the kettlebell on the floor, just in front of you.
• Brace your core, retract your shoulders to engage your back muscles, push your hips back and bend your knees slightly.
• Grasp the bell and pull it between your legs.
• Snap your hips forward to stand upright, generating the power to swing the kettlebell forward to chest height.
• As the kettlebell descends, hinge forward from your hips and let the bell swing between your legs, going straight into the next rep.

Tip: Keep your arms long and relaxed—all the power comes from your hip drive.

Make it easier: Reduce the rowing distance or add a 30-second rest between exercises.

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.

It's a common misconception that elite trainers live in a constant state of muscle fatigue.

Just ask Rebecca Kennedy, a Peloton trainer based in New York.

“I don't want to wake up super sore, tired, or injured,” she says. “I want my training to help me feel strong and capable in my everyday life.”

The instructor leads Peloton's new HiLit+ training plan, which is a seven-week course focusing on high-intensity, low-impact exercise.

In her day-to-day life, she prioritizes regular movement and has a varied routine that helps her stay strong and mobile.

“My minimum dose is at least two to three heavy lifting sessions per week, a Pilates session, some mobility training and some form of daily cardio,” she says.

“When I have busier weeks, I may shorten workouts or pull back on intensity, especially if I'm traveling, but what I value most is consistency over time more than having a perfect week.”

Rebecca Kennedy's weekly workout routine

Kennedy's training is all about improving how she moves and feels.

“I want my training to support longevity and performance—to feel good today and 30 years from now,” she says. “To me, movement is joy and gives me freedom.”

She likes to exercise mid-morning or in the afternoon, when she feels the most alert.

“But honestly, I'll do it whenever I can. My schedule constantly changes, so I just need to block off whatever time I can make it happen.”

Monday
45-60min strength training, including a warm-up before and time to stretch after.

Tuesday
60min outdoor walk with a weighted vest, typically with her dogs on the trails.

Wednesday
45min strength training.
15-20min on the stairmill.

Thursday
45-60min Pilates.

Friday
45-60min strength training.

Saturday
Hiking or another outdoor activity like pickleball.

Sunday
Rest.

Rebecca Kennedy’s top two tips for developing an exercise routine

1. Focus on how exercise makes you feel

Kennedy says she doesn’t rely on motivation alone to work out.

“I absolutely do not wait to feel it [motivation]; otherwise I would be wildly inconsistent with my workouts,” she explains.

Instead, she focuses on remembering how much better she feels after exercise.

“I'm highly motivated by feeling well and I know movement and music always make me feel well. That's what I need.”

2. Be realistic

Kennedy says it's best to start with a truly manageable routine.

“Build a routine you can actually repeat. Don’t start with something overwhelming or hard to manage because your body and mind need time to adapt.”

She suggests starting with a simple goal of two strength training sessions per week and 5,000 steps a day.

“Find movement you enjoy and give yourself four to six weeks of that before adding on more,” she advises.

“This builds confidence and gives your body time to adapt to the new demands being placed on it. Consistency is the skill you're developing in this initial routine-building phase.”

Once the sole preserve of the studio, the Pilates reformer has found its way into homes, with mini Pilates boards, full-spec reformers and everything in between available to buy.

But the Cadillac Pilates machine, another piece of equipment patented in the early 1950s by Joseph Pilates, looks set to stay (mostly) in the studio due to its size.

The apparatus resembles a four-poster bed with adjustable springs, bars and straps. Because the attachments can provide assistance, as well as the resistance you’d expect from a reformer bed, it’s especially well suited to rehabilitation (I first encountered it when rehabbing a torn ACL) and Pilates newcomers.

“The combination of support and resistance it provides is exactly what makes it so effective and approachable for people new to Pilates or coming back from an injury,” says Daisy Zhang, founder and instructor of Mind Pilates, which has two locations in New York City.

If you can’t get to NYC, or another studio with Cadillac Pilates, Zhang has designed a five-move workout just for you that recreates most of its benefits using just a mat and a resistance band.

