I struggle with any task that requires physical coordination.

Ask me to pat my head and rub my tummy, and I’ll inevitably get the actions the wrong way round. I’m also terrible at ball games, with poor aim and an inability to catch.

Why do I find it so hard?

“Coordination relies on communication between the brain, nervous system, eyes, inner ears, sensory receptors in the muscles and joints and the muscles themselves,” explains Dr Gabriela Van Sickle, a physical therapist and the co-founder of Functional Physical Therapy.

When so many systems contribute to the process, there are many opportunities for malfunction.

“Even factors such as stress, lack of sleep and dehydration can negatively affect coordination and reaction time,” adds Van Sickle.

Thankfully, coordination—like any attribute—is something that you can work on and improve.

Van Sickle recommends doing the following four exercises to boost your coordination, as the moves will help reinforce your brain-body connection.

1. Dead bug

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 30-60sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Extend your arms up, reaching toward the ceiling.
• Lift your feet so your shins are parallel with the floor and your knees are over your hips.
• Brace your abdominal muscles while keeping your lower back flat against the floor and slowly lower your right arm behind you as you straighten and lower your left leg.
• Return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.

How to progress: As this gets easier, increase the number of repetitions.

“This exercise challenges coordination between the upper body and lower body while strengthening the core,” says Van Sickle.

“It requires the brain to control multiple body segments moving in opposite directions while maintaining trunk stability, necessary for walking and stair climbing.”

2. Bear crawl

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

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Keep your back flat and engage your core.
• Lift your knees an inch or two off the floor.
• Slowly move your right hand and left foot forward, followed by your left hand and right foot.
• Continue crawling forward with slow, controlled movements, breathing steadily and keeping your trunk flat. (If you run out of space, you can reverse the movement and crawl backwards.)
• After 20 to 30 seconds of work, return your knees to the floor.

How to progress: As this gets easier, increase the amount of time spent crawling.

“Bear crawls challenge whole-body coordination by requiring the arms, legs, core and nervous system to work together,” says Van Sickle.

“They involve cross-body movement patterns —right arm with left leg and vice versa—which help improve timing, body awareness, balance and motor control.”

3. Standing toe tap

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 30-60sec

How to do it:

• Stand on your left leg with a soft bend in your knee and a straight back.
• Imagine you are standing in the center of a clock. Keeping your weight on your left leg, lightly tap your right foot to the side at approximately the three o'clock position.
• Return your working foot to the center.
• Continue tapping around the clock, reaching two o'clock, one o'clock and then 12.
• Next, reach your foot across the front of your body to tap at 11 o'clock and 10 o'clock, and nine o'clock—crossing your body’s midline.
• Complete all repetitions on one leg before switching sides.

How to progress: Try tapping your foot on all the numbers of the imagined clock, including the numbers positioned behind you.

“This exercise combines balance and coordination by challenging you to maintain stability on one leg while reaching across your body,” says Van Sickle.

“Crossing the midline requires communication between both sides of the brain and helps improve body awareness, motor control and coordination during everyday activities and sports.”

4. Standing knee drive

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 45-60sec

How to do it:

• Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart.
• Step your right foot back, extend your right arm forward and extend your left arm behind you.
• Bend your right knee and raise it in front of you, while bending your left elbow and swinging your left arm forward and right arm back.
• Pause for a moment while your right leg is raised.
• Step your right foot back again, while also returning your arms to the starting position (right arm extended forward and left arm extended behind).
• Complete all the repetitions on one side before switching sides.

How to progress: Move slowly and focus on control, rather than speed.

“This exercise combines balance, core stability and cross-body coordination,” says Van Sickle.

“Lifting one knee while reaching with the opposite arm mimics the natural movement pattern used during walking and running. It challenges the brain and body to coordinate movements across multiple joints while maintaining postural control.”

When we talk about longevity, we’re not just talking about living for longer.

“It’s about being able to carry on doing the things that give us joy and purpose into our old age,” explains Abby McLachlan, personal trainer and founder of East of Eden.

“The combination of strength and mobility is key to keeping the body moving well and feeling resilient throughout later life,” McLachlan tells Fit&Well.

“Strength and mobility training help counter natural age-related muscle loss, improve bone density, support joint stability and enhance balance. They will also boost your metabolic health, reduce fall risk, improve posture and increase overall energy,” she adds.

McLachlan’s six-exercise routine offers a strength-building workout for all abilities, with progression tips so that once you’re comfortable with the exercise, you can increase the challenge.

Try the six-move home workout for longevity

As with any workout, you’ll only notice the benefit if you do it consistently. McLachlan recommends doing this routine two to three times a week.

You will need dumbbells for two of the exercises, although you could use resistance bands instead if you don’t want to invest in dumbbells.

More importantly, you should know how to engage your core. This guide explains how.

Here’s an overview of the workout:

1. Squat: 3 x 8-12
2. Incline push-up: 3 x 8-10
3. Glute bridge: 3 x 12-15
4. Romanian deadlift: 3 x 8-12
5. Dead bug: 3 x 8-10 each side
6. Standing row: 3 x 12-15

1. Squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, keeping your chest facing forward and your knees tracking over your toes.
• Pause once your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as close as your mobility comfortably allows.
• Push through your heels to return to standing upright, maintaining control throughout the movement.

Benefit: Strengthens your legs, hips and core, and supports balance and everyday lifting.

How to progress: Once you are comfortable with unweighted squats and can complete three sets of 12 reps easily, add resistance. As you add extra weight, reduce the reps until you can complete every set with good form.

2. Incline push-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10

How to do it:

• Place your hands on a bench or countertop. (To make it easier, place your hands on a wall.)
• Step your feet back until your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the surface with control, keeping your body in a straight line.
• Extend your arms to push back up.

How to progress: As you get stronger, take away the bench and place your hands on the floor.

Benefit: Builds upper-body strength and supports shoulder stability.

3. Glute bridge

Sets: 3 Reps: 12-15

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Press through your feet to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Lower slowly, keeping the movement smooth and controlled.

How to progress: Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell on your pelvis as you get stronger.

Benefit: Strengthens your glutes and lower back, and supports hip stability and posture.

4. Romanian deadlift

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding weights in front of your thighs.
• Hinge at your hips, pushing your butt back, sliding the dumbbells down your legs to just below your knees, keeping your spine long and a slight bend in your knees throughout.
• Push your hips forward to stand upright.

How to progress: Go as light as possible to begin with. You can start with bodyweight until you’re comfortable with the movement before adding weights.

Benefit: The hinge movement works your back muscles, hamstrings and glutes, and the rest of your posterior chain, the collection of muscles that run down the back of your body.

5. Dead bug

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms raised and your knees bent directly above your hips.
• Gently press your lower back into the floor to engage your core.
• Lower your left arm behind your head and lower and extend your right leg, while keeping your lower back gently pressed into the floor.
• Return to the start, then repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Benefit: Strengthens your deep core muscles and improves spinal stability.

6. Bent-over row

Sets: 3 Reps: 12-15

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Engage your core.
• Hinge forward from your hips and push your hips back, keeping your spine long and letting your arms hang down.
• Pull your shoulders back and down to engage your back muscles—this is your starting position.
• Lift the dumbbells to your hips, bending and lifting your elbows past your torso, and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Reverse the movement with control to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Benefit: Strengthens your upper back and improves your posture.

kKnee pain is common among my personal training clients over 65. Whether from arthritis, overuse or old injuries, I see firsthand how limiting and debilitating knee issues can be.

To address this, there are four exercises that are mainstays for all my clients, no matter their age.

These moves are effective because they strengthen the muscles that stabilize and support the lower body, which reduces the strain on knees during movement.

They’re not only beneficial for knee health, but they’re great for improving full-body stability and balance as well.

How to do the four exercises for healthy knees

All you need is an exercise mat and a moderately-heavy looped resistance band, like this set from Amazon. Depending on your current strength level, you may need a heavier or lighter resistance band.

Start by doing one to two sets of 10 reps for each exercise. After a few sessions, increase to two or three sets and 12-15 reps. Eventually, aim to do three sets of 15 reps with a brief rest between sets. You should be able to do all reps in a set with good form without rest.

Try these moves three or four times a week on their own or as a warm-up for other workouts.

If you’re unable to get onto the floor for the banded clamshell and banded glute bridge, try the exercises on your bed or couch.

Consult a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise or workout program. These exercises are appropriate for all fitness levels, including beginners, but depending on your health history your medical team may recommend alternatives or advise you to avoid the movements.Consider meeting with a certified personal trainer or physical therapist for guidance, modifications and appropriate progressions.

1. Banded clamshell

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side

• Lie on your right side with a looped resistance band around your legs, just above your knees.
• Prop yourself up on your elbow, with your hips vertical and your knees bent at 90°.
• Engage your core.
• Raise your left knee, but keep your feet connected.
• Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
• Lower your knee back to the starting position.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Trainer tips: Avoid your hips shifting out of alignment as you raise your knee. Keep your chest leaning forwards slightly to keep your hips stable and aligned. Squeeze the outside of your hip as you lift your knee.

2. Banded glute bridge

Sets: 2 Reps: 10

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Place a looped resistance band around your legs, just above your knees.
• Engage your core and press your knees outward into the band.
• Raise your hips and pause briefly at the top of the movement.
• Lower your hips back to the floor.

Trainer tips: Avoid arching your lower back as you raise your hips. Keep your knees pressed against the band throughout the exercise.

3. Banded monster walk

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a looped resistance band around your ankles.
• Engage your core and press your ankles out into the band to keep it taut.
• Walk forward, pushing your foot outward into the band as you go.
• Repeat the motion walking backward.

Trainer tips: Keep your stance wide and your toes pointed forward. You should feel the muscles on the sides of your hips engage. Keep the band taut throughout the exercise.

4. Banded kickback

Sets: 2 Reps: 10

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a looped resistance band around your ankles.
• Engage your core.
• Raise your right heel behind you, squeezing your right glute.
• Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
• Lower your foot back to the starting position.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Trainer tips: Avoid arching your lower back as you kick your heel. If you have balance issues, hold onto a sturdy surface for support. Avoid externally rotating your leg as you raise your heel.

Planks are an effective way to strengthen your core, recruiting all the muscles around your stomach and lower back to stabilize and protect your pelvis and spine.

But, truth be told, they’re not much fun.

Enter, stage left, this dance-inspired 360˚ plank challenge from Les Mills group fitness presenter Bronté Terrell, certain to shake up any tired abs routine.

Terrell recently shared the short routine on her Instagram, and I couldn’t help but ask how it might be modified so anyone could give it a try—even someone as uncoordinated as me.

“That was a pretty tough plank challenge,” she admits.

“Flipping over from front to back is especially tricky. Figuring out which arm goes where.”

But, she adds, learning to perfect the choreographed routine is worth persevering with.

“We spend a lot of time wanting to keep our bodies strong and healthy, and fit and young, but doing anything that challenges those neural pathways in the brain is also so, so important for our brain health, especially as we navigate through life and get older,” says Terrell.

Watch Bronté Terrell’s dance-inspired plank challenge

Timed to music, Terrell’s plank challenge starts in a high plank. She lifts one leg, brings her knee to her elbow, then pivots to a high side plank with knee tucked.

Next she extends her arm overhead and points her toes, returns to the knee-tucked high plank, then flips 180˚ into a reverse plank with that knee still tucked, before kicking her leg into the air, a la Flashdance.

It’s fairly exhausting just typing that out, let alone attempting it.

“[When you flip round] you’re squeezing your glutes to lift your hips up high. It’s almost like a reverse plank challenge. I really felt that the next day after doing that,” she says.

“A really great way to adapt it would be to drop down to your knees, break it up into sections and really slow down the full routine,” she says.

Here’s how Terrell suggests breaking it down.

How to adapt this plank challenge for relative beginners

If you can perform a plank on your toes, start by performing each of the five moves below for five to 10 seconds. Rest 60 seconds then repeat the routine on the other side.

Once you can comfortably hold each one for 10 seconds, look to perform them back to back, again building up from five seconds per move to 10.

When you can perform all five moves for 10 seconds each, back-to-back, you should be ready to attempt the full routine.

Bonus points for filming it and tagging @wearefitandwell in your post. Good luck.

If you can’t hold a plank on your toes, start on your knees.

“Even if you start with a 10-second hold, come up onto your toes for one second, then drop back to your knees, eventually, one second becomes two seconds, and before you know it you’ve built that strength,” says Terrell.

Below are the single moves you need to master.

1. Straight arm plank

Time: 5-10sec

• Position your hands under your shoulders, feet together and engage your core.
• Keep your body aligned from shoulders to ankles, breathing normally.

2. Knee to elbow

Time: 5-10sec

• Next, without letting your hips sag, bring your left knee out to your side to touch your elbow on the same side, and hold.

3. Rotate to side plank

Time: 5-10sec

• From here, pivot to the outside of your right foot as you turn your body to the side.
• Your weight should be supported by one foot and one hand. The raised arm can be extended over the head or bent at the elbow with the hand near your ear.
• You have the option of keeping your knee tucked, leg extended or bringing your feet together into a high side plank. The easier version would be feet together.

4. Rotate to reverse plank

Time: 5-10sec

• When ready, bring your feet together into a high side plank and pivot to your heels while bringing your other hand to the floor to support your weight.
• Your chest should now face up, with your weight supported on your hands and heels.
• Keep your glutes engaged and hips high.

5. Lift one leg to single-leg reverse plank

Time: 5-10sec

• Lastly, lift your left leg off the floor, bending your knee 90˚.
• Hold this final pose without letting your hips drop.

Recently, a friend asked me how to build strength. It’s not unusual for friends to ask for training advice, but this friend is 71 years old and has decided to invest in her physical health for the years ahead. Of course, I was delighted to help.

She is absolutely correct that building strength is essential for living well as we get older and I was happy to reassure her that it’s never too late to start—you just have to train smart.

My friend plays tennis weekly but has never done any dedicated strength work—not even a squat. While her regular doubles matches are great for supporting her cardiovascular health, agility and multi-directional movement—all excellent components for longevity—she is missing other essential pieces for aging well.

To fill those gaps, I created a plan that includes strength and muscle-building movements to help combat the natural decline in muscle and bone density, which affects everyone but women in particular. I also added core and balance moves to improve stability, alongside push and pull exercises to build upper-body strength for everyday life.

The moves in this workout are useful for everyone but the versions are more suitable for beginners and those who have never exercised before. If you’re comfortable with the moves, skip to the advice on how to make them harder and work through the progressions.

