I feel most inspired with my workout programming when I've worked alongside other instructors, coaches and teachers from a variety of exercise backgrounds. Whether I've been wobbling my way through a Pilates strength class, flexing it out in hot yoga, or speaking with weightlifting coaches for my day job as a fitness editor, I'm always left feeling inspired to do (and be) better.

Recently, Nick Parkes, UK weightlifting lead at Virgin Active, shared a short but effective five-move dumbbell workout you can do from home or in the gym. It's suitable for beginners, and below I show you exactly how to follow it, plus the benefits.

Get ready for a full-body burn without all the expensive equipment. No weights? Grab a set of the best adjustable dumbbells or hex dumbbells. You could substitute kettlebells or heavy water bottles instead.

Five-move dumbbell workout from a weightlifting coach

It's never too late to start lifting weights and build resistance training into your program. Later in life, you'll be thankful for strong bones, muscles and ligaments that help you to maintain an active lifestyle, whether that's gardening, playing with your kids (and grandkids), or hitting the gym or running track.

I encourage clients to work on mobility and strength several times a week, even if this involves a bodyweight or calisthenics routine rather than always lifting heavy weights. Below, a weightlifting coach shares five go-to strengthening exercises that target your whole body and only require a set of medium-heavy dumbbells.

Parkes says these are "some beginner-friendly, simple movements that have a connection to everyday life, that you can do anywhere. The aim to start with is to build strength, stability, coordination and confidence while moving well."

If you experience pain at any time, stop and rest. If you're working with an injury or health condition, I recommend seeking advice before starting these exercises.

• Squat-to-stand with a reach: "Squat (use a target if needed, like a bench or chair) and stand up without using your hands, then reach overhead before sitting back down," says Parkes. Why? Because it "builds leg and core strength while practicing a movement we use everyday."
• Suitcase carry: "Hold a light weight in one hand and walk slowly while keeping your body upright. Switch sides," says Parkes. Why? "Great for grip, core stability and balance, while mimicking carrying shopping or luggage," he says.
• Step-up and balance: "Step onto a low, stable step, straighten up and briefly hold your balance before stepping down. Alternate legs," recommends Parkes.
  Why? This "develops leg strength, coordination and single-leg stability, useful for stairs and uneven ground."
• Standing reach and rotation: "Stand with feet comfortably apart and slowly reach across your body and slightly behind you, then return to center. Repeat both sides." Why? "(This) encourages controlled rotation and balance, while helping with everyday movements such as reaching into a cupboard or turning to look behind you," Parkes explains.
• Overhead press: "Hold a light dumbbell in one hand at shoulder height. Press it overhead, then slowly lower it while keeping your ribs down and torso controlled. Alternate arms," says Parkes. Why? This "builds shoulder and upper-body strength while challenging your ability to stabilize your trunk. (It also) helps maintain correct range of motion, and supports ability to reach without risk of injury," Parkes says.

Why these 5 dumbbell exercises?

"Movement precedes intensity," says Parkes. "Start with a stable surface and a level of resistance that allows you to stay in control. For balance exercises, having a wall, chair, or other stable support nearby is sensible when you're starting out."

Squat-to-stand and step-up exercises target the lower body, including your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves, plus your core muscles. They also mimic daily exercises you do without realizing it, like standing up from a chair or climbing the stairs.

The suitcase carry, or farmer's walk, is a fantastic full-body exercise that builds functional strength and tests your grip, core engagement and stamina. Think about how you carry groceries or heavy bags, and you're already doing the exercise, whether you realize it or not.

Standing reach and rotations engage your obliques through a twisting motion, which are essential core muscles that run along your waist and add stability to your torso and spine. As Parkes mentions, you should be able to turn and rotate pain-free, so this is an essential exercise to practice.

Finally, overhead presses are an upper-body exercise that strengthen the shoulders, triceps, upper chest and upper back. Think about lifting something heavy onto a shelf overhead or lifting your kid into the air. A strong upper body is essential as you age, so this exercise is the perfect one to try.

"For someone new to exercise, I'd recommend 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps for the strength-focused movements, and short, steady intervals for the balance exercises," says Parkes.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

More from Tom's Guide

• I teach people how to be more mobile: 3 low-impact back and shoulder moves that build stability and strength after 40
• According to a personal trainer, this exercise is 100 times more effective than crunches. I tried it and was humbled
• I teach people over 50 to be mobile: 3 low-impact moves that build more stability than a 30-minute walk

Whether you’re a complete beginner or you’re returning to exercise following an extended break, when you first set foot back in the gym, it can be tricky to know where to start. That’s where Tom’s Guide steps in.

Below, I’ve spoken to a fitness expert who works with seniors and asked him for five standing bodyweight moves people of all ages can do to build full-body strength and mobility.

As we get older, strength training becomes less about aesthetics and more about longevity. It’s one of the best ways to reduce the muscle wastage that comes hand-in-hand with getting older, as well as protecting the body from injuries and building stronger bones.

The exercises below can be done with just your bodyweight, without needing any special equipment, but as you get stronger, you can increase the resistance with a set of the best adjustable dumbbells.

As a reminder, if you’re currently exercising with an injury, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional.

What are the exercises?

The exercises below have been recommended by Gideon Akande, a qualified personal trainer and fitness consultant who inspires hundreds of thousands of people through in-person and on-screen fitness experiences.

Akande often works with senior clients and tells Tom’s Guide, “Typical strength sessions for older adults should start with a controlled warm-up including movements that mimic some of the exercises you’ll be doing that day. Your exercises shouldn’t be complex or overly taxing. In fact, for most, the greatest intensity should be moderate to prevent any unnecessary strain or injury.”

All of these exercises can be done standing up, with no extra equipment, making this workout ideal if you struggle to get down on the floor or get to a gym.

Here are the moves:

1. Squat variations

“Simulating a sitting-to-standing motion is an act of daily living and will help maintain ability and confidence for getting in and out of bed, a vehicle, and a couch/chair,” says Akande.

If you’re a complete beginner, start with chair squats — to do these, stand in front of a sturdy chair (which doesn’t have wheels), send your glutes back and bend your knees to lower into a squat. Let your glutes tap the chair, then push through your feet to return to a standing position. Once these feel easy, do bodyweight squats without the chair.

2. Bicep curl to shoulder press

“This compound movement, with or without weight, will encourage bodies to explore (and keep) range of motion. It’s functional too; for example, the exercise mimics lifting and playing with young kids or pets, and picking up and putting away groceries.”

3. Marching in place

“As we age, we tend to lose balance, which can lead to falls and injuries. Slow marches, incorporating brief pauses, will train balance and engage stabilizing muscles in the ankles, knees, and hips.”

4. Cat-cow

"This yoga favorite is helpful for everyone, especially aging populations. The movement reminds the body how to protect the back by mobilizing the spine and contracting the muscles supporting it.” The cat-cow exercise can be done standing, sitting, or on all fours on an exercise mat.

5. No-jumping jack side steps

“This movement follows the mechanics of a jumping jack without the impact. Moving the limbs on the frontal plane is healthy for the body, and the total-body nature of the exercise can raise the heart rate and provide mobility and cardio benefits at the same time.”

What are the benefits of these exercises?

All of the exercises above will help you build functional strength in your body — by this, we mean the strength needed to complete everyday tasks, such as standing up from a chair or lifting a heavy bag of groceries. You’ll be working your upper and lower body, as well as your core, during these simple bodyweight movements.

Exercises like the jack side steps and marches can help improve your bone density without putting too much strain on your joints. These low-impact moves will also raise your heart rate, helping you burn more calories if weight loss is your goal.

Finally, in addition to improving your overall balance and stability, exercises like marches and the cat-cow stretch can help mobilize your joints, reducing stiffness and pain.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm a personal trainer who works with clients over 50 — these are the 3 mobility exercises I never skip
• After 60, this is the 10-minute routine I use with my clients to stay strong, mobile and independent
• 'I’m a Pilates instructor, and I recommend these 5 core exercises to help older clients build strength and improve posture'

Many of us have sedentary jobs that involve sitting for long periods; even if you're very active and like to exercise, you might be neglecting a very important muscle group without even realizing it: your hip flexors.

These muscles are technically part of your core musculature and run along the front of your pelvis between your hips and thighs. Collectively, they quietly perform essential roles for stabilization in the background, and they need to be strong and active to help you avoid injury.

As we age, naturally, strength, lean muscle mass and bone density begin to decline, and it becomes even more crucial to build and maintain strength and muscle through the years; otherwise, your balance and mobility could be impacted.

If you suspect you might be accidentally neglecting this VIP muscle group, let's discuss how you can strengthen it and the benefits of doing so.

What are hip flexors?

This group of stabilizer muscles at the front of your hips includes the psoas, rectus femoris and iliacus. You might have heard of the iliopsoas, which is the combination of the psoas major (starting at the lower back spine) and the iliacus (at the pelvic bone), which join together to create a unit that assists with hip flexion (lifting your knee and leg upward toward your torso), posture (stabilizing the spine and pelvis) and trunk flexion.

When we sit for long periods, these muscles can become tight and shorten, which can limit mobility and cause pain, especially if they become weaker over time.

Research published in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics assessed the role of hip flexors in the physical wellbeing of older adults. Those with weaker hip flexors showed a decline in overall physical function, meaning how the body moves and handles stress.

However, weak or tight hip flexors impact people of any age and can contribute to a performance decline for exercisers, especially athletes such as soccer players and runners. Even simple, functional tasks like climbing the stairs or walking can become more difficult, which is why building strong hip flexors will also improve functional fitness.

As a personal trainer, I see people dealing with tight, weak hips all the time. Not only does it reduce their overall range of motion, but it also contributes to lower back pain, limits how they exercise or stretch, and creates imbalances and limitations during movements like squats, lunges and deadlifts.

A series of hip strengthening exercises and mobility routines performed several times a week can be helpful for stretching, mobilizing and building strength in your hip flexors, but I also recommend targeting your lower back, hamstrings, adductors (inner thighs) and glutes, too, as all of these muscles play a role in stability, posture and injury prevention.

What are the benefits of strong hip flexors?

As I mentioned, the hips are essential for stabilizing your pelvis and spine during everyday activities, from walking and standing to running or playing soccer. They also help you generate power, assisting you in lifting your knees, flexing your hips and generating stride.

Active, high-impact sports that involve jumping or leaping, like gymnastics, hurdles, or soccer, also place strain on the hips; while weak hips can't handle strain, strong hips are much more able to withstand impact.

But I get it: we're all busy, and you're probably already figuring out how to fit upper- and lower-body workouts into your week as it is, as well as hitting your daily step count and maybe coupling your resistance training with some cardio or core workouts.

Figuring out how to add hip strength doesn't need to be complicated, though, and it doesn't need to take much time. Firstly, just try to pepper in some short routines during your week while you're watching a series or even waiting for the laundry to finish.

I recommend starting with a short hip mobility routine before lower-body workouts and including exercises such as deadlifts, hip thrusts, Bulgarian split squats and Cossack squats in your strength routine. You can start with your bodyweight, then add weight over time.

Secondly, mobility isn't as sexy as a squat PB or a new marathon time. But trust me, if you don't boost mobility, you may not be lifting heavy or running far in the years to come. How well you move determines how well you live.

Consistent mobility routines build strength, control and stability. Alongside resistance training, it's your anti-aging weapon for healthier joints and active muscles. The more you move throughout the day, the better; the more you load your bones and muscles, the stronger they get.

And don't think you need to go anywhere near HIIT to achieve it. Joints, ligaments and fascia (in particular) respond well to low-impact movement several times per week. So start there and don't overload your body too much too soon.

Check out some of my favorite options to start with below.

If you experience pain at any time, stop and rest. If you're working with an injury or health condition, I recommend seeking advice before starting these exercises.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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• I teach people how to be more mobile: 3 low-impact back and shoulder moves that build stability and strength after 40
• According to a personal trainer, this exercise is 100 times more effective than crunches. I tried it and was humbled
• I teach people over 50 to be mobile: 3 low-impact moves that build more stability than a 30-minute walk

There’s a scene in the Steve Martin film The Man With Two Brains in which his character, the unforgettably named Dr Hfuhruhurr, has to pass an increasingly absurd series of sobriety tests after being pulled over by the police. The final one is tap dancing and juggling oranges while singing the Katalina Matalina song. That’s sort of how I felt doing the bear plank with shoulder tap, except for the singing. And I wasn’t even being watched by a suspicious police officer.

What is it?

