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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to perform the strength workout if you have diabetes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Squat

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

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

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

2. Glute bridge

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

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

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

3. Wall push-up

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

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

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

4. Banded bent-over row

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

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

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

5. Resistance band standing overhead press

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

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

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

6. Plank

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

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

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

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

Shop BetterMe bands

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Sit-to-stand

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

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

Muscles targeted: Quadriceps, gluteus maximus and core stabilizers

How to do it:

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

Form tip: Avoid using your hands if possible.

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Single-arm bent-over row

Reps: 10 each side

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

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

2. Goblet squat

Reps: 10

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

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

3. Dumbbell halo

Reps: 10 each direction

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

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

4. Dumbbell woodchop

Reps: 10 each side

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Horizontal ring row with forward slide

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

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

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

Wall-assisted goblet squat

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

Adding weight increases the intensity and core resistance.

Wall-assisted double dumbbell squat

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

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

Wall-assisted double dumbbell Bulgarian split squat

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

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

High-side plank with resistance band knee and elbow drive

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

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

Resistance band weighted lateral lunge

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

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

Bulgarian split squat hold with lateral raise

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

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

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

Side-lying press and reach

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

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

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

Low-side plank with leg raise hold

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The four exercises

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

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

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

1. Seated knee lift and sit-to-stand

Sets: 2 Reps: 8

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

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

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

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

2. Dumbbell hold and leg raise

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 each side

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

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

3. Farmer carry

Sets: 2 Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

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

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

4. Shoulder press

Sets: 2 Reps: 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jill Brown’s 30-minute resistance band workout

1. Squat

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

How to do it:

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

2. Lunge

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

How to do it:

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

3. Banded bent-over row

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

How to do it:

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

4. Banded lat pull

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

How to do it:

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

5. Child’s pose to kneeling push-up

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

How to do it:

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

6. Banded floor press

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Start as light as possible

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

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

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

The same principle should apply to weighted vests.

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Don’t wear it on long runs

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

I was wrong.

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

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

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

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

It can also compromise form, elevating risk of injury.

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

3. Save the vest for bodyweight workouts

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Remember, weight is not the only variable

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just don’t increase everything all at once.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What are the benefits of isometric holds?

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

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

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

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

A 15-minute isometric hold contrast workout

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

1A. Goblet squat hold

Time: 30sec

How to do it:

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

1B. Goblet squat

Reps: 10

How to do it:

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

2A. Push-up hold

Time: 10sec

How to do it:

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

2B. Push-up

Reps: 10

How to do it:

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

3A. Bent-over row hold

Time: 15sec

How to do it:

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

3B. Bent-over-row

Reps: 10

How to do it:

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

4A. Glute bridge hold

Time: 15sec

How to do it:

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

4B. Glute bridge

Reps: 15

How to do it:

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

Your body is designed to rotate and move in different directions, but not all exercise plans reflect this.

“A lot of workouts will only move forward and backward, but life doesn’t happen in a straight line,” says certified personal trainer Angela Wilkinson, aka the Strength Queen.

“Whether you’re reaching sideways, turning to pick something up, or steadying yourself after a stumble, your body must control movement in different directions.”

To make sure you can build this well-rounded strength and control, Wilkinson has created a five-move workout that trains the body in every plane of motion.

All you need to do it is a mini loop and a long resistance band.

The moves

• Standing chest-height woodchop
• Mini-band knee drive
• ⁠Lateral band walk
• Standing hip circle
• Low-to-high woodchop

Wilkinson recommends doing the five exercises back-to-back, resting for two minutes, and then doing one more set (aiming for two sets in total).

Try to do the workout two to three times a week if you want to see progress. It should take around 10-15 minutes to complete the circuit.

When anchoring the band, make sure it's attached to a fixed, load-bearing point strong enough to withstand the pull.

Check that the band and anchor are secure before beginning—don’t use furniture that could slide or tip.

How to do the moves

1. Chest-height woodchop

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 per side

• Anchor the band at chest height.
• Stand with the anchor on your left and your feet wide.
• Hold the band with both hands out in front of your chest. Make sure there is some tension in it.
• Rotate and pull the band horizontally across your body to the right, keeping your arms roughly at chest height throughout. Think of the movement as chopping straight across, not up or down.
• Return slowly to the start position, resisting the band's pull back toward the anchor.
• Repeat eight times, then switch sides.

Form tip: Rotate through your ribs and hips together—feet can pivot slightly, but keep the movement controlled rather than using momentum.

Wilkinson says: “This trains rotational power through the torso at chest height, mimicking movements like swinging a bag round, turning to hand something to someone beside you, or twisting to reach across a car seat.”

2. Mini-band knee drive

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 per side

• Stand and loop a mini band around the middle of both feet.
• Keep your back straight and hands either by your sides or on your hips.
• Keeping your right foot on the floor, drive your left knee up to hip height, pulling against the band’s resistance.
• Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.

Form tip: Don't let your standing hip hike up or your torso lean back to help the knee up—isolate the movement.

“This exercise challenges the hip flexors and single-leg balance, which are useful for movements such as climbing stairs,” explains Wilkinson.

3. Lateral band walk

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10 steps per direction

• Stand in the middle of a long resistance band with your feet hip-width apart.
• Hold the opposite side of the resistance band at roughly waist height to maintain tension, bending your elbows at 90°.
• Bend your knees and hinge forward slightly.
• Take eight to 10 steps to the right, then switch directions.

Form tip: Keep your elbows fixed at a 90° angle and your arms steady. Maintain tension in the band as you move.

“This variation loads the glute medius—a muscle at the outer part of your hip that helps stabilize your pelvis—exactly as a standard band walk would,” says Wilkinson.

“But holding the band up adds a shoulder and core stability component, since you're bracing your upper body while your lower half moves side to side.”

4. Standing hip circle

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 per side

• Put the mini band around your ankles or just above your knees.
• Hinge forward from your hips slightly with a flat back, with your hands on a wall or support if needed.
• Stand on your right leg and sweep your left leg forward, out to the side, round and back, as if drawing a semi-circle.
• Reverse the movement and repeat eight times, then switch sides.

Form tip: Keep the movement slow and controlled through the whole circle.

Wilkinson says: “Taking the hip through a full circular range works the glute from multiple angles in one move, rather than just the single straight-line path of a standard kickback—closer to the varied, multi-directional way your hips actually move day to day.”

5. Low-to-high woodchop

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 per side

• Anchor the band low, near the floor.
• Stand with the anchor to your left.
• Come into a slight squat, holding the band with both hands near your left hip.
• Pull the band up and across your body in one controlled motion, finishing with your arms extended high, above your right shoulder. Allow your feet to pivot as you move but drive the movement from your hips and torso.
• Return to the start position and repeat eight times, then switch sides.

Form tip: Drive the movement from your hips and torso, not just your arms.

“This exercise mimics a common real-life pattern—lifting something up and across your body, like putting a bag on a shelf or lifting a bag of shopping out of the trunk,” says Wilkinson.

“Training this rotational lift in a controlled way builds strength through exactly the movement that often causes back strain when done carelessly.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Five exercises for younger feeling hips

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

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

1. Plank walkout

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

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

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

2. Chair heel tap

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

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

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

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

3. Dumbbell lateral lunge

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

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

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

4. Dumbbell reverse lunge

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

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

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

5. Glute bridge march

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The five-move workout for women in their 50s

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

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

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

1. Chair squat

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

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

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

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

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

2. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

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

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

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

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

3. Supported one-arm dumbbell row

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

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

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

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

4. Incline push-up

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

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

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

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

5. Farmer’s carry

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

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

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

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

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

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

What weight should I start with?

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

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

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

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

What should I wear for strength training?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Four core exercises to try instead of crunches

1. Weighted side bend

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

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

How to do it:

Reps: 8-12

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

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

2. Standing cross-body knee drive

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

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

How to do it:

Reps: 8-12

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

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

3. The Hundred

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

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

How to do it:

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 30 pumps

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

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

4. Back extension

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

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

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

How to do it:

Reps: 8-12

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rebecca Kennedy's weekly workout routine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday
45-60min Pilates.

Friday
45-60min strength training.

Saturday
Hiking or another outdoor activity like pickleball.

Sunday
Rest.

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

1. Focus on how exercise makes you feel

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

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

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

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

2. Be realistic

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The moves:

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

1. Squat

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

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

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

2. Forward alternating lunge

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

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

Single dumbbell option: Hold one dumbbell at your chest.