How to do the bodyweight strength workout for beginners

1. Chair squat: 3 x 8-10
2. Pulse lunge: 3 x 8-10 each side
3. Wall push-up: 3 x 8-10
4. Standing march: 3 x 10-12 each side
5. Single-leg hold: 3 x 8-10 each side
6. Superman pull-down: 3 x 8-10
7. Dead bug heel tap: 3 x 8-10 each side
8. Glute bridge: 3 x 8-12

Complete three sets of each exercise, working through the moves in order. So, perform three sets of the chair squat, then move on to perform three sets of the pulse lunge, and so on.

Complete the workout two or three times a week, and keep going until you’re comfortable with the moves. Once the exercises feel easier to perform, gradually add some of the progressions I’ve included to keep challenging your body.

Here’s how to do each exercise.

1. Chair squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 60-90sec

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with a chair just behind you.
• Engage your core.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, until your butt taps the seat of the chair.
• Push through your feet to stand upright.

Make it harder: Perform a bodyweight squat without support. If you can already do a bodyweight squat, progress this further by adding a brief pause at the bottom of the squat.

2. Reverse lunge with pulse

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 each side; 3 pulses each rep Rest: 60-90sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Take a big step back with your right foot, and pause to find your balance.
• Bend both knees to lower until your right knee is just above the floor.
• Push through your left foot to rise halfway, then lower until your right knee is just above the floor again—perform this pulse three times in total.
• Step your right foot forward to return to the starting position.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Make it harder: Alternate sides with each rep.

3. Wall push-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 60-90sec

• Stand an arm’s length away from a wall and place your hands on the surface at shoulder height and shoulder width.
• Engage your core and ensure your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the wall with control.
• Pause when your head is almost touching the wall.
• Push powerfully through your hands to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

Make it harder: Lower the surface you place your hands on, such as a couch or table.

4. Standing march

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

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Bend and lift one knee to hip height.
• Return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Make it harder: Slow down the march and hold briefly at the top of each knee raise to challenge your balance.

5. Single-leg hold

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 each side Hold: 3-5sec each rep Rest: 60-90sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, lightly holding on to a chair or other sturdy object for support.
• Engage your core.
• Bend and lift one knee to hip height.
• Hold this position for three to five seconds.
• Return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Make it harder: Remove the support and aim to raise and hold your knee higher or for longer.

6. Superman pull-down

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 60-90sec

• Lie on your front with your arms extended forward.
• Engage your core and clench your glutes.
• Lift your arms and legs, keeping your gaze on the floor and your neck in a neutral position.
• Bend your elbows and move them toward your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Extend your arms forward.
• Continue, keeping your arms and legs raised throughout.

Make it harder: Increase how long you hold the pull as you squeeze your shoulder blades together.

7. Dead bug heel tap

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

• Lie on your back.
• Raise and extend your arms, and raise your legs and bend your knees, so your knees and hips are both bent to 90°.
• Gently press your lower back into the floor to engage your core.
• Keeping a 90° bend in your knee throughout, lower your right leg so your right heel or toes lightly tap the floor.
• Return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Make it harder: Lower both feet simultaneously if you can maintain contact with the floor with your lower back.

8. Glute bridge

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

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms by your sides.
• Engage your core.
• Push through your feet to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Lower to the starting position with control.

Make it harder: When you can maintain stability as you hold and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement, progress to a single-leg glute bridge with control.

One of the best tricks I’ve learned for staying consistent with exercise is removing the barriers between me and my workout.

That means leaving my fitness equipment in plain sight, so I can grab it when I have a spare minute.

However, I also have two small, curious kids, which means that it’s not safe for me to leave heavy dumbbells unattended.

For that reason, I’ve started using resistance bands instead.

This is the quick workout I’ve been using for the past few weeks to hit most of my major muscles in 20 minutes or less.

All you need to try it is a long-looped resistance band (I bought this set from Amazon) and an exercise mat.

20-minute resistance band workout

1. Quadruped glute kickback: 3 x 10-15 each side
2. Bent-over row: 3 x 10-15
3. Knee push-up: 3 x 8-10
4. Kneeling overhead press: 3 x 10-12
5. Optional finisher: Squat: 3 x 30sec

Rest for 15-30 seconds between sets.

Use a lighter band if you’re new to exercising with bands, but aim for the higher end of the rep range. This will allow you to focus on getting your form right while still challenging your muscles.

On days when I have more time, I add a few sets of fast-paced squats after doing the strength exercises. I like the cardio challenge, plus it ensures that my leg muscles get more of a workout.

1. Quadruped glute kickback

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

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees, with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.
• Pin the resistance band underneath your hands and loop it under the center of your right foot.
• Engage your core.
• Slowly extend and lift your right leg, until it is in line with your torso.
• Bend your knee to return to the starting position.
• Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other leg.

This is a glute-focused exercise but it’s a challenge for core strength and stability, too. Focus on engaging the muscles in your mid-body before you push back with your leg, to make sure you don’t wobble.

2. Bent-over row

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 15-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
• Loop one end of the resistance band underneath your feet and hold the other end in both hands.
• Engage your core.
• Keeping your back flat, hinge forward from your hips until your torso is at a 45° angle to the floor—this is your starting position.
• Pull the resistance band toward your ribs, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then lower the band back to the starting position with control.

3. Knee push-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 15-30sec

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Walk your knees back until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Engage your core.
• Slowly bend your elbows to lower your chest. Your arms should be out at a 45° angle from your torso and your body should remain in a straight line.
• Push through your hands to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

If you need to an easier, modified push-up, try doing a wall push-up or placing your hands on an elevated surface, like a couch. If you need more of a challenge, do push-ups on your toes instead.

I like to do one toe push-up, then the knee push-ups. Every two to three weeks, I’m increasing the number of toe push-ups I do in the routine to keep building strength.

4. Kneeling overhead press

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 15-30sec

How to do it:

• Kneel on the mat with your torso upright, so your knees, hips and shoulders are in a straight line.
• Loop one end of the resistance band under your knees and hold the other end in both hands at shoulder height.
• Engage your core.
• Extend your arms to push the resistance band straight up, making sure you don’t arch your back.
• Lower with control.

Optional finisher: Squat

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly out.
• Keep your chest upright and clasp your hands together.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Push through your feet to stand upright.
• Continue at pace.

I like to add this fast-paced set of squats onto the end of the strength exercises to raise my heart rate and challenge my thigh muscles. Rather than focusing on a set number, I try and push myself hard for the 30 second. If you’re new to fitness, make sure you take a longer rest after this exercise.

I try to make all my workouts efficient, focusing on full-body strength and mobility routines that will help me age well. This involves a lot of repetition, which can get a bit boring.

I decided to shake things up recently by trying a routine from trainer Lindsey Bomgren of Nourish Move Love—and I was glad I did.

Deep within the workout was a move that humbled me and exposed a blind spot in my longevity training: the double-hop skater.

Double-hop skater

Want to see how it’s done? Skip the YouTube video above to the last exercise in circuit 5, scrub to 9min 25sec left on the overall timer for the workout.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and raise your right foot.
• Hop forward and backward on your left foot.
• Jump laterally to the right, landing on your right foot.
• Bend your right knee to lower your hips and tuck your left leg behind you to perform the skater. (Reach your left hand over to your right foot to increase the difficulty)
• Stand and jump to the left, landing on your left foot.
• Repeat for 30 to 40 seconds, then switch sides.

Tips: Start slowly to make sure you can execute the move properly. Once you’ve found your rhythm, make sure your lateral jumps have some explosive force behind them to test your balance and strength.

Why the move has a new place in my workout routine

As I flailed around in my living room trying to perform this move, I realized that my strength workouts have helped me build muscle but not balance, agility and coordination.

That’s because my usual routines mostly keep both my feet on the floor and focus on slow, controlled moves.

If I want to maintain my ability to move quickly and stay steady on my feet, I need to include this kind of explosive lateral training.

For that reason, this double-hop skater is now a permanent fixture in my home routines.

I’m also going to make sure I keep adding variety to my exercise sessions, because while repetition and heavy weights can help you build strength, getting bored can kill consistency and progress.

If being stuck on a treadmill or static bike for miles is your only idea of cardio, then Lucy Borrie is out to change that.

The professional dancer and personal trainer recently launched BeBody, a workout method inspired by ’80s aerobics designed to be fun and effective.

It features classic bodyweight strength-training moves set to upbeat music; the faster tempo means you’ll get a cardio workout while testing your muscles.

Below, she's shared three of her favorite low-impact cardio movements you can try at home. They will help you build strength all over and boost your heart health too.

Borrie recommends putting on some fast-paced music and doing the workout in time to embody the BeBody method.

How to do the low-impact cardio workout

Before you jump in, Borrie says you should do two slow repetitions of each exercise to make sure you can execute it comfortably.

“Any movement I do, I always start slow, even if it’s a cardio movement,” she says. “I like to feel the move rather than rush into it, and then pick up the pace.”

Perform this workout as a circuit, doing each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest. After you’ve done all three exercises, you’ve completed one round. Complete three rounds in total.

1. No-jump burpee

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
• Squat and bring your hands to the floor.
• Step your feet back, one at a time, so that you're in a high plank position with your body in one straight line. Keep your core engaged and shoulders over your palms.
• Step your feet back in between your hands, one at a time.
• Stand and reach your hands overhead, without jumping.

2. Slow cross-body mountain climber

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Start in a high plank with your shoulders above your hands and your back flat.
• Slowly drive one knee toward your opposite elbow.
• Hold briefly then return it to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side and continue alternating.

3. Power lunge

Time: 20sec each side Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then step one foot back.
• Lower your back knee toward the floor until both knees are at roughly 90° angles.
• Push through your front foot to return to standing.
• As you do, drive your back knee forward and up toward your chest. Drive your opposite hand and elbow to chest height for momentum.
• Complete your repetitions on one side, then switch sides.

A strong mid-section is a runner’s secret weapon.

It helps your body absorb the repetitive impact of every stride, maintain an efficient upright posture, maximize the efficiency of your run and make the whole experience much more enjoyable.

That’s why personal trainer, ultramarathon runner and Realbuzz ambassador Sam Tomlinson insists that all his running clients include this five-move core workout in their weekly plan.

“Core training for runners is not just about strengthening the abdominal muscles,” he tells Fit&Well.

Instead, the trainer says runners should focus on building the glutes, hips, lower back and deeper trunk muscles, which all work together to keep the pelvis and spine stable while running.

“Running is essentially a series of repeated single-leg landings,” Tomlinson continues.

“The muscles around the side of the trunk and hips must prevent the pelvis from dropping or rotating every time the foot hits the ground.”

Here, the UK-based trainer shares the core workout he swears by and how it can be adapted for runners of all levels.

How to do this five-move core workout for runners

Tomlinson recommends completing this circuit after an easy run, once or twice a week.

“It is one I regularly use with my running clients, adapting the exercises to suit their current ability,” he says.

Perform the exercises in order, resting approximately 10 seconds between moves and one minute between rounds.

Complete three rounds in total, using Tomlinson’s regressions or progressions to match your ability.

1. Hollow hold

Time: 20-40sec Rest: 10sec

• Lie on your back and press your lower back into the floor by engaging your lower core muscles.
• Raise your head, shoulders and arms, then raise your legs to create tension through your whole body.
• Hold for your target time.

Make it easier: Bend your knees toward your chest to reduce the pressure through your lower back.

Make it harder: Extend your arms overhead and lower your legs closer to the floor.

2. Side plank

Time: 20-30sec each side Rest: 10sec

• Lie on your side with one foot stacked on top of the other, and rest your weight on your forearm, with your elbow positioned under your shoulder.
• Raise your hips to form a straight line from your head to your feet.
• Hold this position; avoid rotating forward or backward.

Make it easier: Keep your bottom knee on the floor to reduce the strain on your core.

Make it harder: Lift and hold your top leg away from your bottom leg.

3. Plank hip roll

Reps: 10 each side Rest: 10sec

• Get on your hands and knees.
• Step your legs back so your body forms a straight line.
• Lower onto your forearms, with your elbows directly under your shoulders.
• With your feet together, slowly lower your hips to one side, then the other.
• Control the rotational movement through your trunk while keeping your shoulders strong and stable.

Make it easier: Lower your knees to the floor and keep your hips low.

Make it harder: Slow the movement down and pause just above the floor on each side.

4. Bear plank shoulder tap

Reps: 8 each side Rest: 10sec

• Get on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Lift your knees just off the floor.
• Hold this position while you tap your left shoulder with your right hand, moving your arm as slowly as possible while keeping your back and hips level.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Make it easier: Perform the shoulder taps with your knees on the floor but keep your core engaged by pressing through your palms to engage your shoulder blades.

Make it harder: Move your feet closer together to increase instability.

5. Single-leg glute bridge

Reps: 10 each side Rest: 1min

• Lie on your back with your right knee bent and right foot flat on the floor, and your left leg extended.
• Place your hands on the floor by your sides for balance.
• Raise your hips and your extended left leg, avoiding any twist in your pelvis as you raise your hips.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top of the lift, then lower with control.
• Complete 10 repetitions in total, then switch sides.

Make it easier: Perform the movement with both feet on the floor.

Make it harder: Pause for a few seconds at the top of each repetition or place a dumbbell across your hips.

One of the best ways to strengthen your core is to tag in a friend, grab a resistance band and challenge your abdominal muscles the way they have to work in real life.

That means working to keep you stable, balanced and your spine protected.

Exercising with a friend rather than solo, according to a 2019 study, could also improve your mental wellbeing—something I’m sure you'll discover during this fun follow-along workout.

Designed by trainers Matt Van Mol and Cyan Koay, co-founders of Strong Band, this four-move routine is guaranteed to strengthen your entire core and get you smiling.

“This 12-minute routine trains your core the way it was designed to work: under tension and through a range of different movement patterns,” Van Mol tells Fit&Well.

Working with a partner, he adds, will ensure you don’t slacken off mid-set.

“With someone on the other end of the band, either pulling it away from you, or bracing so you can move with a strong core, you can’t fake it,” he says.

“Performing these partner workouts consistently will help you develop real-world, functional core strength that supports you in everything that life throws at you.”

How to perform this core workout

The four exercises Van Mol and Koay have selected in this workout are designed to stress test a wide range of the core’s key functions.

“Dead bugs challenge anti-extension and towel pull-ups improve lower back strength,” explains Koay.

“While side plank rows work on lateral stability and Pallof presses using your partner as the anchor build control through rotation.”

It might sound technical, she adds, “but it is designed to flow and meet you where you are at, no matter your current level of ability”.