It’s an adaptation of the basic bear plank, a move that involves getting on all fours, then lifting your knees a few inches off the ground and holding yourself in place. This works your core, quads and shoulders. It’s a tough move in itself (you’ll need a strong core) and the shoulder tap aspect makes it considerably harder. To do it, you tap your right shoulder with your left hand, return that hand to the ground, then tap your left shoulder with your right hand, all while maintaining the bear plank. It’s an intense workout for your transverse abdominis muscles (the deepest layer of the abdominals), which are critical in the prevention and even treatment of low back pain, as well as for spine support and good posture. The bear plank with shoulder tap also works your upper arms.

Incidentally, the name of the basic move comes from the fact that you begin on all fours, like a bear (tons of animals go on all fours, but quadruped plank just isn’t catchy, and bear plank makes it sound tough — a move you really want to try, and one you are happy to tell your friends about) Bears, of course, don’t go about tapping their shoulders; apex predators don’t want to look like idiots. I have no such qualms.

How do I do it?

• Begin in tabletop position(all fours), knees in line with your hips and wrists in line with your shoulders. Shift your weight forward a little, so your arms and shoulders are doing more work.
• Push into your mat (I strongly advise using a mat for this move, as it can be hard on the wrists), engage your core and raise both knees one or two inches off the ground, keeping your palms flat but rising onto your toes. You should feel this in your core right away.
• Breathe in a controlled manner, keep your back straight and your head down. Once you feel you are steady, raise your right hand and tap your left shoulder, keeping your knees off the floor. Return your right hand to the floor and tap your right shoulder with your left hand. You’ll be tempted to rush this part of the move, as you will feel off balance, but remember to keep your core activated and control your arm movement. Form is everything.
• Do five to 10 taps on each side, before lowering your knees to the ground. Repeat three times. As ever, seek advice from a qualified professional if you have any concerns about performing this move.

I did the bear plank with shoulder tap for a week and this is what I learned

There are times when I look at a dish on a restaurant menu and think, “I just know I’m going to mispronounce that!” In much the same way, I knew I was going to make a bit of a mess of this move, at least early on. Despite the mat, I found the move hard on my hands, which meant I raced through the taps. This, in turn, meant I wasn’t using my core properly. Once again, I noticed that when one part of a move is unfamiliar or unusual (or both), form often goes out the window. I did three sets of 10 taps (five each side), though they felt more like slaps than taps, as if I was admonishing myself: “Slow down, dummy, and stop hitting yourself.” At the end of the sets, I could feel the effort in my upper arms and shoulders, and in my core. But I was far from satisfied.

Tap and go is the way to go

I found the basic bear plank to be a relatively easy exercise; it was the regular, light taps that were the problem, so I focused on moving more slowly. This should have made it harder to rack up the reps, but because I was concentrating, I could bring my entire body into play. I kept my back straight; I was careful to keep my knees only a couple of inches off the floor (watch for that because if you rise further, you’ll be arching your lower back), and I moved my arms more smoothly, finishing with a light and friendly tap. It worked. I completed three sets of 20 on day two.

A simple matter of more

Good form brings confidence, and that alone can be enough to allow for more reps. I did not get stronger in a matter of a few days, but I had found the rhythm the move calls for. On day four, I did two sets of 30 and one of 20. The following day, I did one set of 60, just to see if I could. I finished the week with two sets of 40, feeling it mostly in my upper arms. This is a good, challenging move that works a range of muscles, but just as juggling while tap dancing seems excessive, I have no pressing need to work my deep core, my shoulders, and my arms all at once. I like to vary my exercises, so if I want to work my transverse abdominis, I’d prefer the hollow hold, the Russian twist, the dead bug, or, if I’m feeling adventurous, the reverse crunch. As for building shoulder strength and stability, there’s no shortage of good exercises. Same goes for working those upper arms.

I’m now aware there’s a single move that will work those muscle groups all at once, as well as, to a lesser extent, the hip flexors. That, for me, falls into the category of “good to know”. It may be the one for you, so do try it, but I think I’ll go back to practicing how to pronounce pot-au-feu so that I don’t horrify French people. Or maybe I’ll mangle it, just for fun.

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm a personal trainer who works with clients over 50 — these are the 3 mobility exercises I never skip
• After 60, this is the 10-minute routine I use with my clients to stay strong, mobile and independent
• 'I’m a Pilates instructor, and I recommend these 5 core exercises to help older clients build strength and improve posture'

I remember growing up thinking that 40 sounded old. Fast-forward a couple of decades, and as I approach 44, I've realized just how wrong I was.

Staying strong in your 40s isn't about “starving yourself or doing thousands of crunches,” says fitness coach and founder of @aeme_fitness, Amy-Jo Simpson. Instead, she believes one of the best ways to build a stronger core is to ditch crunches altogether and focus on exercises that target your deep core muscles.

At 45, Amy-Jo has made functional strength a priority, and her quick five-move routine can be done entirely at home with minimal equipment, which is good news if you're short on time or simply can't get to the gym.

“I'm stronger than I was at 35,” says Amy-Jo. “It's never too late to build a strong core. Your strongest years could still be ahead of you.”

With that in mind, here are the five exercises she recommends for building deep core strength after 40 without a single crunch. Your abs will definitely know they’ve worked.

Watch: 5-move abs workout

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, moving from one to the next with as little rest as possible. Once you've completed all five exercises, rest for 60 seconds and repeat the circuit twice more.

Aim to do this workout four times a week, either on its own or at the end of your usual strength or cardio session. And remember, exercise is only part of the equation. Pair your workouts with a nutrient-rich, high-protein diet to support muscle growth and recovery.

• Bicycles: Bicycles are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your core. Unlike a traditional crunch, the twisting movement targets your obliques and rectus abdominis and improves coordination for a more complete core workout. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Draw your belly button toward your spine and place your fingertips lightly behind your head with your elbows wide. Lift your shoulders off the floor and bring your legs into a tabletop position. Extend your left leg while twisting your left elbow towards your right knee. Return to the center, then repeat on the opposite side, moving slowly and with control.
• Elbow to knee: This move targets the obliques while also challenging the deep core muscles. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross your right ankle over your left knee in a figure-four position. Place your fingertips lightly behind your head. Brace your core and lift your shoulders off the floor as you rotate your right elbow toward your right knee. Lower with control, then repeat and switch sides.
• Leg raises: Leg raises primarily target the lower portion of the rectus abdominis while also working the hip flexors and improving core stability. Lie on your back with your legs extended toward the ceiling. Brace your core and slowly lower your legs until they're just above the floor. Pause briefly, then raise them to the starting position with control, avoiding arching your lower back.
• Vertical ankle reaches: This increases the challenge for your upper abs by removing momentum and forcing your core to do more work. Lie on your back with both legs extended toward the ceiling. Lift your shoulders off the floor and reach both hands toward your ankles. Pause briefly at the top, then lower with control.
• Slow mountain climbers: This move strengthens your abs, shoulders, chest, glutes and hip flexors. Slowing the movement increases the amount of time your core spends under tension. Start in a high plank with your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Brace your core and keep your back flat. Slowly drive your right knee toward your chest and pause for one second. Return your foot to the floor and repeat on the opposite side. Continue alternating sides without speeding up the movement.

What is deep core training, and why should you be doing it?

Before you can strengthen your deep core, you first need to know what it feels like to engage it. And it's actually pretty simple. Take a deep breath, sit up tall and gently brace your stomach as if you're preparing for a punch to the midsection. That feeling of tension around your torso is your deep core engaging.

A strong core offers far more than toned abs. It plays a vital role in your balance, posture and overall stability, while helping to support your lower back and reduce your risk of injury. It also makes everyday movements like carrying groceries, lifting heavy things, bending, reaching, twisting and walking all feel easier because your core provides the stability your spine and pelvis need to move safely and efficiently.

That's exactly why Simpson's routine focuses on strengthening the deep core rather than relying on endless crunches. The goal isn't simply to work your abs, but to build a strong, functional core that supports you both in and out of the gym, especially at an older age.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

More from Tom's Guide

• I teach people how to be more mobile: 3 low-impact back and shoulder moves that build stability and strength after 40
• According to a personal trainer, this exercise is 100 times more effective than crunches. I tried it and was humbled
• I teach people over 50 to be mobile: 3 low-impact moves that build more stability than a 30-minute walk

Knee problems can strike at any age, but as we age and naturally begin to lose muscle mass, strength and balance, you might notice problems cropping up more regularly. Some people will never struggle with knee pain, and that's great, but for others, it's a lifelong battle to continue exercising in later life while managing symptoms.

The goal is to build and maintain strength, stability and mobility through exercise, and for that reason, I turned to UK-based physio Matthew Piff at Nuffield Health for three exercises he swears by.

Check them out below, along with some benefits and step-by-step instructions.

3 lower-body exercises from a physiotherapist

“If I had to pick just three exercises that I would rarely skip for long-term knee health, they would be sit-to-stands, step-ups and single-leg calf raises," says Piff. "Together, they help build strength and resilience throughout the lower body, which can reduce stress on the knee joint and support day-to-day movement.”

1. Sit-to-stands

“This is an easy functional strength exercise you can do at home, and it replicates an activity we perform multiple times every day. It strengthens the quadriceps, glutes and hip muscles, all of which help absorb load and reduce stress on the knee joint," explains Piff.

"It is commonly used in rehabilitation and osteoarthritis management because it improves both strength and independence in daily activities.

The real benefit of sit-to-stands is that they help keep everyday movements feeling easier, helping you move more confidently. Whether it's getting up from the sofa, standing from a dining chair, or climbing the stairs, stronger leg muscles can help you move with greater ease and independence. They are also an excellent way of maintaining lower-body strength and function as we age."

Piff recommends 2-3 sets of 8-15 repetitions. "As this starts to feel easier, you can lower the chair height or add some weight to continue building strength," he adds.

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat and in front of your knees.
• Lean your chest slightly forward and push through your heels to lift yourself up without using your hands.
• When you’re in the standing position, sit your hips back and lower into the seat with control.

2. Step-ups

“Step-ups develop strength through a single-leg stance, which closely mirrors walking and stair climbing," explains Piff. "They challenge the quadriceps, glutes and calf muscles while also improving balance, coordination and knee control. You can do the exercise holding on to something, but a greater challenge is to perform it without support and slow the movement down for a greater effect."

Piff loves step-ups because they mimic everyday movements. "These activities require us to support our body weight on one leg at a time, making step-ups a practical way to build lower-limb strength and confidence while also reducing the risk of falls."

Aim for 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions on each leg. "Start with a low step and increase the height gradually as your strength improves. If you want to progress further, you can add weights," Piff adds.

• Place a step or solid box in front of you below knee height.
• Take a step onto it. Push through your leg and raise your body upward to stand on the platform with both feet flat.
• Slowly step down with one foot, then the other. Switch your leading leg during your reps.
• Keep your posture upright with a slight forward lean to help engage your glutes.

3. Single-leg calf raises

“Strong calf muscles are often overlooked when discussing knee health, but they play a key role in absorbing force during walking and providing stability throughout the lower limb," Piff says.

"As we age, calf strength and power decline significantly, affecting balance, gait speed and overall function. Maintaining calf muscle function can help reduce the workload on the knee and contribute to more efficient movement.

"This means that every time you walk, accelerate, or change direction, your calf muscles are working hard to support and propel you forward. Keeping them strong can make everyday activities feel easier, while also improving balance, ankle stability and overall lower-limb function."

Try 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps. Start with both legs at the same time, then see if you can challenge your balance by doing a single-leg variation, one at a time. "If balance is a challenge, use a wall or banister for support. As the exercise becomes easier, you can make it more difficult by lowering your heel more slowly or by holding a weight while performing the movement," he says.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and relax your hands by your sides or on your hips. For an extra challenge, stand on the edge of a step or stair.
• Raise up onto the ball of your right foot, keeping your chest proud and spine long
• Pause at the top and squeeze your calf, then slowly lower the heel with control.
• Switch sides or work both sides together. Working one side at a time will challenge your balance more and help you focus on one muscle group at a time.

Verdict

“For all of these exercises, the key to progress is finding the right level of intensity," recommends Piff. "Exercise should not be overtly painful, but if it feels too easy, you're unlikely to see improvements. The goal is to work hard enough to encourage the muscles to adapt and develop greater capacity over time.

"It might be helpful to start with these exercises three to four times a week, alongside other activities such as walking or gardening. Overall, consistency is one of the most important factors in maintaining strength, mobility and long-term knee health.”