3. Deadlift

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

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

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

4. Push press

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

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

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

5. Bent-over row

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

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

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

6. Burpee

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

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

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

7. Russian twist

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to do this home back workout

This is a circuit workout.

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

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

Here are the five exercises.

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

Here’s how to do each move.

1. Quadruped arm raise

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

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

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

2. Prone Y-raise

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

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

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

3. Prone reverse fly

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

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

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

4. Prone W-raise

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

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

5. Dumbbell pullover

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

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

Shop home dumbbells

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

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

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

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

Here’s how I got on.

Weeks 1-2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Weeks 3-4

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

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

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

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

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

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

Weeks 5-6

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

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

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

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

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

Heavy weightlifting has an impressive number of health benefits, especially for women in their 40s and beyond. But Dr Tiffany Rogers, an orthopedic spine surgeon at Torrence Memorial Physician Network, cautions that certain exercises, like deadlifts, may cause spinal injury when done incorrectly.

“There’s a huge and well-deserved push right now for women to lift heavy, and I’m all for it,” she explains. “The challenge is that many women are adopting weightlifting later in life, when proper form and training are harder to master. In addition, the body is often already dealing with ligament laxity that shifts with the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and the perimenopausal years.

“I explain spinal discs to my patients as a jelly doughnut wrapped in a car tire: thick and strong on the outside, with a soft center that moves and conforms with your body,” she continues. “The danger, especially when it comes to deadlifting, comes when you lift in a forward-leaning position. This severely compresses the disc and pushes that jelly core backward. If the outer wall ruptures, the core gets squeezed out and presses on the nerve. That’s a disc herniation, and it can cause severe pain in the buttock and down the leg.”

Warning signs of a herniated disc

There’s a difference between the pain associated with a herniated disc, and the soreness associated with a hard workout. It’s important to know the difference.

“The single most telling difference is back spasms,” says Rogers. “When a disc ruptures and herniates, the body does everything it can to lock down that segment to protect it. That ‘locking down’ is what produces the spasms.”

“Plain muscle soreness is different,” she adds. “It may leave you achy and low on energy, but it typically is not seizing and spasming. A herniation tends to bring crippling pain. I can usually spot a herniation just by the way someone walks—the person struggles to stand up straight and hold a vertical spine.”

Spine-friendly alternatives to the deadlift

Fortunately, there are still ways to build strength and muscle mass without jeopardizing your spine health.

“My advice is to lift but to take advantage of machines that are not constantly loading the lower back,” says Rogers. “Something as simple as grabbing two dumbbells for curls puts a lot of pressure on the spine to stabilize the load. Machines help you build strength without overly loading the spine, which is exactly what you want to avoid.”

Rogers suggests the following spine-friendly workouts, which can be done twice a week, ensuring you never repeat the same workout on consecutive days.

“Progressive overload matters most for bone,” she says. “Aim to add weight or reps every one to two weeks on the machine lifts.”

We’ve added links to YouTube demonstrations of each exercise, but gym machines differ by brand, so make sure to familiarize yourself with the instructions on the machines at your gym, or ask a trainer for help.

Lower-body gym machine workout

1. Warm-up: 5min bike/walk, plus bodyweight squats
2. Box step-up: 3 sets x 10 reps each side
3. Leg press machine: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
4. Hack squat machine: 3 sets x 10 reps
5. Seated leg curl machine: 3 sets x 12 reps
6. Hip abduction machine: 2 sets x 15 reps
7. Hip adduction machine: 2 sets x 15 reps
8. Standing calf raise machine: 3 sets x 15 reps
9. Core finisher: Crunch with arms crossed over chest: 2 sets x 12 reps

Upper-body gym machine workout

1. Warm-up: 5min row/bike, plus arm circles
2. Incline press machine: 3 sets x 10 reps
3. Chest press machine: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
4. Seated horizontal row machine: 3 sets x 12 reps
5. Shoulder press machine: 3 sets x 10 reps
6. Biceps curl machine: 2 sets x 12 reps
7. Triceps push-down machine: 2 sets x 12 reps
8. Core finisher: Dead bug or bird dog: 2 sets x 10 reps each side

One of the most interesting aspects of my job is learning what inspires fitness professionals.

You may be surprised to hear it’s rarely aesthetics.

This is certainly true of Liz Heikkila, a personal trainer at Life Time Minnetonka.

She cares for elderly relatives—her 95-year-old grandma and 75-year-old autistic and physically disabled aunt—and is an active mom herself. Her passion is helping people start—or start over—with fitness.

“I have loved helping keep my family moving and active in all stages,” she says.

She uses the following lower-body exercises with her elderly family members, helping them build the strength and endurance they need to stay mobile and active.

1. Sit-to-stand
2. Seated march
3. Calf raise
4. Hamstring curl
5. Hip half circle

Here’s how to do them.

1. Sit-to-stand

Sets: 3 Reps: 8 Rest: 2min

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a chair right behind you and your hands clasped in front of your chest.
• Push your buttocks back and bend your knees to lower yourself into the seat, keeping your knees in line with your ankles and your chest facing forward.
• When your buttocks tap the chair seat, push through your heels to stand.

Make it harder: Hold a weight at your chest, keeping your spine and chest upright.

2. Seated march

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Sit on a chair with your feet hip-width apart.
• Raise your right knee and lower with control.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Make it harder: Place a light resistance band around your foot arches to increase the resistance.

3. Calf raise

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Stand facing a counter or sturdy surface with your feet hip-distance apart and your hands on the surface for support.
• Press into the balls of your feet and raise your heels.
• Pause at the top of the movement.
• Lower slowly with control.

4. Hamstring curl

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 1min

• Stand facing a counter or sturdy surface with your feet hip-distance apart and your hands on the surface for support.
• Shift your weight onto your right foot.
• Bend your left knee to raise your heel behind you toward your butt.
• Hold for a moment, then extend your left knee to lower your foot.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

5. Hip half circle

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 1min

• Sit on a chair with your feet close together.
• Raise your right knee and rotate it out to the right, moving from your hip, creating a semicircle in the air with your knee.
• Lower your right foot to the floor, then reverse the movement back to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Ben Bruno is a trainer for boldface names like Jessica Biel, Chelsea Handler and Kate Upton, but his “model student” isn’t any one of these celebrities.

According to a recent Instagram post that Bruno shared, it’s his mother-in-law, Tracey, who he started training three years ago.

She had been diagnosed with osteopenia and was dealing with significant shoulder and lower-back pain. At that point, she’d never lifted weights before.

Bruno put together a workout to help her build strength and improve her health, but she couldn’t do any of it.

Bruno says this experience was one of the reasons he designed his beginner strength training guide (available to buy at benbruno.com), so Tracey and his mother had something they could do safely.

Since then, Tracey has progressed from using 5lb to 20lb dumbbells, just by sticking to a set of exercises she knows she can do safely, and gradually increasing the weights she uses.

Tracey now lifts weights for 20 to 30 minutes two to three times a week, and is pain-free. It goes to show that strength training doesn’t have to be complicated—you can experience life-changing benefits just by consistently showing up and challenging your muscles with progressive, strength-building exercise.

The beginner-friendly dumbbell workout Ben Bruno created for his mother-in-law

We love this full-body workout and if you’re confident performing all the movements, it’s a routine you could rely on for years to come, as long as you keep increasing the challenge as you get stronger.

But it’s not the only option available to you. You’ll find plenty of accessible alternatives, including in our beginner strength training plan, which has three full-body dumbbell workouts.

Getting in-person coaching is also advisable when you’re starting out, so you can learn how to perform each movement safely.

Here’s some more information on how to perform the workout Bruno shared.

1A. Squat

Sets: 2 Reps: 10

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing out slightly.
• Engage your core.
• Push your butt back and bend your knees to lower.
• Push through your feet to stand upright.

In the video: You’ll see Tracey hold a dumbbell by her chest, which is a good way to increase the challenge once you’re comfortable with the unweighted movement. She also taps her butt on the seat of a couch, which can help ensure you’re lowering to a consistent depth. She also has a small looped resistance band around her legs. Pushing out against the band is a good way to make sure your knees don’t cave in as you perform the squat.

1B. Single-arm row

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Stand with your right foot in front of the left, holding a dumbbell in your left hand.
• Hinge forward from your hips and place your right hand on something sturdy, like the armrest of a couch.
• Lift the weight towards your hip, bending your elbow and drawing it past your torso.
• Lower the weight slowly and with control.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

2A. Romanian deadlift

Sets: 2 Reps: 10

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs.
• Push your hips backwards while keeping your back straight, lowering the dumbbells down your legs.
• Push your hips forwards to stand upright.