“Each move in this routine is the mat version of an exercise I teach on the Cadillac or reformer, chosen to train the same qualities at home,” Zhang says.

It’s a reminder, Zhang adds, that you don’t always need access to expensive equipment or classes to benefit from this form of exercise.

“I love Pilates because it’s not just about physical fitness,” Zhang says. “It helps you connect deeply with your body, breath and mind. It brings strength, clarity and confidence from the inside out, and I love seeing that transformation in my clients too.”

How to do this Pilates workout for beginners

Perform the first four moves (labeled 1A to 1D) one after the other to complete one round.

Beginners can start with a single round, building up to two or three rounds in total as your strength improves and the movements start to feel more familiar.

Finish the workout with one set of the standing roll-down.

“Move through the four exercises slowly and keep the emphasis on control and alignment. If a movement feels unstable, use a wall or chair for support,” Zhang advises.

“Aim for two to three sessions a week on non-consecutive days. Consistency over a few weeks matters more than intensity in any one session,” Zhang says.

1A. Pelvic bridge

Rounds: 1-3 Reps: 8-10

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart, and your arms resting by your sides.
• Press through your heels and lift your hips, peeling your spine off the mat one vertebra at a time.
• Hold at the top for the count of two, then roll back down slowly for three counts.

Tip: Focus on peeling the spine off the mat rather than thrusting your hips up.

Zhang says: “On the Cadillac, you’d perform this move by pressing through the feet against spring resistance while peeling the spine up one vertebra at a time. It builds the glutes and spinal mobility that translates to better posture and less back pain.”

1B. Bodyweight squat

Rounds: 1-3 Reps: 10

• Stand with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart, toes turned very slightly out.
• Sit your hips back and down as if lowering into a chair, keeping your chest lifted and your knees tracking in-line with your toes.
• Press through your whole foot to stand back up.

Tip: Without the machine’s support, go slow and keep your knees in-line with your toes rather than letting them collapse inward.

Zhang says: “Footwork on the Cadillac builds the lower-body strength you use to get out of a chair, climb stairs, and walk. On the machine, the carriage keeps your spine supported. On the mat you supply that control yourself.”

1C. Step-back lunge

Rounds: 1-3 Reps: 8 each side

• Stand tall with a wall or sturdy chair within reach.
• Step one foot back, placing the ball of your foot on the floor.
• Bend both knees to lower until both knees are bent to 90˚.
• Press through your front foot to rise.

Tip: Use a wall or chair for balance support whenever you need it.

Zhang says: “The standing leg press on the Cadillac trains balance, hip stability and single-leg strength, which are crucial for fall prevention and everyday steadiness.”

1D. Banded row

Rounds: 1-3 Reps: 8-10

• Sit tall on the mat with your legs extended in front of you and a resistance band looped around your feet, holding the other end in both hands. (Depending on the type of band you have, you may need to raise your leg, as in the video.)
• Pull the band toward your ribcage, moving your elbows out to the sides.
• Extend your arms with control to return to the starting position.

Tip: Power the movement with your back muscles, not your arms.

Zhang says: “Rowing movements on the Cadillac open the chest and strengthen the upper back, retraining the rounded shoulders and forward-head posture that comes from sitting and looking at phones all day.”

Shop Pilates bands

2. Standing roll-down

Sets: 1 Reps: 5-8

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms relaxed.
• Inhale to lengthen your spine, lifting the crown of your head.
• Exhale as you slowly round forward, dropping one vertebra at a time and letting your arms hang heavy.
• Pause at the bottom for two full breaths, then roll back up to standing, stacking your spine from the base up.

Tip: Let your head and arms be heavy and move from the spine. This is the cool-down, so take your time.

Zhang says: “Breathing efficiency and spinal mobility are two of the first things that decline as we age, so it’s important to practice both regularly. On the Cadillac, you’d hold a spring-loaded bar and let your breath guide a slow, articulated roll-down and up. On the mat you keep the same spinal articulation and breath pattern, just without the bar.”