While these exercises are recommended by a qualified physiotherapist, you should always listen to your body and stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness, or tingling. Working with a physical therapist, physician, or similar professional will help you determine the issue for specialized recommendations based on your personal journey.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

More from Tom's Guide

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• I teach people over 50 to be mobile: 3 low-impact moves that build more stability than a 30-minute walk

As a certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist, I work with lots of clients in their 60’s and beyond. Strengthening the hips, back, and core is one of the most important fitness aspects for anyone in this age group.

While there are plenty of standard exercises like squats, planks, and back extensions that can get the job done, mobility concerns can limit what my senior clients are able to do. Fortunately, there are ways to strengthen the body in a seated position.

The following three exercises are my go-tos for senior clients with movement restrictions, beginners, or anyone looking for some variety in their routine. They’re appropriate for almost any fitness level, so grab a resistance band and give them a try.

How to do the three exercises

Consult a physician before starting any new workout program. Your doctor may recommend alternatives based on your medical history or advise you to avoid certain movements or exercises. Beginners should consider meeting with a certified personal trainer to learn proper exercise form. A trainer can also give you ways to modify movements if needed.

You’ll need a sturdy chair, a looped resistance band, and a Pilates ball for this workout. Start by doing one set of each exercise for 8-10 reps, 2-3 times a week. After a few weeks, see if you can do 10-12 reps comfortably. As you build strength, add a few additional sets until you can do 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps. Aim to complete this workout 3-4 times a week, with a day of rest in between each attempt.

These exercises can be done on their own or as a part of your existing workout routine. They can also be used as a warm-up for other activities. Here’s how to do each exercise:

1. Seated banded hip abductions

• Sit upright in a chair.
• Place a looped resistance band around your legs, slightly above the knee.
• Engage your core and keep your spine tall.
• Drive your knees out until the band is taut.
• Pause briefly.
• Bring your knees back to the starting position.
• Continue for 8-12 reps.

2. Seated hip abductions

• Sit upright in a chair.
• Place a Pilates ball between your knees.
• Engage your core and keep your spine tall.
• Press your knees into the ball.
• Hold briefly.
• Relax, keeping the ball placed in between the knees.
• Continue for 8-12 reps.

3. Seated torso rotations

• Sit upright in a chair.
• Cross your arms across your chest.
• Engage your core and keep your spine tall.
• Twist to your left, keeping your abdominals engaged.
• Pause briefly.
• Return to the center.
• Twist to your right, keeping your abdominals engaged.
• Pause briefly.
• Return to the center.
• Continue alternating between your left and right sides for 8-12 reps per side.

Benefits of the three exercises

Exercises that protect the hips and spine often involve movements that can be challenging for certain populations. Joint pain, previous injuries, or balance concerns often prevent many seniors from getting on the floor or moving in a way that places strain on the knees or back. The exercises in this routine are all done in a seated position, making them accessible to a wide range of fitness levels and abilities.

The seated banded hip abductions target the glute medius, glute minimus, and TFL. These muscles stabilize and support the pelvis, which is crucial for full-body stability and balance. Since falls are a pressing concern for seniors, ensuring that these muscle groups stay strong is vital.

Seated hip adduction strengthens the hip adductor muscles in the inner thighs. Again, these muscles play an important role in keeping the hips stable and the body balanced.

Deep core muscles like your transverse abdominis and inner obliques engage during the seated torso rotations. These muscles help keep the spine protected, supported, and properly aligned. A strong deep core translates to better full-body stability and overall posture.

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm a personal trainer who works with clients over 50 — these are the 3 mobility exercises I never skip
• After 60, this is the 10-minute routine I use with my clients to stay strong, mobile and independent
• 'I’m a Pilates instructor, and I recommend these 5 core exercises to help older clients build strength and improve posture'

There are many trending walking workouts around, so what's another to add to the mix? If getting your daily steps and closing your Apple Rings isn't quite doing it for you, this simple walking hack could be the secret to better energy and feeling less sluggish the next time you head out.

Lymphatic walking is a low-intensity workout that is clocking up a lot of Google searches right now for those looking to beat the bloat. According to David J. Sautter, a NASM-certified personal trainer with WalkFit, lymphatic walking could pack some benefits. Here's what he thinks.

What is lymphatic walking?

Sautter explains: “Lymphatic walking is a gentle, rhythmic style of walking that uses natural breathing and muscle contractions to support the movement of lymph and excess fluid around the body.

"The focus is on consistent, low-impact movement, with the muscles in your feet and calves acting as a natural pump with every step.” By this, Sautter means the calves help pump blood back up the body rather than allowing it to pool in your lower half, which aids circulation and is known by many as your second heart.

How does lymphatic walking work?

"Each step provides a gentle pumping action through the muscles, which can help move fluid through the lymphatic system. Combine that with relaxed, deeper breathing, and this creates a low-intensity way to keep fluid moving rather than sitting stagnant, which can develop after long periods of sitting," Sautter explains.

“Research even shows that movement, like walking, activates the muscles in the lower legs, which act as a natural pump to help move fluid out. This is why gentle, rhythmic walking can support circulation and lymphatic flow."

What are the benefits of lymphatic walking?

According to Guts UK, four in 10 people suffer from bloating. "Lymphatic walking offers a simple way to get the body moving and support the movement of fluid that naturally occurs, usually through water weight," adds Sautter. "One study (2021) even found that just 10–15 minutes of walking after each meal improved symptoms including bloating, gas and post-meal fullness."

You might have already heard about this; it's called fart walking. Yes, another walking workout trend that involves a stroll, post-meal.

“A gentle post-meal walk gets the digestive system moving, helping food and gas pass through the gut and potentially ease feelings of fullness and bloating," adds Sautter. "A short walk can break up long periods of sitting, supporting blood flow and switching the body from feeling stagnant to active, which can help you feel more energized.”

A trainer-recommended guide on lymphatic walking

“Lymphatic walking doesn’t need to be complicated or intense," says Sautter. "The focus is on gentle, rhythmic movement and consistency rather than speed. It’s best to aim for a 10–15-minute walk after lunch or dinner, or use it to break up long periods of sitting."

Here's how:

• Warm up (0–5 minutes): “Start at a slow, comfortable pace, gradually picking up your speed. Let your arms swing naturally and focus on relaxed, steady breathing.”
• Find your rhythm (5–10 minutes): “Move into a comfortable pace where you can still hold a conversation. Keep your steps light and consistent, allowing your feet, ankles and calves to work naturally.”
• Maintain your pace (10–15 minutes): “Maintain the same comfortable pace. Focus on a smooth heel-to-toe stride and relaxed shoulders. If you're walking after a meal, this is enough. You don't need to push the intensity.”
• Build, if you feel comfortable (15+ minutes): “If you have more time, continue for another 5–15 minutes at the same comfortable pace. There’s no need to power walk; consistency is more important than speed.”

My verdict

I already walk a lot, partly because I find it helps me manage my ADHD symptoms, but also because I'm a dog owner who carries chronic levels of guilt when my pooch gives me puppy eyes for outdoor playtime.

For that reason, I'm familiar with taking a walk after a meal, and personally, I don't really find it makes a noticeable difference to bloating, though I'm sure it does help with digestion, as the science tells us it does.

I decided to follow Sautter's steps and walk slower than I would usually, focusing on keeping my arms loose and hands phone-free. I also focused more on my breathing, trying to make it controlled, expansive and rhythmic, and pretending to inflate and deflate a balloon as I strode along.

After about 10 minutes, I increased my pace slightly but kept my breathing slow and controlled, trying to maintain a heel-toe connection with the path. It was actually harder than I thought to try and keep these things in check at the same time, rather than speeding along as I normally do without any clue what my body does.

But aside from adding a little mindfulness to my steps, did I notice any enormous difference? Nope. Did I feel cleansed and detoxified? Also nope. Did I return a few days later with a flatter stomach? Again, strong nope.

So while I would say this is a great way to encourage mindful movement, increase your daily step count and boost digestion post-food, it won't be a miracle worker. Essentially, you are just going for a walk and tapping into those well-known walking benefits, which is still a good thing.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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It's not often that I'll prescribe stretching over mobility work unless I really need to. If I do, it will be at the end of a session when clients are cooling down. Hamstrings are notoriously tight muscles along the back of your upper legs, and while they respond well to static stretching, the benefits are often experienced in the short term.

Instead, try this three-minute hamstring-focused mobility flow to loosen up your muscles, improve blood and oxygen flow and strengthen joints.

Below, I cover a few of the many benefits you can expect, plus the routine itself. You don't need weights, just one of the best yoga mats.

Watch: 3-minute mobility flow you can try at home

If you experience pain at any time, stop and rest. If you're working with an injury or health condition, I recommend seeking advice before starting this exercise, especially if you find it difficult to bend or kneel.

The routine only takes a few minutes, though you could work longer if you want to. During this time, focus on your breathing and move slowly and mindfully, thinking about creating space in your body rather than rushing through the movements.

I like to play some music, but of course, this is optional. When you breathe, focus on expansive inhales and exhales by directing your breath toward your stomach, back and ribcage, as if inflating and deflating a balloon. Not only will this help with core engagement, but it also means strengthening the diaphragm.

What are the benefits?

For many of us, the hamstrings are a problem area that naturally feels tight a lot of the time. You'll know from your own experiences that reaching for your toes can feel a lot trickier than, say, reaching your arm behind your back.

I like to add this short mobility routine into client warm-ups, as it warms the muscles throughout the body rather than just targeting the hamstrings, giving you a bit more bang for your buck.

The first few rounds will feel uncomfortable if you have tight muscles or limited range of motion in your joints, but as you move through the remaining rounds, things should start to feel easier as you loosen up.

This routine is beginner-friendly, and you don't need any equipment outside of a comfortable yoga or exercise mat. Those with knee pain might want to use a cushion beneath the knees for extra padding, although if this still causes pain, I'd skip kneeling exercises altogether or lift the back leg to ease pressure.

You'll move your entire body during the three minutes, stretching and mobilizing as you go, which means targeting your muscles and joints rather than just temporarily boosting hamstring flexibility.

If you feel you might want to stay in one position for longer, do, and move slowly through each movement. I would recommend watching the video a few times beforehand so you know what to do and can make it feel more like a flow.

The results? Looser hamstrings in just minutes.

Let us know how you get on in the comments!

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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As we get older, strength training is the single most important way to reverse the muscle wastage that comes hand in hand with aging. Preserving muscle mass not only helps you stay stronger and prevent falls, but can also lower your risk of conditions like Type 2 diabetes and strengthen your bones.

But which are the best exercises to prioritize? To find out more, I sat down with Dr. Jamie Bovay, a physical therapist, author and longevity clinician who founded KinetikChain Denver. He has spent years studying the human body through the lens of improving lifespan. Below, he shares five high-yield bodyweight exercises that improve strength and joint mobility.

As a reminder, while these exercises are suitable for complete beginners, if you’re currently dealing with an injury, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional.

5 bodyweight exercises to include in your routine

“My personal obsession with longevity started at age 41 when I had my daughter and became an 'old dad.' The math hit me hard: if I followed the standard biological decline, I wouldn't even be around, much less just physically capable of keeping up with my daughter when she reached my age. It forced me to pivot from reactive exercise to stay in shape to proactive physical engineering of my health and future,” Dr Bovay tells me.

His five bodyweight exercises focus on building full-body strength while also keeping the joints mobile. Here are the exercises to try:

1. Box squat

“Lower down to a chair until your glutes barely touch, then drive back up. This builds quad and glute power while directly translating to everyday independence. The lower the chair, the harder the exercise becomes and the more mobility you build into the exercise.”

2. Incline push-up

“Performed against a wall or kitchen counter. This protects the shoulder joints while building chest strength and restoring upper-body pushing mechanics. Lowering yourself from a wall to a counter and closer and closer to the floor increases the difficulty of this exercise and helps you to build more strength as you advance.”

3. Floor glute bridge

“Lying on your back, knees bent, driving your hips toward the ceiling. This wakes up the posterior chain, targets hip extension, and removes chronic tension from the lower back. Making sure you feel this in your glutes and hamstrings and not in your back is key.”

4. Wall angels

“Standing flat against a wall, sliding your arms up and down in a ‘goalpost’ position. This reverses the forward-slumped posture that develops from decades of sitting, as well as opens up the chest, which can help take pressure off the neck, shoulders and low back.”

5. Tandem stance balance hold

“Standing with one foot directly in front of the other (heel-to-toe) for 30 seconds. This builds the neuromuscular skill required for fall prevention. You can increase the difficulty by balancing on one foot.”