2B. Bridge-position press

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, holding dumbbells either side of your chest, with your palms facing your feet and your upper arms resting on the floor.
• Push through your feet to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees—this is your starting position.
• Press the dumbbells straight up.
• Lower with control.

3A. Reverse lunge

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 each side

How to do it:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Step your right foot back and bend both knees to lower until your right knee is just above the floor—your left knee should be directly above your left ankle.
• Push through your front foot to return to standing.

In the video: Tracey holds on to a long foam roller in one hand to keep her stable and a dumbbell in the other to increase the challenge.

3B. “Elbows out” triceps extension

Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, holding dumbbells above your chest with your arms extended.
• Bend your elbows and move them out to the side to lower the dumbbells to your chest.
• Extend your arms to lift the dumbbells back to the starting position.

3C. Plank

Sets: 2 Time: 1min

• Lie on your front, propped up on your forearms with your elbows directly underneath your shoulders.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your hips so your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Hold the position without letting your hips drop or rise, breathing steadily throughout.

To enjoy all of the benefits exercise has to offer, you have to work out regularly. That can be hard to do if you have a full schedule, so short, repeatable routines are a godsend.

This short dumbbell routine from ACE-certified personal trainer for LCMC Health, Michael Heim, is a great session to rely on for a few months. It’s only four exercises, but it strengthens muscles all over your body, and adds instability to train your balance and develop your core.

“Core exercises are important because they build a strong foundation for coordination, improve your balance and help to reduce back pain.”

How to do the workout

You will need a pair of dumbbells and a weights bench (or a sturdy raised platform you can lie on) to complete the workout.

“I would recommend that beginners start with two sets and 12 repetitions for each exercise and increase the workload before increasing the weight,” says Heim.

He suggests building your reps gradually until you can comfortably do 15. Then increase the weight and go back to 12 reps.

It’s also worth starting with lighter dumbbells than you may be used to, because of the challenge posed by the unstable positions Heim uses to challenge your core.

1. Raised-leg chest press: 2 x 12
2. Single-arm single-leg row: 2 x 12 each side
3. Single-leg extension to Romanian deadlift: 2 x 12 each side
4. Single-arm single-leg V-up: 2 x 12 each side

1. Raised-leg chest press

Sets: 2 Reps: 12

How to do it:

• Lie on your back on a weight bench holding dumbbells either side of your chest with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.
• Engage your core and keep your head, lower back and shoulders pressed into the bench.
• Extend your legs and raise them to a 45° angle—this is your starting position.
• Exhale as you push the dumbbells straight up, squeezing your chest muscles, stopping just before your elbows lock out.
• Inhale as you lower with control.

Make it easier: if you can’t raise your legs without arching your lower back, then bend your knees and place your feet on the bench.

2. Single-arm single-leg row

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 each side

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees on a weight bench, holding a dumbbell in your right hand, arm extended down.
• Engage your core, then raise and extend your left leg behind you.
• Exhale as you pull the dumbbell toward your ribs, bending your elbow and drawing it past your torso.
• Pause briefly.
• Inhale as you extend your arm with control to lower the weight.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then repeat on the other side.

Make it easier: if you can’t maintain your balance on one knee, perform with both knees on the bench until you build more strength and confidence.

3. Single-leg extension to Romanian deadlift

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 each side

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Shift your weight onto your left leg and engage your core.
• Bend and raise your right knee to hip height.
• Extend your right leg out in front of you, pause briefly, then sweep it behind you without letting your foot touch the floor.
• Hinge forward from your hips, lowering the dumbbells, until your torso is close to parallel with the floor, with your right leg extended behind you.
• Keep a slight bend in your left knee and your hips level with the floor.
• Push your hips forward to return to the starting position.
• Complete all the reps on one side with control, then repeat on the other.

Make it easier: Focus only on raising one leg behind you if you're struggling to balance. Add the knee lift and leg extension once you build more strength and confidence.

4. Single-arm single-leg V-up

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on the floor on your back holding a light dumbbell in your right hand starting on the floor beside your head, and your left hand behind your head or palm down on the floor beside you.
• Engage your core and gently press your lower back into the floor.
• Raise your left leg and right arm, bringing your right hand toward your left foot.
• Slowly lower both with control.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then repeat on the other side.

Make it easier: Perform the move without a weight until you build your core strength. Keep your non-working arm on the floor beside you for extra balance. If raising your leg straight is too challenging, bend your knee and bring it toward your chest instead.

Personal trainers often talk about correcting imbalances, because identifying a weakness on one side of your body when performing an exercise, then correcting it, can reduce the risk of injury. But what does that actually look like in practice?

That’s exactly the topic addressed in the Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter with a unilateral dumbbell workout.

Designed to “find your weakness”, the five-move workout alternates between a one-sided lower- and upper-body lift, then another one-sided move for the core.

Working one side of your body at a time, the editors of Pump Cub write, “will make it harder to avoid your strength imbalances, meaning you’ll know what you need to work on if you want to become stronger and more durable.”

I think it’s a fantastic workout for everyone to try, but it requires two sets of dumbbells, which many people don’t have, so I’ve offered an alternative approach for people who only have a pair of medium dumbbells to hand.

Once you’ve used the workout to identify any imbalances, I also have a suggestion for how to use the same workout to fix those imbalances over time.

How to do the workout

In the original workout (scroll to the bottom of this Pump Club newsletter to read it) the first of two circuits is performed doing 10 reps with the lighter dumbbells, while the second circuit is performed doing 5 reps with heavier dumbbells.

Going lighter, then heavier will help you “better understand whether the imbalance applies to muscular endurance, strength or both,” the editors write.

If you only have one set of medium-heavy dumbbells, as I do, aim for 12-15 reps for the lower-body lifts and 8-10 reps for the upper-body moves in the first round.

On the second round, do 5 reps, then finish with an isometric hold—pausing for five seconds halfway through the rep—to test your joint stability and control.

Here’s how to do my revised version, followed by form guides.

Circuit 1

Do two rounds of the following.

1. Single-leg Romanian deadlift (left side)
2. Single-arm overhead press (right side)
3. Single-leg Romanian deadlift (right side)
4. Single-arm overhead press (left side)

Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Reps: 12-15; 5, plus 5-10sec hold

How to do it:

• Hold the dumbbell in your right hand and keep your left foot planted.
• Hinge forward at the hips to lower your torso and the dumbbell and lift your right leg behind you.
• On the second round, pause at this lowest point with the greatest tension in the hamstrings of your standing leg.
• After five to 10 seconds, drive your hips forward to return to the start.

Single-arm overhead press

Reps: 12-15; 5, plus 5-10sec hold

How to do it:

• Stand holding a dumbbell in your right hand by your right shoulder.
• Extend your arm to press the dumbbell straight up.
• On the second round, pause with the weight at its highest point, keeping your ribs down, your biceps close to your ear and core engaged.
• After five to 10 seconds, lower the weight under control to complete the rep.

Block 2

Do two rounds of the following.

1. Bulgarian split squat (left side)
2. Single-arm row (right side)
3. Bulgarian split squat (right side)
4. Single-arm row (left side)

Bulgarian split squat

Reps: 12-15; 5, plus 5-10sec hold

How to do it:

• Holding a dumbbell or dumbbells, place the top of your right foot on a bench behind you.
• Bend your left knee to lower.
• On the second round, pause at this lowest point with the greatest tension in the quadriceps of your standing leg.
• After five to 10 seconds, push through your left foot to return to the starting position.

Single-arm row

Reps: 12-15; 5, plus 5-10sec hold

How to do it:

• Support your weight with your left hand on a bench and hold a dumbbell in your right hand.
• Create a stable base between your supported hand and feet.
• Lift the dumbbell to your right hip.
• On the second round, pause with the weight at its highest point, focusing on keeping the dumbbell tucked close to your hip and back muscles retracted and engaged.
• After five to 10 seconds, lower the weight under control to complete the rep.

Block 3

Do two rounds of the following.

1. Suitcase carry (left side)
2. Suitcase carry (right side)

Suitcase carry

Time: 40sec each side

• Stand holding a dumbbell in your left hand by your left side, with your back flat and chest facing forward.
• Walk forward, or in a figure of eight if space is limited, for 40 seconds.
• Concentrate on keeping your body upright and not allowing the weight to pull you over to one side.