If you’re on social media, over 40 and so much as glanced at a post about fitness, I’ll bet the algorithm has hammered home the message that you should be strength training.

Credit where it’s due, for once social media is spreading great advice, given that muscle mass naturally declines as you get older and resistance training is the only way to combat this.

But with the limelight so squarely on lifting weights, cardio isn’t getting the attention it deserves.

Amanda Lim—a former athlete, personal trainer and founder of preventative health medical clinic liftCLINIC—agrees both strength training and cardio training are essential components of an exercise program that prioritises longevity.

“There isn't really a way to pick one or the other if you want to maximize your potential health outcomes in the future,” Lim says. “You can’t deny the impact of heart health, but you also want to be able to stand up out of your wheelchair.”

I asked her to explain why each is important and how to measure it, so you can identify where you’re weaker and prioritise that, plus how to get started.

Why is strength training important for longevity?

According to Lim, strength training can improve your overall longevity for two reasons: it can increase your lifespan and your ability to do day-to-day tasks.

“In the clinic, we measure hand grip strength through using a dynamometer, and our hand grip strength measurement is a proxy for muscular function,” she says, adding: “We know that for every 5kg reduction in hand grip strength in the force that you can apply, there is a 16% increase in your chance of dying from anything.”

As well as increasing your lifespan, strength training can increase your healthspan—the number of years you live in good health.

“Progressive overload strength training through the six functional patterns, which are squat, hinge, push, pull, rotate, and carry, is the best way to develop that type of strength that then translates into these longevity outcomes,” Lim explains.

Each of these movement patterns reflects movements you do in everyday life. Practising these movements with weights helps you maintain the capability to do these movements as you age.

“The ability to take care of ourselves, like being able to get off the toilet by yourself, take a bath by yourself, change your clothes, those things are correlated with your healthspan [...] and that is where the strength training comes in,” Lim says.

Why is aerobic exercise important for longevity?

According to Lim, it’s great that more people are acknowledging the importance of strength training, but that shouldn’t undermine the value of cardio fitness. “We must remember that heart disease is the number one killer of men and women,” she says. “We can’t get so narrow in the focus on muscles and strength and function that we forget about the primary story, which is the heart.”

With this in mind, cardiovascular fitness is crucial to longevity. A good way to measure your cardiovascular health is your VO2 max, which refers to the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use per minute during intense exercise.

“There is a level of intensity that’s demanded in order to increase your VO2 max,” Lim says. “The good news is that intensity is relative to your current fitness levels, so you don’t need to necessarily start off running sprints. It could simply mean that you need to pedal the bike a little bit faster.”

“Plus, with that very intense style of exercise, the dose is smaller. So those fitness gains take more intensity but less duration,” Lim explains. If you want to make sure you’re doing enough, Lim recommends tracking your heart rate on a wearable device like a Fitbit or Apple Watch and trying to make sure that you get up to at least 80% of your maximum heart rate for 10 to 15 minutes.

Lim references a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology which followed over 750,000 U.S. veterans. Researchers found that those in the least fit group had a fourfold increase in all-cause mortality compared with the most fit.

That means that if you want to improve your chances of a longer lifespan, working on your cardio fitness can make a notable difference.

How to combine strength and cardio training

For exercise newbies, Lim recommends putting two hours aside each week for movement and dedicating one to strength training and one to cardio.

“Do an hour of each or split that into four sessions of 30 minutes,” she suggests.

You can use various forms of resistance during your strength training workout: your bodyweight, resistance bands, dumbbells or machines.

For your cardio, do anything that raises your heart rate. However, Lim caveats this by saying: “If you’re doing an hour of cardio, make sure at least 10 of those minutes are difficult [...] The rest of your workout can be in that low to moderate aerobic zone.”

I have a personal training client in her 60s who is focused on building strength for her later years. So every week, I encourage her to squeeze in a home workout alongside our weekly session together—working out just once a week isn’t enough to increase, rather than maintain, strength.