Before hitting play on the follow-along video below, assign you and your partner the number one or two. Partner one will follow the male trainer, Van Mol. Partner two will follow the female trainer, Koay.

Try to keep pace with the trainers in the video, resting as needed.

You can use this workout as a standalone session or tag it onto the end of a full-body routine as an effective core-focused finisher.

Van Mol suggests aiming to perform it once or twice a week.

In the video, the trainers refer to “progress lines” on the band that help determine the amount of tension you’re working against. Progress lines are what separate Strong Band’s resistance bands from other brands, but you can still get just as effective a workout using a regular long-loop resistance band.

Van Mol and Koay also use two bands. One provides medium resistance and the other light resistance, so bear this in mind if you have a few bands to choose from.

Here’s the workout as a follow-along YouTube workout, posted on Strong Band’s channel, followed by form guides and reps for each exercise, in case you’re in the gym and can’t easily watch the video.

Watch the follow-along core partner workout

Exercise guides

1A. Banded dead bug

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 each side

• Place your exercise mats end to end and lie on your backs, with your heads next to each other.
• With both of you holding one end of the band in both hands, raise your arms straight up—there should be a challenging amount of tension in the band; adjust your positions until this is the case.
• Lift your legs and bend your knees to 90° until your knees are directly above your hips and your shins are parallel to the floor.
• Engage your core and gently press your lower back into the floor—this is your starting position.
• Exhale as you extend and lower one leg slowly, tapping your heel on the floor.
• Inhale as you return to the starting position.
• Repeat with the opposite leg.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep and trying to move in unison.

1B. Banded pull

Sets: 2 Reps: 8

• Flip over onto your fronts, still both holding the band.
• Lift your chest and your feet slightly off the floor, and squeeze your glutes to stabilise your body.
• Pull the band into your chest like a row or pull-up.
• Hold briefly at the end of this range, then extend your arms back to the start position.
• You can either lower your chest and feet to the floor between reps or, for hold the raised position for an extra challenge.

2. Knees-down side plank with row

Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side

• Use a lighter band if you have one for this exercise.
• Lie on your side, facing your partner, propped up on your forearm, with your knees bent and feet behind you.
• Engage your core and squeeze your glutes, then lift your hips so your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Both of you should hold one end of the band in your top hand—this is your starting position.
• Partner two holds their end of the band by their hip and acts as the anchor point, and partner one pulls the band just past their hip, keeping their elbow tucked into their body.
• Partner one performs eight reps, then swaps roles with partner two.
• Complete all reps on one side, then change sides.

3. Pallof press with rotation

Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side

• Stand side by side with your partner, with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
• Both of you should hold one end of the band in both hands, with your fingers interlocked, and your arms extended in front of you at chest height.
• Step away from your partner to create tension in the band.
• Partner one should step to the front of your mat and partner two to the back of your mat—or if not using mats, position yourself so partner one is a bit in front of partner two.
• Keep your arms straight throughout as partner one brings their hands to their chest, then pushes out and rotates away from partner two as if in a woodchop motion.
• Return the band to the start with control.
• At the same time, partner two should be keeping their arms outstretched, hands in front of their chest, bracing against the force created by partner one.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed and breathing steady throughout.
• Partner one performs eight reps, then swaps roles with partner two.
• Complete all reps on one side then swap sides and repeat.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) sounds, well, intense.

With a name like that, you may think it is only suitable for seasoned exercisers, but it can easily be tailored to beginners.

Angela Brooks, a NASM-certified personal trainer from VASA Fitness, explains that the goal of HIIT is to push your heart rate up using bursts of high effort.

What gets my heart rate up will be less than what it takes for an Olympic athlete doing HIIT, but as long as I put the appropriate amount of effort in at the appropriate amount, I’ll benefit.

And HIIT offers some great benefits. “HIIT produces outsized results relative to the time invested,” Brooks explains.

“Steady-state cardio—like a 30- to 45-minute jog—has its place, especially for active recovery and aerobic base-building.

“But for people pressed for time who want to build cardiovascular fitness, improve metabolic health, and see measurable body composition changes, HIIT consistently outperforms [steady-state cardio and takes] less time.”

Brooks shared the following 10-minute, equipment-free, beginner-friendly HIIT workout for you to try.

10-minute beginner HIIT workout

“This workout was designed around two principles: accessibility and scalability. Each movement is low-impact at its base level, and I’ve included a progression for those ready to push further,” says Brooks.

Perform each of the following five exercises for 45 seconds, resting for 15 seconds between exercises, to complete one round. Perform two rounds in total.

1. Overhead march
2. Squat to calf raise
3. Reverse lunge to knee drive
4. Bear crawl hold
5. Lateral shuffle to rotational punch

Exercise guides

1. Overhead march

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms extended overhead.
• Bend and lift your right knee to hip height and lower your hands to tap your knee.
• Return to the starting position then repeat on the other side.
• As you warm up, increase your speed.

Add a challenge: Continue moving through the full 60 seconds without rest.

“An overhead march is the perfect opener,” says Brooks.

“It elevates your heart rate gently, warms your hip flexors and core, and forces overhead shoulder stability.

“Plus, it’s a low-impact movement pattern that works for every fitness level. Marching with arms raised also cues proper posture.”

2. Squat to calf raise

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower until your thighs are parallel with the floor, or as low as your mobility allows. Keep your chest facing forward and your knees aligned over your feet.
• Press through your heels to stand.
• Once you are stanging upright, shift your weight forward, lift your heels and raise both arms overhead.
• Return to the starting position.

Add a challenge: Replace the calf raise with a jump squat by pushing explosively off the floor at the top of each rep.

“This compound movement targets the primary lower-body muscles in a single fluid motion,” says Brooks.

“The squat builds glute and quad strength, and the calf raise at the top adds an ankle stability and calf endurance component.”

3. Reverse lunge to knee drive

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Step your right foot back and bend both knees to lower until both knees are bent to 90°.
• Push through your left heel to rise, bringing your right leg forward, raising your right knee to hip height.
• Pause, then return to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Add a challenge: After the knee drive, transition directly into three fast high knees before switching sides.

“The reverse lunge is one of the safest lunge variations for beginners because it places less shear force on the knee,” says Brooks.

“Adding the knee drive at the top turns it into a balance and hip flexor challenge, and a natural progression into more dynamic movements. It’s unilateral (single-leg), which also develops stability and corrects side-to-side imbalances.”

4. Bear crawl hold

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

How to do it:

• Begin in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your legs extended behind you. Your body should form a straight line.
• Step your feet forward so that your knees are bent to 90° and are directly under your hips.
• Hold this position for a breath, then step your feet back out to high plank.
• Hold the plank for a breath, then step your feet forward into a bear hold.
• Continue, alternating between these two positions.

Modification: You can place your hands on a bench or elevated surface to reduce the pressure on your wrists and shoulders.

Add a challenge: Add a push-up each time you return to the high plank position.

“This movement trains both the superficial core—the muscles you can see—and the deep stabilizing core—the muscles that protect your spine,” says Brooks.

“Moving between a high plank and a bear crawl position demands full-body tension and coordination. It's deceptively challenging without any jumping or joint impact.”

5. Lateral shuffle to rotational punch

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

How to do it:

• Stand in an athletic stance, with your feet hip-width apart, your knees slightly bent and your hips pushed back slightly, and your hands raised to eye level.
• Take two side steps to the right.
• Punch to the left with your left hand, pivoting on your left foot and turning your hips and torso to face right.
• Shuffle back to the left and repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Add a challenge: In the final 15 seconds, drop into fast feet with alternating jabs so you are making rapid-fire punches on both sides.

“The lateral shuffle activates the glutes and inner/outer thighs in a way most exercises miss,” says Brooks.

“This exercise trains the side-to-side movement patterns that are essential for athletic function and injury prevention.

“The rotational punch at the end of each shuffle activates the obliques and trains the body to generate rotational power from the hips.”

I struggle to get my steps in sometimes and that’s when an indoor walking workout can come in handy.

It’s a great way to boost my step count without even leaving the house, which as, a single mom with limited childcare, is a godsend.

I’ve tried plenty of sessions on YouTube, and tried five of the most popular 1,000-step walking workout videos.

I prefer the shorter videos because I can squeeze them into a desk break, or while I’m on lunch.

So I was intrigued when I discovered this 1.0 Mile Happy Walk from Walk at Home by Leslie Sansone, which has racked up over 150 million views over two videos (the original video had a glitch and was reposted).

This makes it the most-watched indoor walking workout on YouTube, and as far as I’m concerned, worth a try.

Watch the 1.0 Mile Happy Walk

My experience trying the 1.0 Mile Happy Walk

I gave the workout a try myself, and here’s what I discovered.

1. The 15-minute format made it very easy to fit in

The workout only takes 15 minutes and you don’t need any equipment, or even much space, making it ideal to do in a lunch break or even between meetings.

It involves four easy steps: walking on the spot, side steps, kicks and a march.

Sansone also makes you do some walking forward and backward as well as side to side, so it’s great for coordination, too.

For someone who struggles to fit activity into my day, I found it was a convenient way to get moving. And because it is all low-impact, it’s well-suited to people new to exercise or returning after a break.

2. It worked more than just my legs

I expected my legs to do all the work but I could feel my whole body getting involved.

Rather than just accumulating steps, the workout ask you to move in different directions and encourages you to move your arms as well.

I went from doing overhead presses to shoulder rolls and lateral side reaches, as well as pumping the arms while power walking.

We did a hamstring curl with arm pull-backs, a standing crunch and even the grapevine—which reminded me of doing my mum’s workout videos as a teenager.

This made it feel like more of a workout than simply marching to hit a step target.

3. It got my heart rate up without feeling too intense

My Apple Watch recorded my heart rate at 93 bpm at the start, peaking at 131 bpm, with an average of 116 bpm.

It also estimated that I burned 98 calories in total.

I have to say, even though it wasn’t as challenging as my normal strength training sessions, and I wasn’t super sweaty, I was still surprised by how much effort it took for something labelled a walk.

The continuous marching, broken up with faster steps and larger movements, made it a gentle cardio session.

4. It was really fun

Exercise doesn’t need to be about getting your personal best or dripping in sweat by the end. It can just be about having fun while moving your body.

I spend a lot of time writing on my laptop, so taking a desk break to move—particularly doing something fun and playful, which felt a bit like a line dancing lesson—was a big mood booster.

I’ll definitely do this one again, particularly as it’s so quick and easy to fit into my busy schedule.

Lifting weights is one of the best ways to future-proof your body against injury and the physical effects of aging. That’s because adults lose between 3% and 8% of their muscle mass each decade after they reach 30.

Weightlifting can help combat this muscle loss, which is why Holly Fivian founded Holsm, a strength workout platform for midlife women.

If you’re completely new to exercise, Fivian recommends starting with bodyweight movements to help you get used to fundamental movement patterns like squats, push-ups and lunges. But if you’ve tried these movements before, adding a couple of dumbbells to your workouts could make all the difference.

“Once these movement patterns become habitual and you know what good form looks and feels like, you can start playing around with movement,” Fivian explains.

“You can add heavier weights, change your arm or hand position, try different squat, hinge, push, pull and lunge variations or change your tempo or range of movement.

“This is where training becomes fun.”

Below, Fivian has shared the dumbbell workout she always starts beginners with. Choose a pair of medium dumbbells and give it a go.

Holly Fivian’s beginner dumbbell workout

Fivian’s workout consists of five moves:

1. Goblet squat: 3 x 30sec
2. Romanian deadlift: 3 x 30sec
3. Lunge: 3 x 30sec
4. Chest press: 3 x 30sec
5. Bent-over row: 3 x 30sec

Workout timer

Form guides

1. Goblet squat

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Cup the top head of a vertical dumbbell in both hands, holding it in front of your chest.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outwards.
• Engage your core.
• Inhale as you push your hips back and down, and bend your knees, keeping your weight through your heels and gently pushing your knees outwards so they stay in line with your toes.
• Push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to return to standing, exhaling through pursed lips.

Trainer tip: “Think: knees gently out, heels grounded, glutes on.”

2. Romanian deadlift

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Stand holding dumbbells in front of your thighs, with your palms facing you and a slight bend in your knees.
• Engage your core.
• Push your hips back, allowing the dumbbells to lower close to your legs as your torso tips forwards. Keep your head in line with your spine and maintain a long, strong back.
• Stop when you feel a stretch through the backs of your thighs, then exhale and drive your hips forwards and squeeze your glutes to return to standing.

Trainer tip: “This is a hinge rather than a squat. Think about sending the hips backwards.”

3. Lunge

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Cup the top head of a vertical dumbbell in both hands, holding it in front of your chest.
• Stand tall and engage your core.
• Step forwards (or backwards if that feels more comfortable) and bend both knees to lower, maintaining an upright posture and keeping your front knee tracking over your foot, rather than allowing it to collapse inwards.
• Push through your heel to return to standing, exhaling through pursed lips.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Trainer tip: “Use a wall or chair for additional stability if needed.”

4. Dumbbell chest press

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your back holding dumbbells next to your chest, with your elbows bent to 90° and upper arms resting on the floor.
• Engage your core.
• Press the dumbbells straight up, extending your arms and exhaling through pursed lips.
• Lower the weights slowly and with control as you inhale.

Trainer tip: “Engage the core by tucking the ribs and the pelvis before pressing the dumbbells overhead.”

5. Bent-over dumbbell row

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Stand holding dumbbells by your sides with your palms facing you and a slight bend in your knees.
• Push your hips back, allowing the dumbbells to lower close to your legs as your torso tips forwards—this is your starting position.
• Exhale as you lift the weights to your torso, drawing your elbows backwards towards your mid-back or hips, rather than towards the ceiling.
• Slowly lower the dumbbells as you inhale, keeping your torso still and avoiding shrugging your shoulders.

Trainer tip: “Keep your head in line with your spine, shoulders away from your ears and torso strong and still. The movement comes from your arms and back, not from swinging your body to get the weights up.”

It’s natural for mobility to decline as we age, but some movements tend to become harder before others.

Courtney Fitzpatrick, physical therapist at Hinge Health, sees these mobility changes regularly with her clients.

“The movements that often become more difficult first are the ones that require balance, power, quick reactions, strength, coordination, and mobility,” she says.

According to Courtney, the movements and attributes that are most likely to disappear first as we age are:

• Floor transfers (the ability to get on and off the floor)
• Movements reliant on leg strength (like squatting up and down)
• Eccentric control (the active lengthening of a muscle under load)
• Thoracic and cervical rotation (for example, turning your head to look over your shoulder)
• Hip mobility
• Balance

But we don’t have to accept that these movements are lost to us once we reach a certain age.