What to do if you identify an imbalance

If you do identify an imbalance with an exercise, the best course of action is to work on rebuilding your strength with your weaker side as the baseline.

That will mean doing fewer reps than you can manage on your stronger side while the weaker side catches up, but that will eventually allow you to progress your strength on both sides evenly.

For example, if you can manage 10 overhead press reps on your right arm but only eight on your left, next time you perform the workout aim for eight reps on both sides.

Stick with that for a week, repeating the workout once or twice, then next week aim for nine reps each side. The following week, go for 10, or increase the weight fractionally.

That gradual progression will help rebuild your strength evenly, ensuring one side of your body isn’t compensating for the other, thereby lowering the risk of injury over time.

Last year, a woman who had never exercised joined my circuits class. She had lost 59.5lbs (27kg) with weight-loss medication Mounjaro and wanted to start strength training.

She said that everything felt “very soft” after losing weight—even sitting down was less comfortable as there was less fat—and she felt that she’d lost muscle, too.

She worried she wouldn’t make it to the end of the hour-long exercise class, but she did—and returned for two more classes that week.

That was nine months ago and since then she’s been doing three classes a week consistently. Her transformation—both physical and mental—has been wonderful to watch.

Her body shape has changed, she’s developed noticeable strength and muscle definition, and she says her back pain has reduced and she feels more confident.

Strength training is essential during and after taking GLP-1 medications because weight loss can reduce muscle mass along with fat. That’s especially detrimental if you’re in your 40s and beyond, when muscle mass and bone density are already naturally in decline.

Resistance training, coupled with a protein-rich diet, can help prevent this muscle loss and support bone health during weight loss.

That’s why I’ve created this full-body kettlebell workout to build strength, stability and overall fitness while using GLP-1s.

The centre of mass on a kettlebell sits away from your hand, creating a challenge for your muscles to keep the weight stable. You have to work harder and recruit more muscles to control the weight, making kettlebell exercises a valuable tool for building all-over functional strength and muscle.

How to do the workout

You will need a medium-heavy kettlebell for this workout and maybe a slightly lighter one for the overhead press, depending on your strength level.

Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds then move on. Aim to complete three to five sets of the whole circuit.

The moves:

1. Goblet squat
2. Romanian deadlift
3. Single-arm row
4. Goblet reverse lunge
5. Single-arm overhead press

Exercise guides

1. Goblet squat

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

How to do it:

• Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned out, holding a kettlebell upside down in front of your chest.
• Engage your core, and move your shoulders back and down.
• Push your hips back, bend your knees and lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Drive through your heels to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Why: Squats strengthen major lower-body muscles—including the quads, glutes and hamstrings—which are important for maintaining strength and function during weight loss. Building these muscles can help you stay active as your body weight changes, making everyday movements such as climbing stairs and carrying groceries easier.

2. Romanian deadlift

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the kettlebell handle in both hands in front of your thighs.
• Hinge at your hips and bend your knees slightly, keeping your back flat.
• Lower the weight toward the floor, keeping it close to your legs throughout.
• Drive through your feet and push your hips forward to return to standing.

Why: The Romanian deadlift works the biggest muscle groups in your body—the glutes and hamstrings—while strengthening your posterior chain (the muscles running down the back of your body). These muscles encourage your body to maintain lean tissue during weight loss. The Romanian deadlift also improves core and back strength and stability, which can help you move more efficiently, making you more likely to stay active and mobile.

3. Single-arm row

Time: 40sec each side Rest: 20sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the kettlebell handle in your right hand.
• Step your right foot back, keeping your right leg straight and bending your left knee.
• Lean forward slightly over your front knee, placing your left hand on your left knee for support if needed.
• Lift the kettlebell to your ribcage, keeping your elbow close to your side.
• Lower the kettlebell to the starting position with control.
• Continue on one side for 40 seconds, then switch sides.

Why: The kettlebell single-arm row is a smart addition to a GLP-1 strength-training workout because it targets muscles that people often overlook during weight loss—the back, shoulders and arms. The row is a pulling movement pattern, and pulling a challenging weight creates what is known as mechanical tension, signalling to your body that this muscle tissue is important and should be maintained. This can help preserve muscle tissue when you are in a calorie deficit or losing weight rapidly.

4. Goblet reverse lunge

Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding a kettlebell upside down at your chest.
• Step your right foot back and bend both knees to lower, keeping your chest facing forward and your left knee aligned above your left ankle.
• Pause at the bottom of the movement.
• Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Why: Like the deadlift and squat, the lunge works some of the largest muscles in your body, including your glutes and quads. Building and maintaining these muscles helps you stay strong and mobile, while encouraging your body to hold on to valuable muscle.

5. Single-arm overhead press

Sets: 5 Time: 40sec each side Rest: 20sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the kettlebell handle in one hand in front of your shoulder.
• Engage your core.
• Press the kettlebell straight up until your arm is fully extended overhead, with your biceps close to your ear.
• Pause at the top, then slowly lower the kettlebell back to your shoulder with control.
• Continue on one side for 40 seconds, then switch sides.

Increasing the distance of your run or hike every time you work out is rarely the smartest way to become a better runner or hiker.

Best case scenario, you’ll hit a plateau where your fitness stalls. Worst case, your body will break down from overuse.

A safer bet, according to personal trainer, ultramarathon runner and realbuzz ambassador Sam Tomlinson, is to strengthen the muscles and joints that help propel you from A to B.

“Running alone can develop excellent endurance, but it rarely provides enough resistance to build the strength and control needed to tolerate higher mileage and tougher terrain,” he tells Fit&Well.

Instead, Tomlinson has come to rely on a set of common lower-body strength exercises that can be performed with a set of dumbbells and a mini band, at home or in the gym.

“I recently completed my strongest ultra to date, and being consistent with this type of leg strength work played a major part in how well my body handled the demands of the event,” he says, referring to the 100km and 6,500m elevation of Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB he covered in 26 hours.

Even if you don't have the same gargantuan challenge ahead of you, regularly performing this workout should make your lower body more resilient when you next run or hike.

The six-move workout he swears by includes bilateral exercises like squats and Romanian deadlifts that are powered by the larger muscles around the hips and thighs.

It also features unilateral moves like the reverse lunge and single-leg bridge that train the body to “repeatedly absorb and produce force through one leg at a time”.

Banded lateral walks make an appearance, strengthening muscles around the outside of your hips, which help control the position of your knee and pelvis when your foot lands, and which can become compromised with fatigue.

And the final exercise is the calf raise, given that “the calves and Achilles tendon absorb and return a large amount of force during every stride”.

Here’s how to try Tomlinson’s session yourself.

How to do this lower-body strength workout for runners

Tomlinson's six-move lower-body workout is split into three blocks of two moves each.

Perform each block three times, completing exercise A and B back to back and resting a minute or two between blocks.

Tomlinson says the full routine should take around 25 to 35 minutes and is best performed on a running rest day or after a short, easy run to keep your legs fresh.

Start off by performing it once a week, gradually increasing that to twice a week as your strength and recovery improve, while slowly increasing the weights to ensure progression.

1A. Heel elevated goblet squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10

• Hold one dumbbell or kettlebell close to your chest, cupped in both hands.
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with your heels on the edge of a weight plate or sturdy hardback book.
• Turn your feet slightly outward and lower into a squat to a comfortable depth.
• Keep your torso upright, resisting the pull of the weight forward.
• Drive through your heels to stand without letting your knees cave in.

Make it easier: Perform a bodyweight squat to a bench or box behind you.

Make it harder: Increase the dumbbell load or pause at the bottom of each repetition.

1B. Romanian deadlift

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs and a slight bend in your knees.
• Push your hips back to lower the dumbbells, keeping them close to your legs, and your back flat and shoulders engaged.
• Pause when you feel a stretch in the back of your thighs.
• Push your hips forward as you return to standing.

Make it easier: Use one lighter dumbbell held in both hands.

Make it harder: Increase the load or perform a staggered stance Romanian deadlift with one foot back and heel slightly lifted to target one leg more than the other.

2A. Reverse lunge

Sets: 3 Reps: 8 each side

• Stand with your feet close and your hands on your hips for balance.
• Take a big step back with one foot and lower your back knee toward the floor.
• Keep your torso upright rather than collapsing over your front foot.
• Maintain a 90° angle in your front knee aligned over your foot.
• Push through your front foot to return to standing.
• Alternate sides with each rep.