Being a busy CEO of a charity, she has a small window for an extra workout, so what I program has to be efficient.

I created this 21-minute, seven-move workout for her, most of the exercises are compound and work multiple joints. They also hit all the major muscle groups and most movement patterns, too—such as the squat, lunge, hinge, push, pull and core rotation—with built-in rest, making it efficient too.

It uses a set of dumbbells, but it can also be done with just one dumbbell if that’s all you have. Just follow the notes below on how to do that.

How to do the dumbbell workout for the over-60s

This workout features seven moves, which test your biggest muscle groups, before finishing with a core exercise.

You start each move at the turn of the minute, work for 40 seconds, rest for 20. Complete the circuit three times with no rest between rounds.

And because there’s no rest, expect your heart rate to climb a little—an added cardiovascular benefit.

Choose the dumbbell option that feels right for you and your strength level (as well as your available kit). Warm up by doing five to 10 repetitions of each move without a weight.

The moves:

1. Squat
2. Lunge
3. Deadlift
4. Push press
5. Bent-over row
6. Burpee
7. Russian twist

1. Squat

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outward slightly and holding dumbbells in front of your shoulders.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Keep your chest upright, core engaged and knees out, over your toes, not caving in.
• Push through your heels to return to standing.

Single dumbbell option: Hold one dumbbell at your chest with both hands.

2. Forward alternating lunge

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your shoulders or by your sides.
• Step your right foot forward and bend both knees to lower with control.
• Keep your front knee directly over your foot, making sure your knee doesn’t knee in.
• Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side, and continue alternating each rep.

Single dumbbell option: Hold one dumbbell at your chest.

3. Deadlift

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and dumbbells resting on the floor, either side of your feet.
• Hinge your torso forward from your hips and push your hips back to reach down and take hold of the dumbbells.
• Engage your core, then extend your knees and hips to stand upright, lifting the dumbbells—imagine you are pushing the floor away with your feet.
• Reverse the movement to lower the dumbbells to tap the floor, then go straight into the next rep.

Single dumbbell option: Hold the dumbbell vertically, with both hands cupping one end, keeping it close to your body as you lift and lower.

4. Push press

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your shoulders with your palms facing.
• Engage your core and move your shoulder blades back and down to engage your lats.
• Bend your knees slightly, then push through your heels to straighten your legs and press the weights overhead.
• Pause briefly at the top.
• Lower the weight back to your shoulders with control.

Single dumbbell option: Perform a single-arm push press, with your free arm out to the side for balance. Swap sides after 20 seconds.

5. Bent-over row

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Engage your core.
• Hinge forward at your hips and push your butt back, keeping a slight bend in your knees, lowering your torso to a 45° angle. Keep your back flat and your core engaged.
• Lift the weights toward your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blades at the top of the movement.
• Lower with control.

Single dumbbell option: Perform a single-arm bent-over row, placing your free hand on a sturdy surface in front of you. Swap sides after 20 seconds.

6. Burpee

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hinge forward from your hips and place your hands on the floor, keeping your shoulders directly over your hands.
• Jump both feet back (or step back), landing in a high-plank position with a tight core to protect your lower back.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the floor.
• Push through your hands to extend your arms and return to the high-plank position.
• Jump (or step) your feet forward toward your hands.
• Stand upright with a small jump and clap your hands together overhead.

Make it easier: Avoid lowering your chest to the floor.

7. Russian twist

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your heels on the floor, holding a dumbbell horizontally in both hands.
• Lean back, forming a 90° angle between your torso and thighs.
• Extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height.
• Keeping your knees and hips still throughout, rotate slowly through your waist to one side, tapping the dumbbell on the floor.
• Pause, then return to center.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Make it easier: Perform the move using just your bodyweight to build up the strength and ensure correct form.

Finding the time to walk can be a challenge, even though I know taking more than 8,000 steps a day is associated with a longer, healthier lifespan. I have limited free time, I usually travel by bike rather than on foot, and I do most of my work from home.