Below, Courtney shares a short strength routine that can be done a couple of times a week to slow the loss of these movements, and keep us moving healthily as we age.

1. Seated thoracic twist

Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side

How to do it:

• Sit upright toward the front of a chair with both feet flat.
• Place your hands across your chest.
• Exhale and rotate your upper body to one side, keeping your hips and knees facing forward.
• Inhale and rotate your torso back to facing forward.
• Exhale and repeat on the other side.
• Avoid forcing the movement through your neck.

How it helps: This one improves upper-back rotation for everyday movements like reaching, turning and looking behind you.

2. Sit to stand

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Rest: 30–60sec

How to do it:

• Sit in a chair with your feet hip-width apart.
• Lean forward from your hips, keeping your back long.
• Press through your feet to stand.
• Slowly lower back into the chair.

How it helps: Sit-to-stand helps build the leg and hip strength needed for things like getting out of a chair and climbing stairs.

3. Standing hip flexor stretch

Sets: 1 Reps: 2 each side Time: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand beside a chair or counter for support.
• Step one foot back, keeping the heel lifted and both toes facing forward (if you don't need support, it can also be done by stepping forward, as in the video).
• Gently tuck your pelvis and shift your weight forward.
• Stop when you feel a mild stretch at the front of the back hip.
• Hold for 30sec and then switch sides.

How it helps: Stretches the front of the hip, which can support upright posture and a more comfortable stride.

4. Supported standing child’s pose

Sets: 1 Reps: 2 Time: 20–30sec

How to do it:

• Face a counter or wall and place both hands on it.
• Bend your knees slightly and push your hips back.
• Lengthen your arms as your torso lowers between them.
• Keep your neck and spine relaxed and hold for 20-30sec.

How it helps: This one gently stretches the back, shoulders and hips while encouraging comfortable movement.

5. Shoulder squeeze

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Time: 3–5sec

How to do it:

• Sit or stand with your arms relaxed.
• Draw your shoulder blades gently together and down.
• Keep your shoulders away from your ears.
• Hold, then release and repeat.

How it helps: Shoulder squeezes encourage better upper-back positioning and comfortable posture.

If you’ve seen the latest Spider-Man, you already know that Tom Holland is in great shape.

Having completed CrossFit workouts myself, I know the real proof of his fitness is completing 27 rounds of the notorious Cindy workout in just 20 minutes.

The routine consists of three bodyweight moves—pull-ups, push-ups and squats—repeated as a circuit over 20 minutes.

Holland revealed his all-time best Cindy score in an interview with Men’s Health last year.

That clip has recently gone viral again, as people are recording themselves trying to beat his record, with most people falling short.

The beauty of this routine is anyone can do it—yes, even if you can’t do pull-ups or don’t have Holland’s strength and stamina.

While CrossFit workouts can be notably challenging, they can also be easily modified to individual levels.

Here's how to do it.

How to do Tom Holland’s workout

The goal of this workout is to put a 20-minute timer on and complete as many rounds as possible of the following circuit.

• Pull-up x5
• Push-up x10
• Squat x15

The workout packs in a lot of pulling, pushing and squatting in a relatively short time, so not only is it functional (mimicking the natural demands of everyday life) but it’s a tough cardio workout.

The pull-up is what most people will need to modify and there are many ways to do this, depending on what equipment you have.

If you only have access to dumbbells, then I'd recommend doing the below:

• Bent-over row x5
• Push-up x10
• Squat x15

1. Dumbbell bent-over row

How to do it

Reps: 5

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding heavy dumbbells.
• Hinge from your hips, pushing your buttocks back and lowering your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor.
• Keep your back flat and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
• Pull the dumbbells toward your ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.
• Lower the weights back to the starting position.

While it doesn’t replicate the exact movement pattern of a pull-up, this variation will still get you to practice a pulling motion and provide a challenge for your back muscles.

If you only have resistance bands: Use a long-loop resistance band to perform a seated banded row.

If you’re at a gym: You can use the assisted pull-up machine, lat pull-down machine, or use a long-loop resistance band to make the pull-ups achievable.

2. Negative push-ups

How to do it

Reps: 10

• Come to your hands and knees on the floor.
• Position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
• Step your feet back, so your body is in a straight line.
• Lower your chest to the floor.
• Keep your knees on the floor as you push-up, keeping your upper body straight.
• Step your feet back, raise your hips and repeat.

Doing a negative push-up will challenge you to keep your body in that plank position, targeting your core muscles and getting you used to controlling your weight for the descent.

Make it easier: You can do wall push-ups if the above is too hard, or an elevated push-up, with your hands on a box or chair.

3. Squat

How to do it

Reps: 15

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and pointing out slightly.
• Bend your knees and lower your hips, until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Push through your feet to stand.

Make it easier: Perform chair squats by positioning a chair, box or bench behind you and squatting down on it.

Tips for completing Tom Holland’s workout

• Choose your pace. You don’t have to go for speed (or even aim to get anywhere near Holland’s time) so choose a pace that you can maintain for the whole 20 minutes without compromising on good form and technique.
• Adjust the workout length. If 20 minutes is too much, then reduce the workout to 15 or 10 minutes until you build your capacity.
• Take breaks if you need them. Holland built his fitness skills over years, so don’t expect superhero results overnight. Take a breather in between sets and reps as you need it.

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.

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.

Being able to maintain and improve balance becomes more important as you age. It can make the difference between suffering a serious fall-related injury or avoiding a fall altogether.

Yoga teacher Agata Quieora recently took to Instagram and Facebook, and said the best anti-aging hack is the four ankle exercises in her video below.

Quieora wrote that these four moves are “some of the most powerful things you can do for your feet, ankles, and calves, the foundation of every step, every yoga pose, and every movement you make.”

They are all variations of the calf raise using a yoga block, although you can do some of the moves using stairs or a step.

The internet sat up and took notice, with the video passing five million views and counting on Facebook alone.

The benefits of calf raises

Physical therapist Ashley Katzenback, owner of Cape Concierge Physical Therapy, says Quierora’s calf raise variations—like the regular ones on the floor without a block—are a great way to improve balance.

“Performing calf raises in a variety of ways is a great way to improve your balance, strength, coordination and mobility,” says Katzenback. “All of these areas tend to decline with age, so it’s important to challenge yourself so your ankles are better able to respond to a trip and/or fall.

“Calf raises, especially when performed with the intent to move quickly, enhance the explosive force of the calf muscles (plantarflexors). This is critical for reactive balance—the ability to recover from something unexpected like a trip or push.”

How often should you do calf raises?

Katzenback says ideally we should all be doing calf raises every day. “But a realistic target is to incorporate them into your strength training workout and do them four times a week,” she says.

And you can expect to notice a benefit in around a month. “Like all physiological changes, it takes four to six weeks to notice a change.”

How calf exercises improve your balance

Katzenback says that strong calf muscles also help your body know where your foot and ankle are—known as ankle proprioception—and that can improve your balance and movement.

“This is especially important because as we age, we tend to sit more and our calf muscles get shorter and weaker,” she says. “Ankle balance relies on input from proprioception in your feet, ankle joints and even calf muscles. Your calf muscle spindles provide sensory feedback. Stronger, better-conditioned calf muscles will provide more reliable proprioception.”

And as we’ve already heard, when we do calf raises, this increases the capacity of the plantarflexors—which can reduce your fall risk. “The more reactive your plantarflexion is, the less likely you are to fall if you are trying to recover from an expected loss of balance,” she says.

I often only have a short amount of time to squeeze in exercise so when I do an online workout it needs to be quick, effective and fun.

Personal trainer Britany Williams always ticks all three boxes with the workouts she posts on her Instagram account. She often uses compound exercises (working multiple muscle groups at once), allowing you to work your whole body in less time.

Like me, the Sweat coach is a mom to young children so she understands the time constraints parents face.

Here are three of her workouts I do on repeat.

My favorite Britany Williams workout for arms

This 15-minute arms workout features just three dumbbell exercises—the single-arm shoulder press, single-arm row and skull crusher—ticking off a push, a pull and an isolation move for the triceps on the back of your arms.

This neat little circuit not only works your upper body but also challenges your core. In a kneeling position, your abdominal muscles will work hard to stabilize you, and the skull crusher requires some core strength to raise the weights from overhead.

My favorite Britany Williams workout for no-jumping cardio

Since having children my pelvic floor is not as strong as it used to be and now I’m nearing 50, low-impact cardio is kinder on my knees. This no-jumping cardio workout satisfies my love of HIIT without putting too much stress on my joints.

It’s only four rounds but because there’s no rest between exercises, it keeps your heart rate up and helps to build cardiovascular fitness and strength.

My favorite Britany Williams workout for core strength

The two killer core moves in this workout prove you don’t need crunches to effectively work your core. Both moves—the pullover supine march and the plank to bear—target your deep core muscles. These sit under your superficial abdominals to help support your spine.

Often overlooked, these deeper stabilizing core muscles not only help improve overall core strength and stability, but can improve your posture, lower-back pain and pelvic floor strength.

If you want to build strength, then you need to follow the principle of progressive overload, gradually increasing the challenge to your muscles over time. The most obvious way to do this is by using heavier and heavier weights—but it’s not the only way.

Certified strength and conditioning specialist Alexander Erickson, who works at Just Train by Joel Thomas, explained to me that there are multiple ways to increase the difficulty of your workouts that don’t involve different weights, so you can follow progressive overload without a gym membership or a set of home dumbbells.

Five ways to progressively overload without equipment

1. Add more reps or sets: The easiest way to progress, although this becomes too time consuming to be practical after a while.
2. Increase time under tension: Slow down the movement (on the way down especially), and/or hold the position at the bottom of the movement for a few seconds, to make it more challenging.
3. Add instability: Adding some form of instability with a soft surface like a sofa cushion, can increase the difficulty of the exercise, because your body has to work harder to stay balanced. Another idea is to go from a bilateral to a unilateral exercise, where possible.
4. Increase the intensity: Work against a timer, with as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) workouts, or Tabata high-intensity interval training protocols.
5. Increase the frequency of workouts: Just add an extra session to your week.

“Ultimately, it’s about being creative, finding new ways to challenge yourself and making the necessary adjustments,” Erickson says.

How to build stronger glutes without weights

To put these techniques into practice, Erickson recommends the following three equipment-free glute exercises, which only require an elevated surface to perform.

Here’s how to do them, and the techniques you can employ to make each more challenging as you get stronger.

1. Bulgarian split squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 6-10 each side

How to do it:

• Stand facing away from an elevated platform—a bench, step, box or chair—and take a step away from it.
• Place the top of your left foot on the platform.
• Bend your right knee to lower, stopping just before your left knee touches the floor, or as low as feels comfortable.
• Push through your right foot to extend your right leg and return to the starting position
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.

“This exercise is similar to a regular split squat, but with the rear foot elevated instead of planted on the ground,” says Erickson.

“This change causes a backward shift of the center of mass and a decrease in stability, which both shifts the load to the glutes and increases the difficulty of the exercise.”

How to make it harder:

1. Increase time under tension: “Control the eccentric (downward) movement or hold the bottom position.”
2. Increase elevation: “Increasing the height of the rear leg can increase difficulty, as long as the person is still able to perform the exercise with good form.”

2. Box pistol squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 6-10 each side

How to do it:

• Stand facing away from an elevated platform, such as a bench, step, box or chair.
• Extend your right leg and both arms in front of you, balancing on your left leg.
• Bend your left knee and push your hips back to slowly lower your body until you feel your glutes touch the platform.
• Push through your left foot to stand back up.
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.

Make it easier: If it is too difficult to push back up with one foot, use both feet to stand back up.

“This exercise can be thought of as a single-leg squat. You should aim to control the downward movement, as this is where most of the glute activation happens,” says Erickson.

The box is important, especially for beginners, as it allows them to explore their available range of motion for the exercise without the risk of overbalancing.

How to make it harder:

1. Lower the box: “Lowering the elevated surface increases the total range of the motion, which makes the exercise more difficult.”
2. Lose the box: Then keep lowering the elevation until you no longer need it and can do a full range pistol squat.” This extends the time you spend in eccentric (downward) movement, increasing the time your muscles are under tension.

3. Step-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 6-10 each side

How to do it:

• Stand facing an elevated platform, such as a bench, step, box or chair.
• Place your right foot on the platform.
• Squeeze your glutes and push through your right foot to extend your right leg, raising your body and bringing your left foot on to the platform.
• Step your left foot back to the floor, lowering slowly and with control.
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.

“One of my favorite exercises, and one that translates extremely well to many aspects of both athletic performance and real life,” says Erickson.

“The actual movement itself is similar to the pistol squat, but you are moving your body in the opposite direction.”

How to make it harder:

1. Increase elevation: “You can further elevate the surface, as long as you stay within your range of motion—you should not be on your tippy-toes or hovering before the motion begins.”
2. Increase time under tension: “Moving slowly on the way down is another way to make the exercise more difficult.”
3. Add a dynamic movement: “Add a knee raise at the end of the upward motion, or start with both feet off the elevated surface.

Want to take your core training to the next level? But you’re not keen on adding more crunches or incorporating weights? I feel you.

I’ve been confused about how to progress my core workout. What I really need are core exercises that are targeted and scalable, and that I can do without weights or having to join the gym.

So I asked Melissa Worley, a personal trainer with over 25 years of experience and a member of the Mindbody Wellness Council, what I could do.

She recommends the following three core exercises, which can be progressed without equipment.

1. Dead bug

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 reps each side Rest: 45-60sec

Muscles targeted: Deep core, internal and external obliques, hip flexors and pelvic floor

Worley says: “Dead bugs are a great progression exercise because they train the core to resist spinal extension, which carries over to many everyday and athletic movements. They are also highly scalable.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms extended straight up and your legs raised, knees bent to 90° and directly above your hips.
• Brace your core and press your lower back into the floor.
• Slowly lower your right arm and lower and extend your left leg until they are just above the floor.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side, extending your left arm and right leg.
• Alternate sides with each rep.

Form tip: Be sure your lower back doesn’t arch off the floor.

Progressions:

• Double-leg dead bug: Start in the same position and extend both legs and arms simultaneously.
• Slow down: This keeps your muscles under tension for longer, working them harder.
• Pause: Add a pause at the base of the movement.

