Lululemon's We Made Too Much section is always worth a look if you're in the market for new sportswear.

Lululemon doesn't just make yoga clothing, but has a range of comfortable pieces for everything from running to lounging. All made with the signature Lululemon comfort built in.

However, the We Made Too Much section can be difficult to sift through. Sometimes discounts look great when you're browsing, but when you look more closely, there will only be one size left in stock.

With this in mind, I've rounded up the best of the Lululemon sale for you below, and I've made sure all my picks still have plenty of stock.

But hurry, most of it is on final sale and won't be available for long!

Accessories

Women's Tops

Sports bras

Women's bottoms

Men's Tops

Men's bottoms

One of the biggest misconceptions about aging is that stiffness is inevitable.

"In reality," says Cody Mooney, managing partner of mobility app pliability, tightness, discomfort and reduced range of motion is "often a result of moving less and moving in fewer ways over time".

The two-time CrossFit Games athlete says stiffness most commonly affects the hips, lower back, shoulders, neck and ankles.

"These joints tend to lose mobility when they aren't regularly taken through their full range of motion," Mooney tells Fit&Well.

Prolonged sitting can contribute to tight hips, reduced spinal mobility and weaker glutes—all of which can affect how comfortably we move throughout the day. The shoulders and ankles are especially vulnerable.

Rarely reaching overhead or behind you can limit mobility through your shoulders, making this range harder to access.

Ankle mobility, he says, is also often overlooked but it's vital for balance, walking efficiency and maintaining confidence in everyday movement.

"The good news is that mobility is highly adaptable. With the right movement practice, many people can improve how they feel and move at any age," Mooney says.

How to improve your mobility in stiff joints

Rather than using isolated stretches to spot-reduce joint stiffness, Mooney recommends practicing "movement sequences" that address multiple areas of the body at once—like how a squat, deadlift or push-up strengthens several muscles at once.

This approach is more efficient and trains joints, ligaments and muscles to move in harmony.

Six sequences Mooney often recommends for older adults include the beginner-friendly cat-cow and figure-four stretch, and the slightly more challenging pigeon and saddle poses.

The goal, he adds, isn't to force flexibility or push into discomfort.

"It's about helping your body move comfortably through its available range and gradually expand that range over time," says Mooney.

"Small, consistent improvements can have a meaningful impact on how you feel day to day."

How to do the six-move mobility routine for older adults

These six stretches will help address common areas of stiffness but avoid forcing any stretch and back off if you feel pain.

"One of the most common mistakes people make is trying to force the stretch," says Mooney.

"Mobility gains don't come from pushing harder, they come from creating an environment where the body feels comfortable exploring new ranges of motion."

Mooney recommends holding each stretch for 60 to 90 seconds to start, gradually increasing each hold as your mobility improves over weeks and months.

"For most older adults, just 10 to 15 minutes of mobility work, three to five times per week can lead to noticeable improvements within a matter of weeks," says Mooney, adding that if an area feels especially stiff, a little daily movement can be even more effective.

"A good rule of thumb is you should feel a gentle to moderate stretch, but never pain. Slow breathing, relaxed movement and patience are often more effective than intensity."

If you have a more specific need or injury, speak to an exercise professional who will be able to tailor movements to your particular goals, weaknesses, past injuries and exercise habits.

Here are the six stretching sequences Mooney recommends for older adults to reduce stiffness as you age.

1. Cat-cow flow

Time: 60-90sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Inhale, arch your back, drop your belly and raise your chin to look up.
• Pause then exhale as you reverse the movement, tucking your chin, rounding your back and pressing your palms into the floor.
• Continue moving gently between the two positions.

Trainer tip: Aim to mobilize and release tension from each vertebra in your spine.

2. Open-the-book thoracic rotation

Time: 60-90sec each side

• Lie on your right side with your knees bent and together, and your arms together, extended in front of you at shoulder height.
• Keeping your knees together and your right knee in contact with the floor, raise your left arm and sweep it in an arch over your body as you inhale.
• Rotate as far as you can without your knees or right shoulder lifting off the floor.
• Pause, then exhale as you sweep your arm back to the starting position.
• Continue for time, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: You should notice your range gradually improve throughout the exercise.

3. Lizard

Time: 60-90sec

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Move your right foot forward to the outside of your right hand and place it flat on the floor.
• Keep your left knee and foot on the floor—your right shin should be vertical.
• Shift your weight forward, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings and groin in your right leg.
• To deepen the stretch, shift your weight to the outside of your right foot, pressing your knee outwards.
• Complete the time on one side, then switch sides.

4. Supine figure-four glute stretch

Time: 60-90sec each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your right lower leg, just above your ankle, across your left thigh.
• Take hold of the back of your left thigh in both hands and gently pull it toward you to feel a gentle stretch in your right glute muscles.
• Keep your back and head on the floor and your right toes flexed to help protect your right knee joint.
• Hold for time, then switch sides.

5. Pigeon

Time: 60-90sec each side

If you’re comfortable performing the figure-four stretch, this is a slightly more advanced version, which you may wish to skip at first.

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Move your right leg forward, placing your right foot as close to your left wrist as is comfortable, and your right knee as close to your right wrist as is comfortable.
• Lower your hips while keeping your torso upright to feel a stretch in your right glute muscles.
• If comfortable, lower onto your forearms.
• Hold for time, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: Adjust the angle of your torso so it’s comfortable not painful.

6. Saddle

Time: 60-90sec

• Kneel with your legs together and the tops of your feet on the floor.
• With your hands on the floor for support, gently lower your body backward, lowering your buttocks toward your heels, to feel a stretch across the top of your thighs and in your ankle joints.

Make it easier: Maintain a more upright position and place a thin pillow under your feet or break this stretch up into smaller chunks to hit the target 60-90 seconds.

You might have noticed a rack of weighted balls languishing in the corner of the gym, gathering dust while people work out with dumbbells and kettlebells instead.

They’re called medicine balls and personally, I think they’re an underrated tool. I’ve been using them for a while, and they offer a challenge that other weights don’t.

Karly Mendez, a human performance specialist, sports biomechanist and exercise physiologist at Houston’s largest healthcare system, Memorial Hermann, is a fan of the medicine ball too.

“Medicine balls are versatile because you can use them to train strength, power, coordination and stability with one piece of equipment,” she says.

“Kettlebells or dumbbells are great, however, a medicine ball can help improve your balance and encourage you to move through multiple planes of motion to make sure you maintain control throughout the exercise.”

I find the medicine ball especially useful for upper-body work. Keeping the ball under control when lifting challenges your grip strength in a different way, the ball can also help provide an extra challenge for balance with floor-based exercises.

Mendez agrees: “You don't have an easy grip (like on a dumbbell), so you have to squeeze the medicine ball, activating your full body.”

As few of the heavy things in life have convenient handles, medicine balls provide a functional upper-body challenge that is more akin to those you will face in everyday life.

“Therefore, this improves strength along with functional movement patterns,” says Mendez.

Want to give it a try? Mendez has built the below three-move upper-body workout using just a medicine ball.

1. Close-grip medicine ball push-up

“This exercise targets the chest, shoulders and arms—increasing strength and power,” says Mendez.

“Performing your exercise on something unstable like a ball helps activate and strengthen the core.”

Use a softer ball with a grippy rubber coating to avoid slipping and drop to your knees if you feel as though the ball might roll away.

How to do it:

Sets: 3-4 Reps: 10-15

• Place your medicine ball on the floor. Get into a high plank position by placing both hands close together on the ball and then extending your legs behind you in a straight line.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the ball.
• Pause at the bottom of the movement, then push yourself back to the starting position.

Form tips:

• Keep your body in a straight line and engage your core to prevent your hips from sagging
• Keep your elbows against your ribcage throughout the movement.

Modification: "Modifying to a kneeling position is a good way to regress," says Mendez. "Lowering the knees reduces the amount of body weight being lifted, allowing beginners to focus on managing the balance on the ball."

2. Medicine ball biceps curl

“This exercise targets the biceps brachii, anterior deltoids and core muscles. It helps to build arm strength while also improving core stability,” explains Mendez.

How to do it:

Sets: 3-4 Reps: 10-15

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and engage your core.
• Hold the medicine ball in front of your thighs with your arms extended and your palms facing.
• Bend your elbows, keeping your upper arms pressed against your torso, to lift the medicine ball to your chest.
• Slowly reverse the movement back to the starting position.

Form tip: Don’t use momentum to swing the ball to your chest. Perform the movement slowly and with control.

3. Medicine ball triceps extension

“This exercise targets the triceps brachii. It helps to build upper-body strength and enhances core strength and stability,” says Mendez.

How to do it:

Sets: 3-4 Reps: 10-15

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding a medicine ball in both hands.
• Lift the ball overhead, with your arms extended.
• Bend your elbows to lower the ball behind your head, keeping your upper arms close to your ears.
• Extend your arms to lift the ball back overhead.

Form tip: Make sure to keep your arms still and tuck your elbows next to your ears throughout the whole movement.

My day job involves telling people how to exercise, but I get bored easily during my own workouts and need variety to stay motivated.

That’s why I love ladder workouts, which get you to increase or decrease repetitions (reps) of a move over several rounds.

I find this workout style more dynamic and less repetitive—it keeps me engaged and stops me clock-watching during my session.

Below is one of my favorite squat ladder workouts, a challenging routine that keeps your heart rate up and strengthens your legs.

It has a decreasing rep format to help you manage fatigue.

Starting with higher reps challenges your endurance, and finishing with a lower volume of reps when your legs are tired allows you to focus on quality movement, form and power.

How to do the workout

Complete five repetitions of each exercise for your first set, then rest 30 seconds.

Complete four reps of each exercise in your second set, three reps in your third, two reps in your fourth and finally one rep of each move in your final set.

Rest 30 seconds between sets.

The moves:

1. Bodyweight squat
2. Narrow-to-wide squat
3. Sumo squat
4. Elevated narrow squat
5. Squat jump

The reps:

Set 1: x5 reps
Set 2: x4 reps
Set 3: x3 reps
Set 4: x2 reps
Set 5: x1 rep

This workout is suitable for most fitness levels, but beginners can reduce the number of rounds or swap squat jumps for bodyweight squats for a jump-free option.

1. Bodyweight squat

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
• Keep your chest upright and core engaged.
• Push your hips back, bend your knees and lower until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor or lower.
• Keep your knees pointing out, over your toes, not caving in.
• Push through your heels to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.

2. Narrow-to-wide squat

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and lower into a squat.
• Push through your heels to stand, but pause halfway up.
• Step your right foot out to the side.
• Lower into a wide squat.
• Stand, pause halfway up, step your right foot back in and squat.
• Repeat on the left side.
• Continue alternating wide to narrow squats, keeping your chest upright and core engaged.

3. Sumo squat

• Stand with feet wide and toes turned out slightly.
• Keep your chest upright and core engaged.
• Lower down into a squat, keeping your back straight.
• Push through your feet to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.

4. Elevated narrow squat

• Stand with feet hip-width apart with your heels on a small raised surface such as a yoga block, weight plate or dumbbell handle. Make sure the surface is stable.
• Keep your toes pointing forward, chest upright and core engaged.
• Bend your knees to lower into a squat.
• Drive through your feet to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
• Move slowly to avoid losing your balance.

5. Jump squat

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outward slightly.
• Keep your chest upright and core engaged.
• Push your hips back, bend your knees and lower until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor or lower.
• Drive through your feet to come out of the squat explosively, straight into a jump.
• Land softly with bent knees, then immediately lower into a squat.
• Replace this move with fast bodyweight squats if you need to avoid jumping.

Treadmill sessions don’t need to be hour-long slogs to have an impact.

Just 10 minutes on the belt can be enough to boost your calorie burn for the day and give your cardiovascular system a quick workout.

“In addition to being a low-impact way to maintain weight and burn calories, studies have shown [walking]’s also effective in improving mood and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression,” says NASM-certified personal trainer for REP Fitness US, Rosie Borhcert.

She shared a 10-minute treadmill walking workout, which uses a mix of incline and speed to make it challenging.

“This quick treadmill walking workout will get your heart pumping, your blood flowing, and have you ready to tackle the rest of your day,” she says.

10-minute treadmill walking workout

Borchert has suggested pace and incline settings for each of the eight stages in the workout, but you should adjust these to match your ability. Just try to follow the shape of the workout, following the increases and decreases, but not necessarily by the exact amount Borchert has outlined.

“Pump your arms rather than resting them on the treadmill’s handles,” advises Borchert.

1. Warm-up

Time: 2min Speed: 2mph-3mph Incline: 1%

Begin at an easy pace to gradually warm up your body and gently increase your heart rate.

2. Ramp up

Time: 1min Speed: 3mph-4mph Incline: 4%

Take things up a notch by increasing the speed and incline.

3. Hill work

Time: 1min Speed: 3mph Incline: 8%-10%

Push the incline up, and reduce the speed slightly if you need to. When selecting the incline, keep in mind that section five will ask you to add another 2% incline—make sure you’ve left enough headroom to do that. You should feel like you’re working hard for the minute, but not at your absolute maximum.

4. Recovery

Time: 1min Speed: 3mph-4mph Incline: 4%

Reduce the incline and take the minute to recover, letting your pulse come down.

5. Hill work

Time: 1min Speed: 3mph Incline: 10%-12% incline

Increase the incline, potentially adding another 2% to the incline setting you chose for section three.

6. Recovery

Time: 1min Speed: 3mph-4mph Incline: 4%

Reduce the incline and recover.

7. Speed walk

Time: 2min Speed: 4.5mph Incline: 1%

Reduce the incline even further but pick up the pace.

8. Cool-down

Time: 1min Speed: 2mph Incline: 0%

Don’t skip this part! Give your body the chance to wind down gently from the session.

Michael Johnson became a household name in the ’90s for his distinctive upright running style, iconic track spikes and habit for winning gold medals.

From the 1991 Tokyo World Championships to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the U.S. sprinter collected 12 gold medals in 200m, 400m and 4x400m relay races. No silver. No bronze.

At Atlanta 1996, donning custom-made gold running shoes, he broke the Olympic record in the 400m and world record in the 200m for a historic golden double.

Quite simply, he's one of the greatest, most decorated, most dominant sprinters in the history of track and field.

But that was then.

Now, as he approaches his late 50s, Johnson has had to modify the way he works out to train for longevity and long-term wellbeing, both mentally and physically.

How Michael Johnson keeps fit in his 50s

"When you're an athlete your training is all about how to be better, be faster, be ready to compete against your rivals and hopefully bring home a championship," Johnson tells Fit&Well.

"That's the objective. It changes when you retire. Then it's about fitness, wellness, mindset."

That shift began the moment he hung up those iconic gold spikes in 2001.

"The training changed immediately because I knew I was never going to run around a track doing 200m intervals at 80% effort with 20 seconds rest ever again," he says.

"Because that's not fitness training. That's specific skills training for a sport.

"Now, as I'm older, it's a lot more [about going] slower, [for] longer," the 58-year-old explains, speaking at the official UK and European launch of wearable resistance brand OMORPHO.

"I hike a lot. I like rowing. It's not so much about dynamic movements, but I wear a weighted vest when I hike, when I do my movement stuff in the gym."

He also uses a weighted vest when he’s doing a full bodyweight session, to help make it more effective and efficient.

"When I'm in the gym and I'm doing bodyweight sessions, like push-ups, burpees, lunges, squats and jump squats I use the vest too.

"If I'm doing weight training, I can put more on the bar. But if I'm doing bodyweight training, then how am I going to do that?

"The only way to do that is to add more weight to my body, with something like a vest, or I have to extend the session and that's not as efficient."

The training shift that catapulted Johnson to success

Now in his late 50s, Johnson appreciates the value of regular resistance training to preserve muscle mass and maintain bone health, but it's not always come naturally to him.

Early in his career, he says, he wouldn't always put the same effort into strength training as he would to track training.

"I would never skip a day, but I certainly wasn't putting in the same level of effort as I was on the track. It just wasn't as enjoyable, but I realized it was affecting my ability to stay healthy, to be my best."

Fortunately, he adds, it was a lesson he learned early—but, for the rest of us, it's never too late to learn from the greatest.

"What was most important and most impactful for me was understanding that the details matter. The fundamentals matter. You are not going to be able to succeed by skipping the fundamentals, no matter how difficult they are."

Everybody has their one difficulty, their one thing, he says. In his case it was weight training. For some it's stretching and mobility, or diet regulation, or hitting a daily step count.

Whatever your blind spot, Johnson says it's important to work on your weaknesses, rather than just gravitate to your strengths, to improve your overall wellbeing long-term.

"The earlier you learn those lessons the better but it's never too late."

Pilates is well known for strengthening the core muscles—but instructor Hannah Lawrence says that people underestimate the impact the practice has on other areas.

“While your core is definitely involved, some of the best strength gains I see in beginners actually show up in their glutes and legs,” says Lawrence, who’s the studio manager at Sundrop Pilates in Denver, CO.

She explains that Pilates helps people isolate and activate muscles that they might not be working—like the glutes—and strengthening these areas has a big impact on daily movement.

“Building lower-body strength helps support your hips, knees and lower back. It improves balance and makes everyday things such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries, or going for a long walk feel noticeably easier.”

She shared her three favorite lower-body exercises that she uses with almost every Pilates newcomer.

“They’re simple, need zero equipment, and set up really good movement habits right from the start,” she says.

Three lower-body strengthening Pilates exercises

“If you’re brand new, start with just two rounds and focus on moving slowly with good form,” says Lawrence.

“These moves might look basic, but they’re surprisingly effective when you pay attention to the details.”

1. Shoulder bridge
2. Side-lying leg lift
3. Inner thigh lift

1. Shoulder bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12 Rest: 30-45sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat, about hip-width apart. Keep your arms relaxed by your sides.
• Inhale, then exhale and press through your feet.
• Lift your hips off the mat until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Pause, squeeze your glutes, then slowly lower the hips.

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core and pelvic floor.

“This one is a favorite of mine because it teaches people how to actually use their glutes instead of letting your lower back do all the work,” says Lawrence.

2. Side-lying leg lift

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your right leg on top of your left and your left forearm resting on the mat in front of you.
• Keep your hips level and lift your waist from the mat.
• Engage your core and slowly lift your top leg to about hip height.
• Pause, then slowly lower your leg.
• Finish all your repetitions on one side before switching.

Targets: Gluteus medius and minimus, outer hips and deep core.

“A lot of people don’t realize how weak the muscles on the outside of their hips are,” says Lawrence.

“This move wakes them up and makes a big difference in balance and pelvic stability, which helps with walking, hiking and running.”

3. Inner thigh lift

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your right knee bent and right foot flat on the floor in front of your left leg. Keep your left leg extended.
• Engage your core and lift your left leg just a few inches off the mat.
• Pause, then slowly lower your leg.
• Complete all repetitions before switching sides.

Targets: Inner thighs (adductors), deep core and pelvic stabilizers.

“The inner thighs often get ignored, but they’re important for keeping your hips stable and your legs aligned,” says Lawrence.

“I like this exercise because it targets [your inner thighs] without stressing the knees, and it keeps your core working the whole time.”

Ever feel your knees giving you grief when you embark on a long walk or run?

That's exactly what happened to me a few minutes into a gentle-paced run last weekend.

Normally, I’d have called it quits or slowed down my pace, but I'm currently halfway through a four-month marathon training block and I can't afford to drop any mileage.

An hour later, with the patellar tendons below my kneecaps feeling a little sore, I resolved to ask an expert what I could have done differently.

“The honest clinical answer is that pain during running exists on a spectrum, and the right decision depends on the type, location and behavior of the pain," says Dr Andrew Gorecki of Superior Physical Therapy, a practicing physical therapist who specializes in treating people with chronic pain.

In other words: what hurt for me might not hurt for you.

It’s important to seek a professional diagnosis and help for any persistent running or walking pain, but Gorecki has a framework he uses with all his patients to help them identify when they should stop a session and when they can keep going.

Here's how it works.

How to know if you should stop the workout

Gorecki says you should stop your walk or run immediately if the pain is “sharp, stabbing or feels like something is pinching inside the joint”.

That's different from a dull ache and usually means the tissue is irritated.

“Stop if the pain gets progressively worse as you run,” he says.

“If mile one is a three out of 10, mile two is a five out of 10, mile three is a seven out of 10, stop. Continuing turns a manageable issue into a bigger one.”