My saving grace? Because I write about exercise, I’ve tested some of the most popular walking workouts on YouTube, so I often do one when I want to increase my step count.

This 8,000-step one below, created by YouTube fitness creator Eleni Fit, requires a reasonable time commitment—it lasts an hour—but if you can fit it into your day, I think it’s worth it. One of the biggest advantages is that you don’t have to rely on good weather to get moving. All you need is enough room to move safely.

Eleni Fit’s 8,000-step workout

My experience with this 8,000-step workout

Here’s what I discovered after trying it out.

I felt less stiff

I have a bad habit of slouching at my desk or sitting on one foot, and I’m not very good at taking regular movement breaks. By lunchtime, I often feel stiff and achy. One thing I loved about Eleni’s walking workout was how much it eased the stiffness in my joints and muscles.

You start with a quick three-minute warm-up before moving into the fast main workout. You perform each exercise for 60 seconds, while a preview in the top-left corner of the screen shows you which move is coming next.

Eleni keeps you moving throughout and incorporates plenty of arm movements, so it involves much more than simply marching on the spot. Some of the more complex combinations also challenge your balance and coordination, including marching while clapping under each raised leg and combining a side crunch and leg tap.

By the end, my hips, knees, ankles and shoulders all felt less stiff. It was such a relief I made a promise to myself to stop sitting on my feet and sabotaging my posture while working.

I was more alert

A choreographed walking workout combines physical activity with a mental challenge. The movement woke up my body, while learning and remembering the unfamiliar step patterns placed different challenges on my attention, memory and coordination than my usual deskbound work.

Together, this gave me a much-needed afternoon reset. I felt more alert for the rest of the day, didn’t need my usual 3pm double espresso and found it easier to return to my work without procrastinating as much as usual.

I was less stressed

I love how you can begin a workout feeling one way and finish feeling totally different. At the start, I’m often stressed, short on time, and not particularly motivated—especially when faced with a full hour of exercise.

But Eleni’s workout seemed to pass surprisingly quickly. Because the moves aren’t repeated, I was constantly concentrating on what came next and trying to master the choreography. That focus gave me a break from the worries that had been whirling around my head. By the end of the workout, I felt calmer and my mood had noticeably lifted.

If you’re looking for an all-round type of exercise, look no further than Barre which combines strength training with flexibility and balance.

“The small, controlled movements and core-centric positions target muscles in a way that builds endurance and strengthens focus for a well-rounded, full-body workout experience,” explains certified barre instructor Kelly Miliano McHale.

But it’s not just about the physical benefits. “Barre strengthens the mind-body connection too,” adds McHale, who is a member of the Mindbody Wellness Council for the Mindbody app.

With a focus on synchronizing action with breath, it’s a form of mindful movement that can offer stress relief, too.

Whether you’re new to exercise or want a add barre as a complementary routine, McHale’s five-move, five-minute barre routine will help to build lower-body strength and improve balance.

1. Plié pulse

Sets: 1 Time: 1min

How to do it:

• Stand with feet as wide as you can, toes turned out slightly, and hands on hips (or clasped close to your chest).
• Bend your knees and lower into a wide squat, keeping your knees tracking over your toes, and your shoulders over your hips.
• Keep your heels on the floor, with your chest upright, back flat, tailbone neutral and core engaged.
• From the bottom, pulse up and down one to two inches for one minute, squeezing your thighs at the top of each pulse.

Trainer tip: Focus on strong posture and joint alignment rather than the depth of the squat.

2. Curtsy lunge pulse

Sets: 1 Time: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips.
• Step your right foot back and to the left, crossing it behind your left leg, placing the ball of your right foot on the floor.
• Bend both knees to lower into a curtsy lunge, keeping your shoulders over your hips, chest lifted, back flat, tailbone neutral and core engaged.
• Pulse up and down one to two inches for 30 seconds (not alternating legs like the video).
• Keep your front knee tracking over your ankle and squeeze your thighs and outer glutes at the top of each pulse.
• Return to standing and switch sides.