2. Forearm plank

Sets: 3 Hold: 20-60sec Rest: 45-60sec

Muscles targeted: Transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques, lower back stabilizers, glutes and shoulders.

Worley says: “The plank is an effective exercise for developing anti-extension core strength, using the entire trunk to work together to maintain a neutral spine. It challenges your shoulders and glutes, making it a full-body exercise.”

How to do it:

• From all fours, place your forearms on the floor, positioning your elbows under your shoulders, and step your feet back so your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Brace your core and squeeze your glutes, holding the position for 20-60 seconds.
• Lower your knees and come up onto your hands to exit the hold.

Form tip: Avoid letting your hips sag or lift.

Progressions:

• Long-lever plank: Move your elbows several inches in front of your shoulders, increasing the demand on your abdominals.
• Plank shoulder taps: From a high plank (supported on your hands, not your elbows), alternate tapping each shoulder with the opposite hand while bracing your core to minimize hip rotation.
• Single-leg plank: Lift one foot off the floor for the duration of the hold. Repeat with the opposite leg.

3. Side plank

Sets: 3 Hold: 20-45sec each side Rest: 45-60sec

Muscles targeted: Obliques, deep core and shoulder stabilizers.

Worley says: “Side planks train a different core function than dead bugs and standard planks by focusing on lateral stability and resisting side bending.

“They activate the obliques and glute medius together, which is important for hip and trunk stability and can help with injury prevention in the hips, pelvis, and lower back.”

How to do it:

• Lie on one side propped up on your forearm with your elbow directly under your shoulder and one foot on top of the other.
• Brace your core and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line.
• Keep your ribs down and avoid rotating forward or backward.
• Hold for 20-45 seconds, then lower your hip to the floor.

Progressions:

• Top leg lift: While holding the plank, raise your top leg several inches.
• Star side plank: Lift your top arm and your top leg simultaneously.
• Thread-the-needle: Rotate your top arm and bring it under your torso and back again while maintaining hip height and stability

If you enjoy working out, then there is no end of exercises and techniques to help you build muscle. If that’s you, we salute you, but politely suggest the following won’t be of interest (perhaps you’d like to read about myo-reps instead).

For those of us who want the benefits of strength training, but don’t have the mental bandwidth to follow complicated plans, I have just the thing: a simple three-move home upper-body workout, courtesy of Denise Chakoian, a certified fitness trainer and owner of Core Cycle and Fitness LaGree.

“Together, these movements provide a balanced upper-body workout by training both pushing and pulling patterns,” she says.

“They target the chest, shoulders, back and arms while also requiring core engagement.”

The beauty of this routine is that Chakoian has also shared several options to scale up each exercise, so as you get stronger, you just increase the challenge.

“I like these exercises because they are accessible for most fitness levels and can continue to challenge people for years simply by changing leverage, tempo and stability rather than relying on heavier weights,” says Chakoian.

1. Push-up

Sets: 3-4 Reps: 8-15

“I chose this because push-ups are one of the most effective upper-body exercises because they train multiple muscle groups at once while also challenging core stability,” says Chakoian.

“Small changes in leverage can make them significantly harder without adding weight.”

How to do a push-up:

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Step your feet back so your body in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Engage your core—this is your starting position.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor with control.
• Pause when your elbows are bent to 90°.
• Press through your hands to lift yourself back to the starting position.

Make it easier:

Possible modified push-ups include:

• Placing your hands on a wall for wall push-ups.
• Placing your hands on a bench for incline push-ups, the lower the platform, the harder it is.
• Performing push-ups on your knees.
• Performing just the lowering part of a full push-up, called a negative push-up.

Make it harder:

• Slow down the lowering phase, taking three to five seconds.
• Add a pause at the bottom before pushing up.
• Elevate your feet on a step or bench.
• Perform staggered-hand push-ups.
• Progress to one-arm push-ups.

2. Pike push-up

Sets: 3-4 Reps: 6-12

“I chose this because many people overlook vertical pushing strength when training without equipment,” says Chakoian.

“Pike push-ups are excellent for developing shoulder strength and can eventually lead to more advanced bodyweight movements.”

How to do a pike push-up:

• Begin with your hands on the floor and your hips lifted, so your body forms an inverted V shape. Keep your legs straight or, if your mobility is limited, slightly bend your knees.
• Bend your elbows to lower your head, keeping your elbows angled slightly backward as you descend.
• Once your head gently taps the floor, press through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

Make it easier:

• Place your hands on a raised platform and lower your head to the platform.

Make it harder:

• Slow the lowering phase.
• Increase the range of motion by elevating your hands on books or yoga blocks, allowing your head to go below your hands.
• Elevate your feet on a chair or step.
• Pause and hold at the bottom of the movement.
• Progress toward wall-supported handstand push-ups.

3. Inverted row

Sets: 3-4 Reps: 8-15

“I chose this exercise because pulling movements are often neglected in equipment-free workouts, yet they’re essential for posture, shoulder health, and balanced upper-body strength,” says Chakoian.

“Rows help strengthen the muscles that counteract hours of sitting and computer work.”

How to do an inverted row:

• Lie on your back under a sturdy table.
• Grasp the edge of the surface with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Engage your core and make sure your body is straight from head to heels—this is your starting position.
• Pull your chest toward your hands, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Lower yourself slowly back to the starting position.

Ensure the table is sturdy enough to support your weight and not tip over. You may wish to invest in a telescopic doorway pull-up bar or suspension trainer if this routine becomes a staple of your training.

Make it easier:

• Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.

Make it harder:

• Slow the lowering phase.
• Pause at the top of the movement for two or three seconds.
• Elevate your feet to make your body horizontal.
• Perform single-leg variations.

Strength training and stretching are important. But one type of movement people often forget about are balance exercises, which become increasingly important as we get older.

Barre is an excellent type of exercise to develop your balance and stability. It contains elements of Pilates, yoga and ballet conditioning, and is surprisingly beginner-friendly.

Tara Riley is a barre instructor and she says that there are a few reasons why this type of movement is so beneficial for balance. “Often, people fall and every part of their body goes down,” Riley says. “Whereas if you’ve worked muscles independently and you know how to keep your core engaged, you can catch yourself more easily.”

Barre can also be helpful for improving your mind-body connection. “It’s really good for coordination,” Riley says, explaining that barre tends to involve moving different body parts in different directions simultaneously.

“It’s good for your brain to have to think about doing a few different movements at the same time,” Riley adds.

To give Fit&Well readers a taste of barre from the comfort of home, Riley has shared the one move she always recommends to beginners who want to improve their balance and stability—the standing arabesque.

It’s an exercise that recruits the stabilizing muscles: the small muscles located around joints, which help you to balance and stay in place. “You’re also using your core and your back,” Riley says.

How to do a standing arabesque

Reps: 16 each side

• Stand with your feet together, facing a chair or another stable surface with your hands resting on the surface.
• Bend your knees, then extend your left leg behind you, keeping the toes of your left foot on the floor.
• Hinge forward from your hips, so your body should be in a straight line from your head to your left toes.
• Bend your left leg to 90° so that your toes point straight up.
• Keeping the rest of your body still and your left knee bent to 90° throughout, bring your left knee forward until it is in line with your right.
• Lift your left leg behind you until your body forms a straight line from your head to your left knee.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: “Hold on to something but don’t grip it,” Riley says, explaining that you can use a support for balance, but don’t put all of your weight into it—your body should be holding your weight. She also adds that you should keep your gaze forward: “Try not to stare down at your feet.”

With so many different types of exercise out there to get excited about, as a beginner, merging a few styles can be a great way to get started.

Eloise Skinner is a qualified personal trainer, Pilates instructor and yoga teacher, so her expertise is extensive, and she says there are a few things that beginners should focus on.

"The things I think about most with clients are strength, mobility and flexibility," Skinner says.

Skinner recommends starting with simple bodyweight exercises, explaining, "I prioritise dynamic movements rather than static poses."

Moving dynamically means there is motion within the exercise, rather than holding a pose or a stretch. It's great for mobility and building strength.

Below, Skinner has shared her three favourite beginner-friendly exercises, inspired by a range of disciplines including yoga and Pilates. They're also great for people who spend a lot of time sitting down.

"For people who work at a desk, the place you'll mostly feel that is in your hip flexors, shoulder and back," Skinner says, explaining that these moves will help to offset the effects desk working has on the body.

Eloise Skinner's top three moves for beginners

1. Downward dog to plank

Sets: 1 Reps: 8

• Begin on all fours. Hands should be flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart with fingers spread wide.
• Tuck your toes under, then straighten your legs and lift your hips toward the ceiling into your downward dog.
• Press firmly into your hands and look slightly ahead of your fingertips and shift your entire body forward by rolling onto the balls of your feet, moving your shoulders toward your wrists until they are directly above them. Your body should form one straight line from your head through your hips to your heels.
• From your plank, push into the hands and hike your hips into the air to move back into downward dog, that’s one rep.

Skinner says: "This combines deep strength work—engaging your core, arms and legs in the plank—and rippling movement, which is really good for the mobility of the spine. You're moving your spine into flexion during downward dog and then into neutral for the plank.

"This will also improve mobility in the hamstrings."

2. Shoulder bridge

Sets: 1 Reps: 8

• Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your feet about hip-width apart and close enough that your fingertips can almost touch your heels. Rest your arms alongside your body with palms facing down.
• Press your feet into the floor and lift your hips upward, peeling your lower back, mid back, then upper back off the floor—until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Pause very briefly at the top while keeping your hips level.
• Lower down slowly by bringing your upper back, then mid back, then lower back to the floor one section at a time—until your hips return to the mat.
• Flow straight into the next rep to keep the movement dynamic.

Skinner says: "Shoulder bridges are something that come up across yoga and Pilates, so they're interesting tools, because you can use them in different ways.

"For a Pilates bridge, you would focus on engagement of the posterior chain, so the glute muscles and the back of the legs. For yoga, it's more of a flexibility tool."

3. Thread the needle

Sets: 1 Reps: 3 each side

• Start on all fours. Place your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Keep your back flat and look down at the floor.
• Lift your right hand off the floor and slide it underneath your left armpit, reaching across your body. Continue sliding until your right shoulder and the side of your head rest gently on the floor.
• Lift your head and slide the right arm out and extend it towards the ceiling.
• Flow straight into the next rep to keep the move dynamic.
• Complete reps on one side, and then repeat on the other side.

Skinner says: "This is a great stretch for the shoulders and the hips. It also allows some rotation through the spine."

My exercise classes don’t run over the summer break because too many people are on vacation and for those with children, childcare can be tricky when school is out. But many of my clients worry about the six-week break without having a consistent fitness plan.

Some find they lack the motivation to work out consistently when they’re by themselves, which is why they love the accountability group exercise provides.

Some are new to exercise and don’t feel confident about what to do at home, so for them, I’ve created a seven-move home workout that can be done anywhere.

It’s bodyweight by design so it can be done on vacation without having to worry about finding a gym or fitness equipment. It’s also good for beginners who might not yet have invested in any home fitness kit.

It’s a full-body routine that will keep you moving over the summer, wherever you are.

How to do the workout

Perform the following eight exercises as a circuit. Take a 20-second break between exercises, and once you've completed one round of the exercises, rest for one minute. Complete three rounds in total.

The workout in brief

1. Squat x 8-10
2. Reverse lunge x 8-10 each side
3. Self-resisted biceps curl x 8-10 each side
4. Floor triceps dip x 8-10
5. Bird dog x 8-10 each side
6. Plank x 10sec
7. Glute bridge x 8-10

Exercise guides

1. Squat

Reps: 8-10

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned out.
• Engage your core.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping your chest upright.
• Pause, squeeze your glutes, then push through your heels to return to standing.

2. Reverse lunge

Reps: 8-10 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips.
• Step your right foot back and bend both knees to lower with control, keeping your front knee directly above your foot.
• Pause when your right knee is just above the floor.
• Push through your left foot to return to standing.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

3. Self-resisted biceps curl

Reps: 8-10 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides.
• Clench your right fist and place your left hand on your right forearm.
• Bend your right elbow to raise your right fist to your right shoulder, pressing on your right forearm with your left hand to create resistance.
• Slowly reverse the movement to the start, still pressing on your right forearm with your left hand.
• Complete all the repetitions on one side, then repeat on the other side.

4. Floor triceps dip

Reps: 8-10

• Sit on the floor and place your hands on the floor behind you, fingers pointing forward.
• Engage your core and lift your hips.
• Bend your elbows to lower your hips, tapping your butt on the floor.
• Push through your hands to extend your arms and lift your hips.

Form tip: Keep your shoulders down throughout the move.

5. Bird dog

Reps: 8-10 each side

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your knees under your hips.
• Extend your right arm forward and your left leg back, creating a straight line through your body.
• Keep your hips level with the floor and avoid twisting from side to side.
• Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

6. Plank

Time: 10sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands.
• Step both feet back then lower onto your forearms, forming a straight line from your head to your feet.
• Engage your core and squeeze your buttocks to avoid letting your hips drop or rise.

7. Glute bridge

Reps: 8-10

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Slowly raise your hips, engaging your lower core and squeezing your buttocks at the top of the movement.
• Hold briefly then return to the starting position with control.

You don’t need an expensive gym membership, or to spend hours training each week, to build core strength.

Quick and easy, equipment-free workouts can help you fit movement into your day—even when you’re short on time.

“Consistency matters more than intensity,” fitness trainer Liam Hogan tells Fit&Well.

“Completing short workouts two to four times per week can help build confidence, routine, and long-term exercise habits without feeling overwhelming.”

Hogan has designed a five-minute core workout for beginners that can be done anywhere, and without the need for any equipment.

“The focus is on building stability, improving posture and strengthening the core with exercises that are beginner-friendly,” says Hogan, who is head of fitness at VEYR, an AI-powered fitness app.

Try Hogan’s five-minute beginner-friendly abs workout below.

For more personalized workouts that are adapted based on your available time, equipment and environment, check out the VEYR fitness app.

How to do the five-minute abs workout

Hogan’s five-minute ab workout consists of four exercises with no equipment needed.

He recommends doing his routine two to four times per week, along with other strength training workouts.

The four exercises in this five-minute workout are:

1. Dead bug
2. Bird dog
3. Plank
4. Side plank

1. Dead bug

Reps: 5-10 each side

Benefits: Builds deep core stability, improves coordination and control, and helps protect the lower back.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms extended above your chest.
• Lift your legs and bend your knees to 90°, with your shins parallel to the floor.
• Gently press your lower back into the floor to engage your core.
• Slowly lower your left arm behind your head and extend and lower your right leg.
• Return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.
• Keep your lower back pressed into the floor throughout.