What are the benefits?

All of these exercises build functional strength without the impact. When we talk about functional strength, we mean the strength you need to do everyday activities like sitting down and getting back up from a chair or toilet — this is what you’re working on during the box squats.

Once these feel easy, you can progress to bodyweight squats, remove the glute tap on the chair, and then add weight to the movement using one of the best adjustable dumbbells to increase the resistance.

Exercises like incline push-ups and wall angels work the upper body and core without putting too much strain on the shoulder joints. This can help with everyday activities like carrying a heavy load of groceries or lifting a child or grandchild, but it also builds overall stability in the body. You’ll also be working on your posture — handy if you spend a lot of time sitting.

Finally, glute bridges and balance holds work on the primary muscles responsible for walking and balance. As you squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement, you’ll force tight hip flexors to relax and lengthen, relieving pressure in your lower back.

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• I'm a personal trainer who works with clients over 50 — these are the 3 mobility exercises I never skip
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• 'I’m a Pilates instructor, and I recommend these 5 core exercises to help older clients build strength and improve posture'

As we get older, strength training becomes more important than ever. It’s the single best way to reduce your risk of falls, protect your bones, and slow down the inevitable loss of muscle that comes with age.

But if you’re a complete beginner, or you’re returning to exercise following an extended break, it can be tricky to know where to start. To find out more, I turned to experienced personal trainer Jacob Siwicki.

5 bodyweight exercises to prioritize over 60:

Whether you’re looking to get fitter, build the functional strength you need to lift your grandkids, or carry a heavy bag of groceries from the store, strength training doesn’t have to mean hours spent in the gym lifting heavy weights. If you’re a beginner, you’ll get a great workout using just your bodyweight.

While all of the exercises are suitable for beginners, if you’re currently recovering from a specific injury, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional.

Here are the exercises Siwicki recommends:

1. Plank

“A plank gives you a strong core and a stable back, but it also works almost everything. Your shoulders, back, core, and quads are all working. Beginners can start on their knees or with their hands elevated if holding a full plank is too difficult.”

2. Pushups

“Pushups build off the plank, but now you are adding your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Beginners can start with wall pushups or place their hands on a chair or countertop before working toward the floor.”

3. Wall sits

“Bodyweight squats are good when someone is first starting, but after the first week or two, they will probably need to add some weight to continue building strength. If we are talking strictly about bodyweight exercises, I would choose a wall sit. You put your back against the wall, lower yourself into position, and hold it.”

4. Crunches

“For another core exercise, I would recommend crunches instead of full situps because they are less intense, especially for a beginner. You lie on your back, squeeze your core, lift slightly, and then relax. That is it. It is simple, but it teaches someone how to engage their core.”

5. Supported single leg deadlifts

“The fifth exercise would focus on balance. A beginner can hold on to a wall or chair, balance on one leg, and kick the other leg backward while lowering the chest. They are trying to create an uppercase T with their body. The bottom of the T is the leg that stays on the ground. Holding on to something makes it safer while they build strength and balance.”

To turn this into a workout, do a quick warm-up, then do 30-seconds of each exercise. Repeat the circuit three times.

Remember, once these exercises feel easy, it’s time to increase the resistance. The easiest way to do this is to add weight — check out some of the best adjustable dumbbells for working out at home here.

What are the benefits?

All of the exercises in this short routine help you build full-body strength. You’ll be working your upper and lower body, as well as your core. The single leg deadlifts will also help you notice any imbalances in your body, as one side is likely to feel more difficult than the the other. This can help build balance and stability in the body. As we get older, one of the biggest risks is falling, so working on your strength and balance can help avoid this.

These exercises allow you to start light and gradually build up. Once the plank feels easy, extend your legs and hold a full-body plank. The same applies to the push-up — once it’s easy, don’t drop your knees to the floor. Strength training exercises like this can help build strength in the muscles, but the exercises above also place controlled stress on the bones, which can help support bone strength.

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Time is a resource that almost all of us struggle to get enough of, and that’s especially true for parents during the summer school break. Taking the time to train when you’re also juggling work and childcare can feel impossible, but you can achieve a lot with short, sharp workouts.

Workouts just like this 20-minute session from personal trainer and Bowflex fitness advisor Gideon Akande. I asked Akande for a quick, effective workout people can do on the treadmill, and he didn’t disappoint with this hilly interval session.

"This interval-style approach repeatedly raises and lowers your heart rate,” says Akande. “Making it an efficient way for busy parents to challenge their cardiovascular fitness in just 20 minutes.”

The workout is designed for the BowFlex T16 treadmill, but you can do it on any machine that offers up to a 4% incline.

Gideon Akande’s 20-minute treadmill workout

Even with short workouts like this, a warm-up is always advisable, and along with the one included in the workout, Akande suggests doing some dynamic stretches before you get to the treadmill.

“Whenever possible, begin with a brief dynamic warm-up off the treadmill,” says Akande. “Moving intentionally through multiple planes of motion helps gradually raise your heart rate and prepare your muscles before stepping onto the machine.”

Once you’re on the machine, keep it slow and controlled during the warm-up.

“Remember, the treadmill warm-up is exactly that: preparation for the work ahead,” says Akande. “Avoid starting too fast or doing too much too soon. Give your body time to find its stride before tackling the workout’s changing inclines and speeds.”

Once you’re into the workout proper, you’ll be building intensity through four progressive segments.

“Each segment begins with an incline power walk followed by a run of the same duration and incline,” says Akande. “After each running effort, you’ll have one minute to recover. As the intervals get longer, the incline gradually decreases to help offset the additional work.”

Akande’s tips for the workout

When you’re doing a 20-minute workout, it’s always important to make every minute count, so judge your effort correctly rather than pushing too hard or taking it too easy.

“Make the walking intervals purposeful,” says Akande. “Think brisk power walk, pumping your arms in rhythm with your legs. Your running pace should feel faster than a jog but shouldn’t be an all-out sprint.

“By the end of each interval, you should welcome the recovery while still feeling as though you could continue a little longer if necessary.”

While having target pace numbers in mind can sometimes be useful, every day is different, so listen to your body and pick a speed that suits you in the moment.

“You’re in control,” says Akande. “Choose walking and running speeds based on your current fitness level and the energy you have that day rather than chasing a specific number.”

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If there’s anything I’ve learned in my 15 years as a certified personal trainer, it’s this: the way you work out now will affect your longevity and independence as you age.

It’s tempting to focus on bigger muscles, visible six-packs, and new PR’s every week. But if you aren’t paying attention to the “less flashy” aspects of your fitness routine, you could be paying the price when you hit your senior years.

That’s why I make all of my clients – especially those in or approaching their 40’s – practice exercises that promote full-body strength, stability, and power. One of those exercises is the offset front rack squat. It’s a great move to target the deep core, glutes, quads, and even the upper back and shoulder stabilizing muscles. If you’ve got a kettlebell nearby, you can give it a try for yourself.

How to do offset front rack squats

Consult a doctor before trying any new exercise or workout program. Depending on your health history, they may suggest alternatives or advise you to limit your activity.

Beginners should consider meeting with a certified personal trainer to learn how to do the exercise correctly. Offset front rack squats aren’t extremely difficult, but you should be comfortable with basic squat form before attempting them.

You’ll need one moderately heavy kettlebell for this exercise. You should be able to complete 8-12 repetitions with good form. If you’re unable to do 8 reps without pausing to rest, choose a lighter weight. If you can do 12 reps easily without feeling fatigued, use a heavier weight.

Start by doing offset front rack squats for one set of 8-12 reps, 2-3 times per week. As you build strength, you can add an additional 1-2 sets of the exercise.

Offset front rack squats can be done on their own or as part of your current exercise routine. Just be sure you’re including appropriate rest days between each attempt.

Here’s how to do the exercise:

• Hold a kettlebell in your left hand.
• Bring the kettlebell to a “front rack” position – the kettlebell should be aligned with your left shoulder, with your left elbow parallel to your rib cage.
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and engage your core.
• Hinge your hips behind you, as if you were about to sit down.
• Bend your knees and lower your hips towards the floor.
• Stand back up to the starting position.
• Continue for 8-12 reps, then repeat holding the kettlebell in your right hand.

Benefits of offset front rack squats

Basic squats work your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and hip stabilizers all at once, training your lower body for better strength, stability, and power.

The addition of a kettlebell not only challenges your lower body to a greater degree, but also engages the upper back, shoulder stabilizers, and deep core muscles like your transverse abdominis and internal obliques. Since you’re holding the weight on one side, your core must work to keep your body upright and balanced. This enhances your full-body stability and can lead to better overall balance with a reduced chance of certain injuries.

Common offset front rack squat form errors

Offset front rack squats may look simple, but they can be tricky to do with proper form. These are the most common errors I see beginners make when attempting the exercise.

Leaning too far forward

As you descend into the squat portion of the exercise, your torso and chest should remain tall. Think of your spine forming a diagonal line from the top of your head to your tailbone.

If the core muscles are weak, the hips are tight, or the kettlebell is too heavy, you may find that your torso and chest fall forward during your squat, leaving your spine in a more parallel position to the floor.

To fix this, focus on strengthening your deep core with exercises like planks and bird dogs, stretching your hips with moves like the figure 4 stretch and kneeling hip flexor stretch, and using a lighter kettlebell until you’ve built up the appropriate strength.

Allowing the spine to round

Another form error that can indicate a weak core is allowing the spine to round throughout the movement. You should be able to maintain a neutral, tall posture at each point of the exercise.

If your shoulders start slumping forward and your back gives as you descend, drop the weight and focus on building strength in your core. You may also want to include exercises that target upper and mid back, like prone extensions and lat pulldowns.

Practice basic squats until you can keep proper alignment with each rep, then start working with light weights as you perfect the form.

Tilting towards the weighted side

Deep core weakness is also the culprit when your body tilts towards one side.

Again, ditch the weight and focus on building deep core strength, specifically the interior obliques with moves like side planks.

Use a lighter kettlebell until you’re able to keep the spine upright and balanced in the proper position.

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I run marathons for fun and spend hours of my day sitting down behind a desk — if I didn’t have tight hip flexors, I’d be superhuman. When we talk about tight hip flexors, we’re referring to two different muscles: the iliopsoas and rectus femoris. When these muscles are tight, they remain in a shortened state. This, in turn, can cause reduced hip mobility and lower back pain.

There are some common exercises you can do to help relieve tight hips, including pigeon pose and the 90/90 stretch. While I use both of these in my routine, when I’m short on time, I revert to a simple Pilates exercise instead, as it means my deep core also gets a workout as I release my hips. Read on to find out more.

As a reminder, what works for me might not be right for you and your body. If you’re a complete beginner, you’re pregnant or postpartum, or you’re recovering from an injury, always check in with a medical professional before trying something new.

What is the exercise?

Unlike typical stretches, this exercise works on extending the hip flexor through its full range. This can help undo any tightness and relieve lower back pain. If, like me, you’re a runner, this stretching can also help you restore full range of motion in the hips.

The exercise is the Pilates single-leg stretch. All you’ll need is your body weight, but lying on one of the best yoga mats can help keep things more comfortable.

Here’s how to do it:

• Lie on your back. Peel your head, neck and shoulders off the mat and engage your core, thinking about squeezing your belly button to your spine.
• Raise your legs into tabletop position. Pull your right knee into your chest, holding it with both hands. At the same time, extend your left leg straight out at a 45-degree angle.
• Pause here, holding the stretch, then switch legs in a controlled motion. Try to keep your shoulders and upper back lifted while bracing with your stomach.

During the exercise, think about extending your leg as much as possible, reaching it as far away from your body as you can. I tend to think about someone pulling my leg away from my hip socket. Ensure your lower back stays pressed into your mat throughout the exercise, keeping your core engaged.

What are the benefits?

This is a classic mat Pilates exercise, and, as mentioned above, you’ll be working your deep core and stretching your hip flexors. The extended leg attempts to pull your pelvis forward and arch your lower back. To stop this, your deep transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis have to fire to keep your spine flat on the mat.

At the same time, this dynamic move can help your body practice keeping your pelvis stable as your legs move. This translates directly to working on your gait efficiency while walking and running.

Of course, you’ll also be lengthening your hip flexors and improving mobility in your hips.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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As a certified personal trainer, fitness writer and mum of two (very) active kids, I know working out isn't just about looking good in the mirror. For me, it's about building all-round strength, balance and mobility and feeling strong for everyday life.