Trainer tip: Keep both hips facing forward. Add weights such as dumbbells or a kettlebell if you need more of a challenge.

3. Standing attitude leg lift

Sets: 1 Time: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Stand with your heels together and your toes pointing out slightly, holding a wall or chair for balance if needed.
• Engage your core and keep your shoulders over your hips, your chest upright, back flat, and tailbone neutral.
• Bend your right knee slightly and lift it behind you and to the side.
• Keep your hips facing forward and don’t lean away from the lifted leg.
• Lower it with control.
• Switch sides after 30 seconds.

Trainer tip: Picture a clock and think of lifting your leg towards 4-5pm.

4. Relevé calf raise

Sets: 1 Time: 1min

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on hips, or resting lightly on a wall for balance.
• Engage your core and keep your shoulders over your hips, your chest upright, back flat, and tailbone neutral.
• Rise onto the balls of both feet as high as possible.
• Lower slowly with control, but don’t let your heels touch the floor.
• Move slowly enough to feel the calves working through the full range of motion.

Trainer tip: Spread your weight through all 10 toes, and avoid your ankles rolling in or out.

5. Standing core wrap and hold

Sets: 3 Time: 20sec hold Rest: 10sec

How to do it:

• Stand tall, with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
• Place your hands on your rib cage and inhale deeply, feeling your rib cage expand.
• Exhale slowly and lower your rib cage toward the midline of your body to activate your abdominals.
• Your spine should stay still—this is an internal engagement, not a crunch.
• Hold the engaged position for 20 seconds, breathing steadily.
• Release for 10 seconds, then repeat two more times.

Trainer tip: This is isometric core engagement, “wrapping” the ribs down and in.

This move requires mind-body connection; keep practicing if you’re not feeling your abs engage at first. You can also try this move lying on your back with your knees bent, and feet flat on the floor.

If you’re over 30, it’s time to start thinking about your posture. According to physical therapist Odalisse Figueroa, this is when our structural alignment starts to change.

“As we age, the discs in our spine lose water content, causing our spine to compress. Bones also weaken, and muscle mass decreases by about 3 to 5% per decade starting at age 30. These changes can decrease our body’s ability to hold itself upright.”

Regularly hunching over laptops and phones can contribute to poor posture, too—but it’s possible to reverse some of this damage with the right exercises.

Figueroa recommends repeating the four moves below three times a week, to strengthen postural muscles in your back, pelvis and upper body.

How to do the workout

The moves are:

1. Pelvic tilt
2. Bird dog
3. Banded row
4. Side plank

You’ll need a moderately heavy resistance band and an exercise mat for the routine.

Start with one set of 10 repetitions (reps) for the pelvic tilts, bird dogs, and banded rows, and try holding the side plank for 15 seconds on each side.

As you build strength, increase your reps to 12-15 and your side plank time to 30 seconds. Eventually, you’ll aim to do 2-3 sets of each exercise about 3 times per week.

1. Pelvic tilt

Reps: 12-15 Sets: 3

• Lie down with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Engage your core, drawing your belly button towards your spine.
• Gently tilt your pelvis, flattening your lower back against the floor.
• Hold for a few seconds.
• Return to the starting position.

Therapist tips: “Think about pushing your spine down toward the floor, holding for a few seconds, and then returning to a neutral position.”

2. Bird dog

Reps: 10-15 Sets: 3

• Start on your hands and knees, with your core engaged.
• Reach your right arm in front of you and extend your left leg behind, keeping your hips square to the mat.
• Pause briefly.
• Return to the starting position.
• Reach your left arm in front of you and extend your right leg behind you, keeping your hips square to the mat.
• Pause briefly.
• Return to the starting position.

Therapist tips: “This is all about maintaining spinal alignment, “ says Figueroa. “Before moving, brace your core by drawing your belly button in toward your spine. When extending the opposite arm and leg, try to prevent your hips from rotating or your back from arching.”