You should also pack it in if the pain changes your walking or running form.

“If you start compensating—limping, favoring one leg, shortening your stride—your body is telling you something is wrong. Compensation causes new injuries,” he says.

The same is true if the pain radiates.

“Knee pain that spreads down the shin, up into the thigh, or wraps around the joint is a signal to stop and evaluate.”

If you feel a pop, snap or catch you should also pump the brakes.

“That's a mechanical warning sign. Don't try to run through it.”

If you notice any swelling or visible change in the knee, walk home—gently. Or call someone to pick you up.

How to know if you can continue with your workout

Fortunately none of those issues occurred during my 11-mile run and I felt fit enough to pick up my training the following day.

Mostly what I felt was a dull ache that wouldn't budge.

If pain stays constant at a low level like this, such as a two or three out of 10, and doesn't get worse, you can generally carry on, Gorecki tells Fit&Well.

Likewise, you can probably keep going if the following applies:

• a dull ache that warms up and fades after the first mile;
• you're able to maintain normal running form without compensating;
• the pain fully resolves within an hour of finishing the run.

“The rule of thumb I give patients is that if the pain is worse tomorrow than it was during the run, that’s the warning sign. Run smart today, evaluate honestly tomorrow,” adds Gorecki.

What you can do to adjust the session

If you do decide to carry on, Gorecki recommended making some modifications to your session.

Here are his suggestions, in order of impact.

1. Slow down

Reduce your pace by 15-20%.

“Faster running loads the knee much more than slower running, and speed is often the variable that pushed you past the threshold in the first place,” he says.

Just slowing down often eliminates the pain without any other changes.

2. Shorten your stride

“Overstriding is one of the biggest contributors to knee pain in runners at any level,” says Gorecki.

“When your foot lands too far in front of your body, the knee absorbs a much bigger impact than it should.”

Shortening your stride by 10% and letting your foot land more directly under your body reduces peak knee load significantly.

Cadence (steps per minute) increases naturally when the stride shortens, and that’s a good thing, he adds.

3. Adjust your foot strike

If you’re a heavy heel striker landing hard on your heel with a fully extended knee, transitioning to a slightly more midfoot strike can help.

“However, altering foot strike is a change to make gradually over weeks, not mid-run,” cautions Gorecki.

“Sudden foot strike changes create new injuries. If you’re already midfoot striking, don’t change anything.”

4. Change terrain

Running, hiking or even walking downhill can dramatically increase knee load.

“If your knee is bothering you, switch to a flat route or turn around before the downhill portion,” suggests Gorecki.

“Downhill sections can turn manageable knee pain into significant injury.”

5. Shift gears

An overzealous volume or intensity is often the primary culprit of knee pain.

“For relative beginners, it’s usually volume,” says Gorecki. “You’re doing too much too fast.”

Taking walking breaks throughout your run and reducing weekly mileage by 30-50% for two weeks usually resolves most beginner knee complaints, he says.

For more advanced hikers or runners, the issue is more often intensity or form drift late in a training block.

“Reduce the intensity or speed of your quality sessions and add in extra recovery days.”

When you have minimal time to exercise, it's important to have a routine that's both effective and easy to remember.

That way, you can jump straight into your workout the second you're free.

If you're currently on the hunt for something that ticks those boxes, try this upper body routine from Ani Oksayan, personal trainer and vice president of fitness at Chuze Fitness.

It's designed to be approachable, easy to follow, and simple to repeat.

“These five foundational exercises target the biceps, triceps and shoulders—the muscles responsible for many of the pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying movements we perform every day,” she says.

There is a particular order you must follow for this workout, so don’t switch it up.

“By alternating muscle groups, you can keep moving while one area recovers, making the workout both efficient and effective,” Oksayan explains.

Five exercises for stronger arms

1. Biceps curl
2. Overhead triceps extension
3. Lateral raise
4. Hammer curl
5. Triceps kickback

“Choose a weight that makes the final two or three repetitions feel challenging while allowing you to maintain proper form,” says Oksayan.

“Quality movement will always produce better long-term results than lifting heavier with poor technique.

1. Biceps curl

Primary muscles: Biceps and forearms

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged, holding dumbbells.
• Bring your arms to your sides, palms facing forward.
• Lift the dumbbells toward your shoulders without swinging your torso.
• Pause briefly at the top, squeezing your biceps.
• Slowly lower back to the starting position with control.

Form tips:

• Focus on controlling the lowering phase slowly, without letting the weights drop, to work your muscles in both directions.
• Keep your elbows tucked close to your body throughout the movement

2. Overhead triceps extension

Primary muscles: Triceps

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged, holding a dumbbell vertically with both hands cupped around the top.
• Raise the dumbbell overhead, arms extended straight.
• Slowly bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head, as far as comfortable.
• Raise the weight back overhead, fully extending your arms.

Form tips:

• Keep your upper arms as stable as possible—the movement should come from your elbows, not your shoulders.
• Keep your elbows pointed forward and close to your ears.

3. Lateral raise

Primary muscles: Middle deltoids

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged, holding dumbbells by your sides, palms facing inward.
• Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise both arms out to your sides to shoulder height.
• Slowly lower the weights back to your sides.

Form tips:

• Focus on control, not momentum, and avoid swinging the weights.
• Avoid shrugging your shoulders toward your ears at the top of the movement.

4. Hammer curl

Primary muscles: Biceps, brachialis and forearms

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides, palms facing inward (neutral grip).
• Bend your elbows to lift the weights toward your shoulders.
• Pause, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat.

Form tip:

• A neutral grip helps strengthen your biceps and the muscles that support grip strength for everyday lifting and movement.
• Keep your elbows close to your torso.

5. Triceps kickback

Primary muscles: Triceps

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

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells.
• Hinge forward from your hips so your torso is almost parallel with the floor, while keeping your back flat and core engaged.
• Bend your elbows to roughly 90°, keeping your upper arms close to your torso.
• Extend your arms straight behind you.
• Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.

Form tips:

• Avoid swinging the weights.
• Think about extending through your elbows and squeezing the back of your arms with every repetition.

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I tested the Aero Spark Hands-Free Slip-In in late 2025, just after it was released.

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Plus, the toe box of the Aero Spark leaves plenty of space for wider feet (and minor bunions), without swamping your foot.

I have a bunion on one foot and not the other and this means it can be difficult to find shoes that fit both feet properly, without rubbing.

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When I started planning a cycling vacation, I realized I needed to boost my strength and fitness to enjoy the ride.

I decided to set myself the goal of doing ten burpees before breakfast every day.

Why burpees? This high-intensity, full-body exercise works multiple muscle groups, improving muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness at the same time.

There are several burpee variations and modifications—I did the advanced version with multiple jumps and a push-up.

My goal was to improve my stamina, endurance and VO₂ max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use.

A bigger VO₂ max means you can exercise for longer at a higher intensity, so uphill cycling feels easier.

As it turned out, 10 burpees a day wasn’t enough to noticeably improve my fitness, as I’m already relatively fit.

Instead, the biggest improvements I experienced were mental and behavioral.

Here’s what I discovered and what surprised me the most from doing this 30-day challenge.

It helped kickstart my day

Despite the struggle of getting up early to do my burpees before breakfast, and still being sleepy and bleary-eyed for some of them, the burpees actually helped me feel more alert and ready for the day.

Once the shock of sleepiness had subsided, my morning burpees became a trusted way to wake myself up.

It gave me a mental boost

My fitness routine can fall by the wayside when I have a lot on my to-do list, but doing a set of burpees first thing ensured I exercised even on my busiest days.

The burpees boosted my mood and gave me a great sense of achievement before the working day had begun—and this positive mindset stayed with me long after the reps were finished

Doing the burpees while the rest of my household slept allowed me to clear some mental fog before breakfast, letting me tackle the day with more focus and clarity.

It reduced my usual morning stiffness

One of the perimenopausal symptoms I’ve been experiencing lately is joint pain and muscle stiffness when I wake.

This achiness is thought to be due to declining estrogen levels, which contribute to increased inflammation in joints and connective tissue.

Disrupted sleep—another common perimenopause-related issue I'm navigating—can also lead to tight or stiff muscles.

Surprisingly, by the end of week one, I noticed that my daily burpees blasted away this tension and stiffness.

By the end of the month, using my Apple Watch fitness tracker as a measure, I hadn’t noticed any significant changes to my fitness apart from shaving off 10 seconds from my 10-burpee time.

For bigger improvements, I would need to dial up the challenge.

But my mood and mornings have noticeably improved and for that reason, it’s a habit I’m planning to keep.

Falls are a pressing concern for my senior personal training clients. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older, but fortunately, falls are also preventable.

Appropriate strength training is one of the best ways to prepare for healthy aging and prevent serious falls. When I work with a client in their 30s, 40s or even 50s, I make sure that the kneel-to-stand exercise is a part of their regular routine.

This movement trains multiple lower body muscle groups like the quads, hamstrings, glutes and core, promoting better coordination and enhancing full-body stability.

“The kneel-to-stand exercise is very functional and something we should all be practicing,” says Dr Theresa Marko, DPT, owner of Marko Physical Therapy and adjunct faculty at Touro University School of Health Sciences. “As someone ages and their balance decreases, there is the chance of falling. When someone falls, they need to be able to get up from the floor back to a standing position. This move is vital to make that happen.”

How to do the kneel-to-stand exercise

Before starting any new exercise or workout, notify your doctor. They may suggest alternatives or caution against certain activities based on your personal health history. “People with issues such as fractures, torn ligaments, or meniscus tears should avoid this maneuver and work with their physical therapist on modifications,” says Marko. A certified personal trainer can provide guidance on how to do the kneel-to-stand exercise correctly. If you’re a beginner, consider working with a trainer to ensure proper form.

You won’t need any equipment for the kneel-to-stand, but you may want to use a yoga mat, a rolled-up towel, a pillow, or an Airex pad to cushion your knees.

Start by doing one set of 5 reps on each side, 1-2 times per week. If you have trouble doing 5 reps with good form, drop to 2-3 reps on each side.

Once 5 reps feels comfortable, gradually increase your reps to 6-8 on each side. You can also add an additional set or two as your strength improves.

Work your way up to doing 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps, 2-3 times per week. This exercise can be done on its own or as a part of your lower body workout regimen. You can also use it as a warm-up for other activities.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Step your left foot behind you.
• Bend both knees to lower your left knee onto the floor, directly underneath your hip.
• Bring your right foot behind you and place your right knee onto the floor, underneath your hip.
• Step your left foot in front of you.
• Push through your left foot to stand up, bringing your right foot to the floor in line with your left foot.
• Step your right foot in front of you, bringing you back to the starting position.

Tips: Maintain neutral spinal alignment and avoid any arching or rounding through your back.

“Keeping your hips and knees at about 90° helps people not to feel knee pain as they rise to the standing position,” Marko adds.

How to modify the kneel-to-stand exercise: The kneel-to-stand exercise can be challenging at first. If you’re having trouble maintaining proper form or keeping your balance, you can modify the exercise in a few ways.

First, you can use a wall, chair, or table for assistance. Do the exercise next to a solid structure and hold on for added stability and support. When that starts to feel easy, try doing 1-2 reps without support.

You can also do only the first part of the exercise (called a split squat). This will help build the appropriate strength in the right muscle groups so that you can eventually perform the movement in its entirety. Step one foot behind your, bend both knees to lower the back knee towards the floor, then push through your front foot to stand back up. Use the same solid structure for support if needed.

How to make the kneel-to-stand exercise more challenging: If you can do 6-10 reps of the exercise without much effort, it may be time to increase the difficulty.

The easiest way to up the ante is by adding more reps. Instead of 6-10, try 12-15 on each side.

You can also hold a 5-10lb dumbbell or kettlebell as you perform the movement. Hold one weight at chest level, or hold two weights at by your shoulders. Since this increases the load your muscles will have to work against, drop your reps to 3-5 for the first few attempts. Increase your reps back to 6-10 once you feel comfortable.

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.

Emma Bord is a personal trainer and marathon runner based in the UK.

She ran her first marathon in 2005, having been dared to enter the London Marathon by some friends at university. She ran the race in just over five hours.

Eleven years and three children later, her marathon personal best is now three hours and 16 minutes.

Not only that, but she’s run all six original World Marathon Majors, completed ultra-marathons and run the London Marathon as a support runner for a disabled participant.

“Marathon running has become my peace and quiet among the chaos of life,” Bord tells Fit&Well.

After the publication in June of her book, Mum Power, all about returning to exercise after having children, Bord has shared a look at a typical week of workouts, as well as her advice for developing a consistent exercise routine.

Emma Bord’s weekly workout routine

Monday
6am: steady-paced run (30min)

7.30pm: Teaching a full-body dumbbell workout class (60min)

Tuesday
6am: swim (40min)

9am: Teaching a Pilates class (60min)

Wednesday
7am: easy run (45min)

Thursday
8am: interval run (60min)

Friday
9am: Teaching a strength and cardio class (60min)

2pm: swim (30min)

Saturday
7am: Long run

Sunday
9am: parkrun with kids

7pm: Pilates reformer and stretch

Emma Bord's tips for developing a consistent exercise routine

1. Start slow

Bord says that she didn’t rush into extreme exercise after having kids.

“Starting slowly really helped,” she says. “I did a lot of walking and slow core rehab in the initial stages for all three kids.”

She says that the same should apply to people who are new or returning to exercise.

“Going slowly and rebuilding from the inside out puts you in good stead to then progress further,” she explains.

2. Set achievable goals

“I often see people starting out saying that they’re going to do five days on the trot, but it’s not good for you—it’s going to shock your whole body—and it’s not sustainable,” Bord says.

“Start with three 10 to 15 minute workouts three times a week because that’s achievable,” Bord suggests.

“You’ll feel encouraged to carry on because you’re not going to be in agony from it and you’re going to be able to slowly build up.”

3. Schedule your workouts and stick to them

“I always say to people that you should put your workout in your calendar like it’s a meeting,” Bord says.

“Often, people find something else that might feel more important in their heads at the time. But putting it in the calendar as a non-negotiable is a great way to see it as part of your daily life.”

“If you want to stick to a routine, you have to be disciplined and know that some days it won’t feel cozy and lovely or like you’re ready to bounce out of bed and work out,” Bord says.

4. A varied routine will help you with motivation

“Some mornings I have a run in the calendar and I feel exhausted, so instead I’ll scale it back and do something different,” Bord says, explaining in this case she might go for a swim or do Pilates instead.

“If you get some sort of movement in, you’re almost guaranteed to feel better after it, whichever route you take,” she adds.

I’ve been slowly reintroducing strength training exercises into my routine after an extended break and included hip thrusts, an old favorite.

I used to be able to shift some significant weight doing this move, but since returning to it I’ve noticed my lower back feeling sore afterwards.

I asked Dr Christynne Helfrich, a doctor of physical therapy at Hinge Health, why this might be happening.

“When glute exercises trigger lower-back pain, it’s usually because the body is relying on the wrong muscles to do the work. Your glutes play a crucial role in stabilizing your pelvis and supporting your lower back,” she explains.

“But if they’re not properly activated, or if the movement is asking more of your body than it’s prepared for, your lower-back muscles may step in to compensate.”

Helfrich suggested using a mirror to check my form and I noticed that I was shifting the load higher by arching my lower back.

I assumed Helfrich would recommend I drop hip thrusts from my routine altogether, but instead, she suggests regressing it to see if that helps.

“Gentle movement is one of the best treatments for low-back pain,” she says.

“Scale the exercise back by reducing the weight, decreasing the range of motion, or slowing the movement down to focus on good control.”

Five glute exercises to build stability and control

Alongside that advice, Helfrich recommended the following five exercises to me.

“The goal is to improve how your hips, core, and lower back work together so that everyday movements and workouts become more comfortable and efficient,” says Helfrich.

“These exercises are low-impact, functional, and emphasize control over intensity.”

1. Sit-to-stand
2. Glute bridge
3. Hip hinge
4. Clamshell
5. Lateral leg lift

1. Sit-to-stand

“This is one of my favorite functional exercises because it mimics an everyday movement while strengthening the glutes and legs,” says Helfrich.

How to do it:

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12

• Sit in a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart, flat on the floor.
• Lean slightly forward and press through your heels to stand.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to slowly lower yourself back to the chair with control.

2. Glute bridge

“Bridges are one of the most effective ways to activate the gluteus maximus while minimizing stress on the lower back,” says Helfrich.

How to do it:

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Press through your heels to raise your hips, until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top of the move, holding for five seconds.
• Lower slowly with control.

3. Hip hinge

“This teaches one of the most important movement patterns for lifting and bending safely,” says Helfrich.

How to do it:

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
• Push your hips back and lower your torso, while maintaining a neutral spine—you should end up looking at the floor, feeling a stretch in the backs of your thighs.
• Reverse the movement to stand upright.

4. Clamshell

“This exercise strengthens the gluteus medius, an important hip stabilizer that supports the pelvis and lower back,” says Helfrich.

How to do it:

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10 each side

• Lie on your side with your legs and feet stacked and your knees bent.
• Raise your top knee, rotating from your hip but keeping your hips stable and avoiding tilting back.
• Lower slowly.
• Do all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

5. Lateral leg lift

“This movement strengthens the hip muscles that help stabilize the pelvis during walking and everyday activities,” says Helfrich.

How to do it:

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10 each side

• Stand with your feet together near a sturdy surface for balance if needed.
• Raise your left leg slowly out to the side, keeping your hips stable.
• Lower with control.
• Do all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

Pilates balls are a small tool that can have a large impact.

They tend to be around nine inches in diameter—the size of a soccer ball—and are soft and malleable.

They also happen to be the favourite piece of equipment of veteran Pilates instructor and Balanced Body educator, Portia Page.

“This deceptively simple piece of equipment is versatile as a modifier, prop or to add challenge,” she tells Fit&Well.

Page, whose Pilates ball of choice is the nine-inch TOGU ball from Balanced Body, explains why Pilates balls work differently to the large inflatable exercise balls often found in gyms.

“Unlike the traditional exercise ball, the TOGU ball is small, lightweight and unstable—yet able to provide some support.

“That instability is exactly what makes it so effective. It helps awaken deep stabilizing muscles while providing support where many people need it most.”

She adds that she favours the TOGU ball specifically because “while standard generic Pilates balls are made of soft, moldable PVC, TOGU balls use a proprietary, latex-free Ruton material, which gives them a softer, tackier and more durable feel.”

Page likes to use the ball to help clients improve their proprioception (your awareness of your body’s position), support their spine and torso during challenging exercises, and to encourage better posture and alignment.

“It is also great to reduce unnecessary tension in the neck, shoulders and hip flexors during certain exercises, plus challenge balance and stability in a safe, progressive way,” she explains.

“In Pilates, we’re always looking for ways to improve awareness and create balanced muscle development, and the TOGU ball provides immediate feedback, helping you find better alignment and connect to the deep stabilizing muscles that support efficient movement.”

The following three exercises are Page’s top choices for how to use your nine-inch Pilates ball. She recommends inflating it to three-quarters full for these movements.

1. Double leg stretch with extension

Why Page recommends it: “This is one of my favorite ways to teach any abdominal exercise because the ball supports thoracic alignment,” says Page.

“You can add thoracic extension while reducing the tendency to grip through the neck and shoulders.

“Many people overuse their hip flexors instead of their abdominal muscles,” adds Page.

“Using the TOGU Ball to support the torso brings the chest up to recruit your abdominal muscles.

“The ball creates feedback for thoracic mobility while helping clients discover true abdominal support. Many notice less neck tension and better core engagement.”

How to do it:

Sets: 4-6 Reps: 4-6 each side Rest: 20-30sec

• Place the TOGU Ball beneath your upper back, toward the base of your shoulder blades.
• Lie back over the ball and bring your knees and elbows to meet over your torso, with your knees bent and your hands either side of your head—this is your starting position.
• Extend your legs so they are at a 45° angle to the floor as you lean back and extend your arms behind you.
• Reverse the movements to return to the starting position.

Targets: Rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques and deep spinal stabilizers.

2. Swan with rotation in extension and flexion

Why Page recommends it: “Swan develops the often-neglected posterior chain and promotes healthy spinal extension, which balances all the flexion-heavy activities we do throughout the day and helps with posture and alignment,” says Page.