I usually train five or six days a week, combining strength training and cardio, but I also like to mix things up with barre, yoga and Pilates. And lately, I've found myself doing a lot more of the latter.

Pilates has become one of social media's favorite workouts, thanks to its reputation for building strength, improving posture and helping you move better. Scroll through Instagram, and it won't be long before you're faced with an impressive-looking Pilates move promising to fire up muscles you didn't even know you had. And I'm not ashamed to admit it: I used to think low-impact Pilates meant low effort. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Celebrity Pilates instructor and founder of Motus Institute Catherine Farrell, also known as Pilates by Cat, agrees. "The biggest fitness myth I wish would disappear is that Pilates doesn't build strength," she says. And here is one exercise she swears by.

What is the Pilates exercise?

"Strength is built by progressively asking your muscles to do more over time. That can mean increasing resistance, repetitions, or sets; working through a greater range of motion; changing the leverage; reducing assistance; or progressing to a more challenging variation. Every one of those principles can be applied in both mat and reformer Pilates," says Cat.

I discovered the one exercise she returns to time and time again with her celebrity clients and runway models, and I had to try it for myself. It's called the reverse plank bridge, and, according to Cat, it is "one of the most efficient full-body movements in Pilates," so I tried it for 30 days.

How to do a reverse plank bridge

• Start seated on the floor with your hands behind you, fingers pointing away from your body. Press your right heel into the mat and hover your left foot just above the floor.
• Push through your right heel and squeeze your glutes as you lift your hips into a tabletop position. At the same time, straighten your left leg, keeping your thighs parallel.
• Slowly bend your arms and lower your glutes towards the floor. As you lower, reach through the lifted leg and raise it toward the ceiling, keeping your core engaged and your ribs drawn down
• Pause briefly, then press back up, opening through your chest as you return to the tabletop position with your leg extended in line with your body. That's one rep.
• Complete 12 reps on each side for 4 rounds, moving slowly and focusing on control rather than speed.

Why is it so effective?

The reverse plank bridge is one of the most efficient full-body movements in Pilates because it strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, challenges the deep core and works the arms and shoulders, while encouraging good posture and balance.

Because you're supporting your own body weight, multiple muscle groups have to work together to stop your hips from dropping or twisting. Instead of isolating one muscle group, you're training your body to work in unison, which is exactly what makes it feel so challenging.

What happened after 30 days?

Sprinkling this move into my daily workouts was interesting. I was under no illusion that it would be easy. I’m used to swinging kettlebells, sprinting up hills and pushing heavy sleds, but not flowing gracefully through Pilates.

Within seconds, my shoulders were working, the gluteal muscles on my supporting side were burning and my core was working overtime to keep my hips lifted. Your glutes certainly feel the brunt of this move, and don't be fooled by the fact you're on the floor, as your entire body has to work hard.

I’ll admit, I finished that first set feeling slightly frustrated. Cat made it look effortlessly graceful. For me, it absolutely wasn't.

The stretch in my hamstring as I lifted and lowered my leg was pretty extreme, too. Keeping a slight bend in my knee helped with this until, after a week or so, I felt my flexibility improving.

As always, I stuck with the challenge I set myself, and what surprised me most was just how many muscles had to work together to control the movement. Think glutes, hamstrings and shoulders, with my core constantly switched on to keep me stable.

After 30 days, I noticed better hip and glute engagement and stability during my longer runs. My core also felt more switched on during everyday movements, and I became more aware of my posture. The ache in my shoulders was also a regular reminder to sit a little straighter at my desk and be more mindful of my posture when getting my steps in.

Adding the reverse plank bridge to my routine helped me feel more connected to my body, particularly during exercises that require balance, control and coordination. But one of the biggest changes was something I hadn't expected: I started using the flow of the movement as a chance to become more present.

With this exercise, I made a conscious effort to slow down and focus on what my body was doing. Once it clicked, the move became a great way to finish a workout or switch everything on before a morning run. In that sense, it became a small moment of mindfulness.

Most importantly, I got better at it. The movement became smoother and more controlled with each day, and by day 30, I may not have looked quite as graceful as Cat, but I was certainly less clunky than on day one.

Overall, the challenge reminded me just how interconnected our muscles are. Strength isn't always about lifting heavier or pushing harder. Sometimes slowing things down, moving with control and paying attention to how your body moves can expose weaknesses and build strength in ways you don't expect.

I’m much more mindful of what slow, controlled movements can give you compared with simply rushing through your reps. In fact, I’ve started slowing things down when I lift weights too. Time under tension, good form and feeling the muscles you're trying to work can be just as important as the weight you're lifting.

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As we age, our bone density gradually declines. For women especially, this can be more dramatic, with women losing up to 20% of their bone density in the years following menopause. Left unmanaged, this can lead to conditions like osteoporosis, leaving bones brittle and prone to breaking should you fall.

Luckily, there is a simple solution to slow down and even reverse this loss. Bones are living tissues that adapt to physical stress, so when you strength train, whether that be with a set of the best adjustable dumbbells or just your bodyweight, your muscles contract and pull on your tendons. This tugging force causes the cells inside bones (osteocytes) to trigger bone-building cells (osteoblasts).

Yet if you’re new to exercise or returning following an extended break, it can be tricky to know where to start. Below, we turn to a personal trainer who specializes in training seniors, Janet Osbourne, who shares a quick five-minute workout to add to your routine.

What is the workout?

All you’ll need for this workout is a chair and a set of weights. You can check out the best adjustable dumbbells for working out at home, but as a reminder, the right weight for you will feel challenging, but not impossible, by the final few reps. If you don’t have weights, just use your bodyweight for this workout, and you’ll still get a great workout.

Ensure the chair is sturdy and doesn't have wheels. While this workout is suitable for most people, if you’re currently working out with an injury, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional.

Here are the different exercises:

• 50 dumbbell chair taps: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand in front of your chair. Plant both feet on the floor and engage your core, thinking about squeezing your belly button into your spine. Keeping your back straight, lift one leg to tap your foot on the chair, then return it to your starting position. Repeat on the other leg, and keep alternating sides until you’ve completed 50 reps.
• 40 sit-to-stand squats: You can do this with or without dumbbells. Standing in front of your chair, bend your knees and push your butt back to lower down into the seat. Don’t fully sit down; once your glutes tap the chair, push through your feet to return to your starting position. Here’s how many reps you need to complete for your leg strength to be considered "elite."
• 30 heel raises: Stand behind the chair while holding onto the backrest for support. Raise onto your tiptoes, completing the calf raise, then drop your heels down to the floor with a firm landing — as Osbourne points out, this gentle impact will help stimulate your bones.
• 20 bent-over rows: Sit down in your chair and hinge your torso forward slightly, keeping your core engaged. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms to the floor. Bending at your elbows, row the dumbbells up toward your torso, pause for a few seconds at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to your starting position. This exercise works your arms and the muscles that support your spine in the lower back.
• 10 overhead presses: Sit in your chair with your back straight and engage your core. Starting with your dumbbells at your shoulders and your elbows bent, raise the dumbbells toward the ceiling, straightening your arms. Pause at the top, then bring the dumbbells back to your starting position.
• 20 seconds of foot taps: You won’t need your dumbbells for this exercise. Sit on the edge of your chair, holding onto the seat for support. Quickly lift and lower your feet, tapping them on the ground. “It’s a simple way to add a little bone-friendly impact,” Osbourne says.

What are the benefits?

All of these exercises put physical stress on the tendons in the upper and lower body. The exercises might seem simple at first, but by using the chair for support, you’ll be completing a full strength training workout. The squats and heel raises will build strength in the hip sockets and femurs, whereas the seated rows and overhead presses help strengthen the spine.

As well as strengthening your bones, workouts like this one will also help strengthen the surrounding muscle groups, tendons, and connective tissues, all of which stabilize the joints. This can help improve your overall stability, helping reduce falls that can cause fractures.

Finally, while this workout is low impact, the firm landing with heel taps and foot taps, as well as the resistance of the dumbbells, help stimulate bone growth without overstressing aging joints.

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There are lots of walking trends, including fart walking, the Hot Girl Walk, and ChiWalking, which is the same as Tai Chi walking.

I'm not made for meditation in its traditional sense, so I'm always looking for ways to boost mindfulness without sitting and breathing with my legs crossed. A while ago, I stumbled across ChiWalks and loved trying it; I've noticed recently it's trending up again, so I wanted to revisit.

Here’s what the walking method means, how to do it, and the benefits for your body.

What is Tai Chi walking?

I checked out ChiLiving, which claims the goal is to improve posture, increase joint mobility and engage the core muscles while reducing aches and pains associated with poor walking mechanics.

But aside from these physical benefits, the goal is to walk purposefully, slowly and with a focus on shifting your weight across your body, which promotes better balance, control, awareness and lower-body stability.

Tai chi is low-impact, which is perfect for those with limited mobility, and has its roots in Chinese martial arts, "meditation in motion." It could help you stay active, hit your daily step count and increase mindfulness and mobility.

How to do Tai Chi walking

Tai Chi walks vary in style, but here are a few basic tips for beginners:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly out to create a "bow stance"
• Engage your core and draw your navel in, then softly bend into your knees and keep your body loose
• Stand tall through your spine. Slowly, step forward with one foot and roll from heel to toes, shifting your weight forward and grounding your foot, then rocking back into the back leg, keeping the knees bent.
• Keep the knees slightly externally rotated to protect your joints
• Step back. Practice on both sides, slightly stepping outward and opening up the hips. Your hands can be behind your back or on your hips
• In the video, your teacher explains a few different fundamentals you can practice.

My verdict

If you enjoy more vigorous styles of walking, this might not seem like it's for you, but I'd argue you could be the target audience. From experience, sometimes the things we don't want are the very things we need most. For me and my frenetic brain, that's to slow down from time to time.

It’s slow and mindful, like a walking meditation, and yes, it can feel a little boring (sorry, Tai Chi lovers), but if you go in with the purpose of taking a little time out from your desk or just as a light activity before bedtime, you can actually settle into it.

The most obvious benefit for me was then, and still is, ankle mobility. On both tries with Tai Chi walking, the slow, deliberate steps and the shifting of balance from left to right sides make me focus on my lower body and, in turn, relieve ankle tightness.

This also helps me tune into what my body is doing, improving proprioception (my body's awareness of space), helping me stay present in the moment while my attention is on my foot-ground connection.

You could do Tai Chi walks anywhere, but I recommend finding somewhere peaceful, like your garden or local park, where you can focus.

I found it useful for slowing down during walks and for improving core activation and lower-body mobility; the slower you move, the more you test balance and stability. However, it didn't improve my posture or walking gait, though it did help me open my hips and knees a little.

Regardless, easing stress helps the body stay in the parasympathetic nervous system state of rest and repair more often, which is great for your mind, but also, walking is a low-impact, accessible way to avoid prolonged sedentary time, helping you burn off extra energy and contributing toward a healthy metabolism. So, there isn't much reason not to give this walking method a go.

Overall, it helped me remember why I enjoyed it the first time: slowing down. Why not add a little Tai Chi to your next walk?

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Falling is a serious subject for my senior personal training clients. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 years and older, and over 14 million older adults experience falls every year.

When I work with a client in their 50’s, 60’s, 70’s or beyond, I always incorporate dynamic balance training into their routine. These types of exercises enhance your body’s ability to maintain equilibrium during movement. Since falls rarely happen when we’re standing completely still, it’s important to practice your balance while shifting your body weight or moving through different planes of motion.

The following are my 3 favorite dynamic balance exercises to strengthen your stabilizing muscle groups and sharpen your proprioception (or the sense of your body’s position in space). You’ll only need a step to get started, but as you get stronger, adding tools like dumbbells can make the exercises more challenging.

How to do the 3 dynamic balance exercises

Speak with your doctor before starting any new exercise or workout program. If you’re a beginner, consider working with a certified personal trainer or physical therapist. They can help you learn proper form, provide corrections or modifications, and progress the exercises appropriately once you’re ready.

You’ll just need a raised platform for these exercises. A stair in your house will do, but you can also use an aerobic stepper if preferred.

Perform one set of 8-10 reps for each exercise, 2-3 times per week. As your balance and strength improve, increase to 4-5 times per week. You can also add additional sets of 8-10 reps.

These dynamic balance exercises can be done on their own or as a warm-up for other activities. Here’s how to do them:

1. Marches

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your left knee to a 90-degree angle.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower your left foot to the ground.
• Lift your right knee to a 90-degree angle.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower your right foot to the ground.
• Continue alternating between your two sides for 8-10 reps per leg.
• If needed, hold on to a wall or chair for additional support.