2. Bird dog

Sets: 1 Reps: 5-10 each side

Benefits: Strengthens the core and lower back, improves balance and posture, and develops full body stability.

How to do it:

• Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your left arm in front of you and extend and lift your right leg behind you, until your left arm, torso and right leg are in a straight line.
• Pause briefly while keeping hips stable.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
• Move slowly and stay balanced.

3. Plank

Sets: 1 Time: 20-45sec

Benefits: Strengthens the entire core, improves posture and stability, and builds endurance in the abs and lower back.

How to do it:

• your Lie on your front, propped up on your forearms, with your elbows directly underneath your shoulders.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your body so you are on your forearms and toes, with your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Hold this position for time, being careful not to let your hips drop.

4. Side plank

Sets: 1 Time: 20-45sec each side

Benefits: Strengthens the obliques, improves hip and core stability, and helps support lower back health.

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your elbow directly underneath your shoulder.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your hips so your body is in a straight line from head to feet.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the right side.

If you’re over 70 and starting exercise for the first time, you’ll quickly realize that not all workouts are suitable for you.

Some routines online are too challenging, while others are focused on getting big, bulging muscles. It’d be understandable if your goals might be more about staying mobile enough to get your groceries in from the car unaided.

On top of that, if you’re stepping into a gym for the first time, seeing the array of machines and weights can be overwhelming.

So, I asked Jamie Bovay, founder and lead physical therapist at KinetikChain Denver, to outline a routine for any of our readers in the above position.

He came back with give of the most important exercises for seniors to do as a once-a-week circuit workout.

“To best use your time, you can move into the next exercise with no break and then cycle through these five exercises for three rounds.”

Here are the five exercises he suggests.

1. Sit-to-stand

Sets: 3 Reps: 20-25

Bovay says: “This is the most fundamental movement for independence. It targets the glutes and quads; the engine of your lower body.”

How to do it:

• Sit on a sturdy chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lean slightly forward and push through your feet to stand up straight, avoiding pushing off with your hands if possible.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to slowly lower yourself back into the chair.

2. Wall push-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 20-25

Bovay says: “This builds upper-body integrity, and bone density in the wrists and shoulders without the strain of a floor push-up.”

How to do it:

• Stand an arm’s length away from a wall and place your palms on it, with your hands in line with your shoulders.
• Step your feet back between 12 and 18 inches.
• Bend your elbows to bring your chest toward the wall.
• Push against the wall to extend your arms and return to the start.

3. Counter-top row

Sets: 3 Reps: 20-25

Bovay says: “This targets the back’s postural muscles, countering the common forward slump posture and supporting the spine.”

How to do it:

• Stand facing a kitchen counter or sturdy table.
• Hinge forward from your hips and take hold of the edge of the counter with your palms facing up and your chest level with the counter.
• Pull your shoulder blades together and bend your elbows, pulling your chest toward the counter.
• Extend your arms to return to the start position.

4. Single-leg balance

Sets: 3 Time: 30–60sec each side

Bovay says: “Ankle integrity is a longevity requirement. This exercise improves proprioception, which is your brain's ability to know where your body is in space. This is your primary defense against falls.”

How to do it:

• Stand, with one hand lightly holding on to a wall or chair next to you if you’re not confident balancing on one leg.
• Lift one foot slightly off the floor and hold this position, maintaing your balance, for your chosen time.
• Lower your foot back to the floor, then swap sides.

5. Farmer’s carry

Sets: 3 Time: 30-60sec of continuous walking

Bovay says: “Grip strength is one of the most highly correlated biomarkers for all-cause mortality and longevity. This movement integrates your grip, shoulders and core. It also mimics the carrying requirements of life, ensuring you can move heavy loads independently as you age.”

How to do it:

• Stand holding weights—dumbbells, kettlebells, or even full grocery bags—by your sides. The weight should be heavy enough that it is difficult to hold for the entire duration.
• Move your shoulder blades back and down, keeping your back straight.
• Walk slowly and deliberately in a straight line, keeping your torso completely upright and your core braced.
• Continue for your chosen time, changing direction when necessary.

As you get older, you may well find stiffness creeping into parts of your body. Stretching can help, but strength work is also necessary if you want to get back to moving with ease.

To help you get started, I turned to Heike Yates, a certified Pilates coach, personal trainer and midlife fitness expert, who specializes in helping women in their 50s, 60s and beyond build strength, stability and confidence in their body.

With more than 40 years of experience, she uses realistic, joint-friendly movement to support people in everyday life.

Her 10-minute routine below works on your core strength, posture and overall mobility.

“This routine focuses on gentle core activation, back support, and functional strength to reduce stiffness and support everyday movement,” Yates explains.

“This workout is ideal for women who feel weaker, stiff, or unsure where to start, and can be done three to four times per week to build consistency without strain.”

Each move comes with a modification, making it totally beginner-friendly.

How to do the 10-minute workout

You’ll need an exercise mat, a resistance band and a wall. Some of the modified moves also require a chair.

1. Breathing and posture reset

Reps: 5

• Sit or stand upright and relax your shoulders.
• Inhale deeply into your ribs and extend your spine.
• Exhale slowly while gently drawing your abdominals inward.

2. Seated half roll-down

Reps: 6-8

• Sit upright near the edge of a chair or on the floor with your legs extended.
• Reach your arms forward at shoulder height.
• Gently draw your lower abdominals in, carefully round your back, tuck your chin, and lean your torso back with control.
• Pause, then exhale as you return to an upright position.

Make it easier: “Keep the movement smaller if your lower back feels strained,” Yates says.

“If sitting with straight legs feels challenging, slightly bend your knees or loop a resistance band around your feet and hold the ends for added support during the roll back.”

3. Lying side kick

Reps: 8 each side

• Lie on your left side, with your body forming a straight line from your shoulders to your feet.
• Bend your left knee leg for support if needed
• Engage your core to help stabilize your body.
• Raise your right leg to hip height.
• Moving from your hip, sweep your right leg in front of you, then behind you.
• Do all your reps, then swap sides.

Make it easier: "Keep the kicks small if balance or hip mobility feels limited," advises Yates.

"This exercise can also be performed standing while lightly holding onto a chair," Yates says.

4. Shoulder bridge

Reps: 5-8

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
• Push through your feet to slowly raise your hips, peeling one vertebra off the floor at a time, starting from the base of your spine.
• Pause when your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Slowly lower with control.

Make it easier: “Lift your hips only as high as it feels comfortable and place a pillow under the head if needed,” says Yates.

5. Forward spinal stretch

Reps: 5-6

• Sit with your back resting against a wall, with your legs extended in front of you, a comfortable distance apart.
• Extend your arms forward at shoulder height.
• Exhale as you gently curl your spine forward, starting from the top of your spine, as if you were reaching forward over a large ball.
• Inhale as you return to sitting upright.

Make it easier: “This exercise can also be performed seated in a chair,” Yates says. “You can also bend your knees slightly if your hamstrings feel tight.”

6. Seated resistance band row

Reps: 10

• Sit on the floor or in a chair with a resistance band under the soles of your feet.
• Hold the ends of the band with your arms extended, so there is light tension in the band.
• Pull the band to your chest, bending your elbows and drawing them past your torso.
• Slowly return to the starting position with control.

Make it easier: “Use a lighter band or reduce tension if the shoulders feel tight,” Yates says.

Shop resistance bands

When you only have 20 minutes to work out, the last thing you want to do is waste any time traveling to the gym.

But training at home doesn’t mean you can’t get in a good strength session.

Resistance bands offer the perfect solution for those who don’t have the space for a home gym, or even dumbbells, but want to perform traditional strength training moves.

Bands use tension—instead of weight—to create the resistance needed to put stress on your muscles. They offer a compact but effective solution.

Personal trainer Logan Herlihy designed this workout for those days when you’re looking forward to the endorphin boost of a workout, but find yourself pressed for time.

All you need is a set of bands—of different levels of resistance—and a door anchor to perform this workout. You will also need a bench or a chair for the seated exercises.

Follow the order of the exercises as set out below for the best results, and aim for one set of each exercise if you only have 20 minutes with a very short rest between each move. On days with more time, aim for two sets.

1. Split squat

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-15 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, your right foot standing on the band, and your hands holding the band in front of your shoulders—with strong tension in the band.
• Step your left foot back, with your heel raised.
• Bend your knees to lower, until your left knee is just above the floor, keeping your right knee above your right foot.
• Push through your right foot to return to standing, working against the resistance of the band.
• Stop just before your right knee locks out, then go straight into your next rep.
• Complete all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Herlihy says: “The lunge is a foundational leg movement. It targets all your muscles from the waist down, and because it is performed iso-laterally (one leg at a time), it can help correct any muscular imbalances over time.”

2. Seated band abduction

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 15-20

• Sit on a bench with your feet hip-distance apart and your feet flat on the floor, and wrap a medium to heavy resistance band just above your knees.
• Move your knees out to the sides, pulling the band apart as far as you can, while keeping your feet flat on the floor.
• Pause for a few seconds in this position, then return to the start with control.

Herlihy says: “Band abduction is a fantastic way to target your glutes, specifically the medial glute, which helps with balance.”

3. Band walk

Sets: 1-2 Time: 1min

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a small looped band wrapped just above your ankles. There should be light resistance in the band.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a half squat.
• Step out to the right with your right foot as far as you can.
• Step your left foot to the right side, so you return to the hip-width stance.
• Continue stepping right until you run out of room, then move left.
• Continue for time.

Herlihy says: “The band hip abductor walk is a great follow-up to a seated abduction. It also targets the medial glute, but at the same time engages other parts of the front and back of the thighs while you maintain a squat position.

“It’s a fantastic exercise for all of the leg muscles—with a glute focus if performed correctly.”

4. Banded squat

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 15-20

• parallelStand with both feet on a long band and your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hold the ends of the band at shoulder height, or loop the band around your shoulders—the band should be taut and offering a high degree of resistance.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, keeping your chest facing forward.
• Once your thighs are parrallel to the floor, or as close as your mobility allows, push through your feet to stand back up, working against the resistance of the band.

Expert tips: Don’t lock out your knees when you stand up to avoid unloading the movement.

Herlihy says: “Squats target everything from your waist down. They are extremely important for balance, mobility and activities of daily living as we age. Leg strength is directly correlated with longevity, and squats are the gold standard for building strong legs.”

“Banded squats are a great variation because they match the resistance curve of a typical squat pattern. The resistance of the band lessens as you get to the bottom of the squat (where you are weaker), and increases as you get to the top of the squat (where you are stronger).”

5. Squat to shoulder press

Sets: 1-2 sets Reps: 10-15

• Swap for a lighter long resistance band than you used for the squat.
• Stand with both feet on a long band and your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hold the ends of the band at shoulder height, or loop the band around your shoulders—the band should be taut and offering a high degree of resistance.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, keeping your chest facing forward.
• Once your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as close as your mobility allows, push through your feet to stand back up, working against the resistance of the band.
• As you reach standing, extend your arms to press the band over your head in one smooth motion.
• Lower the band to your shoulders with control.

Herlihy says: “This is a great full-body movement, which will help to finish off your legs, while also warming up your upper body for the next few exercises.”

6. Seated row

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-15

• Secure your band to a low anchor and hold the other end in both hands.
• Sit far enough away from the anchor that your arms are extended and there is slight tension in the band.
• Extend your spine with your legs fully extended.
• Pull the ends of the band towards you, drawing your elbows back and down toward your hips (this will help to engage your lats).
• Pause for a full second in this position, then return slowly to the start. Be careful not to lean forward at the bottom of the movement, or overstretch your arms to remove tension from the band.

Expert tips:

• Occasionally, the pressure from the bands can cause your butt to slide forward. If you have something you can brace your feet against so your butt doesn’t move, that is ideal.
• Start with your palms neutral (facing each other), but feel free to experiment with different grip positions to find what feels best for you.

Herlihy says: “The seated row is a powerhouse movement for the posterior chain (the back of the body). It targets your lats—the largest back muscles—as well as your rear delts, rhomboids, biceps and even your traps.”

7. Pec flye

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-15

• Secure your band to an anchor at shoulder height.
• Facing away from the anchor, take hold of the ends of the band in each hand and step away from the anchor, adopting a staggered stance with one foot in front of the other.
• Extend your arms out to the sides with a slight bend in your elbows—this is your starting position.
• Keeping a slight bend in your elbows throughout—bring your hands together in front of you.
• Pause for a full second, then slowly reverse the movement back to the starting position.

Expert tips: If the resistance doesn’t feel heavy enough, take another small step forward.

Herlihy says: “This is a great single joint exercise for the chest muscles. With the banded movement, you’ll also get a little engagement in the front deltoids.”

8. Standing chest press

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-15

• Secure your band to an anchor at shoulder height.
• Facing away from the anchor, take hold of the ends of the band in each hand and step away from the anchor, adopting a staggered stance with one foot in front of the other.
• Hold the ends of the band either side of your chest, with your elbows bent behind your torso.
• Press the ends of the band forward, extending your arms.
• Pause for a full second, squeezing the muscles in your chest, then slowly return to the starting position.

Herlihy says: “Another great chest movement that also engages the shoulders and the triceps.”

9. Pulldown

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-15

• Secure the band to a high anchor above head height.
• Facing the anchor point, hold the ends of the band in both hands, palms facing down, and step away until your arms are extended and your hands are at shoulder height.
• Engage your core and push your hips back—this is your starting position.
• Keeping your arms extended, pull the ends of the band to your hips (this will help to engage your lats).
• Pause for a full second in the contracted position and return slowly to the start.

Expert tips: Be careful not to lean forward at the bottom of the movement or lock out your arms, as this will release tension in the band.

Herlihy says: “The pulldown is similar to the seated row. The muscles targeted will allow you to strengthen from a different plane of motion, which is great for well-rounded muscular development.”

10. Standing biceps curl

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-15

• Stand with both feet on the band, hip-width apart, holding the band in both hands, in front of your thighs, palms facing. There should be light tension in.
• Keeping your elbows pinned at your sides, bend your elbows to lift the ends of the band to your shoulders.
• Pause for a second at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the ends of the band to the start.

Herlihy says: “Finally, a classic single joint movement for the biceps. This foundational gym exercise hits both heads of the biceps as well as targeting some of the forearm muscles.”

Shop resistance bands

Convenience and consistency are the essential ingredients in this gentle home workout.