Make it easier: Hold onto a wall or stable surface for balance. Reduce the depth of how far you lower your back knee.

Make it harder: Hold dumbbells by your sides to increase the load.

2B. Single-leg calf raise

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 each side

• Stand beside a wall or stable surface for balance if needed.
• Raise one foot, hovering it off the floor.
• Press through the ball of your standing foot to raise your heel.
• Lower slowly to lightly tap your heel on the floor and repeat.
• Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides.

Make it easier: Perform the movement with both feet then progress to single leg.

Make it harder: Hold a dumbbell or perform the movement from the edge of a step so you increase how far your heel drops with each rep.

3A. Single-leg hip thrust

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10 each side

• Sit with a weight bench or couch behind you.
• Prop up onto your arms with your support roughly across your shoulder blades.
• Raise your left foot off the floor, moving from your hip.
• Press through your right foot to raise your hips until you form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Pause and squeeze your right glute.
• Lower your hips back to the floor with control.
• Complete all reps on one side, rest for a few breaths, then switch sides.

Make it easier: Remove the raised platform, performing a glute bridge with your shoulders on the floor instead.

Make it harder: Hold a weight across your hips or slow down the lowering phase of each rep to increase the time your muscles are under tension.

3B. Banded lateral walk

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 20-25 each side

• Stand with a mini resistance band round the balls of your feet.
• Take controlled steps to your side, avoiding your knees collapsing inward.
• Keep your feet facing forward, chest up and a slight bend in your knees.
• If space is limited, perform five reps one way, then five the other until you’ve completed all the reps.

Make it easier: Use a lighter resistance band or reduce the number of steps.

Make it harder: Use a heavier resistance band.

A strong core is the foundation of our day-to-day movement, but building core strength is about more than endless planks, crunches or sit-ups.

“Not all core exercises are created equal,” says Courtney Goldate, strength director and lead personal trainer at Lionheart Gym & Wellness, who favors standing moves.

“With standing ab exercises, the core is forced to build strength in a more natural position,” she explains. “It focuses on movements we do daily.”

Goldate’s three-move standing ab routine mimics movements we perform as part of our everyday lives, from carrying groceries to reaching up to a high shelf.

“These exercises stabilize the spine and transfer force while the rest of the body moves,” she explains. “Other benefits include more total core activation, a challenge to balance and proprioception [your body’s sense of where it is in space], and better bracing.”

With minimal equipment needed, it’s also an easy routine to do at home.

“The core needs counterweight to challenge its engagement,” Goldate explains. “For this workout, you will need two equal-weight dumbbells or kettlebells, or you can use household items such as buckets, water jugs or tins of equal weight.”

How to do the standing ab workout

Goldate recommends doing the standing ab workout two to three times a week.

You can do it as a standalone workout or stack it onto another strength workout as an ab finisher.

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

1. Farmer carry
2. Overhead march
3. Suitcase carry

1. Farmer’s carry

Sets: 3-4 Time: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding weights by your sides, ensuring your ribcage is directly above your hips.
• Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Walk forward, ensuring your feet remain hip-width apart as you move—imagine walking on train tracks, not a tightrope.

2. Overhead march

Sets: 3-4 Time: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Hold weights overhead, with your arms extended.
• Engage your core, and tuck your pelvis so your ribcage and hips are stacked on top of each other.
• Exhale as you lift and bend your right knee towards your chest, moving slowly and with control.
• Inhale as you return your right foot to the floor.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

3. Suitcase carry

Sets: 3-4 Time: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding one weight by your side, ensuring your ribcage is directly above your hips.
• Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Walk forward, keeping your torso from pulling toward the weighted side.

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.

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.

While you may not be the sort of person who deadlifts heavy weights in the gym, it's probably a movement that you do on a daily basis without even realising it.

“It’s one of the most functional movements you can do,” says Stephanie McNally, a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach at Life Time Boca Raton.

She explains that actions such as picking up kids and groceries or moving furniture all use a deadlift pattern.

So, learning proper deadlift mechanics can build strength and help you to lift more safely in your day-to-day life.

McNally thinks that desk workers in particular could benefit from a regular deadlift.

“It’s a compound lift that trains the entire posterior chain, which matters more than ever now that so many of us spend our days sitting,” says McNally. “Sitting deactivates the exact muscles this lift is designed to wake back up.”

But it isn’t as simple as just picking up a barbell.

When McNally first started deadlifting, she found that she had some bad habits that she needed to break. The major one was not engaging her core properly.

“I didn’t understand what it actually meant to brace my core, and that’s still the number one thing I notice when I’m coaching others through their deadlifts,” she says.

Secondly, McNally was given some bad coaching advice that actually compromised her form: she was told to look up.

“The intent was to help flatten my back, but as the load increases, that cue actually puts unnecessary strain on the cervical spine,” she explains.

“It’s a superficial fix for a deeper positioning issue, and it’s one of the first things I coach people out of now.”

McNally fixed these issues by practising one simple move before her deadlifts: the stability ball dead bug.

Why the stability ball dead bug?

This move encourages the body to engage the core properly and keep the spine neutral—vital for a good deadlift.

“Even now, I use a stability ball dead bug as a priming movement before I deadlift,” says McNally.

“The ball gives constant feedback on core engagement, while the rib-cage-down, pelvis-tucked cue teaches the actual mechanics of bracing, so you can feel immediately if that position breaks down,” she adds.

She says that when you pair this move with steady breath control, it further encourages proper core engagement.

“Once I could feel that tension, and recognize the moment it broke down, I could carry that same awareness into the deadlift itself.

“What surprised me was how much this one fix cascaded into everything else,” she says.

“On the way up, I cue thinking about pushing the floor away rather than pulling the weight up, which keeps the drive coming from the hips and legs instead of the lower back.

“The same goes for keeping the bar close to the body: a proper brace keeps the ribcage aligned over the pelvis, which makes it easier for the lats to stay engaged, rather than letting the weight drift away and stress the lower back.”

How to do the stability ball dead bug

• Lie on your back with your knees bent to a 90° angle, holding a stability ball between your hands and knees.
• Apply steady pressure into the ball with both your hands and knees to activate the core.
• Set your position by drawing your rib cage down and slightly tucking your pelvis so your spine stays neutral.
• Maintain that tension as you slowly extend one arm overhead and the opposite leg out straight.
• Return to the starting position and switch sides.

Form tip: Inhale as you extend your arm and leg away from you and exhale as you draw them back in.

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.

A recent house move left me with just one weight: a 13lb (6kg) kettlebell—with the rest of my home gym equipment being placed in long-term storage.

Instead of giving up on strength training at home, I tried different techniques to create enough of a challenge with this one kettlebell to make working out worthwhile.

I tried a higher-rep count at first. While it worked, it made my workouts too long for my liking. Then I tried doing unilateral versions of my favorite exercises.

So my goblet squat became a Bulgarian split squat, and my deadlift turned into a single-leg Romanian deadlift.

Flush with success, I contacted Richard Bennett, a strength and conditioning coach and owner of Calibre Performance, to get an expert view on unilateral training, and a short routine readers could try at home.

Bennett agreed that unilateral exercises allow you to work with a lighter weight and still make progress, but he listed off plenty of other benefits.

• Unilateral exercises allow you to train each side independently, identifying and reducing muscle imbalances.
• They’re great for developing hip and trunk stability.
• For athletes, they are great for preparing for sports that rely on strength from the dominant side of the body (such as bowling, shotput, javelin).
• When you are injured, they allow you to continue working the unaffected limb.

He did flag that unilateral moves are not the quickest way to work out and stressed that, in most cases, fitness programs should contain both bilateral and unilateral exercises, which complement each other.

Unless you are injured or training for something specific, Bennett suggests approaching unilateral workouts by completing all reps on your weaker side first.

You can then match it with your stronger side to reduce muscle imbalances over time.

Bennett recommends the following three lower-body unilateral exercises, featuring some favorites he and I share.

1. Step-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 each side

How to do it:

• Stand in front of a box or other stable platform that allows you to place your whole foot securely on top without excessively rounding your lower back or rotating your pelvis.
• Engage your core.
• Place your left foot flat on the box, keeping your knee aligned over your toes.
• Push through your left foot to extend your knee and hip, lifting your right foot onto the box, maintaining a controlled and upright upper-body position throughout.
• Step down with control, leading with your right foot.
• Do all your reps on one leg, then switch legs.