2. Step up to balance

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Place your left foot on the platform.
• Press your body weight into your left foot and step up onto the platform.
• Bring your right knee in front of you to a 90-degree angle.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower your right foot back onto the ground.
• Lift your left foot off the step and back onto the ground.
• Continue for 8-10 reps, then repeat on the other side.
• If needed, hold onto the wall or a chair for additional support.

3. Lateral step to balance

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Step your left foot to your left side.
• Lift your right knee to a 90-degree angle.
• Pause briefly.
• Step your right foot to your right side.
• Lift your left knee to a 90-degree angle.
• Pause briefly.
• Continue alternating between your left and right sides for 8-10 reps per side.
• If needed, hold onto a wall or chair for additional support.

Benefits of the 3 dynamic balance exercises

Traditional exercises like balancing on one foot can definitely improve your overall sense of equilibrium. But the majority of serious falls happen when we’re moving and changing direction, so we must practice balancing during movement.

The exercises in this routine all train your body to stabilize while your center of gravity changes. Both the marches and the lateral step move side to side, which mimics everyday movement like stepping around an object or avoiding a collision with something coming towards you.

The step up to balance moves up and down, mimicking the everyday movement of climbing stairs or getting up from a seated position.

By sharpening your sense of balance in these planes of motion, senior adults can move with more confidence and independence.

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Core strength is an underrated quality in long-distance running. Without that foundational core strength, it’s easy to let your form slip in the second half of long races. Your hips sag, and you become less efficient and even more fatigued.

Working on this core strength and endurance is beneficial for everyone, not just runners, because it applies to all kinds of other sports, workouts mand general life.

In the past I’ve slogged through 40-minute core workouts used by elite athletes, but I neither have the time nor the motivation to do them regularly, so when I saw this 12-minute core workout used by elite runner Phily Bowden, I gave it a go straight away.

You don’t need any equipment for the workout, but using one of the best yoga mats will make it more comfortable on hard floors.

Watch Phily Bowden’s 12-minute core workout

Bowden leads you through the workout and gives some tips both while doing so and through a voiceover at times.

For each move, you work for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds while getting into position for the next exercise.

You do two rounds of the same six exercises, and there’s a short warm-up and cool-down to follow in the video, so the total time is around 15 minutes if you include those.

It’s all about building core endurance

This is not a core workout designed to produce rippling abs (though it won’t hurt if that is your aim), but instead to build endurance in your midsection.

As a result, the aim is to move slowly and with purpose through each exercise, focusing on holding your position with some parts of the body while moving others.

Getting your form right is the most important aspect of each move, and I had to focus on not rushing and making sure I stayed in the right position throughout each 40-second work period.

It encourages core stability while moving

Many of the exercises Bowden has selected are great for improving core stability when running; they target one side of the body at a time and involve holding a braced position while moving your arms and legs.

Moves like dead bugs, bird dogs, plank shoulder taps all help you to build endurance in your midsection, so it doesn’t sag or twist while moving your limbs, which applies directly to running — in the later stages of long races like marathons you want your core to stay strong so your hips don’t dip and you can maintain your running form through to the finish.

Dying turtles are great

I’ve been working in fitness journalism for a long time, so it’s rare that I come across an exercise I’ve not at least heard of before, but the dying turtle is a new one for me.

The exercise is a challenging progression of the dead bug that involves pressing on one knee, so your core has to work against that pressure while you move the opposite arm and leg.

While I don’t like to think about dying turtles, I enjoyed the move as an effective way to target the core in a short space of time, and it’s one I’ll be adding to more workouts in the future.

It’s approachable for most fitness levels

Bowden is a pro runner, but this session is not just one for elites. It’s not designed to leave you absolutely wrecked, but instead to build foundational strength that supports your running through a session that’s easy to add to a busy training routine.

It’s a short workout with pretty long rests, and I think most people who have done core training before could complete it fairly comfortably, even if you have to pause for an extra rest here and there.

You can add it to the beginning or end of a run

I sometimes struggle to find the motivation to do my strength training, but I find that one of the most effective ways to ensure it gets done is to do short sessions like this before or after my run.

I’m already changed and motivated to train, and it feels like part of the same workout I already had planned, rather than a whole extra session I need to fit in.

This workout is quick enough to do alongside a run during a lunch break, and won’t tire out your legs at all ahead of that run if you do it beforehand.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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Give me five minutes of your time, and I'll give you a beginner-friendly workout you can do standing up to strengthen your core and improve posture. That means no pesky sit-ups, Russian twists, or planks on your radar...for the next five minutes, at least.

By day, I'm a fitness editor at Tom's Guide, but I'm also a personal trainer, and I've been teaching clients to work with (not against) their bodies for years. I know that getting down on the ground isn't for everyone, but that doesn't mean you don't want to build a strong core, especially if you sit for long periods and your posture takes a hit.

Follow this short, five-minute standing abs workout below, and let me know what you think. I recommend a set of light dumbbells, even the best adjustable dumbbells if you want to save money, and an exercise mat.

Watch: 5-minute standing workout for your core

You'll perform five movements once through, and it's as simple as that. You work for 50 seconds, then take 10 seconds to transition to the next exercise. Call it exercise snacking, if you will. This can be done as a quick blitz before work, or during your lunch break, or just before bed, if you prefer to wind down by torching your abs.

If you have time for a longer workout, you can add as many rounds as you like. Alternatively, add it as a finisher, or as an addition to other strength workouts, running routines, or sports you enjoy. The choice is yours.

Best of all, you don't need to get down on the mat at any point, as all five exercises target various core muscles without kneeling or sitting. That means many beginners or those with limited mobility should be able to try it. That said, if you're currently working with a health condition or injury, I recommend speaking with a qualified medical professional or trainer before trying this routine alone.

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• Low squat hold x Arnold press: Take a wide stance with your toes pointed slightly outward, then sit your hips back and lower into a deep squat hold while bracing your stomach. Your chest should be proud and your back straight. Hold your weights at shoulder height, palms facing you, elbows bent. Perform the press by pushing the weights overhead while rotating your arms to face away from you at the top. Reverse the movement back to the starting position. Try to stay in the squat hold throughout.
• Standing bicycle crunch: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Rotate your right elbow and left knee to touch in front of your body, then return to standing. Repeat on the other side. Keep your core engaged and squeeze your abs as you draw your elbow and knee together.
• Standing crunches: Hold a dumbbell in each hand overhead and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Engage your core. Bend your elbows and draw them down as you lift one knee to meet them. Return to standing and repeat, this time lifting the opposite leg. Focus on curling your body in and moving slowly.
• Overhead marches: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and weights extended overhead. Engage your core. Lift one knee to hip-height slowly, then return to standing. Change sides. Continue marching while keeping your back straight and spine long. Keep your gaze ahead and biceps close to your ears.
• Windmills: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width and hold a weight in your right hand. Extend your right arm overhead and brace your core. Slowly hinge sideways at your waist and slide your left hand down the outside of your left leg toward your foot. Keep your right arm punched overhead and your gaze on your right hand. You should feel a crunch in your left side body and a stretch through your right. Remember to switch sides.

The benefits

Here are some of the benefits you could expect

Core versus abs

Rather than just targeting your abs using crunches or sit-ups, you can target more muscles through sideways motion, bending, extending and rotating. Your obliques (internal and external), transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, abs (including lower abs) and the muscles surrounding your spine will be working to support your torso, as will your hip flexors as you lift and lower your legs.

Low impact

While exercises performed on your back can be more supportive for your spine, standing core exercises are especially useful for people with mobility issues or pregnant women who might struggle to get down on a mat. While not all of these exercises may suit those with existing injuries, pain, or those who are pregnant, standing exercises as a whole are more accessible overall.

Teaching your body to withstand tension under load while standing is also improving functional strength, as many of the daily activities we perform are done while standing. This means you learn to elongate your spine, brace your stomach and keep an upright torso position without relying on the ground.

Boost posture

Performed with good form, plenty of core engagement and a long, straight spine, these moves can strengthen many of the stabilizer muscle groups that support your back, which could also aid posture. You'd also need to pair this with back-strengthening exercises that target the deeper back muscles in the mid-upper back and rear shoulders for all-round posture benefits, though.

Repeatable

This short routine can be slipped into workouts several times per week, and you can progressively load each move as you get stronger. Play around with your reps, sets, or working/rest times to find challenges in unexpected places, and don't play it too safe with your load.

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Pilates and weight training are often pitted against each other, with people in either camp claiming one is better than the other. But I've been combining both types of workouts for the past couple of years, and I'm feeling stronger than ever. In fact, the two styles of movement complement each other well.

Qualified personal trainer, Pilates instructor and founder of Ormskirk-based Pilates studio The Wellness Tribe, Rachel Lennon, teaches a popular class that combines principles of lifting weights with Pilates.

"I've always combined Pilates and strength training," she says. "In Pilates, you're building a strong core, improving your balance and posture, so that when you go to the gym, your core engagement is better while squatting and balancing is easier when you do lunges.

"It doesn't have to be one or the other," Lennon says, adding: "I wish more people knew how beneficial they are together." Here is a Pilates-inspired dumbbell workout Lennon has put together so you can reap the benefits of lifting weights and Pilates.

What is the dumbbell workout?

Lennon recommends using light to medium weights, which could be three or four kilogram dumbbells for beginners, or opt to go heavier if you're more experienced with lifting weights.

Superset 1: Dumbbell goblet squat x slow renegade row

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold one dumbbell against your chest with both hands. Keep your elbows pointing down, chest lifted, shoulders pulled back, and core muscles engaged to maintain a strong, upright posture.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees at the same time. Inhale as you lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as low as your mobility allows, while keeping your heels flat on the ground and your knees tracking in line with your toes.
• Pause briefly at the bottom of the squat while maintaining a neutral spine and keeping the dumbbell close to your chest. Exhale and drive through your heels to stand.
• Complete 15 reps
• Next, hold the squat position for 10 seconds, then complete 15 pulses, moving your hips up and down an inch.

Slow renegade row:

• Start in a high plank position with a dumbbell in each hand, placing your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
• Engage your core, squeeze your glutes and keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Inhale, and as you exhale, pull one dumbbell toward your lower ribs by bending your elbow and driving it close to your body. Avoid twisting your shoulders or rotating your hips as you lift the weight, focusing on using your back muscles rather than momentum.
• Lower the dumbbell to the floor in a slow, controlled motion, maintaining a strong plank position throughout.
• Repeat the rowing motion with the opposite arm, completing six reps on each arm.
• Complete the squats and rows back-to-back, then repeat the superset four times.

Superset 2:

Glute bridge:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Place a dumbbell horizontally across your hips, holding it securely with both hands.
• Inhale, and as you exhale, press through your heels and roll up through the spine to lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
• Lower your hips back to the floor in a slow, controlled manner until they lightly touch the ground.
• Complete 15 reps. On the final rep, hold the top position for 10 seconds, then complete 15 pulses, moving the hips up an inch, then down an inch.

Deadbug:

• Lie on your back and lift your feet off the floor so that your knees are hovering over your hips and your legs are at a 90-degree angle. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and raise your arms toward the ceiling
• Inhale slowly and straighten one leg toward the floor while lowering the opposite arm behind your head, keeping your arm straight.
• Pause briefly. Exhale to bring the leg and arm back to the starting position.
• Switch sides.
• Complete 10 reps on each side.
• Complete both exercises back-to-back, then repeat the superset four times.

The benefits

A recent Harvard study found that a varied exercise routine is key and that people who engaged in the highest variety of exercises had a 19% lower risk of premature death.

Pilates has plenty of benefits for alignment, balance, posture and mobility and lifting weights is key to longevity, as it improves muscle mass and bone health. "I think the biggest reason strength training is so important is so we can be mobile and strong in the future and we can bend down, pick things up and play with our grandkids in the future," Lennon says.

It's worth noting that these routines don't conform to the classical Pilates repertoire, which is 34 bodyweight moves. But many contemporary Pilates routines are simply inspired by the principles of the workout, using slow, controlled, core-focused movement, rather than following the method pioneered in the 1920s.

"To get the benefits of Pilates when lifting weights, slow down your movement and add pauses and pulses," Lennon explains. "Instead of repping moves out, prioritize form and move with control."

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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There are walking trends on TikTok that I'll never, ever understand (ahem, the Hot Girl Walk), but there are some that actually could be beneficial for your body. In fact, many gut health experts highly recommend this one: fart walking.