3. Banded row

Reps: 10-15 Sets: 3

• Loop a resistance band around a strong anchor point, like a stair railing.
• Take the ends of the band and step back from the anchor point until the band is taut.
• Engage your core and stand upright.
• Pull the ends of the band towards you, squeezing your shoulder blades as you pull.
• Pause briefly.
• Extend your arms in front of you.

Therapist tips: “A lot of people pull from their biceps or shoulders, but before moving the arms, start by retracting your shoulder blades first,” Figueroa advises. “Then, pull your elbows in toward your body as you continue to squeeze your shoulder blades together. For better muscle control, slowly release the band rather than letting it snap back into place.”

4. Side plank

• Lie on your left side with legs extended.
• Place your left elbow underneath your shoulder.
• Engage your core and lift your hips off the mat.
• Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat on the other side.

Therapist tips: “Position your elbow directly under your shoulder to protect the upper body,” says Figueroa.

“Maintain one straight line from your head to your feet, and avoid letting your hips sag. This can be modified by bending both knees and keeping your knees and feet down while lifting your hips off the ground.”

I was chatting recently with a lovely personal training client of mine about what she wanted to work on in her new fitness plan, and she asked if I could include some back-strengthening exercises. She spends long hours at her desk and often holds a lot of stress in her upper body.

If, like my client, you spend long periods sitting at a desk, you probably notice your back and shoulders feeling stiff or fatigued from staying in the same position. And if you’re not doing much strength training outside work, the muscles that support your back may have begun to weaken as you get older.

Strength training isn’t a cure-all for back pain or stress-related tension, but combined with regular desk breaks, movement snacks and mobility work, strengthening your back muscles can improve postural control and make everyday movements such as lifting, bending and carrying easier.

If you think you may benefit from a stronger back, I’ve created a simple five-move workout that can help. It’s designed to be done at home, although you will need, at a minimum, one dumbbell.

How to do this home back workout

This is a circuit workout.

Perform an exercise for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, then move on to the next exercise. Once you have performed all five exercises, you have completed one round. Perform two rounds in total.

You will need a single dumbbell for the pullover and you can add light weights to the other exercises to make it harder—but only after you have nailed the right form.

Here are the five exercises.

1. Quadruped arm raise
2. Prone Y-raise
3. Prone reverse fly
4. Prone W-raise
5. Dumbbell pullover

Here’s how to do each move.

1. Quadruped arm raise

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Get on your hands and knees, with your knees directly under your hips and your wrists directly under your shoulders.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your right arm to horizontal with your palm facing down.
• Return to the start with control, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Make it harder: Hold light dumbbells, or for a greater core challenge, perform the arm raise from a high plank position.

2. Prone Y-raise

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Lie face down on a mat with your arms extended diagonally overhead to form the shape of the letter Y, with your thumbs pointing up.
• Engage your coe.
• Lift your arms, moving with control and reaching your hands forward rather than just lifting as high as you can.
• Lower with control.

Make it harder: Hold a very light dumbbell in each hand, but only if you can maintain the same controlled form.

3. Prone reverse fly

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Lie face down on the mat with your arms extended out to the sides, with a slight bend in your elbows.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your arms, squeezing your shoulder blades together, keeping your neck extended and your shoulders away from your ears.
• Lower with control.

Make it harder: Hold a very light dumbbell in each hand, but only if you can maintain the same controlled form.

4. Prone W-raise

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Lie face down on the mat with your arms out to the sides and your elbows bent to create a W-shape.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your arms and hands slightly from the floor while drawing your shoulder blades back and down—imagine you are moving your shoulder blades into the back pockets of your jeans.
• Pause, then lower with control.

5. Dumbbell pullover

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, holding one dumbbell in both hands above your chest, with your arms extended and a slight bend in your elbows.
• Engage your core.
• Carefully lower the weight behind your head as far as you can comfortably control without your lower back arching away from the mat—you do not need the dumbbell to touch the floor.
• Lift the weight back to the start.