Bennett says: “The step-up is simple, scalable and has a clear crossover to everyday tasks like climbing stairs. It also allows people to train one leg at a time without needing the flexibility or balance required for some more advanced single-leg exercises.

“It primarily trains the quadriceps and gluteus maximus, with contributions from the hamstrings and calves.”

2. Bulgarian split squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 6-10 each side

How to do it:

• Stand with the top of your right foot resting on a bench behind you, and your left foot far enough forward that you can descend without losing balance or lifting your heel.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your left knee to lower, keeping your knee aligned above your foot and letting it travel forward naturally in line with your toes.
• Descend as far as you can while maintaining control, keeping a neutral spine and your left foot flat on the floor.
• Push through your left foot to return to the starting position.
• Do all your reps on one leg, then switch legs.

Bennett says: “This is one of my favorite unilateral strength exercises because it provides a substantial training stimulus without requiring the same total external load as a heavy bilateral squat.

“It is easy to progress using dumbbells, kettlebells or a barbell, but can also be regressed to a bodyweight or supported version. Small adjustments to torso position and stride length can also make it slightly more knee (quad) or hip (glute) dominant.

“The main muscles involved are the quadriceps and gluteus maximus, with assistance from the hamstrings, adductors, calves and core muscles—responsible for stabilizing the hip and trunk.”

3. Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Sets: 3 Reps: 6-10 each side

How to do it:

• Stand holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in your right hand by your right side.
• Shift your weight into your left foot so you are ready to stand on your left leg, and bend your left knee slightly.
• Engage your core.
• Push your hips backward and hinge your torso forward, lowering the weight and lifting your right leg behind you as a counterbalance, keeping your keep your hips and shoulders square to the floor.
• Stop when you reach the end of your available hamstring range, or before your pelvis begins to rotate or your back rounds.
• Contract your glutes and drive your hips forward to return to standing.
• Avoid leaning backward or excessively extending your spine at the top of the movement.
• Do all your reps on one leg, then switch legs.

Make it easier: “For people struggling with balance, I usually regress to a kickstand variation or allow them to hold the wall lightly for support,” says Bennett. “Balance should not prevent the target muscles from receiving an effective stimulus.”

Bennett says: “Many programs include plenty of knee-dominant, single-leg work but neglect unilateral hip-dominant strength.

“The single-leg RDL develops the posterior chain [the muscles that run down the back of the body] while also challenging control of the pelvis, hip, foot and trunk. Holding the weight in the opposite hand creates an additional anti-rotation demand.

“This predominantly trains the hamstrings and gluteus maximus. The spinal erectors, adductors, foot and ankle muscles, and lateral hip stabilizers also contribute.”

No one is born knowing how to perform an exercise correctly. We all have to learn from scratch, even people who go on to become trainers and coaches.

I wanted to find out which exercises experts struggled with as beginners and, looking back with the perspective of a specialist, what helped them finally master it.

Camden Wilson, a fitness specialist at Memorial Hermann’s Rocket Sports Medicine Institute, tells Fit&Well that one of the moves that didn’t come easy was the Romanian deadlift (RDL), and he says it’s one of the hardest movements for his clients to master, too.

It’s an exercise everyone should learn how to do properly, though. It’s a great starting point for the hip hinge movement pattern, which is at the root of a whole family of exercises.

Plus, the RDL is an effective way to strengthen the muscles that run down the back of your body and getting the movement pattern right helps you pick heavy things off the floor safely.

Very few people nail a hip hinge at the first time of asking, with many people bending their knees too much, making the movement more of a squat, so Wilson’s general advice is to start with a light weight and move slowly.

“There’s plenty of time to load the movement once we get the right pattern down,” he says.

There’s a form guide below if you need an overview of the movement, but Wilson revealed a unique cue that made all the difference for him.

“I had to learn to have better foot pressure as I hinged,” he says. “This is one area most people are struggling with and not even realizing.”

As you lower, your weight will shift over your heels, but focus on maintaining pressure over your whole foot by pressing your big toe into the floor.

How to do the Romanian deadlift

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells or a barbell in front of your thighs.
• Bend your knees slightly and tuck your chin to your chest.
• Engage your core, squeeze your glutes and move your shoulders back and down to engage your lats (the large muscles in your back).
• Push your hips back and hinge your torso forward to lower the weights, keeping your hands close to your legs and your back in a neutral position.
• Lower as far as is comfortable, making sure your back doesn’t round.
• Push your hips forward to lift the weights and stand upright.

Form tip: To hinge at the hips, imagine you are trying to touch a wall behind you with your butt.

Alternative exercises

If you aren’t yet confident in your RDL form, Wilson recommends the following two exercises to build strength in the same areas.

They are both performed on gym machines, which will help you to master the form safely and get your body used to the mechanics of an RDL.

1. 45° back extension

“A 45° back extension trains hip extension and posterior chain development,” says Wilson. “Often, it can be easier for a newer lifter to execute than a full RDL.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your front on the machine with the pad just below the crease of your hips, allowing them to move freely. Place your calves under the bottom pad for stability.
• Start with your torso in line with your legs, then push your hips backward to lower your head and torso toward the floor.
• Only lower as much as you can while still maintaining control and tension with your hips and glutes.
• Drive your hips into the pad and squeeze your glutes to lift your torso back to the starting position.

Form tip: Don’t overextend at the top of the movement—keep your legs and torso aligned.

2. Seated hamstring curl

“The seated hamstring curl will target many of the same hamstring muscles as an RDL and can be a great option for overall hamstring development.”

How to do it:

• Sit on the machine with the lower leg pad under your calves, just above your ankle. Secure the higher pad firmly over your thighs—it should feel a little snug.
• Begin with your legs extended at the hips and a slight bend in your knees.
• Bend your knees and pull your heels toward your body.
• Pause at the bottom of the movement and then slowly and with control bring your legs back to the starting position.

If you haven’t jumped since you were in the school playground or you’ve been cautiously avoiding it, maybe it’s time to reconsider.

“The first thing that goes as we age is actually power, not strength. You lose that ability to jump,” says personal trainer Angie Wilkinson, aka the Strength Queen.

Jump training is also an effective way to look after your bones, because it can stimulate bone-building and improve density.

“Our bone density is highest at about 30 and then after that it’s declining. It [the decline] tends to accelerate in menopause because of the lack of oestrogen.”

One of Wilkinson’s favorite exercises for introducing impact is the pogo jump (or pogo hop), where you perform rapid bounces as if you’re on a pogo stick.

Unlike a conventional jump where you might focus on cushioning your landing, Wilkinson explains that the impact created in a pogo jump is intentional.

But you don’t need to launch straight into pogo jumps, especially if you haven’t jumped in a while or find jumping too strenuous on your pelvic floor.

You can work up to it with this five-level, beginner-friendly progression plan.

The moves

1. Seated foot taps
2. Marching
3. Stepping
4. Small hops
5. Pogo jumps

1. Seated foot taps

Sets: 2-3 Time: 30-45sec

• Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair or stool with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Raise both heels and tap the balls of your feet rapidly on the floor.
• Build up to a fast and light double tap.
• Keep your core engaged and chest upright—avoid hunching forward.

Form tips: Build a steady, comfortable rhythm rather than rushing—this is about getting your feet and lower legs used to quick, repeated movement. Breathe naturally and steadily throughout.

When to progress: If you can keep a steady rhythm for 45 seconds without your legs fatiguing or your form breaking down, you're ready to move on to marching.

2. Marching

Sets: 2-3 Time: 30-45sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the back of a sturdy surface lightly for balance if needed.
• Raise one knee toward hip height, then lower it and repeat on the other side.
• Build up to a steady marching rhythm.
• Keep your chest lifted and avoid leaning back as you raise each knee.

Form tips: Let your arms move naturally as if you are walking briskly. Keep your breathing steady and rhythmic.

When to progress: When you can march at a good pace with control and without holding onto anything for balance, you're ready for stepping.

3. Stepping

Sets: 2-3 Time: 30-45sec each side

• Stand in front of a sturdy step or low platform.
• Place one foot onto the step.
• Step up, pressing through your heel.
• Bring the other foot onto the step.
• Step back down one foot at a time.
• Alternate your leading foot each time, keeping your movements slow and intentional.

Form tips: Exhale as you step up, inhale as you step down—avoid holding your breath.

When to progress: Once stepping up and down feels controlled, with no wobbling or needing to hold on to anything for balance, you're ready for small hops.