As you can probably guess, the fart walking trend took off last year for its ability to boost digestion and relieve bloating and gas, but it's since fallen into the discarded pile for many, as naturally, new trends have taken over social media.

I'm here to tell you that while this walking "workout" might not be at the top of your priority list, there are a few fart walking benefits you should consider before letting it pass in the wind. Here's exactly what you need to know.

What is 'fart walking?'

The idea is to take a short walk after a meal to aid digestion and balance blood sugar; this could be as little as 10 minutes or even 20 or 30, depending on the time you want to spend on it.

We know that research shows many benefits of walking, including reduced sedentary time and improved resting metabolism, plus staying active can help keep bones and muscles strong, improve cardiovascular fitness and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases.

Fairly recently, the tides turned on the whole 10,000-step debate. According to newer research, as little as 7,000 steps could be enough, and pace matters more for certain benefits. So, instead of looking at one of the best fitness trackers to check your step count, why not focus on the quality of your walk and the benefits of fart walking instead?

Benefits of a fart walk

Though the amount of research on fart walking itself is pretty, well, limited, funnily enough, we know that taking light movement after eating can aid peristalsis, which means the muscle contractions that aid gas and food along your digestive tract. We also know that gentle movement helps boost mood and relaxation, which can actually be good for digestive health (stress is the enemy of the gut, after all).

Diabetes UK even recommends walking throughout the day to help balance blood sugar, as muscles and cells take up glucose from the bloodstream to be stored or used. Your body uses glucose as an energy source, so it's worth keeping in mind. Balanced blood sugars over the long term could help improve your metabolic health.

Personally, I'm a big fan of a walk after dinner because it gives me a chance to walk my dog in peace and helps me transition from work mode to wind-down time. If you have a desk job, a fart walk will help you break up time spent sitting, help clock up steps and burn energy during the day.

And that is all while keeping your muscles, bones, heart and lungs strong, especially if you like a more vigorous walk.

While you might want to jump on a treadmill or an under-desk treadmill, getting outdoors, especially into nature, could be even more beneficial for managing stress and anxiety.

The Mental Health Foundation says natural environments help shift the body into the parasympathetic nervous system, which is a state of calm and rest. Your vagus nerve, also called the gut-brain axis, is a communicator between brain and gut, so managing your stress and anxiety levels can also improve gut health over the long term.

I recommend starting small and light, maybe just five minutes around the block or slightly longer if you feel up to it. Play around with locations and paces, and see if you can focus on your surroundings rather than staring down at your phone. Aim to walk within 60 minutes of finishing your meal. I personally like to go about 10 or 15 minutes after eating.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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• This one simple exercise reduces stiffness in your hips and boosts mobility — according to a personal trainer
• 12-year study reveals the type of exercise that makes you live longer — it's not cardio

One reality of aging is that your joints stiffen the older you get. You may notice getting out of a chair suddenly takes more effort than it used to, or turning to check your blind spot feels more challenging than you remember.

The research shows that flexibility naturally declines with age. Much of that decline comes down to age-related changes in muscle mass and connective tissue, along with sedentary lifestyles becoming more common.

“Stiffness often increases with age because we tend to spend more time sitting and moving our joints through a smaller range of motion,” explains Chris Mohr, PhD, RD. “Chair stretches can help loosen your hips, back and ankles without requiring someone to get on the floor or into a difficult or uncomfortable position.”

The good news? Easing stiff joints and improving your flexibility is possible at any age. Here are four chair yoga exercises to get you started.

4 chair yoga stretches trainers recommend

Studies suggest older adults can improve their range of motion through stretching just as effectively as younger people, and you don’t need to get down on a mat or into any uncomfortable positions to do so.

All you need is a sturdy chair and the exercises below. Here are the recommended top four chair stretches to ease stiff joints after 60.

1. Seated cat-cow

The seated cat-cow takes a classic mat-based stretch and adapts it for a chair, making it accessible even if getting down to the floor isn’t comfortable. Combining this movement with slow, deliberate breathing can also help release tension through your shoulders and upper back, which research says are areas that often carry a lot of stress.

“Moving your spine through flexion and extension during seated cat-cows helps counteract the rounded posture that builds up from long periods of sitting,” says Amanda Capritto, CPT.

How to do it:

• Sit toward the front of a sturdy chair with your hands resting on your thighs.
• Inhale as you lift your chest and draw your shoulders back.
• Exhale as you round your back and tuck your chin toward your chest.
• Move slowly between the two positions, following your breath.
• Repeat for six to eight slow breaths.
• Aim for three to four sets of 15 to 20 reps.
• Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.

2. Seated figure-4 stretch

According to Harvard Health, tight hips are one of the most common complaints that come with age and after long hours of sitting. Mohr, PhD, RD recommends leaning forward slightly to deepen the stretch once you're settled into the position, which can help release tension that builds up around your hip joint.

Because your hips are essential for daily movements like walking, climbing stairs and standing up from a seated position, keeping them mobile is one of the more practical things you can do for your stiff joints.

How to do it:

• Sit near the front of the chair and cross one ankle over the opposite thigh.
• Keep your chest lifted as much as you can.
• If possible, lean forward slightly from the hips.
• Hold once you feel a stretch through the hip and glute.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.
• Repeat for three to four rounds.
• Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between holds.

3. Seated Knee-to-Chest Stretch

“Pulling one knee toward your chest at a time gently stretches the lower back and glutes without requiring you to twist or bend forward,” explains Capritto. Since one foot stays planted on the floor while you perform this stretch, it’s a safe, low-risk way to improve your hip and lower back mobility.

How to do it:

• Sit tall toward the front of a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Hold behind one thigh with both hands.
• Gently bring that knee toward your chest.
• Keep your other foot planted on the floor for support.
• Hold for 15 to 20 seconds, then switch sides.
• Complete three to four rounds.
• Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between holds.

4. Seated ankle circles

Ankle mobility doesn’t get the attention it should. That’s because your ankles are crucial in how steady you feel on your feet. Research shows that ankle-stretching exercises can improve balance and gait in healthy older adults, which is important given that the National Institutes of Health say falls are a leading cause of injury later in life.

“Ankle mobility helps to support walking, balance and everyday movement,” says Mohr.

How to do it:

• Sit tall with your feet resting on the floor.
• Lift one foot slightly off the ground.
• Slowly circle your ankle in one direction.
• Reverse direction and circle the other way.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Aim for three to four sets of 15 to 20 circles per ankle.
• Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.

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• 'I’m a Pilates instructor, and I recommend these 5 core exercises to help older clients build strength and improve posture'

Knee pain is no joke. At 35, so far, I've just about managed to avoid it, but my stepmom, who was a professional runner when she was younger, has been plagued with it. Not only does it limit the range of motion, strength and stability you have available, but it can also limit the types of sports, exercises and activities you can enjoy.

For that reason, I turned to physiotherapist and co-founder of One Body LDN, Rebecca Bossick, who kindly shared three knee-strengthening exercises she swears by. Check them out below, as well as some benefits and how to do each one step-by-step.

3 knee exercises from a physiotherapist

Here they are.

1. Sit-to-stands

"The sit-to-stand trains the primary muscle groups that take the load of your knee joint during everyday movements, including the quadriceps, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core (abdominals and lower back) and calves," says Bossick.

"If you're managing existing knee pain, don't go past 90 degrees of bend, but if you're pain-free and building strength, work towards a deeper squat over time."

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground and slightly in front of your knees.
• Lean your chest forward and push through your heels to lift yourself up, trying not to use your hands for momentum.
• When you’re in the standing position, lean back and control the movement down, not just dropping into the seat.
• Progress into a bodyweight squat without the chair when you feel comfortable, keeping your knees tracking over your toes rather than caving inward.
• Aim for 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, three or four times a week.

2. Step-ups

"Step-up exercises train your knee to work in isolation, one leg at a time, so it helps you gain unilateral strength, which is one of the biggest factors in fall prevention," explains Bossick. "This is particularly important as we age because it improves the balance and proprioception around the joint, not just raw strength, which we lose later in life.

"You can add more difficulty by adding height or holding weights as you complete your sets."

• Find a step or get a solid box that’s below knee height (or lower if you’re building up). Place it in front of you.
• Take a step onto it. Push through that heel to lift your body up, then slowly descend back down rather than letting gravity take over.
• Keep your posture upright all throughout.
• Aim for 3 sets of 8 per leg.

3. Straight leg raises with a hold

"If you’re concerned about putting too much work on your knees directly, whether because of a previous injury or early-stage arthritis, straight leg raises are a good option," advises Bossick.

"They work on the quadriceps, particularly the muscle at the inner side of the knee just above the joint, without putting the knee itself through any range of motion at all.

If you feel the front of your hip working harder than your thigh, slow the movement down and focus on quality over speed."

• Lie on your back with one leg bent and the other straight.
• Focus your attention to the thigh of your straight leg and tighten it.
• Slowly raise it to the same height as the bent knee. Hold that position for a few seconds and keep the thigh engaged.
• Lower it slowly and with control.
• Aim for 3 sets of 12 to 15 per leg.

What are the benefits?

Your knees absorb stress every day, and for some, that increases if jobs or lifestyles are active. In fact, the research shows your knee joints absorb forces equivalent to 1½ times your body weight.

Knee problems are a common musculoskeletal complaint, but strategically strengthening the muscles surrounding your knees can help support the joints and reduce pain or the likelihood of developing injuries or imbalances.

While these exercises are recommended by a qualified physiotherapist, you should always listen to your body and stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness, or tingling. Working with a physical therapist, physician, or similar professional will help you determine the issue for specialized recommendations based on your personal journey.

That said, the three knee-strengthening exercises above will help to build strength in the muscles surrounding the knee joints and improve stability, balance and weight-bearing. See how you get on, and let us know in the comments.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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You might already know that balance declines naturally with age, usually due to a combination of bone density loss, muscle atrophy, stiffer joints, or tighter muscle groups. Doesn't getting older sound like such a joy?

While experts encourage resistance training well into your later years to preserve muscle and strength, I also encourage people to think about their mobility and balance.

Building strength and range of motion in your body is your greatest anti-aging tool and the hidden secret to longevity, so I encourage you to test yours now. Better late than never, as they say. And it's far from doom and gloom, because you can be both young and immobile and older and very mobile, so there's always time to improve.

Let's tie up a pair of the best running shoes or go barefoot if you prefer, and get started.

Watch: Balance exercise test

Stork pose tests stability and unilateral balance. Learning to stand on one leg is also functional; think about activities like walking, climbing, or running, where you move one leg forward at a time, or even balancing while tying your laces or putting your pants on.

Before you get started, hip flexibility and strength might limit how high you can raise your knee. If you can, aim for hip height, or slightly lower if you need. Focus your gaze on an anchor point, which is anything unmoving you can see ahead or down.

How:

If you experience pain at any time, stop and rest. If you're working with an injury or health condition, I recommend seeking advice before starting these exercises, especially if you find it difficult to stand on one leg or have lower-body joint issues.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and brace your stomach. Look ahead
• Shift your weight into your right leg, then lift your left leg into the air
• Draw your left knee upward to roughly hip height with a 90-degree bend in the leg, foot flexed
• Place your hands on your hips or around your knee and spread your weight through your grounding foot. Avoid arching your lower back and try to stay as still as possible
• Slowly lower the left leg
• Reset, then switch sides. Test twice per leg, then try with your eyes closed.

Dr. Michael Mosley, who wrote for BBC Science Focus in 2022, was more specific:

• Under 40: 45 seconds with eyes open, 15 seconds with eyes closed.
• Aged 40-49: 42 seconds open, 13 seconds closed.
• Aged 50-59: 41 seconds open, 8 seconds closed.
• Aged 60-69: 32 seconds open, 4 seconds closed.
• Aged 70-79: 22 seconds open, 3 seconds closed.

What the research says

Standards differ depending on the guidelines you follow online, but the idea is to stand on one leg without support; you can test this with your eyes open and closed. In short, you should be aiming for more than five seconds, and above 45 seconds is considered pretty darn strong.

Researchers from Mayo Clinic, republished by the AARP, say how long a person can stand on one leg is "a better measure of aging than changes in strength or gait," which are characteristics used to assess healthy aging. They also found "the greatest age-related decline in one-legged balance, especially when participants stood on their nondominant leg."