Designed by Dr Christynne Helfrich, a doctor of physical therapy at Hinge Health who specializes in working with beginners and older adults, it is centered around simple, familiar movements that people are already doing in their day-to-day lives.

For example, it combines functional exercises—like going from seated to standing to replicate the action of getting in or out of a chair—with single-leg movements that will improve your ability to avoid falls.

“By practicing these moves with a bit more control and intention, you can build strength, improve balance and support mobility in ways that are practical and sustainable,” says Helfrich.

With repetition and gradual progression, she believes it is possible to foster “movement optimism” in people who are new or unfamiliar with exercise.

“What matters here is creating a routine that leads to better movement, more confidence, and greater independence over time rather than pushing for intensity,” she tells Fit&Well.

How to do the workout

Helfrich says this low-impact circuit can be performed three to four times a week.

All you need is a sturdy chair and a wall for support.

Perform the exercises one to four as a circuit, performing one after the other, taking your time to refine the technique rather than rushing through the required repetitions.

Rest for 30-60 seconds after completing a circuit. Complete two or three circuits in total.

Reduce how long you rest for, or increase the reps or rounds, as your strength, mobility and balance improve—or as time allows.

Finish with one set of exercise five, the gentle walk/standing march. Wrapping up the session with a few minutes of light movement will help gently cool down your body and promote cardiovascular health.

1. Sit-to-stand

Reps: 8-12

• Sit in a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Extend your spine, then lean slightly forward and press through your heels to stand up without using your hands.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to slowly lower yourself back into the seat with control.

Helfrich says: “The key is to stay smooth and steady, rather than using momentum or dropping quickly into the chair. Take your time here, there’s no need to rush.”

2. Standing march

Reps: 20-30sec each side

• Stand tall, and if needed, keep a chair or wall nearby for support.
• Slowly lift one knee to a comfortable height, then lower it back down with control.
• Repeat on the other side.
• If you feel steady, you can pause at the top for a moment to challenge your balance further.

Helfrich says: “Try to keep your posture upright and avoid leaning side-to-side. This one is all about balance and control, so think about staying tall through your spine as you move.”

3. Wall push-up

Reps: 8-12

• Stand facing a wall and place your palms on it at shoulder height.
• Step your feet back slightly so your body is leaning forward.
• Engage your core and ensure your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Bend your elbows to bring your chest toward the wall.
• Push through your hands to extend your arms, pressing your body back to the start.
• Move with control, keeping your body aligned and avoiding letting your hips sag or your head jut forward.

Helfrich says: “This movement is a great way to build upper-body strength without putting too much strain on the joints.”

4. Hip hinge

Reps: 8-10

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
• Push your hips back and hinge your torso forward until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings—ensure your back doesn’t round or arch, staying in a neutral position.
• Push your hips forward to stand upright.
• If it feels uncomfortable in your back, try making the movement smaller and more controlled.

Helfrich says: “This movement helps train how to bend and lift safely, which comes up often in daily life. It may help to think about closing a door behind you with your hips.”

5. Finisher: Gentle walking or marching in place

Sets: 1 Time: 3-5min

• Finish the session with a few minutes of gentle walking, outside if possible.
• If space is limited, you can instead march on the spot, remembering to drive your arms forward and back to replicate the motion of walking.

Helfrich says: “Keep the pace comfortable and steady, and focus on breathing naturally. It doesn’t need to feel intense, as the goal is just to keep your body moving.”

Stability ball, exercise ball, gym ball, exercise ball, Swiss ball, yoga ball —whatever you like to call it, this simple bit of workout apparatus upgrades any core exercise by adding one key ingredient: instability.

It makes performing basic exercises more challenging, helping strengthen deep stabilizer muscles around the spine and pelvis to improve balance and core control.

For more advanced exercisers, the stability ball can also be deployed to build full-body strength and stability, making your body more resilient, whatever your sport or activity of choice.

Here are eight exercises I’ve come to fall back on—either for myself or for the clients I’ve trained—to add some instability to my stability training repertoire.

Best stability ball exercises for core strength

Below are eight stability ball exercises I've come to rely on, running from beginner to advanced.

For each, I’ve outlined the body part it targets, along with suggested sets and reps to guide you.

Pick two to three moves and use them as a core finisher at the end of your next workout.

1. Stability ball pelvic tilt

Sets: 2 Time: 30sec

Targets: core

• Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the floor and your hands on your hips.
• Exhale as you slowly tuck your tailbone under your body, rounding your lower back.
• Inhale as you slowly reverse this motion, arching your lower back.
• Match each movement to your breath, exhaling as your lower back is curved, inhaling as your arch.

2. Stability ball circle

Sets: 2 Time: 30sec each direction

Targets: core

• Sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your hands on the ball, or on your hips to make it more challenging.
• Slowly circle your hips clockwise.
• Switch direction after 30 seconds.
• Experiment with small and larger circles, focusing on using your deep core muscles to control the movement.

3. Stability ball reverse walkout

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10

Targets: core and posterior chain

• Sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor and your fingers touching your temples or arms raised overhead.
• Engage your core muscles and slowly walk your feet forward, rolling your back down the ball, keeping your hips lifted in a bridge position.
• Continue until your upper back, shoulders and head are supported by the ball and your body forms a strong bridge position with your shoulders, hips and knees in a line.
• Pause for two seconds, then reverse the movement to the start.

4. Stability ball wall squat

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12

Targets: core and legs

• Place the ball between your lower back and a wall and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees to lower, rolling your back down the ball, until your knees are bent to 90°.
• Pause for a second, then push through your feet to return to standing.

Using the ball for support should help you maintain an upright posture while lowering into the squat to teach good mechanics when squatting unaided.

5. Stability ball back extension

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10

Targets: core, and lower and mid back

• Lie on your front with your stomach and hips on the ball, your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, and your fingers touching your temples.
• For added support, wedge the soles of your feet against a wall.
• Engage your core and slowly lift your chest to carefully arch your spine, using the muscles in your lower and mid back to control the movement.
• Slowly lower your chest back toward the start.
• Start with small back extensions, then gradually increase your range as your strength improves.

6. Stability ball plank stir the pot

Sets: 2-3 Time: 30sec

Targets: core

• Kneel with the ball in front of you and rest your forearms on top of it with your hands clasped together.
• Lift your hips and knees so your body is in a straight line from head to heels, with your weight supported on your toes and forearms. Widen your stance to make it easier to balance.
• Slowly move your forearms in a circle, changing direction after completing a few circles.

7. Stability ball jackknife

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10

Targets: core, chest and arms

• Place your shins on the top of a ball and your hands on the floor directly underneath your shoulders.
• Engage your core and lift your hips so your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Keeping your upper body stable, tuck your knees into your chest, rolling the ball onto the tops of your feet.
• Pause, contracting your core muscles hard, then slowly extend your legs to return to the starting position.
• Use your breath to aid each rep: exhale as you tuck your knees, inhale as you extend.

8. Stability ball pike

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10

Targets: core, chest and shoulders

• Place your shins on the top of a ball and your hands on the floor directly underneath your shoulders.
• Engage your core and lift your hips so your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Keeping your arms straight, contract your abs to lift your hips high, rolling your toes onto the ball.
• Pause, then slowly lower your hips to return to the starting position.
• Use your breath to aid with each rep: exhale as you lift your hips, inhale as you lower.

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One of the things that worries me most about getting older is losing the ability to use my hands properly.

I’ve been helping my grandmother to catalog several lifetimes’ worth of pictures—some taken, some inherited—because she struggles to hold a pen for more than a minute or two.

While spending more time with my grandmother has been a wonderful experience, watching her struggle has left me thinking about how grip strength and fine motor skills can begin to deteriorate later in life.

“Grip strength often doesn’t get much attention, but it plays a huge role in overall health,” explains Devin Trachman, clinical director of Physical Therapy Central. “This is especially true as we get older.

“It is about so much more than opening jars or carrying groceries. Strong hands help us stay independent and continue doing the things that make daily life feel normal and enjoyable.

“As the years go by, we rely on our grip for countless small but important tasks like holding a glass of water, using silverware, buttoning a shirt, or safely using a walker or cane. When grip strength starts to fade, these everyday moments can become frustrating or even unsafe.”

Trachman explains that physical therapists use grip strength as a clinical indicator for a number of different health factors.

“It is closely linked to overall muscle strength, functional ability and even long-term health,” she says. “That is why it is often used as a quick check-in on neuromuscular health, because it tells a much bigger story than most people realize.”

While it may seem to be a problem that only affects the hands, Trachman says that a person’s grip strength can reflect overall muscle loss, nervous system changes, and impaired coordination and control. It is also an indicator that someone may be becoming more frail.

“In some cases, declining grip strength has been linked to a higher risk of falls and a reduced ability to bounce back after illness or injury,” she says.

“In other words, what’s happening in the hands can give us valuable clues about strength, resilience, and overall health.”

She stresses that while declining grip strength is a good indicator of health, it is not an inevitable part of aging.

How to check your grip strength

“In a clinical setting, grip strength is most accurately measured using a handheld dynamometer,” says Trachman. “This gives us objective information that we measure in pounds that can be tracked over time and compared to what’s typical for someone’s age.”

But there are indicators you can look out for in your everyday life, too.

“People may notice they are dropping things more often, like cups, phones, or utensils,” she explains. “They may report struggling to open jars and packaging.

"Tasks like turning a doorknob, using keys, or writing can start to feel harder than they used to. Even simple activities like buttoning clothes or handling silverware may cause noticeable hand fatigue.”

Trachman explains that these changes can be easy to brush off, as they tend to happen gradually. “Over time, they can begin to affect confidence, safety, and day-to-day independence.”

How to improve your grip strength

As Trachman says, deteriorating grip strength isn’t inevitable, and even if you have started feeling some decline, there are a few things you can do to work on improving grip strength.

She recommends the following exercises, stating they are joint-friendly and accessible for someone with already reduced grip strength. You don’t need any specific equipment to perform them, just things you already have around the house.

How to do the grip strength exercises

1. Towel squeeze hold

Time: 2min each side

“This exercise builds baseline grip strength without requiring any specialized equipment,” says Trachman.

How to do it:

• Roll up a small hand towel and hold it in one hand.
• Squeeze the towel as hard as possible for five to 10 seconds.
• Relax your hand for a few seconds.
• Continue until the two minutes have elapsed, then repeat on the other side.

2. Rubber band finger extension

Time: 2min each side

“Grip strength needs both squeezing and opening hand strength. This exercise works on the latter,” says Trachman.

How to do it:

• Place a rubber band around all five fingers.
• Slowly open your hand, stretching the fingers against the resistance of the band.
• Hold for five to 10 seconds.
• Relax your hand for a few seconds.
• Continue until the two minutes have elapsed, then repeat on the other side.

3. Seated dumbbell hold

Sets: 2 Time: 2min each side

“You get the same grip stimulus as a farmer’s carry, but without adding in balance or walking,” says Trachman.

How to do it:

• Hold a light dumbbell, a water bottle or a can of food in one hand with your arm positioned comfortably by your side. The object should be heavy enough that you experience fatigue by the end of the hold.
• Hold for time.
• Repeat on the other side.

Strength and stability can quickly diminish as we age, leading to increased risk of falls and injury when performing everyday tasks.

It’s something certified personal trainer Carter Lee from BetterMe has often observed when working with seniors, but he says this four-move routine can help arrest that decline.

“This circuit delivers a full-body workout using resistance bands to improve mobility and build functional strength,” he tells Fit&Well.

The routine starts with a seated drill to strengthen the stabilizer muscles around your feet and ankles. The exercises then move up the body to address tightness and weakness around your chest and shoulders.

Bands, Lee says, challenge muscles and joints without the impact often associated with lifting weights, making it an especially useful tool for older adults training.

“Beyond their convenience, training with resistance bands can make daily activities significantly easier, supporting independence in everyday movements,” he adds.

How to do the resistance band workout

Lee recommends starting with a light to medium tension band.

“Work each exercise for 45 seconds, then take 15 seconds to rest and transition to the next move,” he says.

You can do the circuit once as a gentle daily routine to mobilize your ankles and shoulders or two to three times in total for a slightly more intensive standalone workout.

1. Banded foot activation

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Sit in a chair with your right leg extended.
• Loop a long resistance band around the ball of your right foot, holding the ends firmly.
• Flex your foot forward against the band’s resistance, then slowly return to the starting position.
• Continue for 45 seconds on one side, then repeat on the other on the next round, or switch halfway through if you’re only performing one round.

Lee says: “Strengthening the small muscles in the feet and ankles is critical for seniors, helping improve ground feel and ankle stability. A strong base can help reduce the risk of trips and falls.”

2. Seated band pull-apart

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor, holding a resistance band in both hands.
• Raise your hands to chest height in front of you, with your arms extended.
• Keeping your arms straight, move your hands out to the sides, slowly pulling the band apart and towards your chest, until you feel a stretch across your chest.
• Slowly return your hands to the start.

Lee says: “This exercise counteracts desk posture or slouching, by opening your chest and strengthening your upper-back muscles responsible for an upright, confident stance.”

3. Shoulder dislocation

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a long resistance band in both hands in front of your thighs.
• Move your hands apart to create tension in the band.
• Slowly and with control, raise your arms overhead and as far back as you can, then return to the starting position.

Lee says: “This movement improves shoulder flexibility and warms up your upper body, making it easier to reach for items on high shelves or get dressed in the morning.”

4. Alternating shoulder dislocation

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a long resistance band in both hands in front of your thighs.
• Raise your right arm overhead, then behind you, bringing the band past your left ear.
• Raise your left arm overhead, then in front of you, bringing the band past your right ear.
• Continue, alternating the leading arm with each rep.

Lee says: “This variation of the shoulder dislocation exercise focuses on unilateral stability, helping to identify and correct strength imbalances between your left and right shoulders.”

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There are many benefits you’ll experience if you work out at home.

For instance, this sessions devised by certified trainer Jill Jones will help strengthen your bones and muscles, improve your balance and stability, and aid mobility and joint health.

But most importantly, according to the owner of Colosseum Gym in New Jersey and co-founder of online platform FitQuo, it will boost your confidence and independence as you age, something Jones believes is “worth more than any fitness metric”.

“When a new client walks through my door or logs into a session from their living room, the first thing I tell them is that you don’t need an hour, a gym membership or a complicated program,” she tells Fit&Well.

“The reason this routine works isn’t just the exercises—it’s that it’s doable.

“Consistency beats intensity every single time. People start nervous and intimidated and leave capable, confident and educated. That shift, the moment they realize what their body is still capable of, is exactly why I do this work.”