“The TOGU ball provides excellent feedback for challenging and assisting spinal extension. The instability of the ball helps you to find rotation and spinal mobility.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 5-8 Rest: 20-30sec

• Place the TOGU ball beneath your breastbone and lie on your front with your legs extended.
• Bend your elbows and place your fingertips on your forehead or behind your head.
• Gently engage your abdominal muscles to support your spine and lower back. Flex your upper body over the ball. Your chin may touch or rest on the ball if needed.
• Press lightly into the ball as you lengthen your spine from the crown of your head. Lift your head, chest and upper spine into extension, but focus on length before height.
• Rotate to the right, back to the center, then rotate to the left, then back to the center again.
• Lower with control back to the starting position.

Targets: erector spinae, multifidus, gluteals, mid and lower trapezius and posterior shoulder stabilizers

3. Side-lying lateral flexion to side hip lift

Why Page recommends it: “Most people spend very little time training lateral stability and side-body strength,” says Page.

“This series improves balance, pelvic control and movement efficiency while helping clients feel muscles they often don't realize they have.

“The TOGU ball offers support beneath the side body, making lateral flexion more accessible in a larger range of motion and challenges balance by providing an unstable surface.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 20-30sec

• Lie on your left side with the TOGU ball under your ribcage, with your arms extended past your head.
• Bend your left knee to 90° and bring your left knee forward so there is a 90° bend at your hip.
• Bend your right knee to 90°, moving your lower leg behind you—this is your starting position.
• Raise your right arm, right leg and head, moving your right arm to towards your right leg, lightly tapping your right knee with the back of your right hand.
• Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.

Targets: obliques, quadratus lumborum, gluteals, hip abductors and deep core stabilizers.

Training your core properly involves doing more than a few sit-ups every now and then.

According to Stevie Griffin, a trainer with the Ladder workout app, you'll see the most benefits when you train the deep core.

"The deep core muscles—your transverse abdominis, multifidus, pelvic floor, and diaphragm—are your body's built-in stabilizers, and they respond to frequency rather than heavy load," she tells Fit&Well.

"Instead of one big ab day a week, I weave core into all of my workouts, whether that's a dedicated finisher or building it right into the lifts—by cueing people to brace and stabilize as they move."

Training the deep core has more benefits than just visible abs. "It's what protects your back, makes every other lift stronger and safer, and builds the strong, stable foundation everything else is built on," says Griffin.

Here are Griffin's top three deep core moves.

1. Dead bug

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms raised vertically, your legs raised and knees bent to 90° so your calves are parallel to the floor.
• Extend and lower your left leg as you lower your right arm behind your head, until both limbs are just above the floor.
• Return to the starting position with control.
• Repeat with the opposite limbs.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

"This is one of my favorite beginner core exercises because it teaches you how to brace your core while moving your arms and legs independently," Griffin says.

"I always tell people to move slowly and keep their lower back gently pressed into the floor throughout the exercise."

2. Bird dog

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Extend and raise your left leg behind you to hip height and raise your right arm in front of you to shoulder height.
• Return to the starting position with control.
• Repeat with the opposite limbs.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

"Bird dog is another staple in my programming because it challenges balance, coordination, and core stability all at once," explains Griffin.

"The goal isn't speed, it's control. I encourage people to keep their hips as level as possible and focus on quality movement over rushing through the reps."

3. Plank

Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-45sec

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands directly under your shoulders.
• Step your feet back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Engage your core and hold, ensuring you don’t hold your breath.

"The plank is one of my favorite exercises because it teaches you how to create full-body tension and properly brace your core," Griffin says.

"If holding a plank on your toes feels too challenging, don't be afraid to modify it by dropping to your knees or elevating your hands on a bench or countertop," she adds.

Finishing a workout feels great—whether from a sense of accomplishment or relief that it’s over. Either way, most people are ready to hit the showers after the final rep.

A cool-down (and its cousin the warm-up) can feel like an optional extra, but here’s why you should make it a non-negotiable.

According to physician Dr Cristina Sciavolino-Day, even a few minutes of gentle movement and targeted stretching after your session’s main event can help your body recover.

“One of the biggest mistakes I see is people finishing a workout and immediately sitting down,” she says. “I do the opposite. After one of my regular walks, I gradually slow my pace and continue moving around the house for a few minutes before sitting.

“It helps your body make a smoother transition from exercise back to rest.”

Read on for everything you really need to know about cool-downs, as well as the eight simple moves Sciavolino-Day recommends to help your body transition from exercise to rest.

What happens to your body during a cool-down?

“When you exercise, your heart rate increases, your breathing speeds up and more blood is sent to your working muscles,” says Sciavolino-Day. “A cool-down helps your body gradually transition back to its resting state instead of stopping suddenly.

“Think of it like slowly pulling your car into the driveway rather than slamming on the brakes. Cooling down allows your heart rate and breathing to gradually return to normal, may help reduce feelings of dizziness after exercise, and gives tight muscles a chance to relax and regain their normal length and movement.”

Is it dangerous to skip a cool-down?

For most healthy people, it’s not dangerous to skip a cool-down, reassures Sciavolino-Day.

“But some people may feel lightheaded, dizzy or uncomfortable if they stop intense exercise suddenly. This is especially true after activities such as brisk walking, running, cycling or interval training because blood can temporarily pool in the legs when movement suddenly stops,” she says.

“A few minutes of gentle movement after exercise helps keep blood circulating while your heart rate gradually comes back down.”

Ditching the cool-down may also leave some people feeling stiffer after exercise, although this will vary from person to person and on the exercise you're doing.

How long should a cool-down take?

“I recommend spending about five to 10 minutes cooling down after exercise,” says Sciavolino-Day. “But if you’re in a time crunch, even three to five minutes is better than nothing.”

“The harder the workout, the more beneficial it can be to give your body a little extra time to transition back to rest,” she adds.

Cool-down routine

Sciavolino-Day’s cool-down routine is suitable to help your body recover after general exercise such as a full-body workout, gentle run or brisk walk.

If you have osteoporosis, have had recent surgery, balance problems, joint replacements, or chronic medical conditions, talk to your healthcare professional to check which exercises are appropriate for you.

1. Slow march and hold

Time: 30-60sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Slowly raise one knee hip height and hold briefly.
• Lower and repeat on the other side.
• Continue alternating knee lifts in a slow and controlled way.

“This slow march helps to gradually lower your heart rate, keeps the blood moving and improves balance,” says Sciavolino-Day.

2. Cross-body shoulder stretch

Time: 15-30sec each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Cross your right arm straight across your chest and use your left hand to gently pull your stretched arm closer to your body.
• Keep your shoulders down and relaxed and avoid twisting your torso.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.

“This stretches the posterior shoulder muscles and helps relieve upper-body tension,” says Sciavolino-Day.

3. Overhead triceps and side stretch

Time: 15-30sec

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bending your knees slightly for balance.
• Raise your right arm overhead and reach to the left, as you reach over your left arm across your body to the right.
• Return to the start and repeat the movement on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

“This stretches the back of your arms, shoulders, side of your back and waist all while encouraging better mobility through your upper body,” says Sciavolino-Day.

4. Calf raise

Time: 15-30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and use a chair or sturdy surface for support.
• Raise your heels and pause briefly at the top of the movement.
• Lower your heels back down with control.

“This movement promotes circulation while gently pumping blood back toward the heart,” says Sciavolino-Day.

5. Quad stretch

Time: 15-30sec each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and use a chair or sturdy surface for support.
• Bend your right knee and bring your heel toward your buttocks.
• Keep your knees close together and gently push your hips forward.
• Avoid leaning your upper body forward.
• Hold for time then repeat on the other side.

“This relieves tension in front of each thigh and hip,” says Sciavolino-Day.

6. Calf stretch

Time: 20-30sec each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with your hands on a wall or sturdy surface.
• Step your right foot back, bending your left knee, straightening your right leg and pressing your right heel into the floor.
• Lean forward slightly to feel a stretch in your back calf.
• Hold for time, then switch sides.

“This stretches the calf and Achilles tendon. This one is especially good after a walk or run,” says Sciavolino-Day.

7. Cat-cow

Reps: 5-10

• Get on your hands and knees with your shoulders directly above your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Slowly arch your back and lift your tailbone, chest and chin.
• Slowly round your back upward and tuck your chin toward your chest, drawing your abdomen to your spine.
• Move slowly with control between these two positions.

“This stretch improves spinal mobility, relieves back stiffness and it’s relaxing. It can be modified to be done holding the back of a couch or even sitting if needed,” she says.

8. Child’s pose

Time: 20-60sec

• Kneel on the floor.
• Sit back onto your heels and lower your chest toward the floor—widen your knees if it’s more comfortable.
• Have your arms stretched out on the floor in front of you, by your sides or stacked for your forehead to rest on.
• Breathe slowly for time or longer.

“I love to end my strength training with this because it is a great way to slow down breathing and relax. It is a gentle stretch for your back, hips and shoulders. A pillow can be added under your chest or head if needed,” says Sciavolino-Day.

My wrists are my weakest link.

Whether I’m lifting weights or trying to do a push-up, they make movements feel uncomfortable. They feel extra stiff and sore after a heavy workout, too.

I exercise wearing wrist-support gloves, but what I’d like to do is strengthen them so I can continue progressing.

I spoke to physical therapist Dr Patrick Everett, who owns Cuirim Sports Recovery in California, and he shared four targeted wrist exercises for strength and mobility.

“These exercises are commonly used to improve wrist mobility, strength, stability and overall upper-extremity function,” says Everett.

To do this routine, you’ll need a light dumbbell and kettlebell, a resistance band, and a hammer.

1. Wrist flexion with a dumbbell

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Sit in a chair, left-side-on to the end of a table, holding a light dumbbell in your left hand.
• Place your left forearm on the table so your hand is hanging off the edge of the table, palm facing down.
• Moving from your wrist, slowly raise the dumbbell.
• Lower it back to the starting position with control.
• Do all your reps on one side, then turn your chair around and repeat on the other side.

How it helps: “This exercise strengthens your wrist flexor muscles and improves grip strength, which will help with activities that involve lifting, carrying and gripping,” says Everett.

2. Hammer pronation and supination

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Sit in a chair, left-side-on to the end of a table, holding a hammer in your left hand so it’s vertical, with your left forearm resting on the table.
• Slowly rotate your forearm so your palm faces up (supination) and the hammer is horizontal.
• Rotate in the opposite direction so your palm faces down (pronation).
• Continue, moving with control through a comfortable range of motion.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then turn your chair around and repeat on the other side.

How it helps: “This exercise strengthens the muscles responsible for forearm rotation,” says Everett.

“It also improves wrist and elbow stability, which helps with functional movements used in daily activities such as turning doorknobs, using tools, opening jars and participating in sports.”

3. Kettlebell wrist stabilization hold

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
• Loop a resistance band through a kettlebell handle and hold the ends of the band in both hands and your elbows bent.
• Maintain a neutral wrist position with your palms facing down while the kettlebell hangs, resisting any wobbling.
• Rotate your wrists through their full range of motion until your palms face up.
• Keep your forearms stable and avoid lifting your shoulders.

How it helps: “This move develops wrist stability, grip endurance and forearm strength,” explains Everett.

“It is particularly helpful for athletes, lifters and individuals returning from wrist injuries.”

4. Band-resisted wrist flexion

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Sit or stand with both feet on a resistance band, slightly wider than hip-width apart.
• Hold the middle of the band in one hand at roughly mid-shin height.
• With your forearm supported on your thigh, rotate your wrist through its full range of motion in both directions, maintaining tension on the band.
• Complete all reps on one side then switch sides.

How it helps: “This final exercise strengthens the wrist flexor muscles, improves grip strength and builds tendon resilience throughout the forearm,” says Everett.

I work with many clients aged over 65 in my role as a certified personal trainer, and I’ve learned that no matter your current age, one of the best things you can do is train with healthy aging in mind.

Focusing on core strength and stability before you reach your senior years is crucial.

But I see plenty of people in their 30s and 40s just doing standard abdominal moves like crunches and sit-ups, rather than exercises that more efficiently target deeper core muscles like the transverse abdominis and internal obliques. Dead bugs with a Swiss ball is one such exercise.

“Dead bugs with a Swiss ball are a great option for training the core, building positional awareness, and improving motor control,” says Jason Levine, PT, DPT, SMA, founder and doctor of physical therapy at Focused Physio.

“I like this exercise especially for people in their 30s and 40s because it gives them another way to add variability into their routines,” he continues.

“The Swiss ball gives the body feedback and creates a slightly different challenge. You have to maintain pressure into the ball while moving opposite limbs, controlling your breath, and keeping your spine and pelvis steady.

“It makes the movement more about coordination and control rather than just pushing through reps.”

If you’ve got a yoga mat and a Swiss ball, you can give this exercise a try for yourself.

How to do dead bugs with a Swiss ball

Inform your doctor before trying any new exercise. Depending on your specific health history, your medical team may suggest alternatives or advise you to skip it altogether. “This exercise should be modified or avoided by anyone with acute low back pain, symptoms traveling down the leg, recent abdominal, hip, or spine surgery, significant pelvic floor symptoms, or anyone who has been advised not to lie on their back,” cautions Levine. “Pregnant and early postpartum individuals may also need modifications. As with any exercise, it should feel like controlled effort — not pain, pressure, or pinching.” Dead bugs with a Swiss ball may not be appropriate for all fitness levels. If you’re a beginner, consider meeting with a certified personal trainer first to learn proper form. They will be able to offer modifications if necessary, and give you guidance on how to build strength and endurance.

You’ll need a yoga mat and medium-sized Swiss ball, like Trideer ball on Amazon.

The ball should be a size that allows you to keep your arms aligned over the shoulders and your knees aligned over the hips.

A 19-24in diameter ball should work for most people, but you may need to adjust that depending on your anatomy.

Be sure you know how to engage your core before attempting this exercise.

Start by doing one set of 8-10 repetitions on each side, two to three times per week. As you get stronger, you can aim for up to three sets of 12-15 repetitions on each side.

Dead bugs with a Swiss ball can be done on their own, as part of a full core-focused workout, or as a warm-up for other exercises.

How to do it

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 8-15 each side

• Lie on your back with your arms and legs raised, with a 90° bend at your hips and knees.
• Place a Swiss ball between your thighs and arms so it’s held above your torso.
• Engage your core.
• Lower your left arm and, lower and extend your right leg until they are just above the mat, keeping the ball in place between your right arm and left leg.
• Pause briefly.
• Bring your left arm and right leg back to the starting position.
• Lower your right arm and left leg towards the mat, keeping the ball in place with your left arm and right leg.
• Pause briefly.
• Bring your right arm and left leg back to the starting position.
• Continue alternating between the two sides.

Tips: “Keep your ribs relaxed down, lightly brace through the core, and avoid letting the low back arch away from the floor,” Levine says.

“Move slowly, and only go as far as you can while staying controlled. The movement should feel smooth and connected, not forced.

"If you lose pressure on the ball, your back arches, or you feel tension in your neck or hips, shorten the range of motion.”

Modifications for Swiss ball dead bugs

If you’re unable to keep proper form, you can try the exercise without alternating between sides. Complete all repetitions on one side before moving to the other.

You may find it hard to keep the ball in place on your initial attempts. Try doing a standard dead bug without the ball first to get the hang of the movement.

You can also practice heel taps and supine marches to build strength in the deep core, then move on to the dead bug with Swiss ball when you’re ready.

Progressions for Swiss ball dead bugs

Once the Swiss ball dead bug starts to feel easy, you can add a looped resistance band around your feet to increase the demands placed on your core.

You can also try swapping the Swiss ball for a weighted medicine ball, or try the dead bug holding light dumbbells instead.

While sitting is a normal part of life, spending long periods in the same position can leave your body feeling achy and stiff, and may even compromise how it functions.

Slouching on the sofa and hunching over your screen of choice can also contribute to neck and back pain.

While no one move can fix poor posture from prolonged sitting, strengthening the muscles around your shoulders and upper back can help you hold an upright posture for longer, so you feel less stiff (although it’s still important to take regular movement breaks).

This workout features five moves to target those muscles. So if you feel like a curled-up prawn after a day at your desk, this workout is for you.

How to do this workout

Perform each of the five exercises below for 40 seconds, taking 20 seconds between exercises to get set up for the next move and to rest. Perform all five exercises to complete one round. Perform four rounds in total.

1. Bent-over rear delt flye
2. Dumb waiter to Y-raise
3. Arnold press
4. Arm circles
5. Bent-over row to triceps kickback

1. Bent-over rear delt fly

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a slight bend in your knees, holding a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides, palms facing inward.
• Hinge at your hips and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor, keeping your back flat and core engaged.
• Raise both arms out to the sides to shoulder level, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together, pausing briefly at the top of the move.
• Slowly lower the dumbbells back to start position.
• Avoid using momentum to lift the weights.

How it helps: Strengthens the muscles around the back of your shoulders and shoulder blades, helping counter the rounded-shoulder position many people slip into when working at a desk.

2. Waiter to Y-raise

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and core engaged.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand, elbows bent at 90° in contact with your waist, forearms extended in front, palms facing up and dumbbells touching.
• Rotate your forearms outward as far as possible. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Press the weights to a 45° angle, creating a Y-shape with your arms.
• Pause briefly at the top then slowly reverse the movement back to the starting position.

How it helps: Stretches your chest and strengthens your lower trapezius muscles, which help control shoulder blade movement. Improves overhead shoulder mobility and encourages better movement through your shoulder blades, helping to reduce stiffness around your shoulders and neck.

3. Arnold press

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Sit or stand holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your face, palms facing you and elbows bent at 90°.
• Rotate your arms out to your sides so your palms are facing forward, then press the weights overhead, extending your arms fully.
• Pause briefly at the top then reverse the move with control.

How it helps: Improves shoulder mobility and strengthens the muscles that support good posture. Moves your shoulders through a wide range of motion, helping counter the fixed positions of desk work.

4. Arm circles

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding a light weight in each hand.
• Raise your arms out to your sides at shoulder height, palms facing down.
• Rotate your arms backward making small circles.
• Every 10 seconds pause and rotate in the opposite direction.

How it helps: Improves shoulder mobility and increases blood flow to the muscles around your shoulders and upper back.

5. Bent-over row to triceps kickback

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides with your palms facing.
• Engage your core.
• Hinge forward from your hips and push your hips back to lower your torso to a 45° angle, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
• Lift the dumbbells toward your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blades at the top of the movement, keeping your arms tucked close to your body.
• Extend your arms fully behind you, straightening them at the elbows.
• Slowly reverse the movement back to the starting position.

How it helps: This move strengthens your upper-back muscles that help support an upright posture and encourages you to keep your core braced as you work through the movement. The kickback strengthens your triceps, the muscles on the back of your upper arms, which helps improve shoulder alignment

Tight hips can make climbing stairs, sitting down and sometimes even walking uncomfortable.

Several factors could be causing a tightness in your hips, so I asked musculoskeletal physiotherapist and yoga teacher Mariam Shafei-Sabet to explain.

She tells Fit&Well that hip muscles often take the strain of weaknesses elsewhere in the body, such as in your gluteal (buttock) muscles.

“If your glutes are weak or inhibited, the deep hip rotators, tensor fasciae latae or iliopsoas are forced to work overtime to stabilize your pelvis, resulting in secondary overload and structural tightness,” Shafei-Sabet says.

Shafei-Sabet suggests the following exercises to create space in your hips, ease tightness and release tension in the surrounding muscles.

Of course, Shafei-Sabet pointed to other, non-muscular reasons for hip tightness, but they need an in-person medical professional to diagnose. If these exercises, done consistently, don’t provide relief, it may be worth seeking professional help to rule out other issues.

Four moves to open tight hips

1. Low lunge

Hold: 3-5 breaths each side

How to do it:

• Kneel on the floor and step your right foot forward, so your right knee is bent to 90° and is directly above your right ankle.
• Slide your left knee back a few inches and tuck your toes under.
• Extend your arms over your head and press your hips forward to intensify the stretch in your left thigh.
• Hold, then repeat on the other side.

“This exercise targets the back of your hip flexor and quad and strengthens the front of your legs and your core,” says Shafei-Sabet.