4. Small hops

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

• Stand on your right foot, with your left knee bent and left foot elevated.
• Hop onto your left foot, lifting your right foot and bringing your right knee up.
• Alternate feet and repeat.

Form tips: Avoid over-cushioning your landing—feeling the impact travel through your foot and leg stimulates your bones, whereas a soft landing absorbs the force away. Keep your breathing continuous, exhaling every few jumps. Rest as needed between small sets, this is about quality, not speed.

When to progress: When your hops feel light, your landing is controlled and you can maintain your form without any pain or discomfort, you're ready to try pogo jumps. Pogo jumps are a natural progression if you can do all four stages comfortably and with good control.

5. Pogo jumps

Sets: 2-3 Time: 10-15sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, legs engaged and your knees slightly bent.
• Bounce continuously on the balls of your feet, using your ankles to drive the movement.
• Aim for a fast, light skipping motion.

Form tips: Land with control but let the impact travel through your foot and leg to stimulate your bones. Breathe out with each landing or every couple of jumps—avoid holding your breath. Keep your core braced throughout, and stop if you feel any joint discomfort, this move should feel springy not jarring.

Wilkinson says: “Once you’re consistently doing pogo jumps, research on jump training suggests aiming for around 20 to 50 jumps a day, three to four days a week, though this can be built up gradually and split across the day.

“To start, try 10-15 seconds of continuous jumping for two or three rounds, resting fully between rounds, and build up from there.

“Where possible, break jumps into smaller clusters with short rests—around 30 seconds—between rounds, as this is more effective for bone health than doing them in one long, unbroken set.

“Bone cells become less responsive to continuous loading, and brief rest periods between sets help restore that responsiveness.”

When to progress: There's no need to rush any stage—some people are happy to stay at the small hops or pogo jumps stage long term.

“Or you can progress onto single-leg pogo jumps. Impact-loading like this is one of the exercise categories most strongly linked to supporting bone health as we age, though everyone's starting point and pace should be individual.”

Healthy aging and maintaining your independence are great goals to have, even in your 20s and 30s.

However, once you creep past 40, they should be a big focus of your workout routine.

That’s why I teach all my clients over 40 the lateral lunge to balance.

This exercise strengthens lower-body muscles and improves full-body stability.

Kandis Daroski, a physical therapist and clinical program manager at Medbridge, says practicing these types of movements is crucial for aging well.

“Your 40s are a great time to be intentional about your side-to-side strength and your balance, before you ever notice a problem,” she says.

“In life, we move side to side, we go up and down curbs, we turn and twist. This exercise builds resilience, so your body is ready for whatever real life throws at it.”

How to do the lateral lunge to balance

This is a bodyweight version of the lateral lunge to balance but as you get stronger, you may want to perform it with a weight for an additional challenge.

Begin with one set of eight to 10 repetitions (reps), keeping them slow and controlled.

“By slowing down and controlling the movement, you’ll challenge the muscles more than moving quickly through 20 reps,” Daroski suggests.

Over time, build to 12 reps for two or three sets, two or three times per week.

If you're suffering from an injury or have other health issues, get clearance from your medical team before trying this move.

Reps: 12

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and engage your core.
• Take a large step out to your right side with your right foot.
• Bend your right knee and push your hips back as you lower toward the floor.
• Keep your chest up and core engaged.
• Push through your right foot, bringing yourself back to center, and raise your right knee to hip height while balancing on your left foot.
• Pause briefly, then go straight into the next rep.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then the other.

Form tips: “In the lunge position, keep your chest up tall and hinge from the hips instead of rounding your upper back forward,” says Daroski. “Exhale as you push through your whole foot to come back up.”

Keep your toes pointing forward throughout the movement, and avoid letting your foot externally rotate as you step to the side.

How to make the lateral lunge to balance easier

If you’re a beginner, there are ways to simplify the exercise.

Instead of raising your knee to balance at the end of the movement, perform a standard lateral lunge by returning your foot to the floor.

You can also reduce your range of motion and limit how low you go when performing the lateral lunge.

If your leg isn't strong enough to support your weight yet, practicing step-ups and lateral step-ups will help build the muscles you need.

How to make the lateral lunge to balance harder

If you can do 12 reps of this exercise without feeling fatigued, you’ll want to increase the difficulty so that you don’t lose out on its strength-building benefits.

Hold a weight—a dumbbell, kettlebell or even a weight plate—at your chest as you do the exercise. Start with a light weight and when that starts to feel easy, try a weight in each hand.

Continue aiming for eight to 12 reps with good form. If you notice that your form starts to fail before you get to eight reps, use a lighter weight.

Your next progression is to add an overhead press by holding a weight in the opposite hand to your side-lunging leg and pressing it overhead when you raise your knee to balance.

Trainer Jason Walsh's celebrity clientele reads like a stroll down Los Angeles' iconic Walk of Fame. Matt Damon, check. Emily Blunt, check. Bradley Cooper, check.

The Hollywood trainer and co-founder of plant-based protein brand RISE311 is behind some of the most eye-catching physical transformations to grace the silver screen.

From John Krasinski in 13 Hours to Miles Teller in Top Gun: Maverick and Brie Larson in Captain Marvel, the 50-year-old strength and conditioning coach is well-versed in building blockbuster muscle.

But regardless of their fame or past sporting pedigree, there are six fundamental movement patterns he gets everyone who walks through his gym door to master before moving on.

Fail to do so, he says, and everything falls apart.

“The foundations are so important,” he says, moments after cutting short a remote training session with Road House actor Jake Gyllenhaal to speak with Fit&Well.

“You might have a plan to build this beautiful house, but if you don’t anchor the house with an incredible foundation, something could come along that just f**** it all up, you know.”

Walsh prefers to nail down those fundamentals with primitive movement patterns we’ve learned since birth: lunging, squatting, carrying, rotating, pushing and pulling.

“These are the basics,” he says. “These are the fundamentals of the house.”

Failure to master these fundamentals, he argues, is the reason most people struggle to build momentum and consistency with exercise.

“If you don’t, you’re going to get hurt. You’re going to get frustrated. You’re going to get p****d off and you’re going to stop. Then this whole cycle starts over again.”

Pressed on which of his Walk of Fame celebrities still practice these fundamentals, and how often, he replies: “Everyone. Every day.”

“We work them into our warm-ups. We never ever lose the fundamentals. It’s not an Instagram workout. It’s not flashy or cool. We teach people. We stress them. We rinse and repeat.”

Over time, through repetition, that mentality builds discipline, he says.

It builds the foundations that allow you to build the house—or body—fit for the big screen.

“You can’t replicate it. There’s no pill for it. There’s no shortcut.”

How to put Walsh’s advice into practice

Whenever Walsh works with a new client—celebrity or otherwise—he starts with a movement screen to address any injuries or weaknesses.

“I treat everybody like they’re new,” he says. “We do an assessment. I look to see how their body moves, look for the red flags and then I address those issues.”

His work with The Odyssey star Matt Damon is a prime example.

“He’s a client I’ve worked with for years and years. [Before our first session] he was very frustrated. He told me his shoulder hurt and he couldn’t lift his arm over his head. He couldn't play with his kid because his back hurt.”

Previous trainers, he explained, hadn’t addressed underlying issues and asymmetries.

Walsh took two weeks to unlock Damon’s tight shoulder. Then another two to fix his back.

“It was like this weird ah-ha moment. At that point he was like, ‘Dude, I’m all yours. You’ve earned it.’ All of that stuff gave Matt the foundation and ability to train hard.”

To resolve long-standing imbalances, as he did with Damon, Walsh will break down and rebuild six key movement patterns: the lunge, squat, carry, rotation, push and pull.

These will then become the cornerstone of every warm-up, using bodyweight and isometric holds to improve muscular strength and joint stability.

Here’s how you can apply Walsh’s technique to your next workout.

Build your session by choosing one exercise from each of the options below. Each variation increases in difficulty from left to right.

Perform each exercise as straight sets for two to three sets of 10-12 reps (30-60sec for the carries), resting 60 seconds between sets.

Pick a weight that allows you to perform each exercise with good form but that challenges you to complete each set flawlessly.