Jones' routine incorporates a four-minute warm-up, a 14-minute circuit and a three-minute cool-down, and can be completed entirely from your living room.

“All you need is a chair and a light pair of dumbbells. If you don’t have those, a water bottle or jar of peanut butter works just fine to get started with,” she says.

How to do the workout

To start, take four minutes to warm up.

“Never skip this,” warns Jones. “Your joints need time to say hello.”

Once warm, perform each exercise of the main circuit for 45 seconds, resting for 15 seconds between moves. Complete the full circuit twice with a 60-second rest between rounds.

Jones recommends wrapping the session up with a gentle cool-down.

“Most people go wrong by skipping this section, but it’s where the magic of mobility happens and where you can activate your nervous system to promote rest and recovery.”

Warm-up

1. Seated ankle circles

Time: 30sec each side

• From seated, raise one foot just off the floor and rotate your ankle in one direction for 15 seconds.
• Rotate in the opposite direction for another 15 seconds.
• Switch feet and repeat.

“Poor ankle mobility is one of the quietest contributors to falls, and this takes just 60 seconds to address,” says Jones.

2. Standing hip circles

Reps: 10 each direction

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, resting your hands on the back of the chair for support if needed.
• Slowly circle your hips clockwise.
• Do all your reps in one direction, then repeat counterclockwise.

3. Chest opener

Reps: 10

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Reach both arms forward, then move them out to the sides and behind you.
• Join your fingers together behind you if your mobility allows.
• Move slowly and with control to help stretch your chest and mobilize your shoulders.

4. Marching in place

Time: 60sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Lift your right knee to hip height.
• Return to the start, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, moving slowly and intentionally, alternating sides with each rep.
• Hold the back of a chair if needed.

“Marching in place nudges your heart rate up and primes your hips for what’s coming,” says Jones.

The workout

1. Bodyweight squat

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a chair behind you if needed.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are as close to parallel with the floor as possible, aiming for a 90° bend in your knees.
• Press through your heels to stand back up.

“The chair is there as a safety net, not a crutch,” says Jones. “Trusting yourself to do this freestanding is half the work.

“We use this movement every single day, every time we sit down and stand up from the sofa, the car, even the toilet. The stronger you get here, the more independent you will feel everywhere else. Aim for 10-14 reps in 45 seconds.”

Make it harder: Hold a dumbbell or water bottle at your chest to add resistance as you get stronger.

2. Bent-over row

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Hold dumbbells or filled water bottles by your sides.
• Hinge forward from your hips, pushing your hips back and lowering your torso, keeping your back flat.
• Lift the weights to your hips.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
• Lower the dumbbells slowly.

“Years of sitting rounds [your back] forward,” says Jones. “This exercise fights back. It strengthens the upper back and spine and loads the bones in exactly the right places. Aim for 10-12 reps in 45 seconds.”

Make it harder: Loop a resistance band under both feet and the dumbbells. “It’s the same movement, just with added tension, so no need for heavier weights,” says Jones.

3. Single-leg balance hold

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Lift one foot, holding your arms out wide for balance.
• Hold this position for 20 seconds on each side.

“It sounds almost too simple—then clients try it and realize how much their body is actually working,” says Jones. “Every wobble you feel is your stabilizing muscles firing and getting stronger. This transfers directly to real life. Stepping off a curb, walking on uneven ground, getting in and out of the shower.”

Make it easier: Hold the back of a chair if needed and gradually work toward letting go. “Even holding with one finger counts as progress,” says Jones.

4. Single-leg Romanian deadlift tap

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a slight bend in your knees.
• Hold a light dumbbell (or filled water bottle) in your right hand.
• Hinge forward from your hips, not your waist, lifting your left leg behind you and slowly lowering the dumbbell, keeping your back flat and hips square to the floor.
• Tap the dumbbell on the floor, or go as low as possible, then drive your hips forward to return to standing upright.

“The object gives you something to focus on, which naturally steadies your balance and keeps the movement deliberate,” says Jones. “This is your body learning to catch itself before a stumble becomes a fall.”

Make it easier: “Not ready for the hinge yet? Go back to the single-leg balance hold above and build your confidence there first—there’s no rush,” says Jones.

5. Step-touch with arm reach

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a small step to the right with your right foot and reach across your body with your right arm.
• Return to the start, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue at pace, alternating sides with each rep.

“This drill is low impact, it gets the heart rate up gently, and the coordination element of arms and legs working together is genuinely good for both cardiovascular fitness and brain health,” says Jones. “This is your VO2 max work. It doesn't need to be fancy to be effective. My clients always end up smiling during this one.”

Make it harder: Add a knee raise at the end of each step. Lift the knee to hip height, hold for a beat, then step back out. For example, if stepping to your left, raise your right knee while reaching your left hand across your body, then return to the start and switch sides. “It adds a real balance challenge and nudges the intensity up a notch,” says Jones.

6. Glute bridge

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to knees.
• Hold for a few seconds at the top of the movement, then lower slowly with control.

“Strong glutes protect your hips and lower back, two of the areas most vulnerable to injury as you age. This one is also quietly satisfying to master,” says Jones.

Make it harder: Loop a mini resistance band just above your knees for added glute activation, or place a dumbbell or heavy book across your hips before you lift.

“Clients who struggled with this in week one are often doing it with a band and added weight within a month,” says Jones.

7. Wall push-up

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart, a little more than an arm’s length away—the further back you stand, the harder the exercise is.
• Place your hands on the wall slightly wider than shoulder-width apart at chest height.
• Keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels, bend your elbows and lower your chest slowly toward the wall.
• Push through your palms and extend your arms to press back to the start.

“Wall push-ups build upper body and chest strength in a completely joint-friendly way. Just be sure not to let your hips sag or your lower back to arch,” advises Jones.

Make it harder: "When wall push-ups feel easy, take it to the floor. The movement is identical. Your body will know exactly what to do," says Jones.

Cool-down

1. Standing quad stretch

Time: 30sec each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Bend your right knee and lift your right foot towards your butt, taking hold of your right ankle with your right hand.
• Hold the back of a chair with your opposite hand for support if needed.
• Push your hips forward to deepen the stretch down the front of your thighs.

2. Shoulder stretch

Time: 30sec each side

• Cross your right arm across your chest and hold your right elbow in your left hand.
• Gently pull your right arm towards you to feel a stretch in your shoulder.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed—avoid scrunching them up toward your ear.
• Breathe into the stretch for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

3. Slow neck roll

Time: 15sec each side

• From standing, tilt your head to bring one ear toward your shoulder.
• Pause for 15 seconds, then roll your chin slowly toward your chest and across to your other shoulder.
• Hold for 15 seconds.

“Take your time and never roll your head backward,” says Jones.

4. Standing roll-down

Time: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Inhale, then as you exhale, tuck your chin to your chest and slowly roll down through your spine, one vertebra at a time.
• Let your arms hang heavy toward the floor.
• Relax at the bottom of this stretch for 20-30 seconds, then slowly roll back up the same way, stacking each vertebra until you are upright again.

“This is one of the best things you can do for spinal mobility,” says Jones. “But if you have osteoporosis or any spinal concerns, skip this one and hold a gentle seated forward lean for 30 seconds instead.”

5. Deep breathing

Reps: 3

• Close your eyes.
• Breathe in over the count of four
• Breathe out for longer than a count of four.
• Repeat three times.

“That longer exhale activates the part of your nervous system responsible for rest and recovery,” says Jones. “It is the moment clients often tell me they feel the most calm they have felt all day. Do not skip it.”

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Ever feel like beginner-friendly workouts are anything but?

That's how BODi Super Trainer Lacee Green felt, so she devised a three-week, entry-level program designed for genuine newcomers to exercise—or those just getting back into it.

“My beginner-only plan is for every body and everybody,” Green tells Fit&Well.

Green’s program combines low-impact cardio, strength, core and mobility workouts for a total of five sessions a week and 30 minutes a day.

One of the routines she loves—that she says will provide a flavor of the plan—is a total-body cardio workout inspired by seven different sports.

“There is no repetition, it’s all bodyweight and super fun,” she says. “We do basketball, we do pickleball, we do soccer, and it’s really going to get your heart rate up.”

It will all count toward the CDC’s recommended 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, while incorporating resistance training elements to strengthen your bones and muscles, she explains.

And Green has provided the full 10-minute routine below for you to try.

10-minute cardio workout for beginners

Press play on the video above and Green will guide you through the workout, or keep reading to see what’s in store.

Green’s 10-minute beginner-only cardio workout is inspired by seven different sports that she says will help channel your inner athlete.

Each sport links to an exercise during the routine. Follow the short warm-up, then perform each move for 40 seconds and rest for 20 seconds, for one round per sport.

In the video, another trainer demonstrates variations of each exercise so you can make it slightly more challenging as desired. The workout concludes with a short cool-down.

Here’s a brief breakdown of each exercise.

1. Basketball catch and shoot

Step to your side, then reach up into full extension as if shooting a three-pointer. Repeat by shuffling from side to side.

2. Quick football feet

Lower into a quarter squat with your feet wide apart and alternate quick stepping onto either foot. On Green’s cues, switch the direction you face from center to left and right.

3. Skater side-step

Step side to side as if skating, hitting an imaginary hockey stick across your body.

4. Soccer kick-up

Keeping light on your feet, hop from side to side as if juggling a football with your feet.

5. Pickleball shuffle

Lower into a half squat with your hands together in front of you. Keeping low, step or jump forward, then shuffle back to the start position.

6. Boxing jab cross

Stand side on with slightly bent knees and your guard up. Alternate throwing jabs with your left and right, switching your stance after 20 seconds.

7. Baseball squat to high plank

With your feet wide apart, lower into a deep squat with your hands up like a catcher. Place your hands on the floor and step back into a high plank, then back to the low squat.

Strengthening your core is important at any age. However, a strong core becomes even more vital to our health and longevity in our senior years. The core muscles help to keep us stable, upright, and supported through everyday movement.

Certain age-related changes, like vision loss or vestibular system deterioration in the inner ear, can begin to affect our balance as we get older. While falls become much more common for those over 60, strong core muscles can help improve balance and reduce the chances of serious injury.

Unfortunately, many seniors have mobility concerns that make popular exercises like bird dogs, side planks, and dead bugs off-limits. That doesn’t mean that core training is off the table, though.

When I start working with a beginner-level senior client who can’t get onto the floor safely, I always teach them the following three standing moves instead.

You don’t need any equipment to do them, and they’re accessible for most fitness levels.

How to do the standing core exercises for seniors

These exercises are safe for almost everyone, but you should still get clearance from your medical team before attempting them.

As with any exercise, proper form is crucial. If you’re unsure of how to correctly perform these movements, consider meeting with a certified personal trainer. They can give you feedback and modify or progress the exercises as needed.

Be sure you know how to engage your core before trying this workout.

Start by doing eight to 10 reps of each exercise for one or two sets, do this three times a week. Once you’re feeling stronger, slowly increase the reps to 12 to 15 and the sets to three.

These exercises can be performed every day if desired, but four or five times a week is sufficient enough to yield benefits.

You just need a section of bare wall for this workout. If you currently struggle with poor balance, you may also want a chair in reach for additional support.

1. Standing march

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

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your left knee to hip height and bend it to 90°.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower your left foot back to the floor.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Trainer tips: Keep your hips as still as possible as your legs move.

Don’t rush and focus on engaging your abdominals as you lift your leg. If balance is an issue, try this exercise while holding onto a chair.

2. Wall shoulder tap

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

• Stand facing a wall, an arm’s length away, with your feet hip-width apart.
• Place your hands on the wall, in line with your shoulders, and take one step back so you are leaning into the wall.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your left hand off the wall and tap your right shoulder.
• Place your left hand back onto the wall.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Trainer tips: Like the standing marches, keep your hips as still as possible.

Go slowly and be sure to keep your head, shoulders, hips, and ankles in a straight line.

The further away you are from the wall, the more challenging the exercise will be. Step closer to the wall if you’re unable to keep your body still as you move your arm, or step away from the wall if the exercise feels too easy.

3. Glute kickback

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

• Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Place your hands on the wall.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Keeping your left leg straight, squeeze your left glute and lift your left heel behind you.
• Slowly, lower your left foot back to the starting position.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Trainer tips: Many people think of the core as just the abdominals, but the glutes are an important core muscle group as well.

You don’t have to lift your leg very high, even a slight lift off the ground will activate the appropriate muscles.

Avoid arching your lower back as you lift the leg, and keep the rest of your body as still as possible.

As soon as the sun comes out, I love to take my workouts outdoors for a hit of vitamin D. The change of scenery and fresh air really energizes me. Plus, I don’t need any equipment, because I can use the steps in my yard to work up a sweat.

Using a step provides an extra cardio challenge, boosting heart and lung health while improving balance, coordination and agility. It’s a great way to get a decent full-body workout without any equipment.

If you don’t have any steps in your yard, you can use the stairs in your house or apartment, or try this aerobics step, which is currently on sale for under $25 on Amazon.

To get you started, I’ve created a six-move step workout. All you need to do is set a timer for 30-second intervals, with minimal rest (10-15 seconds) in between exercises—this will keep your heart rate up.

How to do the step workout

Do each of the following six exercises for 30 seconds, taking minimal rest between moves (10-15 seconds). Aim for three rounds in total, and take one minute recovery time between each round.

1. Calf raise
2. Step-up
3. Step jump and squat
4. Deficit reverse lunge and knee drive
5. Incline mountain climber
6. Triceps dip

1. Calf raise

Time: 30sec Rest: 10-15sec

• Stand with the balls of your feet on the step and your heels hanging off the edge, with your feet hip-width apart.
• Slowly lift your heels, rising onto your toes.
• Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower your heels as far as possible, ideally lower than the step to feel a light stretch in your calves.

2. Step-up

Time: 30sec Rest: 10-15sec

• Stand facing the step.
• Place your right foot on the step, then bring your left foot up to meet it.
• Step back down, leading with your right foot.
• Continue at pace, changing the foot you lead with halfway through the 30 seconds.
• Keep the chest up, core engaged and avoid leaning forward as this will throw you off balance.

3. Step jump and squat

Time: 30sec Rest: 10-15sec

• Stand facing the step with your feet together.
• Engage your core, bend your knees and swing your arms behind you.
• Extend your knees and swing your arms forward to jump with both feet onto the step.
• Land softly your feet wider than hip-width apart, bending your knees and pushing your hips back to lower into a squat.
• Extend your knees and hips to stand up and step, or carefully jump, back to the start.