2. Active pigeon

Hold: 3-5 breaths each side

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Extend your left leg behind you along the floor, keeping your hips facing forward.
• Bring your right knee and lower leg forward onto the floor and lower your hips.
• Adjust your right lower leg to a comfortable angle—diagonal or horizontal—in front of your hips.
• Press your right shin into the floor to raise your hips slightly and draw your inner thighs together.
• Lean your torso forward to activate your glutes—adjust the intensity of the stretch by how far forward you lean.
• Hold, then repeat on the other side.

“This exercise targets the front glute and builds hip stability,” says Shafei-Sabet.

3. Side plank

Hold: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your legs extended and your torso propped up on your left forearm.
• Raise your hips so your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.

Make it harder: Raise your top leg in the hold, engaging your core and oblique muscles to maintain stability.

Make it easier: Bend your lower knee and rest it on the floor.

“This exercise strengthens the lower glute med. It also works the whole lateral body, from the shoulder through the obliques, hips and knees to the ankle,” says Shafei-Sabet.

“These muscles are important for balance and hip stability, as we often lose strength here as we age.”

4. Single-leg bridge

Hold: 3-5 breaths each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor under your knees and your arms by your sides, palms down.
• Raise your hips, keeping them level and squeezing your glutes.
• Lift your left foot and extend your leg straight up in the air, keeping your hips and pelvis level.
• Hold then return to the floor and repeat on the other side.

“This exercise lengthens the front of your hip and strengthens your glutes,” says Shafei-Sabet. “It also builds hip stability, and back and core strength.”

If you’ve taken a break from walking, or want to build up to longer distances, you may be surprised to learn that it’s worth strengthening the muscles you use to walk, rather than just, say, walking more.

That’s because, although walking is a low-impact activity, you can put your joints under stress they can’t cope with if the muscles around them don’t provide proper support. This is particularly true if you suddenly dramatically increase the distance you walk in a week.

So I asked Rosie Borchert, a NASM-certified personal trainer for REP Fitness, to suggest a straightforward routine that can be done at home with no equipment.

Borchert came back with these four exercises that, when performed two or three times a week, can help strengthen your calves, hips, legs, and glutes, making your gait more efficient and reducing your risk of developing an injury.

It won’t eliminate the risk of injury completely, however. Borchert stresses that while strength training can help, it must also be accompanied by building up the amount of walking you do gradually.

“To help reduce your risk of injury from doing too much too soon, ease your way into a walking routine,” she says.

“Start with a comfortable goal. Try adding five minutes of walking each day, while taking a day or two of rest each week if your body needs it.

“Gradually increasing your walking time, while giving yourself regular recovery days, can help you build endurance, improve consistency and get back into walking shape without overdoing it.”

Four strengthening exercises for walkers

1. Step-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15

How to do it:

• Stand in front of a step or box, that’s between ankle height and knee height.
• Place your right foot on the box and push off your left foot to bring your left foot onto the box next to your right foot.
• Step back onto the floor, lowering slowly and with control.

Progression: Once the movement ceases to be a challenge, hold dumbbells. Or, to challenge your balance and stability, hold a dumbbell on one side.

Why it works: “The quads and glutes are firing in this move, with stability support from your core, calves and hamstrings,” says Borchert.

“Outside of building strength for walking, with this exercise you’ll also be building strength to climb stairs and step up over boulders when your hike takes you through uncharted territory.

“You will also hone the proprioception [your sense of your body’s position] you need to move safely forward and backward through varying terrain.”

2. Donkey kick

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 each side

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees below your hips.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your right foot behind you until the sole faces the ceiling, maintaining a 90° bend in your knee.
• Squeeze your glutes, then lower back to start.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Progression: Slow down the movement to increase time under tension or add more reps.

Why it works: “The donkey kick targets your gluteus maximus, with some engagement from your gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, core and hip flexors,” says Borchert.

“This is a move I use religiously to help wake up my glutes.”

3. Standing hip abduction

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 each side

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet together and your back straight, with a chair or counter to the left of you, to help you balance.
• Shift your weight onto your left leg and, keeping your hips level and facing forward throughout, lift your right leg out to the right side, with your toes facing forward.
• Lower your right leg back to start with control.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Progression: To increase the challenge, try adding a short loop resistance band around your ankles.

Why it works: “The hip abductors are the primary focus with this move. Building strength here helps to stabilize your pelvis and maintain balance while walking,” says Borchert.

4. Calf raise

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your hands resting lightly on a wall if you need help to maintain your balance.
• Rise onto your toes slowly.
• Pause, then lower your heels back to the floor with control.

Progression: Hold dumbbells and/or lift one foot off the floor to do single-leg calf raises.

Why it works: “Out on your walk, each step you take is powered by the muscles in your calves,” says Borchert. “Strong calves help keep your ankles stable over changes in terrain, propel your body forward and absorb shock, which can reduce stress on your joints.

“Calf raises are my go-to move when I’m standing somewhere and I’m bored. Waiting in line for the bathroom? Calf raises. Standing at the bar with some friends? Calf raises. This move can be tackled wherever and whenever.”

Shop walking shoes

Sadly, there is no magic potion that can extend human lifespan. But when the U.K. Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) released new activity guidelines this month, they wrote that “if physical activity were a drug, we would refer to it as a miracle cure, due to the great many illnesses it can prevent and treat.”

Denise Chakoian, a certified fitness trainer and owner of Core Cycle and Fitness Lagree, agrees about the power of exercise. “Regular exercise supports heart health, brain function, blood sugar control, and a healthy metabolism, all of which are linked to a longer lifespan,” she says.

“It can also reduce the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. Staying active consistently is one of the most effective ways to maintain both quality of life and longevity.”

The CDC agrees with the U.K.’s CMOs recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week, plus at least two strength-training sessions.

If you’re a little lost about what to do in your strength training sessions, Chakoian has shared a simple workout featuring her top three exercises to promote longevity.

“These exercises strengthen the major muscle groups that help you stay mobile, independent, and less prone to injury as you age,” she says.

“They also improve balance, posture and bone strength, which lowers the risk of falls and fractures later in life.”

Chakoian’s top three strengthening exercises for longevity

1. Squat

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

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees, lowering until your thighs are about parallel to the floor, keeping your chest facing forward.
• Press through your heels to stand.

“Squats train one of the most important movement patterns we use every day, from sitting down to climbing stairs,” says Chakoian.

“They strengthen the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and core while improving balance and mobility. I like them because they give the biggest return for the time you put in.”

2. Push-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-15 Rest: 60sec

How to do it:

• Start in a high plank with your hands under your shoulders, arms extended and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest, keeping your body in a straight line.
• Press through your hands to extend your arms and return to the high plank position.

Make it easier: Perform on your knees or with your hands on a raised platform or a wall.

“Push-ups build practical upper-body strength without equipment. They target the chest, shoulders, triceps and core. I like them because they also improve stability and body control.”

3. Romanian deadlift

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 90sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the weight in front of your thighs, palms facing you.
• Engage your core and move your shoulders back and down.
• Keeping your back flat throughout, hinge at your hips and push your butt back to lower the weight down your legs until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
• Drive your hips forward to return to standing.

Tip: Choose a weight that makes the exercise feel challenging, but allows you to complete all the reps with good form.

“Deadlifts strengthen the muscles that support posture and protect the lower back,” says Chakoian.

“They primarily work the glutes, hamstrings, lower back and core. I like them because they improve strength for lifting everyday objects safely.”

Forget nightclub workouts. Forget 26.2 miles. Forget laps around a convention center.

The very best workout of all time, according to tennis champ Andy Murray's former coach, is the one done on a rectangular court with nothing but a bat, a ball and a net.

"I promise you this: if you're a health fanatic, go play pickleball singles and tell me afterwards if that's not one of the best workouts you've ever had."

That's what Mark Petchey, himself a former British No. 1 tennis player, told me on a recent active-vacation in Sicily, Italy, with Neilson Holidays.

"It's the ultimate social sport," he explained.

"I've played against my wife's aunt and uncle, who are 75, and we've had a great hour-and-a-half. That's what sport should be. Not just about winning and losing."

For Petchey, the combination of social interaction, exercise and accessibility make pickleball the ultimate workout at any age.

"As a family of four, when we play games together, that's when we connect the best. We're in the moment. We're having a good time and interacting as you should be."

Unlike tennis, it's also very easy to learn.

"You can pick up pickleball in 15 minutes and it can be so complementary for your health," he said, adding that the short, sharp movements required to maintain a rally will challenge—and improve—your agility, mobility, cardio and mental dexterity.

"I promise you'll have one of the best workouts of all time."

An expert warm-up drill to prep for a game of pickleball

To make the most of this rapidly growing sport, Petchey recommends first taking a couple of minutes once on court to "improve your touch"—your hand-eye coordination and feel for the stroke—so you can sustain rallies and keep your body moving.

This warm-up drill is suitable for all levels and can even be used for other sports that require agility, dexterity and hand-eye coordination, he adds.

• Start in the rectangular box close to the pickleball net.
• Lightly tap the ball to your opponent on the other side of the net.
• They tap the ball up in the air before lightly hitting it back.
• You both continue repeating this sequence with every shot.
• Stay light on your feet, shuffling side to side while holding the racket in both hands in front of you to react to the ball.
• Build a rally for as long as you can, challenging both your forehand and backhand sides, and mental arithmetic to keep counting.
• Once this feels easy, both of you take a step back from the net and repeat the drill.
• Continue until you’re thoroughly warmed up and ready for a match.

As a runner, it’s easy to neglect strength work in favor of building up time on your feet.

Throughout my half-marathon training, I was guilty skipping the gym and going for another speed session or long run instead.

And, you guessed it, I paid the price.

Aches and pains in the lead-up to race day, followed by glute and lower back pain when I crossed the finish line.

I learned the hard way that core work and strength training in general is essential for runners.

So I resolved not to make the same mistake again and sought advice from Claire Mills, physiotherapist, Pilates instructor and founder of Core LDN, who explained why developing a strong core is worth the investment of time and effort.

“It’s about creating a stable foundation that allows the arms and legs to move efficiently while controlling the forces traveling through the body,” Mills tells Fit&Well.

Every time your foot hits the ground when running, your body absorbs forces of around two to three times your body weight.

“Your core muscles—including the deep abdominal muscles, diaphragm, pelvic floor and muscles surrounding the spine—work together to stabilize the trunk and pelvis so these forces are managed effectively,” Mills explains.

“A strong, well-coordinated core helps runners maintain efficient mechanics throughout a run, rather than just during the first few miles.”

A strong core could also reduce your risk of injury.

“While no exercise program can completely prevent injuries, better lumbopelvic control may help reduce excessive movement that contributes to common running problems such as patellofemoral pain, iliotibial band syndrome, Achilles tendinopathy and lower back pain,” Mills says.

As I’m a runner who is guilty of skipping core work, I asked Mills to share her best core strengthening workout—and there isn’t a sit-up or regular plank hold in sight.

“My advice is to move away from thinking about endless sit-ups or planks held for several minutes,” Mills says. “The goal is functional strength that transfers into running.”

“Include exercises that challenge anti-rotation, anti-extension and lateral stability,” she says.

As well as the right selection of exercise, they must be done consistently, and Mills recommends runners do 15 to 20 minutes of core strength training two to three times per week.

“The key is consistency rather than intensity,” she says.

How to do the five-move core workout

Mills has created a workout that focuses on building core strength with five Pilates-inspired exercises—so be sure sure to focus on your breath.

“Coordinating your breathing with your deep abdominal muscles improves stability and control,” Mills explains.

The five exercises are:

• Dead bug
• Modified side plank with leg lift
• Bird dog
• Single-leg glute bridge
• Pallof press

1. Dead bug

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back and lift your legs so your hips and knees are bent to 90°.
• Reach both arms straight up.
• Gently draw your lower ribs down and maintain a neutral spine, engaging your core.
• Exhale as you slowly lower one arm behind you and lower and extend the opposite leg until both are just above the floor.
• Inhale as you reverse the movements back to the starting position.
• Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Benefits: Improves deep core control, builds trunk stability while moving the limbs and reduces excessive movement through the lower back during running.

2. Modified side plank with leg lift

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your side with your knees bent and legs together, propped up on your forearm, with your elbow directly under your shoulder.
• Exhale as you lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulder to knees.
• If you can, straighten the top leg and lift and lower it as you hold the side plank position.

Trainer tip: Keep your shoulders, hips and pelvis facing forward. Avoid letting your top hip rotate.

Benefits: Strengthens the oblique muscles and lateral hip stabilizers, improves pelvic control during single-leg stance and helps reduce excessive hip drop, which is common in runners.

3. Bird dog

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees with your pelvis in a neutral position.
• Exhale as you engage your core and raise one arm in front of you and extend and raise the opposite leg behind you.
• Inhale as you reverse the movements back to the starting position.
• Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Benefits: Develops coordination between the trunk and limbs and posterior chain, improves spinal stability and reinforces efficient movement patterns that transfer well into running.

4. Single-leg glute bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your left knee bent and your left foot on the floor, and your right leg raised, knee bent and foot off the floor.
• Exhale as you push through your left heel to lift your hips, keeping your pelvis level throughout.
• Inhale as you lower slowly back to the start.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

Benefits: Strengthens the glutes while challenging core stability, improves pelvic control during running and helps reduce compensation through the lower back.

5. Pallof press

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Stand side-on to an anchored resistance band or cable machine.
• Hold the handle, or end of the band, close to your chest.
• Exhale as you extend your arms in front of you, resisting the band pulling you to the side.
• Inhale as you bring your hands back to your chest.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: Keep your torso facing forwards throughout and keep your rib cage over your pelvis.

Benefits: Builds anti-rotation strength, improves trunk control during arm and leg movement and enhances stability during faster running and hill work.

If you want to build strength in your arms at home, it’s hard to beat dumbbell exercises. Get yourself a pair of dumbbells and because you can work each arm individually, you will address any strength imbalances in your arms—a surprisingly common occurrence.

Personal trainer Stevie Griffin has just launched a new program on the workout app Ladder, featuring dumbbell-only workouts so I took the opportunity to ask her for her top three dumbbell moves for toning your arms.

“Together they hit the shoulder and both sides of the arm for a balanced, strong result, and they’re all easy to learn and load progressively,” she says.

“The shoulder press builds strong, capable shoulders and hits the triceps too, so you get a lot of upper-body payoff from one move, and it translates directly into everyday life, like lifting things overhead.

“Skull crushers isolate the triceps, which make up about two-thirds of your upper arm, so if you want that toned, defined look on the back of the arm, this is the move that gets you there.

“Lateral raises build the side of the shoulder, which creates that lean, capped shape that makes the whole arm look sculpted.”

Here’s how to do each move in Griffin’s routine.

1. Shoulder press

Sets: 2-4 Reps: 8-15

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing forward.
• Engage your core.
• Press the weights overhead until your arms are extended, but don’t lock out your elbows and avoid hunching your shoulders.
• Lower the weights slowly back to the start.

2. Skull crusher

Sets: 2-4 Reps: 8-15

How to do it:

• Lie on your back on a weight bench with your feet flat on the floor.
• Hold the dumbbells directly above your chest with your arms straight.
• Keeping your upper arms stable, bend your elbows to lower the weights behind you until they reach the tops of your shoulders.
• Extend your arms straight to return to the starting position.
• Avoid swinging your upper arms, maintaining control throughout the movement.

3. Lateral raise

Sets: 2-4 Reps: 8-15

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a slight bend in your knees, holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Raise the dumbbells out to the sides to shoulder height, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
• Lower the weights slowly and with control, avoiding swinging or using momentum.

What weights are best for beginners?

One of the most common questions trainers on the internet get asked is what weights they use, but the answer to that will almost always be different to the weight you should use.

According to Griffin, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Your dumbbell weight will also depend on the move and the muscles it uses—you might find you can lift more in a shoulder press than a lateral raise.

“The biggest thing I want people to understand is that it isn’t about picking a certain weight, it’s about choosing a weight that’s challenging for you,” Griffin says.

“My rule of thumb is that the last two or three reps of every set should feel challenging while still allowing you to maintain great form. If you finish your set and feel like you could have done another eight to 10 reps, it's probably time to increase the weight.”

It’s also worth keeping in mind that the weight you use should probably be adjusted for each exercise. For instance, you might find you can lift more in a shoulder press than a lateral raise.

You may not have the literal weight of the world on your shoulders, but there’s a nugget of truth to the saying, because it’s one of the most common places for people to hold stress-related muscle tension.

Your shoulders also take the brunt of working long hours at a desk.

To top it all off, “the shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, which also makes it one of the most vulnerable,” says Pilates instructor and Balanced Body educator Portia Page.

“Tight muscles, poor posture, weakness in the upper back, and limited thoracic mobility can all contribute to shoulder soreness.”

If you are experiencing soreness in this area, Page has a threefold approach to tackling it.

She recommends improving the mobility of the joint, strengthening the supporting muscles to help stabilize it, and stretching to release any stored tension.

Page suggests completing the following six exercises to relieve tension in sore shoulders, and to build the strength and mobility you need to prevent recurrence.

Page advises to “stop if pain increases, becomes sharp, or radiates down the arm.”

1. Shoulder roll

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10 each direction Rest: 30sec

Page says: “This simple movement increases circulation, reduces tension, and restores mobility to the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and muscles surrounding the shoulders.”

How to do it:

• Sit or stand with a straight back and your arms held loosely at your sides.
• Slowly lift both shoulders toward your ears.
• Roll them backward, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Continue the circle by lowering your shoulders down and forward, moving slowly and smoothly.
• Do all your reps, then reverse direction.

Targets:

• Upper trapezius
• Levator scapulae
• Rhomboids
• Deltoids

2. Wall angel

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 45sec

Page says: “Wall angels help improve posture, strengthen upper-back muscles, and encourage healthy shoulder and overall upper body movement—an area often neglected when shoulders become sore.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your head, upper back and hips resting against a wall.
• Bend your elbows to 90° and bring your arms out to the sides, with your shoulders and arms against the wall, palms facing forward.
• Slowly slide your hands up the wall overhead, extending your arms, pausing at the top of the movement for a single breath.
• Reverse the movement back to the starting position.

Form tips: Keep your wrists and elbows lightly touching the wall if possible and maintain gentle abdominal activation throughout.

Targets:

• Rhomboids
• Middle and lower trapezius
• Rear deltoids
• Rotator cuff muscles

3. Thread the needle

Sets: 2-3 Hold: 20-30sec each side Rest: 15sec between sides

Page says: “Many shoulder issues originate from stiffness in the upper back and thoracic spine.

“This stretch improves rotation around the stable shoulder and arm while gently opening the posterior shoulder and chest of the moving arm.”

How to do it:

• Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Inhale and rotate your torso to face right, lifting your right arm to vertical.
• Exhale and rotate your torso to face left, threading your right arm between your left hand and left knee to the left side.
• Allow your right shoulder and the side of your head to rest lightly on the floor, breathing deeply and relaxing into the stretch.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

Targets:

• Posterior deltoid
• Rhomboids
• Rotator cuff muscles
• Thoracic spine

4. Scapular retraction and protraction (standing)

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 Rest: 30sec

Page says: “Strong and mobile shoulders provide a stable foundation for healthy shoulder movement.

“Many people experiencing shoulder soreness have weak or underactive postural muscles, which this exercise aims to correct.”

How to do it:

• Sit or stand with a straight back and your arms extended in front of you at shoulder height.
• Gently draw your shoulder blades together (retraction), moving your arms backward slightly.
• Hold briefly, then separate your shoulder blades like an elevator door opening (protraction), moving your arms forward slightly.

Form tip: Avoid arching your back or shrugging your shoulders.

Targets:

• Rhomboids
• Middle trapezius
• Lower trapezius

5. Scapular retraction and protraction (tabletop)

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 Rest: 30sec

“This variation loads the upper body, creating a different sensation in the shoulders as the body is in a different alignment with gravity.”

How to do it:

• Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Keeping your arms straight and your torso horizontal throughout, bring your shoulder blades towards one another (retraction), lowering your chest slightly.
• Pause, then move your shoulder blades away from each other (protraction) by pushing the floor away, lifting your chest slightly.

Targets:

• Rhomboids
• Middle trapezius
• Lower trapezius

6. Telescope to pinwheel

Sets: 2 Reps: 6-10 each side Rest: 30sec

Page says: “The shoulder doesn’t work alone, thoracic spinal mobility is essential for comfortable shoulder movement.