Shop home dumbbells

Until my late-30s, lifting weights had never crossed my mind. I didn’t own dumbbells and when I had a gym pass I used it solely for swimming and classes. I was apprehensive of the weights section, had no idea how to use the equipment, and was far too self-conscious to pick them up for fear of doing it wrong or looking silly.

But in the last few years, a lot of people I know started to lift weights, and I read article after article listing the benefits of strength training for women, from enhanced bone density to improved metabolism.

I decided I needed to give it a try and my editor suggested I try Peloton’s strength training program so I could begin in the comfort (and privacy) of my own home.

Raring to go, I set myself up at home with three sets of dumbbells: light (2.3kg each), medium (4.5kg each) and heavy (6.8kg each). I then downloaded the Peloton app and decided on Joslyn Thompson Rule’s Discover Strength programme, which schedules three sessions a week for six weeks.

Here’s how I got on.

Weeks 1-2

I was thankful that the first few sessions didn’t push me too much, so I wasn’t put off continuing by sore muscles. To a background of uplifting music, Joslyn talked me though the importance of breathing during lifting, plus how to breathe into the different reps.

I didn’t feel like I was working especially hard at times, but luckily the Peloton app told me how many calories I had burned and which muscles I’d trained.

The mobility sessions covered plenty of stretching and included practising the beginning stages of a push-up. It was enlightening to see how mobility informs technique and Thompson Rule is also great at getting across the why along with how.

While I’m not used to following workouts on my phone, it was handy to be able to move the phone around the mat and change angles depending on the move and where my gaze naturally went.

The other advantage of using my phone was that, towards the end of the first week, the weather improved, so I was able to move my mat outside and exercise in the sunshine.

Things stepped up in the second week, but at a manageable pace. Thompson-Rule built on exercises she taught in the first week, such as progressing the bear plank by lifting one hand off the floor at a time, challenging me to maintain the position with three points of contact with the floor, rather than four.

It was gratifying that exercises like side planks and goblet squats were becoming more familiar, and I didn’t have to look at the screen to copy every pose. Just a couple of weeks ago I didn’t have a clue what those terms even meant!

Weeks 3-4

Weights began to be incorporated in week three as we continued to build on what we learnt in the first fortnight. The intensity certainly went up another notch and I found myself breaking out in a sweat and getting out of breath.

The sessions were divided into a series of blocks, such as a combination of renegade rows, half goblet squats and forearm side planks.

By now I had learned that I had to embrace the chaos of my home life to work out regularly. To begin with, I tried to carve out a quiet and clutter-free space, but with a partner working from home and a young child on school holidays, solitude and tidiness just wasn’t part of the equation.

Instead, I accepted practicing planks while my child threw a ball over me, or perfected my goblet squats in the space between the washing line and the paddling pool.

In week four, as we finished phase one of the program and started phase two, the workouts increased from 20 to 30 minutes. Using a combination of light, medium and heavy weights, I noticed that for the first time it felt like a whole-body workout, and I enjoyed an invigorating whoosh of endorphins during and after each session.

It was around this point that I finally felt like I was making progress. For the first few weeks of the program, I had itchy feet and was desperate to see immediate muscle or proof that what I was doing was working, but from week four many of the moves became second nature to me, and I was able to hold them for longer or use heavier weights.

Weeks 5-6

As the workouts increased to 30 minutes, the warm-ups became more involved, and Thompson-Rule took time to explain the importance of rest to make sure the strength gains were realised. It was refreshing to get this balanced view and not just be told to push harder.

Thompson-Rule also introduced new movements designed to improve balance and stability, such as the single-arm reverse fly. While this was a challenge, it was a confidence boost to be able to quickly learn an exercise.

The final week was the hardest of all, with Thompson-Rule giving the option to use heavy weights for familiar moves. It was testing, but I did it—which was a fantastic feeling.

I’ve loved following this program. While I was impatient to see improvements at first, I feel so much stronger now, and confident to continue. I can now plank, and know the difference between a goblet squat and a Romanian deadlift.

Strength training is now firmly part of my exercise routine and I can’t see myself stopping—the endorphin release is just too addictive!