The options:

• Lunge: Split squat, reverse lunge, Bulgarian split squat
• Squat: Sit-to-stand, bodyweight squat, goblet squat
• Push: Wall push-up, push-up, dumbbell bench press
• Pull: Inverted row, dumbbell bent-over row, pull-up
• Carry: Farmer’s carry, suitcase carry, waiter’s walk
• Rotation: Russian twist, dumbbell wood chop, cable Pallof press

For example, a beginner-friendly version could look like this, resting 60sec between sets:

1. Split squat: Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12

2. Sit-to-stand: Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12

3. Wall push-up: Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12

4. Inverted row: Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12

5. Farmer’s carry: Sets: 2-3 Time: 30-60sec each side

6. Russian twist: Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 each side

One of my favorite exercises to address a declining sense of balance is the weighted overhead march.

This move targets the muscles in your deep core that are responsible for supporting your pelvis and spine, keeping your body upright and stable as you move.

Dr Andrea Osborne, a physical therapist, mobility trainer and work-life balance coach with Work Life Wellness, agrees that it's a great way to build stability.

“The core is engaged to keep you stable for both marching and maintaining an overhead position,” she explains.

She says it also challenges you to maintain balance on one leg at a time, while building muscular endurance in your shoulder and arm as you hold a dumbbell overhead.

How to do a weighted overhead march

Set: 3 Reps: 10 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell on your shoulder.
• Engage your core and press the weight overhead.
• Raise one knee to hip height.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower your knee and repeat on the other side.
• Complete your repetitions on one side, then switch arms.

Start by doing three sets of 10 repetitions on each side, three to four times per week.

“As you get stronger, then you can do it more frequently,” says Osborne.

You’ll need a moderately heavy weight for this exercise.

Always get approval from your medical team before trying a new exercise if you have injuries or limitations. Stop if the move causes pain.

“This may be difficult if your balance is a bit shaky, so feel free to rest your other hand on a surface,” says Osborne.

“As you get stronger, use just your fingertips for balancing until you are ready to be hands-free.”

How to modify and progress the weighted overhead march

Make it easier: Remove the weight and perform a bodyweight standing march with your arms by your sides. This still strengthens your deep core and sharpens your balance.

As your strength improves, you can do a bodyweight overhead march, with one or two arms extended overhead while marching.

Once that feels easy, try holding a light weight in one (2-3 pounds).

Make it harder: Use a heavier weight or extend how long you march for.

You might have read or heard a trainer advise you to engage your core before executing a move.

But if you’ve ever been confused about exactly what that means or how to do it, then you’re not alone.

Engaging the core muscles involves more than just tensing your stomach, and it takes practice.

Holly Fivian, a personal trainer and founder of strength-training platform Holsm, says she encourages women to learn how to connect with their deep core before they start strength training.

Engaging it correctly can improve your performance, boost your posture and lower your chance of injury.

According to Fivian, there’s one move that helps all her clients master this skill: the dead bug.

“This is where everybody starts,” she tells Fit&Well.

“How your core feels during a dead bug is how I want it to feel during your other movements too.

“A properly performed dead bug should never feel easy,” she adds.

Below, Fivian has shared a short routine based on dead bug variations that will help you practice core engagement.

1. Diaphragmatic breathing

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.
• Place your hands around your lower ribs.
• Inhale through your nose, expanding your abdomen.
• Exhale slowly through pursed lips, as though you're gently blowing through a straw, and feel your ribs and abdomen soften down.

Trainer tip: “Imagine there are magnets on your hip bones gently drawing towards one another while your navel gently draws inwards and upwards. Keep your neck, shoulders and jaw relaxed,” says Fivian.

2. Dead bug

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your back with your knees raised above your hips, with both knees and hips bent to 90°, and your shins parallel to the floor.
• Extend your arms straight up.
• Inhale.
• Slowly exhale through pursed lips as you stretch your left foot forward and lower your right arm back behind you.
• Inhale to return to centre, then exhale and repeat on the other side.

Trainer tip: “Think about keeping your ribs and hips connected and in line, rather than allowing the ribs to flare upwards,” says Fivian.

3. Dead bug heel taps

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your back with your knees over your hips, bent at 90° angles.
• Have your arms by your sides or extended over your chest.
• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale as you lower one heel to tap the floor, keeping the rest of your body still.
• Return to the starting position with control and repeat on the other side.

Trainer tip: “If your ribs begin to flare, your pelvis changes position or your back starts to arch away as your heel lowers, shorten the movement and bring your knees closer to your chest,” says Fivian.

4. Dead bug leg extension

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your back with your knees over your hips bent at 90° angles.
• Have your arms by your sides or extended over your chest.
• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale and extend one foot away.
• Slowly return it to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Trainer tip: “The lower and straighter the leg travels, the greater the demand on the core,” says Fivian.

Muscle mass, bone density and balance decline gradually as we get older, but aging alone doesn’t determine whether you’ll get injured.

Injuries usually happen when you suddenly ask your body to do something it isn’t ready to.

For instance, if you haven’t run for years and suddenly start pounding the sidewalk every day, you’re asking your muscles, tendons, joints and bones to absorb a workload they've not gradually adapted to.

You may also need more time to recover from intense exercise than you did when you were younger.

But if you train smart—gradually progressing your workouts so your muscles and connective tissues get stronger—your body gets better at producing and tolerating force.

Your nervous system also improves its coordination, which further reduces your chance of falling or getting injured.

“An injury can be a major interrupter in someone’s fitness journey, often forcing them to reduce or completely pause activity,” says trainer Bianca Grande from Retro Fitness.

“That makes injury prevention an important part of maintaining a consistent, active lifestyle, particularly as we age.”

Here's the 10-minute routine Grande recommends to build a body that's better equipped for exercise and everyday movement.

“The goal isn’t simply to become stronger, but to build a body that can move efficiently, maintain control and better respond to unexpected stresses.” she says.

How to do the moves

1. Single-leg balance
2. Heel raise
3. Glute bridge
4. Dead bug
5. Resistance band pull-apart
6. Deep squat hold
7. Walking lunge

1. Single-leg balance

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

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a wall or sturdy chair for support if needed.
• Shift your weight onto your right foot and raise your left foot in front of you a few inches.
• Keep your hips level, torso upright, core engaged and shoulders relaxed.
• Hold your balance and avoid leaning to one side.
• Lower your foot and repeat on the other side.

2. Heel raise

Sets: 1 Time: 60sec Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart with a wall or sturdy chair for support if needed.
• Shift your weight onto the balls of your feet and raise your heels.
• Contract your calves as you come up onto your toes.
• Pause briefly.
• Slowly lower your heels and repeat.

3. Glute bridge

Sets: 1 Time: 60sec Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and arms resting by your sides, palms down.
• Engage your core, squeeze your glutes and raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Avoid overarching your lower back.
• Pause briefly.
• Slowly lower your hips and repeat.

4. Dead bug (same side variation)

Sets: 1 Time: 60sec Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your lower back pressed into the floor
• Raise your knees and bend them so they’re at 90° angles over your hips.
• Extend your arms toward the ceiling.
• Engage your core and slowly lower your right arm back toward the floor behind you, and extend your right foot down toward the floor in front.
• Only go as far as you can before your lower back arches off the floor.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

5. Resistance band pull-apart

Sets: 1 Time: 60sec Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a long-loop resistance band at both ends.
• Extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height, keeping a slight bend in your elbow.
• Maintain tension in the band as you pull your hands apart, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Slowly return to the starting position.

6. Squat hold

How to do it:

Sets: 1 Time: Up to 60sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider and turned out slightly.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower.
• Engage your core and keep your chest up.
• Hold the squat position for as long as you can.
• Return to standing and repeat.

7. Walking lunge

How to do it:

Sets: 1 Time: 60sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a step forward with your right foot.
• Lower your hips and bend your knees until both knees are bent at 90° angles.
• Push through your right foot to stand and then repeat on the other side.

Why the moves work

When we exercise, we place controlled stress on muscles, bones and connective tissues.

“The body responds to that stress by adapting and becoming better equipped to handle similar demands in the future,” says Grande.

“Resistance and weight-bearing exercise can help maintain or improve muscular strength and bone density, while repeated movement can improve neuromuscular coordination—the communication between the brain, nerves and muscles.

“Balance and stability work are particularly valuable because they train the body to recognize changes in position and react quickly. Stronger muscles and improved coordination can help stabilize joints and distribute forces more effectively during movement.”

Grande says people should not avoid using a wall or sturdy surface for support if needed.

“For beginners or people returning to exercise, modifications—such as using a wall during single-leg balance or support during a deep squat—aren’t a sign that the movement is less effective,” says Grande.

“They can allow you to develop control and confidence before progressing.”

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.”