“This exercise improves rotation and torso flexibility while reducing tension across the front and back of the shoulders.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your legs together and your knees bent, and both arms extended in front of you with your palms together.
• Telescope: Engage your core and lower your right shoulder toward the floor, sliding your right palm forward.
• Reverse the movement of your right shoulder, moving it to rest on the floor behind you, sliding your right hand across your body and extending it to the right.
• Pause here, then reverse the movement back to the start.
• Pinwheel: Engage your core and lower your right shoulder toward the floor, sliding your right palm forward.
• Sweep your right arm overhead and to the floor behind you.
• Continue, sweeping your hand past your hip and back to the starting position.
• Alternate between the two movements, completing all reps on one side before switching.

Form tips: Keep your hips stable, rotating from your torso and shoulders. Follow your moving hand with your eyes.

Targets:

• Pectoralis major and minor
• Anterior shoulder
• Thoracic spine
• Upper back musculature

Strength training is one of the best ways to ensure you can keep moving well for longer as you get older.

Using weights can seem intimidating at first, but once you master a few fundamental movements, there’ll be no stopping you.

Stevie Griffin, a trainer at the workout app Ladder and specializes in dumbbell workouts, has a top strength exercise for total newbies.

“The goblet squat is one of my favorite exercises because I truly believe it’s one of the best movements for building a strong foundation,” Griffin explains.

“It teaches you how to squat with great form, brace your core, and build real lower body and total body strength all at once,” she tells Fit&Well.

“It’s the move I’d put in everyone’s hands on day one.”

According to the trainer, it also translates well to everyday movement.

“Whether you’re sitting down, standing up from a chair, picking something up off the floor, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries, you’re using the same movement pattern,” Griffin says.

“Building strength in these foundational movements can make everyday tasks feel easier and help support mobility and independence as we age,” she adds.

How to do the goblet squat

Sets: 1 Reps: 8-15

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart (or just wider) and your toes pointing slightly out. Keep your feet flat on the floor throughout the exercise.
• Hold one end of a dumbbell with both hands close to your chest, elbows tucked in, shoulders back and core engaged.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to move your butt back and down, as if sitting into a chair, while keeping your chest upright.
• Press through the full surface of your heels and squeeze your glutes to push back up to standing.
• Make sure your knees don’t cave in during the movement.

Good form is essential during any type of strength training, but particularly when squatting in order to avoid injury and get the most benefits out of the movement.

Start with a light dumbbell or even a kettlebell and “focus on moving well before adding more weight,” Griffin advises.

Dr Caroline Packard is a doctor of physical therapy with more than 15 years of clinical experience and a specialism in pelvic floor health.

A certified yoga instructor and lifelong athlete, it’s a topic she cares passionately about, having gone from patient to pelvic floor advocate since the birth of her first child.

“That’s where my own story started, with leaking and prolapse after my first pregnancy,” the mother-of-three tells Fit&Well.

Stress incontinence and prolapse are often a consequence of pelvic floor dysfunction, when the supportive muscles and ligaments spanning the base of the pelvis become too weak, tight or uncoordinated.

These symptoms can occur after pregnancy and in the postpartum years, she explains, “when your body is managing huge changes in load and pressure”.

However, pelvic floor dysfunction can also affect women during perimenopause and menopause too, as tissue and hormones shift, as well as men recovering from prostate surgery.

It can also affect younger men, accompanied by side-effects that are “less talked about”, such as urinary urgency, erectile dysfunction and pelvic pain.

“[The loss of pelvic floor function] is not just an aging issue. Heavier lifting demands can play a role at any age,” she says, and symptoms can be exacerbated by exercise.

For Packard, that resulted in the workouts she had long relied on to manage stress suddenly “making everything worse”.

Rejecting surgery, the young mother discovered a kinder solution through advanced pelvic floor rehabilitation techniques combined with strength training, yoga and breathwork.

“I stopped training around my pelvic floor dysfunction and started training for it—and that shift changed everything,” she says.

Having navigated her own experience, Packard went on to build Connect Pelvic Floor Fitness to help women understand the root cause of their pelvic floor symptoms and how to manage them with exercise.

Caroline Packard’s weekly workout routine

Today, Packard tends to work out six days a week, with each session lasting between 30 minutes and an hour. She integrates exercises that rebuild and maintain pelvic floor function with activities she’s always loved.

“As a pelvic floor physical therapist and someone who lives with dysfunction myself, I don’t just treat this condition, I train with it,” she says.

“Every workout I program for myself is intentional: built around optimizing strength, stability and rotation as an integrated system, not isolating muscles or avoiding the hard stuff.”

As a result, she’s able to manage symptoms while continuing to run, practice yoga and keep up with her three young children.

“I’m 40, a mom of three, a triathlete and a runner. My week is full. So the way I train has to work—not just for my fitness goals but for my body to function well long term.”

Monday
Lower-body unilateral strength, involving single-leg squats with hip stability and glute loading to directly support pelvic floor function.

Tuesday
30-45min run at an easy to moderate effort. “Running isn’t separate from my pelvic floor training, it’s an expression of it,” says Packard.

Wednesday
Upper-body unilateral strength, complementing Monday’s workout, and keeping the ribcage moving.

Thursday
30-60min run or active recovery with walking or yoga, depending on how her body feels. “Recovery is training too,” she says.

Friday
A third unilateral session targeting the lower-body hinge pattern, adding in lateral and rotational loading, which Packard says most programs skip entirely.

Saturday
Final strength day of the week built around upper-body overhead pressing. “By now my body knows what to do, so these sessions feel strong, efficient and purposeful.”

Sunday
Rest. Something Packard describes as non-negotiable.

Caroline Packard’s advice on how to build your own pelvic floor plan

1. Pick two days a week to exercise and never skip them

Whether managing symptoms or looking to maintain pelvic floor function to head them off, Packard recommends committing to two exercise days a week to build consistency.

“Choose two days you will absolutely not miss—no matter what—and anchor your week around those,” she says.

“Consistency will always beat optimization. The perfect program you skip is worthless. The imperfect one you show up for every week? That’s the one that changes your body.”

2. Train unilaterally before you go heavy bilaterally

We often perform exercises that work both sides of our bodies at the same time, like squats and overhead presses, then progress to single-side work.

That’s the wrong way round, according to Packard.

“Single-leg and single-arm work reveal imbalances that lead to injury, leaking, prolapse symptoms and pain,” she says.

Unilateral exercises are “more functional than almost anything else you can do”.

“If your goal is a body that performs and functions well, unilateral training is essential.”

3. Stop training your core separately

Don’t think of your abs as an afterthought.

“Every strength session is a core session when you're breathing correctly and loading with intention,” she says, pointing to a three-minute breathing drill she uses to restore good pelvic floor foundations.

“That’s the root-cause approach—and it’s exactly why isolation abs work isn’t in my program,” adds Packard.

“The pelvic floor doesn't work in isolation. Neither should your training.”

Knee pain is difficult to ignore. Every time you take a step, there it is.

It’s a widespread occurrence too. Orthopedic physical therapist Dr Andrew Gorecki, fellow of Applied Functional Science (AFS) through the Gray Institute, tells Fit&Well that knee pain is one of the most common problems he sees at his clinic, Superior Physical Therapy.

But knee pain may not indicate a problem with the knee itself. The AFS approach looks at the joints in the context of the rest of the body. Gorecki explains that the knee is part of a kinetic chain—a system that works together to create motion.

“The femur (thigh bone) connects the knee to the hip above, the tibia (shin bone) connects the knee to the foot and ankle below. The knee itself is a hinge—it’s not designed to rotate or translate side-to-side.

“When the hip above or the ankle below stop moving the way they should, the knee absorbs motion it was never built to absorb. That’s when pain starts.

“Fix the hip and the ankle, and most knee pain resolves on its own.”

Addressing tight hip flexors, tight inner thigh muscles and restricted ankle mobility—the three most common causes of knee pain— is vital. Gorecki suggests the three moves below to do that.

Watch Dr Andrew Gorecki demonstrate his top three exercises for knee pain

Our expert shared the following clinical note. “If this routine isn't helping after two weeks of consistent practice (twice a day), don’t give up hope. It just means the specific driver of your knee pain may be different and warrants a hands-on assessment.” Contact your health care provider before undertaking these exercises if you have concerns.

1. Hip flexor stretch

Sets: 1 Time: 30sec per plane of motion, per leg

Targets: Hip flexors: psoas and rectus femoris

“Tight hip flexors are a primary driver of knee pain because they pull the femur into a forward position that throws off knee tracking,” says Gorecki.

“Working this muscle in all three planes restores how the hip actually has to move during walking, stairs, and athletic activity.”

How to do it:

• Face a sturdy chair or bench. Turn your right foot in slightly and place your left foot on the bench. Keep your right leg straight and your right foot flat on the floor.
• Front-to-back: Carefully move your hips forward toward the bench, then back, going back and forth for 30 seconds. You should feel a stretch in the front of your right hip.
• Side-to-side: From the same position, move your hips side to side for 30 seconds.
• Rotation: Slowly circle your hips for 15 seconds in each direction.
• Switch legs and repeat the full sequence on the other side.

2. Adductor stretch

Sets: 1 Time: 30sec per plane of motion, per leg

Targets: Adductors: the inner thigh and groin muscles

“When the adductors stay tight, the femur rotates inward and the knee tracks poorly,” says Gorecki. “This is a major contributor to patellofemoral pain (kneecap pain) and medial knee pain. Restoring three-plane adductor mobility lets the knee track straight again.”

How to do it:

• Stand with a sturdy chair on your left side. Place your left foot on the chair, so the inside of your leg faces forward. Keep your right leg straight with your knee locked.
• Side-to-side: Carefully move your hips toward the chair and back for 30 seconds. You should feel a stretch in the inner thigh of your left leg.
• Front-to-back: From the same position, shift your hips forward and back for 30 seconds.
• Rotation: Slowly circle your hips for 15 seconds in each direction
• Switch legs and repeat.

3. Calf stretch

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10 per plane of motion, per leg

Targets: Calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) and the ankle joint

“Restricted ankle dorsiflexion (lifting toes toward shin) is one of the most under-recognized drivers of knee pain,” says Gorecki.

“When the ankle can't bend forward enough during walking or stairs, the knee compensates by collapsing inward or absorbing rotational stress.

“Mobilizing the calf and ankle in all three planes is often the single change that resolves long-standing knee pain.”

How to do it:

• Stand facing a wall with your hands resting on it at shoulder height, or higher.
• Step your right leg behind you, with your right leg extended and foot flat on the floor.
• Front-to-back: Lift your left leg, keeping your knee bent, and move it forward and back for 10 slow, controlled reps. You should feel a stretch in your right calf.
• Side-to-side: From the same position, move your left leg from side-to-side for 10 reps.
• Rotation: Rotate your left leg from the hip to the left and right for 10 slow reps in each direction.
• Switch legs and repeat the full sequence.

Form tip: Keep your back heel flat on the floor at all times.

Many of us think that getting frail later in life is an inevitable part of growing old.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Phil Evans has spent much of his career trying to bust this myth. He is the author of Built to Last After 50 and a chartered physiotherapist in the U.K. (Broadly equivalent to a physical therapist in the U.S.)

“One of the biggest myths I hear is that getting older means getting weaker, and while we naturally lose muscle as we age, that doesn’t mean we have to accept becoming less capable,” he says.

“Our muscles remain remarkably adaptable throughout life when we continue to challenge them.

“You don’t need a gym full of equipment or hours of exercise. A few simple movements, performed consistently, can make a huge difference.”

While the best routine for you will, of course, be individual in nature, Evans has shared three go-tos from his practice.

Three strengthening exercises for the over-50s

“These are three of the exercises I prescribe most often,” says Evans, “because they strengthen the muscles we rely on every day and are suitable for almost anyone to start at home.”

1. Sit-to-stand
2. Wall push-up
3. Step-up

“Done consistently, these three exercises can help you get stronger, move more confidently and make ordinary tasks feel that little bit easier,” says Evans.

“Strength training isn’t really about muscles: it’s about giving yourself the freedom to keep doing the things you enjoy.

“You don’t need to do everything. You just need to start somewhere, so pick one exercise, get confident with it and then build from there.”

Watch Evans coach the three exercises for the over 50s

1. Sit-to-stand

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

How to do it:

• Sit toward the front of a chair with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Position your feet underneath your knees and cross your arms over your chest if you can.
• Lean forward until your shoulders are over your feet and push through your heels to stand.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to slowly lower yourself into the chair, staying in control throughout the movement.

Form tip: Avoid dropping back into the chair. Try to control the movement all the way down.

Modification: If needed, use your hands to help you stand. As you become stronger, gradually rely more on your legs and less on your hands. “Don’t worry if you can only manage a few repetitions to begin with,” says Evans. “Start with what feels manageable, practice it regularly and build from there.”

Why it’s good for the over 50s: “Good leg strength makes daily tasks like getting out of a chair, climbing the stairs, getting on and off the toilet, carrying shopping and staying independent much easier,” says Evans.

“Most people focus on standing up, but I actually pay just as much attention to how they sit back down. Try taking three to five seconds to lower yourself into the chair rather than simply dropping into the seat.

“That controlled lowering phase makes your muscles work harder, helping build strength while also improving balance and control.

“Small improvements soon add up, and before long, you’ll often notice that everyday tasks like getting out of a chair or climbing the stairs start feeling easier.”

2. Wall push-up

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

How to do it:

• Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Walk your feet backward and engage your core, making sure your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Move your shoulders back and down.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the wall over three to five seconds, lowering as far as feels comfortable.
• Push through your hands to return to the starting position.

Form tip: Keep your body in a straight line throughout the exercise and avoid letting your hips sag.

Why it’s good for the over 50s: “A simple exercise that strengthens your chest, shoulders and arms without asking you to get down onto the floor or perform a full push-up, and almost everyone can do it.”

Evans says that often people first notice their strength is getting limited when simple things start feeling harder than they used to.

“Whether it’s lifting shopping into the car, pushing yourself up from the floor or picking up and holding your grandchildren, good upper body strength makes those moments feel easier and more confident.

“Many people dismiss wall push-ups because they look too easy. The reality is that they’re one of the safest ways to build upper-body strength, especially if you’re just getting started or returning after a break.

“I encourage people to slow the lowering phase to around three to five seconds rather than rushing through each repetition. That extra control makes your muscles work harder while also improving shoulder stability and technique.

“Once you can comfortably complete your repetitions, simply move your feet a little further away from the wall to make the exercise more challenging.”

3. Step-up

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

How to do it:

• Stand facing the bottom step of a staircase.
• Place one foot fully onto the step and push through your heel to lift yourself until your feet are level again.
• Step back down slowly, keeping the movement controlled.
• Complete all repetitions on one leg before changing sides.

Form tip: Keep your foot, knee and hip in line throughout the movement. Don’t let your working knee fall inwards.

Modification: Hold onto a handrail if you need extra support.

Why it’s good for the over 50s: “If climbing the stairs has started to feel harder than it used to, this is one of the first exercises I’d recommend,” says Evans.

“It’s also one of the best exercises for building confidence on one leg, which becomes increasingly important for balance as we get older.

He explains that step-ups mimic one of the most important movements we perform every day, making them an effective functional exercise.

“One of the biggest reasons people lose confidence as they get older is because everyday movements gradually start feeling more difficult, so they begin avoiding them,” says Evans.

“Step-ups allow you to practice one of those everyday movements in a safe and controlled way.

“I encourage people to focus on quality rather than speed. Push through the leg that’s on the step rather than pulling yourself up with the other leg, then lower yourself back down over three to five seconds.

“That controlled lowering phase makes your muscles work harder while also improving balance and confidence.”

“I like this exercise because it doesn’t just build strength. It also challenges your balance, coordination and confidence.

“The stronger and steadier you feel on one leg, the more confident you’ll often feel walking outdoors, climbing stairs and staying active.”

Burpees have a well-deserved rep for being tough. My heart is thumping and my muscles are aching after 10 reps.

That’s all to the good. Your body grows stronger and fitter in response to the right amount of challenge.

However, there’s such a thing as too much of a challenge, and one of the advantages of working with an in-person certified personal trainer is that they’ll adjust exercises to your ability—finding the Goldilocks zone where it’s not too easy, but not so hard you hurt yourself.

That’s why I asked NASM-certified trainer Maddy Paupert from Xceleration Fitness in Auburn Hills, Michigan, to show Fit&Well readers how they can scale a burpee.

Here she demonstrates how to do four levels of burpees, starting with the simplest, but she warns that you shouldn’t try to progress between burpee variations too quickly. “Everyone is different. Listen to your body and break down each of the moves: planking, push-ups, hopping from plank to standing and jumping. Focus on doing each of those moves really well and the rest will take care of itself.”

Watch Paupert coach the burpee modifications

1. Step-back burpee

Who it suits: “The step-back burpee is a perfect place for burpee rookies, beginners, people making an exercise comeback or people who are concerned about their joints to start,” says Paupert.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing a box or weight bench.
• Hinge forward from your hips and place your hands on the box, shoulder-width apart.
• Step one foot back at a time, finishing in a high plank position with your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Step your feet back towards your hands and stand upright.
• Focus on form over speed to build strength and confidence in this move, progress by placing your hands on the floor, rather than the box.

How to tell you’re ready to progress: “You’re ready to level up when you can move in and out of the plank without your hips or shoulders sagging and don’t need a break between reps,” says Paupert.

2. Half burpee

Who it suits: “If you feel comfortable holding a strong plank and are ready to start building more power and coordination, this move is for you.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hinge forward from your hips and place your hands on the floor, keeping your shoulders directly over your hands.
• Jump both feet back, landing in a high plank position with a tight core to protect your lower back.
• Jump your feet back towards your hands and stand upright.

How to tell you’re ready to progress: “Once you feel like you’re doing controlled half burpees, instead of crash landings with your feet, can maintain good form, breathe normally and land softly, you’re ready for the next phase: the chest-to-floor burpee."

3. Chest-to-floor burpee

Who it suits: “This one turns the burpee into both a strength exercise and a conditioning workout so it’s best for intermediate and advanced athletes with solid upper-body strength to support the movements.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hinge forward from your hips and place your hands on the floor, keeping your shoulders directly over your hands.
• Jump both feet 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.
• Extend your arms powerfully to return to the high plank position.
• Jump your feet back towards your hands and stand upright.

How to tell you’re ready to progress: “Stay here until you can get off the floor without feeling like it's a negotiation for a Taylor Swift wedding guest invitation. Then it’s time for the show: the full burpee with a jump at the top.”

4. Full burpee

Who it suits: “This is the burpee big time. It works well for experienced athletes who want to improve power, conditioning and overall athletic performance,” says Paupert.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hinge forward from your hips and place your hands on the floor, keeping your shoulders directly over your hands.
• Jump both feet 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.
• Extend your arms powerfully to return to the high plank position.
• Jump your feet back towards your hands.
• Explode up into a vertical jump and raise your arms overhead.
• Land softly, bending your knees and go straight into the next rep.

How to tell you’re ready to progress: “Once you’re doing this version of a burpee, advancement is about maintaining great technique as the intensity increases. However, if after a couple it starts looking more like interpretive dance, it’s time to slow back down and focus on the fundamentals,” she says.

Benefits of burpees

Paupert says burpees are an excellent exercise because they work so many different muscles: “They work 10 major muscle groups all at once, including the abs, calves, chest, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, obliques, triceps and quads while simultaneously blending in cardio.”

This high-intensity exercise is also great for building muscular endurance and cardiovascular health, which is important for sports performance, functional fitness (the kind that makes everyday movement feel easier) and energy levels.

If you’ve been thinking about using a back brace to help you sit a little taller, you may want to think again.

Mallory Behenna, PT, DPT, an orthopedic physical therapist with Brooks Rehabilitation, says that back braces may provide temporary relief but they won’t correct poor posture.

“While posture braces or belts might feel like an easy fix, it’s actually doing the work for your muscles rather than training and strengthening them,” she says. “They can be helpful in the short-term in an acute pain state, but long-term use is not recommended as it can contribute to core weakness and increased postural impairments.”

Instead, Behenna suggests doing the following three exercises every day to realign the spine naturally.

“Real, lasting postural correction comes from strengthening your core, hips and back muscles, building your very own internal muscular brace,” she says.

How to do the three exercises to fix bad posture

Before attempting any new activity, be sure to speak with your medical team. A certified personal trainer can provide guidance on proper form or provide modifications if necessary.

These exercises are appropriate for most fitness levels, but if you have any chronic injuries or conditions—especially in the hip, spine, or knees—get clearance from your doctor prior to starting this program.

You’ll need a yoga mat and a stable raised platform that’s four to eight inches tall, like a stepstool. You should also know how to engage your core.

Behanna recommends doing these exercises daily, but if you’re a beginner, aim for three to four times a week. As you build strength and endurance, gradually add days until you’re doing them five to seven times a week.

She also suggested time and rep ranges for each exercise. Beginners should consider starting at the lower end of the ranges, slowly increasing the difficulty as you get stronger.

1. Plank

Time: 15-60sec

“Planks work your core stability and endurance, which helps with overall balance and stability as well as protecting your spine,” says Behenna. “Don’t let the hips come up too high or sag down too far. Aim to stay in position for 60 seconds and then set longer goals over time.”

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees.
• Engage your core.
• Step your feet behind you.
• Hold your body in a straight line from head to heels.

2. Step-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 each side

“Step-ups require you to use one leg at a time, which can reveal underlying asymmetries of strength,” says Behenna. “All of us have a preferred or stronger side, but working to promote symmetry as much as possible can help prevent prolonged overuse of one side, which can lead to other problems down the road. Use hand supports on a railing/counter if you feel imbalanced. To make this movement more challenging, you can bring your knee toward your chest as you step up.”

How to do it:

• Stand in front of a stable, raised platform.
• Engage your core.
• Place your left foot onto the platform.
• Push through your left foot to extend your left leg and bring your right foot onto the platform.
• Pause briefly.
• Step your left foot behind you onto the floor.
• Step your right foot back to the floor.
• Do all your reps leading with your left foot, then switch sides.

3. Side-lying hip abduction

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 each side

“Hip abductors work to stabilize and keep the pelvis level when walking,” Behenna says. “When doing side-lying hip abduction, be sure to isolate the motion to the hip. You can make sure you are doing this by keeping one hand on the top of the pelvis (iliac crest) and making sure the pelvis does not hike up towards the rib cage when lifting the leg.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your left knee and extend your right leg, keeping your hips vertical.
• Lift your right leg, moving from your hip.
• Hold briefly.
• Lower your right leg to the starting position.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Avoid these four harmful habits that impact posture

In addition to strengthening the appropriate muscles, Behenna suggests avoiding these four common practices that could be sabotaging your posture work.

1. Doomscrolling

Too much screen time can lead to a condition called tech neck—pain that occurs as a result of improper positioning and repetitive strain. Behenna warns that those hours spent hunched over your phone or computer have long-lasting effects on the spine, nerves, and muscles.

“Rounded shoulders can cause and increase neck pain because the muscles that control the shoulder blade are not able to activate in this position,” she says. “This causes the muscles on the top of the shoulder blades going into the neck to have to work harder to hold the arms in place, leading to tightness, limited range of motion, neck pain and headaches.”

2. Carrying heavy bags only on one side

If done with poor form, carrying a heavy purse or bags on one side of your body can result in postural imbalances.

“Holding a very heavy weight on just one side can be beneficial when done correctly; we even use it as an exercise,” Behenna says. “However, it can also be detrimental if you cannot maintain a neutral position against the weight. This puts more stress on the neck, shoulders, thoracolumbar spine and core muscles, which can cause or exacerbate pain.”

3. Sleeping on your stomach

If you’re a stomach sleeper, it may be time to start flipping over. Behenna says that it’s much safer to sleep on your back with pillows supporting your neck in a neutral position.

“I actually love sleeping on my stomach; it is by far my most comfortable position,” she says. “But sleeping on the stomach puts the neck at the end-range of rotation and holds it there for hours, causing more strain on the muscles, joints, and discs in the neck. It can also potentially affect blood flow depending on the range of motion held.”

4. Using the wrong keyboard

You may think that all keyboards are created equal, but that’s not the case. Behenna says that two-thirds of Americans use a keyboard for their job, and that the wrong size can cause carpal tunnel, repetitive strain injury and even spinal dysfunction.

“If it’s too wide, it can cause your posture to be off-center and cause strain, which is commonly seen in people using large gaming keyboards,” she says. “On the other hand, if it’s too small, this can cause shoulder and chest strain. To avoid this, adopt an ergonomic office setup that supports your frame and size.”

If you think your lower back isn’t strong enough to cope with the rigors of day-to-day life, you’d probably expect us to tell you to strengthen your lower back muscles.

But that fatigue you feel at the end of a long day may come from your core not being up to par.

"The core and lower back don't work independently, they function as a team," says Georgia Testa, Pilates instructor and founder of Studio 281.

"When the deep core muscles are strong, they can provide better support for the spine, reducing the need for the lower back to compensate."

Testa recommends two straightforward exercises to her clients that strengthen the deep core muscles and support the lower back.

"Sometimes the most effective exercises are the simplest,” she says, recommending single-leg extensions and toe taps to strengthen the deep core muscles, and encourage better pelvic and spinal alignment.

“Mastering fundamental movements like these can help improve posture, stability and overall back health over time," she adds.

Both exercises help to improve alignment, reduce strain through the lumbar spine and create a stronger foundation for movement.

Testa says these exercises are particularly useful for people with an excessive anterior pelvic tilt, where the pelvis tips too far forward, increasing stress on the lower back—often referred to as swayback posture.

This posture can also make it harder to engage the deep core effectively.

These exercises aim to strengthen the lower muscles of the core, which encourages the pelvis to shift into a more neutral position.

They rely on the weight of your legs to challenge your core, which has to engage to counterbalance them.

"As your legs move away from your body, your core has to work harder to keep your pelvis stable and stop your back from arching,” explains Testa.

Here’s how to do the two moves that Testa recommends.

1. Single leg extension

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 45sec

• Lie on your back with your legs raised, knees directly above your hips and bent to 90°, and your arms by your sides, slightly off the mat.
• Draw your belly button toward your spine to engage your core and lightly connect your lower back with the mat.
• Extend your right leg away from your body so it forms a straight line from your toe to your hip. Keep your left knee bent.
• Return to the starting position and switch sides, extending your left leg while your right remains bent.
• Continue alternating legs with slow, controlled movements.

2. Toe tap

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 45sec

• Lie on your back with your legs raised, knees directly above your hips and bent to 90°, and your arms resting on the floor by your sides.
• Engage your core and maintain contact between your lower back and the mat.
• Keeping your knee at 90° throughout, slowly lower one foot, moving from your hip, to lightly tap your toes on the floor.
• Return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep, keeping your pelvis steady throughout.

It’s my job to find comfy walking shoes at an excellent price and one shoe that I'll always highlight when I see it is the Nike Pegasus.

I tested the Pegasus 41 last year and it made it into my comfort hall of fame for its bouncy soles and soft, luxurious-feeling upper.

The next generation is out, so I’d expect to see reductions, but the deal on the women's pair on Amazon is out of this world—it’s just $79.68.

When I tested the Pegasus 41, I was pleased to find that they were springy underfoot and still had that classic Nike look I love.

They are well ventilated, which makes them great for all sorts of sport and even on a long walk on a hot day, my feet didn't get overly sweaty.

I rated them a 4.5 out of 5 stars when I tested them. They only lose half a star because the regular fit can be slightly snug. However, there are several width options available.

Exercise is a great way to improve the way your body moves and feels day-to-day, and is one of the most reliable ways to extend your healthspan—the number of years you're in good health.

Both Pilates and weight training are commonly recommended as types of exercise that can improve your healthspan, but is one better than the other?

I asked two experts to discuss which exercise style is better for people in their 60s and 70s.

Meet the experts:
Alex Lyons is a Pilates instructor at JETSET Pilates with mat, anatomy, and reformer certifications, as well as being a NASM-certified personal trainer.

Lee Bell is a senior lecturer in sport and exercise science at Sheffield Hallam University, and a strength and conditioning coach.

What is weight training and what are the benefits?

Weight training improves muscular strength and muscle mass by using challenging levels of external resistance, although, depending on your ability, you can also use resistance bands or your own bodyweight to gain the same effect.

"Having more muscle mass is really important. It's perhaps the key thing for older adults," Bell says.

This is because as you age, you naturally lose muscle mass, which can impact your independence and quality of life.

"Strength training also puts you in positions that reflect everyday life," Bell adds, explaining that it teaches functional movement, which can reduce the risk of injury.

What is Pilates and what are the benefits?

Pilates is a low-impact workout that can help strengthen the core and improve mobility, alignment and balance.

It's generally a mat-based workout, sometimes incorporating light dumbbells, Pilates balls or rings. It can also be done on a reformer machine, which is a frame with a sliding carriage and adjustable straps that provide resistance.

"Pilates develops deep core strength, improves posture, enhances joint mobility, and reinforces movement patterns that support everyday activities, like carrying groceries to climbing stairs, or playing with grandchildren," Lyons explains.

"Just as importantly, it builds body awareness and balance, both of which play a significant role in reducing fall risk."

Is Pilates or weight training better for healthy aging?

One of the biggest differences between weight training and Pilates is that weight training will more effectively build muscle, even though Pilates is classified as a type of strength training.

You might build muscle with Pilates, but that's not necessarily the primary goal, and as you're generally not lifting heavy weights or increasing the weight you lift over time, you won't be progressively overloading your workouts, which is one of the principles behind effectively building muscle.

"It might get to a point with Pilates, where there's not enough of a challenge because all you've got as an external challenge is gravity," Bell says.

Lyons agrees: "If the goal is optimizing long-term health, particularly maintaining bone density and muscle mass, some form of weight-bearing or progressive resistance is strongly recommended."

How do I choose which type of exercise is right for me?

Even though weight training is optimal, there are still plenty of benefits to doing Pilates, particularly if you don't currently have an exercise routine.

"Doing Pilates consistently is better than remaining inactive and many adults achieve meaningful improvements in strength, posture, flexibility and balance through Pilates alone," Lyons says.

And despite specialising in strength training, Bell wouldn't necessarily recommend it to everyone straight off the bat.

"It should be 100% down to what you enjoy more," he says. "People who are new to exercise, regardless of age, need to try as many things as possible, and take out the things that you don't like.

"Unless you're an elite level athlete, enjoyment has to be top of the list," he adds.

Should you combine Pilates and weight training?

If you're training more than twice a week, consider making space in your routine for both disciplines.

"Pilates and strength training complement each other exceptionally well because they develop different qualities," Lyons says.

"Pilates creates a strong foundation by improving alignment, stability, mobility and movement quality.

"Traditional resistance training is highly effective for building muscle mass and bone density, which naturally decline with age," she adds.

You don’t need to spend hours exercising.

Workouts that incorporate compound exercises, which hit multiple muscle groups at once and quickly raise the heart rate, mean you can spend less time on your workout.

You can squeeze in some quick exercise during even the shortest of lunch breaks and still feel like you worked hard.

Moves such as the plank walkout, mountain climbers and bear crawls, which each engage multiple muscles and joints, are an effective way to get the most out of your limited time.

Rather than isolating one muscle group like a biceps curl, these compound moves engage your upper body, lower body and core simultaneously.

Moves like burpees and walkouts, which I've included in my five-move lunch break workout below, combine strength training with cardio so they help to build muscle and improve cardiovascular fitness.

Bear crawls and walkouts mimic natural movement patterns, so they improve functional fitness—increasing balance, stability and coordination—which we can lose as we get older unless we work on them.

​You don't need any equipment for the full-body moves in this workout, making it an ideal circuit to run through during a quick 15-minute lunch break.

How to do this 15-minute home workout

Work your way through these five exercises:

1. Plank walkout
2. Burpee
3. Bear crawl
4. Mountain climber
5. Plank

Aim to do each move for 30 seconds, taking a 20-second rest between exercises. Do them back to back, then take one minute of recovery time when you’ve completed all five exercises. Repeat the sequence two more times, making it three rounds in total, in just 15 minutes.

Here’s how to do each move.

1. Plank walkout

Time: 30sec Rest: 20sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Raise your hands above your head, then hinge forward from your hips and bend your knees to place your hands on the floor.
• Walk your hands forward until you reach a high plank position, with your hands under your shoulders, arms extended and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Briefly hold the plank position, then walk your hands back towards your feet and stand up.

2. Burpee

Time: 30sec Rest: 20sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hinge forward from your hips and bend your knees to place your hands on the floor.
• Jump or step your feet back into a high plank position.
• Optional: bend your elbows to lower your body to the floor, then extend your arms to push back up into a high plank.
• Jump or step your feet back to your hands, then jump straight up, raising your arms overhead.
• Land softly and go straight into the next rep.

3. Bear crawl

Time: 30sec Rest: 20sec

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your knees a few inches off the floor, keeping your back flat.
• Move your right hand and left foot forward at the same time.
• Then move your left hand and right foot together.
• Continue moving forward to the end of the mat, keeping your knees off the mat throughout.
• When you get to the end, reverse the movements back to the starting position.

4. Mountain climber

Time: 30sec Rest: 20sec

How to do it:

• Start in a high plank position, with your core engaged, arms extended, hands under your shoulders, feet shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Keeping your hands directly under your shoulders throughout, bring your right knee towards your left elbow.
• Return to the start, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep, keeping your hips facing the floor and core braced.

5. Plank

Time: 30sec Rest: 60sec

How to do it:

• Support your body on your forearms and toes, with your core engaged, elbows underneath your shoulders, and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Hold the position for 30 seconds and avoid holding your breath. Avoid letting your hips sag or rise.
• Look slightly ahead beyond your hands, or down to keep your neck neutral.

Recently, my physical therapist recommended glute bridge marches to strengthen my pelvic floor muscles, and while the exercise definitely helped that issue, I noticed another positive impact.

My sore knees were starting to feel better, too. They usually hurt a few miles into my regular runs and, sometimes, in everyday situations, too. It was in this latter scenario where I’d started to see a decrease in pain.

Intrigued, I reached out to Dr Andrew Gorecki, DPT, FAFS, for his thoughts on why glute bridge marches might be easing the pain.

“Glute bridge marches are one of the most useful exercises in my clinic for knee pain,” says the physical therapist, owner of Superior Physical Therapy and co-founder of MovementRx.

“But they only work when the knee pain is being driven by weak glutes. Most of the time it is.

“Glute bridge marches strengthen the glutes without putting weight on the knee. You're building the muscle that protects the knee without aggravating the knee itself.”

After speaking with Gorecki, I decided to try an experiment: I would do glute bridge marches every day for two weeks to see if I could continue lessening my knee pain.

Things to keep in mind before trying glute bridge marches

Before starting any new activity or exercise program, be sure to get clearance from your doctor. A certified personal trainer can ensure you’re performing this exercise safely and with the correct form.

Gorecki points out that glute bridge marches aren’t recommended for everyone. “If the knee pain is acute, recent, post-surgical, or coming from something other than weak glutes, this isn’t the right exercise,” he advises.

“[If you have] a meniscus tear, a fresh ACL injury, a swollen knee, or significant arthritis with effusion, skip it.

“Glute bridge marches can also flare up low back pain or SI joint problems if the technique slips,” he adds.

“The pelvis has to stay level while one leg lifts. A weak core lets the back take the load. The rule I give patients is: if it produces a mild burn in the side of the hip, you're doing it right. If it produces sharp knee pain, low back pain, or hip pinching, stop and get evaluated.”

How to do the glute bridge march

Sets: 1 Reps: 5-15 each side

You’ll just need a yoga mat for this exercise. If you’re unable to get onto the floor, lie on a bed, couch, or massage table instead.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off the mat.
• Lift your left foot off the floor and bring your left knee towards your chest.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower your left foot back to the mat.
• Lift your right foot off the floor and bring your right knee towards your chest.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower your right foot back to the mat.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

How often I did the glute bridge march

Since I’m no stranger to glute exercises, I started off my experiment by doing glute bridge marches for 12 reps on each leg as a part of my workout warm-ups.

Once I reached the halfway point of seven days, I realized that I wasn’t getting the same fatigue in my glutes as I was on day one, so I increased my reps to 15 on each leg. That continued to be a challenge until the final day of my experiment.

If you’re a beginner and want to try glute bridge marches for yourself, I’d start with no more than 8-10 reps on each leg. Be sure to focus on proper form.

Here’s what I found after two weeks of daily glute bridge marches.

1. My knee pain diminished during runs

My first instance of IT band syndrome—a condition that causes pain on the outside of the knee—popped up during my training for a 10K race. I’ve been battling it on and off for almost 10 years.

Unfortunately, returning to running after pregnancy has also meant a return of my IT band pain.

Overtraining and improper running form are two major culprits of this type of pain, so I knew that I had to address those factors.

“When the gluteus medius is weak, the femur rotates inward,” Gorecki explains.

“The kneecap tracks poorly. It grinds against tissue it shouldn't be touching. That shows up as patellofemoral pain, IT band irritation, or a dull ache in the front of the knee that gets worse on stairs.”

I dropped my mileage and started my daily glute bridge marches. Since I only run twice a week, I wasn’t sure that I’d see any noticeable improvement until after the two-week period was up.

However, my run on day eight of the experiment felt great. I usually feel my knee pain kick in around mile four, but I was able to make it over five miles without any issues.

My second run of that week, on day 12 of my two-week experiment, was also pain-free.

2. My runs got slightly faster

With less pain and more confidence, I noticed that my runs in week two of the experiment were a little faster than usual.

It wasn’t a huge speed difference—a few seconds per mile—but it was nice to see that the daily glute work was having a positive effect on my performance.

I’ll be curious to see if my runs continue to get faster if I keep glute bridge marches in my pre-run routine.

3. My knees felt more stable when going down stairs

I’ve always had a little instability and pain when going down stairs, which can happen with a lot of knee conditions.

By the end of my two week experiment, I noticed that I wasn’t gripping the railing anymore when going down the stairs at my gym. My knees didn’t buckle or feel shaky, and I didn’t feel the familiar ache I usually get.

I remembered Gorecki’s comment on the gluteus medius impacting knee pain on stairs, and noted this new improvement as yet another positive from my daily glute bridge marches.

This was all the evidence I needed to keep single-leg glute work—whether it be marches or another glute medius-targeting exercise—in my routine.

Walking is beneficial for both mental and physical wellbeing.

It helped me rebuild my cardiovascular fitness and lower body strength post-caesarean section, and was also an essential part of my recovery from postnatal depression.

Four years on, I was still walking every day, but it had begun to feel monotonous. This coincided with the onset of winter last year, which in Yorkshire in the U.K. can be particularly brutal—with short days, freezing temperatures and bitter winds.

I also suffer from seasonal depression, and once the New Year festivities were over, I wondered how I would keep up my walking habit. I own a walking pad, but I find the mental benefits of walking in fresh air and the physical challenge of mixed terrain beat walking indoors.

During a visit to my local bookstore in January, I came across How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days by Dr Kari Leibowitz, who is a health psychologist. The book chronicles Leibowitz’s research into how mindset can change how someone experiences winter.

One of the chapters that most intrigued me was on something she called awe walks. The idea is to engage all five senses during walks so that it becomes a multisensory experience.

Mentally slowing down and being contemplative during a walk allows you to take in your surroundings and find things that inspire awe, which, over time, should improve mood.

So, I put it to the test. The results have been transformative for my mental health.

What happened when I started taking awe walks

My usual route had become a repetitive walk around the same houses, same busy road, same grey skies, and the same town center where nothing ever happened. But putting the principles behind awe walks into practice slowly transformed the experience. My perspective began to change and I noticed something new every day.

I saw hand-painted murals in alleyways, which I hadn’t noticed before. I marvelled at the architecture of beautifully preserved Victorian-era buildings. I paid close attention to nature, observing week by week how bare tree branches slowly developed buds before blossoming.

Noticing small details on my daily walk—from the birdsong on one particular corner of my street, the sun’s rays breaking through marvellous cumulus clouds in a light blue sky, to the coolness of a breeze rippling over me—did inspire awe.

I’ve continued with this walking habit throughout the winter and spring, and can feel the mental health benefits. There’s an increased serotonin release, for sure.

What is the science behind awe walks?

I shared my personal experience with Leibowitz, who told me that scientific research backs up my findings.

“In my book I mention a landmark study by Dr Virginia Sturm at UC San Francisco in which participants take awe walks twice a week over eight weeks,” she says.

“What researchers found was an increase in self-reported mood and positive emotions, not just while participants were walking but also when they weren’t. People were better able to manage the stresses of everyday life.”

Leibowitz says the researchers also asked participants to take selfies during their awe walks. Over time, they noticed that the participants’ smiles were getting wider, and that they were including more of the background in their selfies.

“This signaled that people felt more connected to the world around them, reflecting a positive small sense of self,” she explains. “Overall, people had greater joy, greater pro-social positive emotions and larger decreases in daily distress when they were taking awe walks.”

You don’t have to live near rolling green fields or in close proximity to nature either. Leibowitz confirms that awe walks can also be helpful in built-up cities.

“While we know that nature is a pretty reliable way to induce awe, it doesn’t have to be nature. You can use whatever is around you to inspire feelings of awe,” she says.

“It’s not better or worse to feel awe in response to nature versus anything else. Whether you get awe from a cityscape, or from meeting up with friends for a drink at the pub and then walking home and thinking about how magical it is that you are alive at the same time and have found each other.

“There are so many of these little miracles of being alive that if you can let yourself dwell on them sincerely, they can inspire feelings of awe.”

How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days by Dr Kari Leibowitz is out now in paperback.

There are endless workout routines online to pick from, so you’ll never be wanting for ideas, but you can save yourself a lot of time by having a tried-and-tested formula to fall back on.

There are plenty of those floating around as well, but not so many that let you shape the workouts to your preferences.

That’s what I love about this strength training formula from Lee Bell, strength and conditioning coach and senior lecturer in sport and exercise science at Sheffield Hallam University.

He’s provided a list of example exercises for three different movement patterns. He calls it a constraints-led approach and told me it works especially well for people who work out from home.

“A constraints-led approach provides someone with a framework, but then it allows them to make executive decisions of what fits that framework,” he explains.

Bell says this is a great method to try if you often become bored by working out. “It’s more motivating—there’s more autonomy,” he says.

“For me, being interested in and enjoying the workout is much more important than having a very rigid, inflexible workout plan.”

“If me and you did the same program, but you pick the exercises and I have to follow you around the gym, the chances are you’ll progress better than me, because you’ve got ownership and you’re picking things that you know work best for you,” Bell says.

Full-body home workout formula

Pick one exercise from each grouping below and voilà, you have a full-body workout. Repeat this format regularly, but feel free to vary which exercise you choose from each group, as long as you do one from each category.

“I don’t mind what you pick because they’re all going to train the same muscle,” says Bell, “but you pick what you feel works best for you.”

Squat pattern

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12

Choose one of the following exercises and complete the above sets and reps for the move you choose.

Sit to stand

• Sit on the front half of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor.
• Push through your feet to stand up, keeping your chest lifted and avoiding using your hands if possible.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to slowly lower yourself back to the chair with control.

Goblet squat

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in both hands close to your chest.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, keeping your chest up and your knees aligned over your foot.
• Press through your heels to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Dumbbell split squat

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart holding dumbbells by your sides, then take a big step back to adopt a split stance, with your front foot flat and your back heel lifted.
• Bend both knees to lower straight down until your front thigh is close to parallel with the floor, keeping your torso upright.
• Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.

Upper-body push

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12

Choose one of the following exercises and complete the above sets and reps for the move you choose.

Dumbbell lateral raise

• Stand holding dumbbells by your sides with a slight bend in your elbows.
• Raise the dumbbells out to the sides until they reach shoulder height, keeping your shoulders relaxed and avoiding swinging.
• Lower the dumbbells back to your sides with control.

Dumbbell overhead press

• Stand or sit holding dumbbells at shoulder height, with your palms facing forwards and elbows underneath the weights.
• Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended,without arching your lower back.
• Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.

Single-arm kettlebell overhead press

• Hold a kettlebell in one hand in the rack position, with your wrist straight, hand by your shoulder, elbow close to your body and the kettlebell resting on the back of your forearm.
• Brace your core and press the kettlebell overhead until your arm is fully extended.
• Lower the kettlebell back to the rack position with control.

Upper-body pull

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12

Choose one of the following exercises and complete the above sets and reps for the move you choose.

Biceps curl

• Stand holding dumbbells with your arms by your sides and your palms facing forwards.
• Keeping your elbows close to your body, bend your elbows to curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.
• Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement.

Bent-over row

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Engage your core.
• Hinge forward from your hips and push your hips back, bending your knees slightly and keeping your back flat.
• Pull the dumbbells up to your lower ribs, drawing your elbows past your torso, keeping your shoulders level and your back flat.
• Lower the dumbbells with control.

Kettlebell high pull

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, a kettlebell on the floor in front of you.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees slightly to lower and grasp the handle of the kettlebell.
• Pull the kettlebell off the floor and let it swing between your legs.
• Push your hips forward explosively to swing the kettlebell in front of you, bending your elbow to pull the kettlebell to the side of your head.
• Reverse the movement to control the descent of the kettlebell, hinging at the hips to go straight into the next repetition.

There’s nothing like a sharp cramping in your side to bring your run to a premature halt. While stitches can hinder even the most experienced athletes, they’re especially common if you’re new to running, but they're also easily preventable.

Officially known as exercise-related transient abdominal pain, stitches typically present as a sharp pain around the ribcage.

According to Jill Becker, a certified running coach and personal trainer at Life Time Westminster in Colorado, “cramps can be caused by a spasm in the diaphragm or stomach irritation”.

Although the exact cause is still debated, the current consensus is that stitches result from irritation to the parietal peritoneum—the membrane that lines your abdominal cavity.

Whatever the underlying cause, one thing is for certain: no one wants a stitch to derail their run.

That’s why I asked Becker to explain what might trigger a stitch and offer some guidance on what to do when one strikes.

From eating too close to your workout to irregular breathing patterns, here are all the common missteps you could be making.

Five things that may cause a stitch

1. Eating right before a run

Whether you’re embarking on a 20-mile trail run or an easy three-mile route around the block, fueling mistakes could bring on a stitch. To avoid one, Becker says that you should never eat right before a run.

“Always allow 30 minutes to two hours depending on the intensity of your run and your experience,” she says, adding that high-fat and high-fiber foods should be avoided in particular because they take longer to digest.

The same applies to hydration. While drinking enough water before you head out could help reduce your risk of getting a stitch, Becker advises against drinking large amounts too quickly, especially during a run, because overloading your stomach can increase your chances of getting a stitch.

2. Breathing irregularly or shallowly

For new runners, erratic breathing can cause a multitude of issues, but the dreaded side stitch is the most common.

An uneven breathing pattern may disrupt the normal function of your diaphragm, so Becker urges you to focus on controlled breathing.

“Consider walking and building up to a run to keep your breathing even,” she says.

The same goes for shallow breaths, which leave your diaphragm in a high, tense position. For this, Becker says you should focus on deep belly breathing, which activates deep core muscles.

Also known as diaphragmatic breathing, this is the practice of drawing air deep into the lungs by contracting your diaphragm rather than expanding your chest.

3. Improper running form

Few of us will achieve perfect running form and that’s OK. Unless the way you run is causing injury, it’s often wise to let your form naturally improve as you run more.

But Becker identifies some elements that may cause a stitch. “Sluggish posture and an improper foot strike can all bring on a stitch,” says Becker.

Slouching, for example, can constrict your chest and interrupt your breathing, while fatiguing your core can overwork the diaphragm, consequently causing a stitch.

An inefficient foot strike or excessive twisting through the torso can also create jarring forces that contribute to the problem.

4. Starting out too quickly

To keep stitches at bay, avoid the temptation to set off too quickly at the start of your run. By pushing your pace too early, you risk an irregular breathing pattern and bad form, both of which can bring on that cramping sensation.

“Always start runs conservatively instead,” says Becker. “Don’t go out too hard, and ease into your run gently to regulate your breathing rhythm, and focus on your mechanics.”

5. Skipping a warm-up

Warming up before a run is essential for priming your muscles and avoiding strain or injury. It can also help to prevent a stitch during your workout.

By gradually increasing your heart rate and stimulating blood flow to the core, you avoid a sudden onset of physical stress on the diaphragm.

“A dynamic warm-up is key,” says Becker. She suggests working on all planes of motion, including movements like overhead side bends, trunk twists, side steps and high knees.

How to get rid of a stitch

If a stitch does strike, don’t try to run through the pain as this can make it worse.

“Stop running or slow down to a walk,” suggests Becker. “Lean to the other side of where your stitch is to try to stretch your core and lengthen the diaphragm.

“You can also try putting your arms overhead in an upright posture, exhaling forcefully when your opposite foot strikes the ground, and pressing fingers into the cramp and massaging the area.”

It can be difficult to find the time to fit exercise into your day, but it’s worth remembering that even short spells of activity add up to significantly better health.

Sometimes a rejuvenating 10-minute yoga flow is the best option, but at other times, you may want to push yourself a bit harder.

In which case, you’ll want to try this 10-minute full-body dumbbell workout from ACE-certified trainer Melyssa Allen.

“This metabolic conditioning circuit combines cardio and strength training to hit every major muscle group efficiently,” she says.

“The format uses four moves completed in three rounds, making it perfect for anyone short on time but ready to work.”

You’ll do each workout for a set period of time, which makes the workout more suitable for a variety of abilities.

While Allen advises that each time window will typically result in you completing between 10 and 15 reps, remember that form is always more important than speed, so try not to rush. If you can only fit a few reps into the set time, that’s fine.

Run through the following routine three times, and let us know how it goes in the comments.

Watch Allen demonstrate each exercise in the full-body dumbbell workout

Warm-up

Time: 1min

For a quick warm-up, Allen has programmed bodyweight versions of the exercises in the workout. Do each of the following exercises for 15 seconds.

1. Side lunge
2. Reverse lunge
3. Sumo squat
4. Squat with overhead reach

1. Side lunge to row

Time: 45sec Rest: 0sec

“The side lunge challenges lateral movement patterns that most workouts skip, while the row adds upper body and core engagement,” says Allen.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward, holding dumbbells by your sides, palms facing and shoulders relaxed.
• Push your hips back and bend your right knee, lowering the dumbbells to either side of your right knee, keeping your left leg straight, your chest up and your back flat.
• At the bottom of the side lunge, exhale and lift the weights toward your belly button, keeping your elbows close to your body.
• Lower the weights, then push through your right foot to return to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Make it easier: Use one dumbbell instead of two, holding it by both ends.

Bodyweight option: Place your hands on your thighs for support.

Muscles targeted: Glutes, inner thighs (adductors), hamstrings and upper back (rhomboids, lats).

2. Reverse lunge with rotation

Time: 45sec Rest: 0sec

“Adding rotation to a reverse lunge fires up the obliques and improves rotational strength, which is critical for everyday movement and spine health,” explains Allen. “It's a full lower-body and core move in one.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding one dumbbell by both ends at chest height.
• Step your right foot back, keeping your feet hip-width apart.
• Bend both knees to 90° lower, keeping your shoulders in line with your hips.
• At the bottom of the movement, rotate your chest to the left, lowering the weight to your left hip in a smooth chopping motion.
• Bring the dumbbell back to center, then push through your left foot to return to the standing position.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Make it easier: Try the exercise with no weight, bringing your hands to your chest and rotating your torso over your front knee as you lunge. This bodyweight modification still preserves the core rotation benefit.

Muscles targeted: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, obliques and core.

3. Sumo squat to biceps curl

Time: 45sec Rest: 0sec

“The sumo squat has a wide, turned-out stance that specifically targets the inner thighs and glutes in a way a standard squat doesn't,” says Allen.

“Pairing it with a biceps curl adds upper-body work without losing the lower-body challenge.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, and your toes angled out at around 45°, holding dumbbells in front of your hips, palms facing away from you.
• Tuck your tailbone under your hips, squeeze your glutes and bend your knees, lowering toward the floor. Keep your knees over your toes.
• Rise to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement. As you’re coming up, bend your elbows to lift curl the dumbbells to your shoulders, then lower with control.

Alternative: You can curl the weights as you lower into the squat and lower them as you come back to standing.

Make it easier: Hold one dumbbell by both ends and perform the same sequence.

Muscles targeted: Glutes, inner thighs (adductors), quads and biceps.

4. Squat to overhead press to triceps extension

Time: 60sec Rest: 30sec

“This triple-threat finisher hits three muscle groups in one fluid sequence—lower body, shoulders and triceps—making it the perfect burnout move to close each round,” says Allen.

“The longer 60-second window accounts for the added complexity of the three-part movement.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart or slightly wider, holding dumbbells in front of your shoulders with your palms facing and elbows pointing forward.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, keeping your chest up and core engaged.
• Drive through your heels to stand, squeezing your glutes and exhaling as you press the dumbbells overhead. At the top of the movement, your biceps should be level with your ears. Keep your shoulders down throughout.
• Bring the dumbbells together above your head, then bend your elbows to lower them behind your head with control. Keep your elbows pointing forward and close to your head.
• Exhale to bring the weights back overhead, then lower to shoulder height.

Alternative: press overhead as you rise from the squat for a smoother flow.

Make it easier: Hold one dumbbell by both ends at the chest. Squat, then press overhead, then lower behind the head. Keep the core tight throughout the overhead position.

Muscles targeted: Quads, glutes, shoulders (deltoids), triceps and core.

Few of us have never experienced tension, aching or even pain up the back of your neck after doing a few too many crunches.

The pain could be down to poor technique, using your neck muscles to compensate for a weak core, or just overdoing the exercise.

“The positioning of the hands pulling the head up as the torso flexes increases the lower neck movement and creates significant intervertebral loading,” offers Nicholas Rolnick, a physical therapist and strength and conditioning coach who owns The Human Mechanic—a neck pain specialist practice in Manhattan, New York.

Intervertebral loading is the pressure placed on the cushioning structures between the vertebrae, called discs.

“Flexion [bending the head forward] is typically a sensitive position for most people, as the majority work at a desk,” explains Rolnick.

When you want to train your core muscles, Rolnick says you should always consider neck and back alignment to minimize your injury risk.

I asked Rolnick to select three alternatives to regular crunches that aren’t a pain in the neck, but still offer a solid core workout.

“They are easily scalable with minimal to no equipment required,” says Rolnick of his chosen exercises.

“They properly target the deep neck flexors without increasing lower neck flexion, allowing them to be performed for much longer without irritation.”

1. Partial crunch

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-12

This exercise still works the rectus abdominis and the internal and external obliques, but shortens the range of motion compared with a typical crunch to reduce neck flexion and hip flexor activation.

“Leverage forceful exhalation to further increase both pelvic tilting (lower abs) and slight torso flexion (upper abs),” says Rolnick.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms over your head at eye level.
• Press your back into the floor to engage your core and keep your chin tucked.
• Forcefully exhale as you lift your head, neck and shoulder blades off to reach your hands toward the ceiling.
• Hold the top position for one second before lowering slowly.

Make it harder: Add more reps, weight, or increase your lowering time to make the exercise harder. If you can complete more than 15 reps in the last set for a couple of workouts in a row, perform the exercise while holding a 2-3lb plate or dumbbell, returning to a starting point of 10 reps. Try to add one or two more reps per set, per workout.

Make it easier: Reduce the range of motion, reps, or sets if you find this exercise too difficult.

2. Penguin

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-12 each side

“This exercise is similar to the previous one, as we must lift our shoulder blades off the mat,” says Rolnick.

“However, here we are working on the endurance of the rectus abdominis and active shortening and lengthening of the oblique muscles.

“It also builds neck flexor endurance, which can stave off or reduce the risk of future neck issues.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms along your sides, holding them slightly off the floor.
• Press your back into the floor and tuck your chin against your neck.
• Forcefully exhale and lift your head, neck and shoulder blades off the floor.
• Reach your left hand toward your left ankle, then come back to center and do the same on the other side, all without lowering your upper body.
• Alternate from side to side, completing all reps before lowering your head to the floor.

Make it harder: Increasing the angle of your knees will add more range of motion to your side bend. You can then hold 1-2lb dumbbells in each hand, which will increase ab involvement.

Make it easier: Decrease the angle of your knee bend or touch your shoulder blades to the floor between each rep or half rep.

3. Plank twist

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-12 each side

“This exercise is a twist—no pun intended—on a traditional plank,” says Rolnick.

“Here you are working on cross-body stabilization and neck strengthening, while targeting the similar muscles of the two other exercises.”

“The twist adds more movement stabilization requirements for the obliques without involving the scapular stabilizers.”

How to do it:

• Assume a high plank position, supporting yourself on your hands and toes, with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Engage your core, tuck your tailbone under and press your palms into the floor to round your upper back as much as possible.
• Reach your right hand under your left arm as far as you can while maintaining the position.
• Hold for one second, then return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Make it harder: Pass a small dumbbell from side to side to increase the eccentric demand on the opposing abdominal region.

Make it easier: Skip the reach-through and simply lift one hand off the floor, then put it back down.

Stiff joints don’t always respond well to intensive stretching.

Forcing your body into uncomfortable positions when you have a limited range of motion is often counterproductive.

"One of the biggest mistakes people who lack mobility make is trying to beat their body into submission with aggressive stretching," argues certified personal trainer Carter Lee.

"That just makes your nervous system tighten up even more to protect itself."

A smarter approach, according to the coach from BetterMe, is to signal to your body and brain that it is safe to move, mobilize and relax.

"These exercises work because they are relatively low-threat," continues Lee.

"By using chairs for balance and lying on the floor to take the weight off, you’re essentially whispering to your brain that it’s safe to move."

In this four-move gentle mobility workout for stiff joints, Lee recommends using light ankle weights for the second exercise to create space around your hip socket.

"This added resistance provides traction to alleviate bone-on-bone sensations while giving your brain the sensory feedback to better control the joint," he explains.

How to do the workout

Lee recommends using these four moves as a gentle mobility routine.

The first time you attempt these moves your body is likely to resist the unfamiliar exercises, but gradually it will relent.

"Instead of static stretching, such as holding a pose for 30 seconds, improving mobility for stiff joints requires active movement," he says.

Perform each move for 30-60 seconds, resting as required, then as your mobility improves, repeat the routine two or three times.

"Consistency beats intensity every single time in this game," says Lee.

1. Side-lying leg lift with tap

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Lie on your side with one leg on top of the other.
• Slowly lift your top leg while keeping your hips vertically aligned, rather than allowing your top hip to roll forward or back.
• Now carefully bring your top leg forward to tap the floor in front of you.
• Then lift and tap the floor behind you.
• Continue for time, then repeat on the other side.

Lee says: "By targeting the gluteus medius, this exercise helps open up the hips in preparation for the demands of the day.

“For stiff people, this is crucial to stabilize the pelvis, which in turn reduces referred stiffness that can affect the lower back and knees."

2. Single-leg knee drive

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with one hand on a chair for balance.
• Moving with control, bend your knee as you lift it to hip height.
• Lower slowly, placing your foot back on the floor.
• Continue for time, then repeat on the other side.

Lee says: “Using ankle weights with this exercise helps create tiny amounts of space around the hip socket. This allows the synovial fluid to coat the joint surfaces more effectively than unweighted movement.”

3. Lateral weight shift

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with your hands clasped together in front of your chest.
• Bend your knees slightly and push your hips back to lower into a quarter squat, with your knees wide and chest facing forward.
• Step to your side, maintaining the quarter squat, for three paces.
• Keeping low, step back to the start.
• Continue, moving slowly and with control, rather than rushing.

Lee says: “Some of the body’s daily stiffness can be attributed to the fact that most of our day we are only moving in one direction: forward.

“This exercise will promote hip mobility and lower-body strength, crucial elements for a long and independent life.”

4. Chair-supported quad stretch

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with your back to a chair and position another chair to your side for support.
• Place the top of your left foot onto the chair behind you and grasp the other chair to provide balance.
• Tuck your tailbone under to avoid arching your lower back.
• Bend your right knee to lower, feeling a gentle stretch down the front of your left thigh.
• Pause, then extend your right leg to stand upright.

Lee says: "This targets the rectus femoris, the big quad muscle in the front of your thigh, along with the psoas that connects your lower spine to thigh bone. When stiff, they pull the pelvis into a tilt that can cause phantom back pain.

"A unilateral exercise, this move demands decent balance and strength to complete, so make sure the additional chair is sturdy and can support your bodyweight. Proper form is crucial with this exercise."

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.

While Nikkii Behrens, founder of Rare Pilates and Nikkii Health, is a Pilates instructor, she has many more strings to her bow. She is a qualified nutritionist, yoga teacher, sleep specialist, meditation coach, breathwork practitioner and Reiki master as well.

She says exercise is important to her because it gives her the energy she needs.

“My priority has never been chasing a certain body,” she tells Fit&Well. “I train to move well, have energy and stay healthy for the long term. I want to be able to keep up with life, travel, run businesses, and now chase after my son. Looking good is a bonus, but feeling capable is the real goal.

“I also exercise because it clears my mind—it’s my form of self-care,” she says. Her weekly routine is a mix of mat and reformer Pilates, as well as strength training, mobility work and plenty of holistic recovery, including regular sound baths.

Below she has shared details of what a recent week of workouts and recovery looked like.

Nikkii Behrens weekly workout routine

Monday 8am
Strength x Pilates: full-body focus

Tuesday 9am
Reformer Pilates: obliques, core and upper body

Wednesday 8am
Reformer Pilates: lower body

Thursday 12pm
Long walk with pooch and family

Friday 8am
Yoga x Pilates fusion: stretch and tone

Saturday 9am
Rest day: sound healing

Sunday 9am
Mat Pilates: full body

Nikkii Behrens’ tips for building an effective workout routine

Move every day and choose something you actually enjoy

Behrens sets an intention to do some kind of movement every day.

“Movement is one of the best investments you can make in your future health,” says Behrens. “It improves strength, posture, bone density, cardiovascular health, mental wellbeing and longevity.”

Her weekly workout routine always has Pilates at the foundation “because it builds strength, mobility, stability and body awareness without constantly stressing the body.” She also makes sure she dedicates time to recovery, a weekly functional strength workout and daily walks with her dog.

“That doesn’t mean every session has to be intense—some days it’s a full Pilates workout, other days it’s simply a walk or mobility session. Consistency always beats perfection and you are far more likely to stay consistent if you actually look forward to it,” she says.

Focus on consistency over intensity

Behrens recommends committing to three or four workouts a week for the long term instead of going for it every day for two weeks and then stopping.

“Over the years, I’ve learnt that movement doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” she says. “Even 20-30 minutes counts, and if life gets busy, I simply adapt instead of skipping it altogether.”

She spends between 30 to 50 minutes exercising, because “I don’t believe you need to spend hours exercising. A well-designed, focused session is far more effective than simply working out for longer.”

Behrens says she tries to train first thing as it sets the tone for the day. “It gives me energy and means I’m less likely to skip it once work and life get busy. But ultimately, the best time to exercise is the time you’ll consistently stick to.”

Train for life, not just aesthetics

Motivation is a myth—routine is more reliable, says Behrens. She says scheduling exercise like a meeting makes it more likely you will stick to it.

“I don’t rely on motivation because it’s unreliable. Exercise is scheduled into my day like any other important appointment. Once it’s a habit, you don’t have to negotiate with yourself every morning.”

“The basics still work: move your body regularly, build strength, walk often, recover well, eat nutritious food most of the time and be patient. Sustainable habits will always outperform quick fixes. That’s what creates a body that feels as good as it looks, not just for summer, but for life.”

We can’t stop time, but we can take action to keep feeling physically young.

For Tatiana Schloessman, a certified Pilates instructor and the founder of Élan Pilates Studios, Westlake Village, that starts with keeping her legs strong.

“Lower body strength is one of the greatest predictors of healthy aging and independence,” she tells Fit&Well. “Your youth is in your legs.

“Strong legs and hips allow us to climb stairs, get up from a chair, carry light and heavy items, maintain balance, and reduce the risk of falls.

“The stronger your lower body, the more freedom and confidence you'll have for years to come.”

Schloessman says that age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) speeds up when we don’t actively train.

“Building strength isn’t just about looking fit; it’s about being stronger and preserving the ability to live life on your own terms,” she says.

Schloessman thinks that Pilates offers a unique way to develop lower-body strength, with a little extra benefit that most traditional workouts miss.

“Rather than just adding resistance, Pilates emphasizes precision, control, proper alignment, and full range of motion,” she explains.

“During Pilates exercises, the legs work together with the core, glutes, hips and ankles, so you’re doing more than building muscle; you’re strengthening the hip, knee and ankle joints as well.”

I asked Schloessman to share her three favorite Pilates exercises to strengthen the lower body.

You’ll need a mat, a weight and a slider (or a towel) to give it a go.

1. Bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart.
• Engage your core and push through your heels to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line.
• Inhale and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
• Exhale and slowly lower back to the starting position.

Primary muscles worked: glutes, hamstrings, core and pelvic floor.

“If I could only choose one exercise for beginners, bridge would be at the top of my list,” says Schloessman.

“It strengthens the glutes, hamstrings and core while improving hip mobility and spinal stability. It's one of the few exercises that even people with knee issues can do comfortably.”

2. Goblet squat

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell close to your chest with both hands.
• Brace your core and keep your chest lifted as you sit your hips back and bend your knees, as if you're lowering yourself into a chair. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as far as your mobility allows.
• Press through your heels to return to standing.

Primary muscles worked: quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, core and upper back.

“This exercise teaches proper squat mechanics while building strength through the ankles, knees, hips and core all at once,” says Schloessman.

“What I love about it specifically is that holding the weight in front naturally encourages better posture, a more upright torso and great core engagement.

“With this one, you’re reinforcing good movement patterns while you build strength. It’s beginner-friendly but challenging enough to keep progressing for years.”

3. Side lunge with sliders

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your right foot on the floor and your left on a slider or towel.
• Engage your core and keep your chest lifted as you slowly slide your left foot out to the side, bending your right knee and pushing your hips back—stopping when your thigh is parallel with the floor, or as close as your mobility allows.
• Press through your right foot to stand upright, sliding your left foot back in.
• Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides.

Form tip: keep your stationary knee in line with your toes.

Primary muscles worked: glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, abductors and core stabilizers.

“Most people spend their entire lives moving forward and backward. We almost never train side-to-side movement,” says Schloessman. “That’s precisely why I love this exercise.”

“It strengthens the legs along a completely different plane of motion, while improving hip mobility, balance and pelvic stability.

“As we get older, lateral strength becomes increasingly important for preventing falls and moving confidently in everyday life.

“The slider adds a layer of control that makes the standing leg work even harder to stabilize. This exercise is about strength, mobility and coordination, all in one move.”

Shop core sliders

I’ve tried all sorts of workouts over the years. There was a time when I was doing CrossFit five times a week, another period when I’d do at-home yoga every day courtesy of Yoga With Adriene, and now I’m more into Pilates and low-impact training.

This also means that I’ve tried a lot of activewear for different types of movement, not to mention that I also review it as part of my job.

Unfortunately, more often than not, the most expensive pieces are also the best quality.

However, there's one affordable brand that always delivers on quality and rivals high-end activewear brands: Oner Active.

Founded by personal trainer and entrepreneur Krissy Cela in 2020, Oner Active’s pieces were originally designed with strength training in mind. It’s since expanded to launch collections for running, Pilates and lounging.

Oner Active has just launched its summer sale, with discounts on some of its most popular styles.

I’ve reviewed a wide range of its products over the years, from leggings to sports bras, shorts and loungewear. Below are the pieces I think are worth picking up in the sale.

A third of all women and 20% of all men over 50 globally will break a bone due to osteoporosis, according to the Osteoporosis Foundation.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS), the U.K.'s largest national charity dedicated to improving bone health and beating osteoporosis, is working hard to improve those statistics.

The most effective way to significantly improve your bone density and strength is through simple weight-bearing exercises that you can do at home.

"You don't need access to a gym, classes or specialist equipment to reduce risk of osteoporosis," the ROS's Julia Thompson tells Fit&Well.

In fact, for the most part, all you need to do is spend more time on your feet, working against gravity to stimulate bone strength.

“You are weight-bearing when you are standing, with the weight of your whole body pulling down on your skeleton," the osteoporosis specialist nurse explains.

"Some of the most effective exercises for bone health are simple, practical movements you can build into your everyday routine without even leaving the house."

How does weight-bearing exercise strengthen your bones?

The primary benefit of weight-bearing exercise is the stimulation of something called bone remodelling, which is your body’s natural process of breaking down old bone tissue and building new, denser tissue.

The mechanical force of your bodyweight causes specialized cells called osteoblasts to produce this new bone tissue, making bones stronger.

If you've been diagnosed with osteoporosis or have risk factors, Thompson says you may be unsure about what’s safe.

"But the reassuring news is that exercise is very unlikely to cause a broken bone and staying active is strongly encouraged."

10 exercises to strengthen your bones at home

Thompson recommends building confidence and strength through manageable, at-home movement.

"Choose exercises that feel comfortable and enjoyable and adapt them to suit your space and ability level," she says.

"The most important thing is to make a start and to keep going. Because when it comes to bone health, movement really matters."

The following exercises will all help improve bone health. Choose exercises that suit your ability, building up gradually to the higher-impact moves.

"All of these can be done in short bursts, in small spaces, and at your own pace," says Thompson.

For example, do a few heel drops while the kettle boils. March on the spot during TV adverts. Use the stairs when and where you can.

Or simply listen to your favorite music and dance (like no one's watching).

1. March on the spot

Trainer tip: Thompson recommends performing this while watching TV.

2. Heel drop

Trainer tip: Use a chair, counter or wall for support.

3. Step-up

Trainer tip: Use a bottom stair or sturdy step and hold a rail or wall for support if needed.

4. Stair climb

Trainer tip: Going down is just as beneficial as going up.

5. Sit-to-stand

Trainer tip: If you can’t perform this without using your hands, make it easier by having a support in front of you to lightly push off until you build the strength to do it hands free. Always lower down slowly with control.

6. Single-leg stand

Trainer tip: Use a chair, counter or wall for support, building up to doing this unsupported. Keep your gaze on a fixed point in front of you. Ensure your weight is evenly balanced through the front of your foot and heel.

7. Step-out

Trainer tip: Focus on maintaining a stable, upright posture and engaging your core as you alternate stepping one foot out to the side.

8. Mini hops or jumps

Trainer tip: This is like skipping lightly on the spot, keeping your weight on the balls of your feet.

9. Jog on the spot

Trainer tip: This is a more dynamic version of marching on the spot—progress to this if your fitness allows.

10. Dance

Trainer tip: Better yet, grab a dancing partner and cut loose.

To learn more about how to look after your bones as you age, the Royal Osteoporosis Society has created this helpful guide on exercise for bone health.

Functional workouts have never been more popular, because people want to be able to navigate the physical demands of life with confidence.

So I was struck by this insight from Cyan Koay, personal trainer and co-founder of Strong Band.

“The best lower-body workouts don’t just build strength in a straight line, because life doesn’t happen in a straight line.”

“Squats, lunges and deadlifts have their place, but if your leg day is starting to feel stale, there are plenty of other ways to build strong, capable legs that can help you take on everything life has to throw at you,” says

Koay and partner Matt Van Mol designed a series of five banded exercises to work often-overlooked muscles, while improving your stability, mobility and control.

“With one long-loop resistance band, you can challenge your lower body in multiple planes of motion, train the muscles that can often get overlooked and make your workouts a lot more exciting,” says Koay.

“Your legs also need to be a foundation of stability as you twist, turn and rotate, be strong enough independently to decelerate and control movement and be familiar with movements that might seem unconventional in a gym setting.

“Resistance bands are great for functional exercise because they can add extra tension and challenge stability in so many different positions.”

Resistance band leg workout

1. Lateral squat with rotation: 2-3 x 8-12 each side
2. B-stance Romanian deadlift: 2-3 x 10-12 each side
3. Banded adduction: 2-3 x 12-15 each side
4. Banded standing hamstring curl: 2-3 x 12-15 each side
5. Banded knee extension in downward dog: 2-3 x 10-12

“Stick with the same five exercises for four to eight weeks before changing your plan,” says Koay. “That gives you enough time to improve your setup, increase tension and build confidence with the movement patterns, thereby progressing your strength with bands.”

You can progress the workout by increasing the band tension (just shorten the length of the band you’re working with; Strong Band resistance bands have markings that make this easier to do), adding an extra rep or two per set, or by adding an extra set. You can also slow the lowering phase of each movement or pause for a couple of seconds at the hardest part to increase time under tension.

Koay recommends incorporating this workout into your routine once or twice a week alongside your usual activities.

Some exercises are more difficult than others and it might be useful to have two long-loop resistance bands with high and low resistance. However, the workout can be done with one if it’s a medium resistance.

“Choose a band tension that brings you to around a 7-8/10 effort by the final few reps,” says Koay. “You should feel challenged, but still able to move with good control and your full range of motion.”

If you’re a beginner, Koay suggests starting with a lighter band to get familiar with the exercises, how resistance bands work and to perfect your form.

“After you have built a solid foundation and understanding of the movements, you can increase the intensity, thereby increasing your effort,” she says.

1. Lateral squat with rotation

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 30-45sec between sides and 60-90sec between sets

Why it works: “This is a great alternative to more traditional squatting because it trains single-leg strength through the frontal plane of motion (moving to your side),” says Koay.

“It also incorporates rotational control, meaning that you’re not just strengthening your quads, you’re improving hip mobility, groin strength and your body’s ability to move well side to side when your legs, hips and core work together as a system rather than isolated parts.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and loop the band around your right foot.
• Hold both ends of the band with your left hand, halfway down the band to create tension.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your right knee, sit your hips back and shift your torso to your right, keeping your left leg straight.
• At the bottom of the movement, slightly rotate your hips to face right.
• Drive through your working foot to stand, pulling the band and squeezing your glutes to face forward again.
• Perform all the reps on one side, rest for 30-45sec, then repeat on the other side to complete the set.

Muscles targeted: Glutes, quads, adductors and core.

Form tips:

• You should feel the outside of your hip working as you return to the starting position.
• Think “sit back, then rotate” to ensure you aren’t twisting before you lower into the squat.
• The movement should come from a stable lower body and controlled torso, not from the band pulling you into the squat.

2. B-stance Romanian deadlift (RDL)

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: 30-45sec between sides and 60-90sec between sets

Why it works: “A B-stance RDL is a great single-leg strength builder with a focus on your glutes and hamstrings,” says Koay.

“Strong glutes and hamstrings are crucial for a healthy lower back, hips, knees and ankles.”

She adds that the exercise gently challenges balance and stability and highlights any muscular imbalances. After a set, ask yourself if the exercise feels harder on one side than the other?

How to do it:

• Stand with your front foot on the band with your big toe, little toe and heel of your front foot firmly on the floor.
• Step your back foot slightly behind you with your heel lifted. Keep your weight over your front foot.
• Hold the band in both hands and slightly bend both knees.
• Hinge from your hips by pushing them back while keeping your spine neutral.
• Lower your torso until you feel a stretch through your hamstrings in your front leg.
• Keep your hips level and facing forward.
• Push through your front foot and squeeze your glutes to return to standing.
• Complete all the reps on one side, rest for 30-45sec, then repeat on the other side to complete the set.

Muscles targeted: Hamstrings, glutes, abductors, lower back

Form tips:

• Aim to maintain the same bend in your front knee throughout the exercise.
• Keep your weight over your front foot throughout the exercise.

3. Banded adduction

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 each side Rest: 30sec between sides and 60sec between sets

Why it works: “The adductors are often undertrained, yet they play a big role in hip stability, pelvic control and powerful lower-body movement,” says Koay.

“Inactive and weak adductors can lead to hip pain, lower-back pain and even a change in your walking gait, leading to knee and ankle issues.

“This move helps to strengthen your inner thighs directly and can be particularly useful if you want more balanced hip strength.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your right side, propped up on your elbow.
• Hook one end of the band around your left foot, and hold the other end in your left hand.
• Raise your left hand and foot, creating a triangle with your left arm, left leg and the band—this is your starting position.
• Keeping your left hand still, lower your left leg, engaging your inner thigh.
• Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, then raise your left leg toward your hand again with control.
• Complete all the reps on one side, rest for 30-45sec, then repeat on the other side to complete the set.

Muscles targeted: Adductors, core and shoulders.

Form tips:

• Maintain the same tension through your banded hand, to ensure all your reps are equally challenging.
• As you build confidence, allow your legs to open further at the top of the movement, working your adductor muscles through a greater range of motion and building more mobility through your hip joint.

4. Banded standing hamstring curl

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 each side Rest: 30-45sec between sides and 60-90sec between sets

Why it works: “Hamstring curls are a simple way to directly strengthen the back of your thighs,” says Koay.

“A resistance band creates tension through this important range of motion without needing a machine.

“Training your hamstrings to be strong while your knee bends helps to build resilience in your knee joints, which improves your running and walking mechanics and creates structural integrity in your lower body.”

This move also works the hamstrings in their shortened position, often missed in bigger compound moves.

How to do it:

• Use a wall or chair by your side for balance if needed.
• Stand on the middle of the band with your right foot and loop the end of the band around your left ankle. There should be light tension in the band when you raise your left foot.
• Stabilize through your right leg by squeezing your glutes and tucking your tailbone under your hips—this is your starting position.
• Bend your left knee, lifting your left foot toward your glute, working against the tension in the band.
• Pause at the top of the movement without letting your hips twist, then lower back to the starting position with control.
• Complete all the reps on one side, rest for 30-45sec, then repeat on the other side.

Muscles targeted: Hamstrings

Form tips:

• Don’t rush the lowering phase. Your hamstrings are working hard when you control the band on the way down.

5. Banded leg extension in downward dog

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 reps Rest: 60-90sec

Why it works: “This is a quad-focused move that also challenges core control and hip stability,” says Koay.

“The knee extension helps strengthen the quads in the final phase of straightening your knee, which is especially useful for knee support and improving joint control.”

Strengthening your quads in their shortened position supports healthier knee mechanics and stability.

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Loop the band behind your knees and place the band under your hands.
• Push through your hands to lift your hips, maintaining a neutral spine and extending your knees, pushing against the tension of the band and engaging your quads.
• Pause with your legs extended and your quads fully engaged.
• Bend your knees with control to return to the starting position.

Muscles targeted: Quads, core and shoulder stabilizers.

Form tips:

• To maintain tension in the band, aim to move through your lower body only rather than your shoulders.
• Losing tension in the band will activate your lower back and core, rather than your quads.

If you spend a lot of time sitting during the day, your glutes could be paying the price—and it may be having a bigger impact than you realize.

“The glutes are the largest muscle group in the body and play a central role in supporting the pelvis, stabilizing the hips and generating power during everyday movements such as walking, climbing stairs and lifting,” Pilates instructor Sol Bouille tells Fit&Well.

When your glutes are weak, other muscles such as the lower back, hip flexors and hamstrings often overcompensate, and this can lead to pain and difficulty moving around.

Bouille’s three-move Pilates-inspired routine for weak glutes is designed to build strength and improve lower-body stability.

“Strengthening the glutes will also support efficient movement and protect the joints, making everyday tasks and exercise feel easier and more controlled,” explains Bouille.

How to do the five-minute Pilates-inspired routine

Bouille, who is the founder of The Island Studio, recommends doing this routine two to four times per week. “It will take less than five minutes so it’s easy to fit it into your day,” Bouille adds.

The exercises:

1. Side-lying leg lift
2. Clamshell
3. Glute bridge

1. Side-lying leg lift

Time: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your side with your legs straight and together.
• Engage your core and keep your hips stable.
• Lift your top leg, keeping your toes facing forwards.
• Lower with control.
• Continue for time, then switch sides

Benefit: Strengthens your outer glutes and hips, which improves stability, balance and knee alignment.

2. Clamshell

How to do it:

Time: 30sec each side

• Lie on your side with your legs together and your knees bent.
• Engage your core.
• Keeping your hips vertical throughout, lift your top knee while keeping your feet touching.
• Hold for a few seconds, then lower slowly.
• Continue for time, then switch sides

Benefit: Targets the smaller glute muscles that support the hips and pelvis, helping to improve stability and reduce unnecessary strain on the knees.

3. Glute bridge

Reps: 10-15

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top before lowering with control, one vertebra at a time.

Benefit: Strengthens your glutes, hamstrings and core while improving pelvic stability and supporting your lower back.