A study from the journal PLOS ONE, published in 2024, assessed 40 adults over 50 in tests for walking, grip strength, balance and knee strength. During balance tests, participants stood normally with their eyes open for 30 seconds, then eyes closed for 30 seconds. They then repeated this for 30 seconds with their left leg, then their right leg, in the air.

Results showed the one-legged balance test (particularly on the non-dominant side) declined most with age. This can be due to proprioception, neuromuscular control, core strength and joint stability.

What are the benefits of good balance?

Notice how your center of gravity shifts as you move. Your body must realign and stabilize, which recruits multiple stabilizing muscles, including the glutes, hips and core.

You'll likely be stronger on one side than the other, which is normal. If there's a huge difference, it might be worth adding more single-sided strength and balance exercises to your routine to help balance things out. Think single-leg deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats and lunges, for example.

Try to control the entire movement rather than relying on momentum. Even if you fall, keep practising. It gets easier, I promise. Balance training will help strengthen your ankles, hips and core, which can improve exercise performance, help prevent injury and make daily life a lot easier, especially if you enjoy being active.

If you'd like to stay independent and reduce your risk of injuries or falls as you age, you'll need to address balance and gait eventually. The CDC reports that one in four "older adults" report falling each year; 37% of those require medical treatment or restricted activity as a result.

If you've performed this test and aren't happy with your results, here's a five-move 'barefoot mobility' routine to get you started.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

Balancing work that requires you to perform movement on one side of the body at a time will also improve stability, core engagement (to prevent wobbles) and proprioception, which is your body's awareness of where it is in space.

A strong and active core will help you maintain an upright, strong torso position and protect your posture, reducing the likelihood of back pain and injury. Here's a five-minute 'bracing' routine to help you activate your core before exercise.

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If you tend to focus on training your "mirror muscles" — the ones you can see, like your abs, pecs and biceps — then the reverse plank march is a move worth knowing about.

It strengthens the whole posterior chain, so all the muscles you might well be neglecting if you focus on the front of your body in your workouts. The reverse plank march works the back, glutes, hamstrings and calves while also firing up your core.

Strengthening my hamstrings has been my long-term focus during workouts this year because I noticed (as a keen runner) they were the part of my body most prone to niggles.

Doing a move that then also works my glutes, calves and core, which are also key areas I focus on to support my running, seemed like a big win, especially because you don’t need any equipment to do the reverse plank march.

I’ve added the reverse plank march to most of my workouts in the last couple of weeks, and I’ve certainly noticed the effect on my hamstrings.

How to do the reverse plank march

You can do the reverse plank march without any equipment, but it helps to perform the exercise on one of the best yoga mats, which will provide better grip for your hands and feet.

1. Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you.
2. Put your hands on the floor behind you, with your fingers pointing toward your feet.
3. Engage your core and glutes and drive your hips up so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your feet.
4. Hold this position — don’t let your hips sag — as you slowly lift one leg and bring the knee toward your chest.
5. Place that foot on the floor again and do the same with the other leg.

This is a challenging exercise, so if you’re struggling to do the march, try holding the reverse plank position for 30 seconds instead and doing glute bridges to build up your strength.

I try to do five reps on each side for the reverse plank march, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but the difficulty of the move means even that feels like a serious challenge, and I certainly noticed DOMS in my hamstrings after my first couple of times.

Reverse plank march vs reverse plank crunch

The reverse plank crunch is another exercise that works the same areas of the body, and for me, it seems pretty much identical to the reverse plank march.

You get into a reverse plank position, then lift your leg, bringing one knee toward your chest. Maybe you "crunch" the knee further toward your chest to make it a crunch, not a march, but the movement looks very similar.

Whether you call it a march, a crunch or even a knee drive, you’re going to be doing your posterior chain a lot of good.

Benefits of the reverse plank march

The reverse plank march works many muscles at the same time, and a lot of them are muscles that typically don’t get as much attention as they should because they’re located at the back of your body.

Your shoulders, back, glutes, hips, hamstrings and calves are all strengthened by the move, and I noticed the effect on my glutes and hamstrings in particular. Since you’re also holding the reverse plank position throughout, it’s a great move for your abs and core, especially the deep stabilizing muscles.

The focus on your posterior chain helps improve posture and counteract the negative effects of sitting at a desk for long periods each day.

With the march in particular, I love that it works each side of the body in turn, which makes it a great move for runners. You can feel if one side of your body is stronger than the other in the move, and take steps to address that imbalance.

A key part of the strength training I do for running is to build up my core endurance to make it easier to maintain good running form throughout long races, and the reverse plank march is the perfect move for that, hitting the core, hips and glutes hard.

This kind of foundational core strength isn’t just useful for runners though; it’s something everyone should consider to make everyday movements feel easier, while improving performance across any workout.

Doing just one exercise won't be a magic bullet to address all your strength and posture concerns, but the myriad benefits of the reverse plank march make it a worthy addition to almost any training routine.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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As a coach who specializes in mobility, I love nothing more than putting new clients through longevity tests. There are five I think you should know about, particularly after the ages of 40 or 50, when components of fitness like balance, strength and mobility begin to naturally decline. That's because the loss of lean muscle mass, if not built or maintained, begins to accelerate around this time.

Whether you train regularly or not, I recommend giving all five a try. If you can do them all, it indicates your body is currently moving pretty well with a good amount of functional ability and strength. If there are any you can't complete, consider practicing them more often or adding some resistance training or mobility drills to support getting better at them.

Mobility training is my happy place; I see it make an enormous difference in people's lives, creating strong, balanced and mobile bodies. Below, let's test yours.

Watch: 5 longevity tests you can try at home

If you experience pain at any time, stop and rest. If you're working with an injury or health condition, I recommend seeking advice before starting these exercises.

The tests

• Deep squat hold, 90 seconds: Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly out. Sit your hips back and lower into a deep squat, pushing your knees out in line with your toes. Try to sit your butt as low as possible while keeping your chest proud, back straight and gaze ahead. Hold and breathe. You can cross your hands over your chest, bring them to prayer, or extend them away from you.
• Sit-to-stand: From a seated position on the floor, try to stand without using your hands. There are a few ways to do this, so find what works for you. Keep your core engaged and avoid hunching.
• Forward fold: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward at your hips, keeping your legs as straight as possible with a soft bend in your knees. Slowly lower your fingertips toward the ground just in front of your feet. See if you can place your fists on the ground and gently press down with your knuckles. Hold and breathe, then slowly roll up to stand.
• Dead hang, 60 seconds to 2 minutes: Wrap your hands fully around a pull-up bar or similar, thumbs tucked. Engage your core, stare straight ahead, then lift your feet away from the ground and hang without support. Once you reach your limit, gently bring your feet to the ground again and relax.
• Farmer's hold, 60 seconds: Grab two heavy weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells, or even a trap bar and place them just outside both feet. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Engage your core and sit your hips back to lower down and pick up your weights with a straight back and proud chest. Drive up through your legs to stand, fully extending the knees and hips. Hold the weights by your sides. Once you reach your limit, sit your hips back and lower the weights to the ground.

As a general rule of thumb, guidelines suggest a male should be able to carry his body weight split between both hands, with 50% in each hand. More advanced lifters may be able to hold their body weight in each hand. For women, this is roughly up to 75% of body weight split between sides. It will ultimately depend on your bodyweight and fitness levels.

As a minimum, try to hold the dead hang and farmer's hold for at least 30 seconds. Ideally, aim for 60 seconds to 2 minutes; if you can hold for above 2 minutes, this is an incredibly good indication of strength and future longevity.

The sit-to-stand exercise assesses core strength, balance, and a level of mobility and flexibility to lift your bodyweight from the ground without support. This is a very functional test and indicates levels of strength and balance into later life, as you'll likely need to perform similar movements day-to-day.

Forward folds are popular in yoga and test hamstring flexibility, stretching along the posterior chain. If you need to bring a lot of bend into your knees to get your fists flat or you're struggling to reach down at all, it might be worth adding some lower-body mobility exercises and hamstring stretches to your weekly routine, then retesting.

Remember, though, hamstrings are notoriously tight muscle groups, and stretching for flexibility, though important, might not last beyond the day you're exercising. That said, repeatedly stretching these muscles over time, even indirectly during classes like yoga, will show some benefits long-term.

Finally, did you know research shows grip strength is a key indicator of longevity? Your ability to grip and squeeze powerfully has been linked to biological aging and can tell you a lot about overall strength.

Practice these movements as often as you can and retest every few months to see how you're progressing. Plus, let us know how you got on by answering our poll.

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When a Gymshark athlete tells you there are three exercises you should try if you want to build a strong, stable core, you take note. Well, I do at least. That hybrid athlete is none other than Abbie Dennison, and we asked her a little bit about the reason she chose the moves below, plus some tips you can take on board for building strength and muscle in the gym.

Read on to find out more, plus which strength exercises she believes move the needle most in her own training regimen.

If you are currently working with pain, an injury, or any health condition, I advise speaking with a qualified medical professional before starting any new exercises or workout programs.

3 ab exercises recommended by a Gymshark athlete

The moves:

• Alternating v-sits: Lie on your back with arms and legs extended. Engage your core and draw your navel in. Lift your shoulders away from the mat and bring opposite hand and foot to touch in the air. Drive up, reach and pause at the top, then lower onto the mat again and switch arm and leg.
• ⁠Ankle taps: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet planted. Peel your shoulder blades away from the mat and engage your core. Keep your neck neutral and maintain tension in your stomach. Tap your left hand to your left foot, then your right hand to your right foot.
• Plank pull-throughs: Position a weight to your left side and start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked directly over your wrists, core engaged and butt aligned with your shoulders. Use your right hand to pull the weight under your body to your right side. Repeat with your left hand over to the left.

As Denison mentions, these three moves tick the boxes for trunk flexion (v-sits), oblique work (ankle taps) and control and stability (pull-throughs), which means you work your core in multiple planes of motion, rather than repeating exercises like sit-ups and crunches that target the abs in similar patterns. This means you're able to build all-round core strength and target more muscle groups, which will improve how you move.

Your core as a whole (but namely the diaphragm, transverse abdominis and internal obliques) works hard during plank isometric muscle contraction. This means you're also improving control and stability during the pull-throughs and teaching your body to maintain tension.

Building a strong core will also help protect your lower back. As Denison mentions, various core muscles support your spine and pelvis and help you transfer force through your upper and lower body. A strong back is crucial for proper posture and alignment.

Finally, these exercises translate. You might not tap your ankles regularly or pull heavy weights under your body, but building deep core strength and stability (rather than just sculpting your abs and external obliques) translates as you need your core to safely drive movement like lifting heavy, climbing, or running.

Denison doesn't give sets, reps, or timings on this, but here's where I take over as a trainer. I recommend performing each for 45-50 seconds, taking a 10-15 second rest, then repeating for 5 rounds. These moves work well as a mini circuit, but try to keep the reps you achieve similar per round.

If you prefer to build them into an existing ab workout, try 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps per side. This workout can be repeated several times a week or built into a wider strength program.

But remember, while targeted ab workouts are great for strengthening your core, resistance training, lifting, sleep quality, plenty of daily movement and a high-protein diet will move the needle most, so try to take a holistic approach to your core training.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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The school summer holidays are in full swing, and for me that means a lot of traveling, mostly to visit family members who are very kindly providing childcare while I work.

It’s a fun time, but travel is the enemy of a consistent fitness routine, in my experience. My main sport is running, which is easy enough to keep going wherever you are, but my regular strength sessions fall completely by the wayside when I’m away from home.

My usual strength training schedule consists of a couple of short dumbbell workouts a week, but I don’t want to carry any equipment with me when traveling, so I turn to bodyweight sessions instead.

This 15-minute calisthenics workout from fitness trainer Anna Engelschall (best known as growingannanas on YouTube) is exactly the kind of thing I like to do while traveling.

It doesn’t require any kit or even that much space — you just need room to sidestep while standing and get into a plank position on the floor — and it works muscles all over the body while also getting the heart pumping.

Watch GrowingAnnanas' 15-minute full-body calisthenics workout

The workout contains 15 exercises, each of which you do for 50 seconds before resting for 10 seconds. At the end there’s a 40-second finisher, which I couldn’t do at all; more on that later.

You don’t need any equipment for the session, but if you’re on a hard floor then rolling out a yoga mat will make many of the exercises more comfortable.

I’d say this is an intermediate-level session, and because it contains a lot of push-ups and planks, those worried about putting pressure on their wrists and shoulders might need to adjust those moves.

I slipped in the workout one lunchtime before a run; here’s what I made of it.

It’s more about maintaining strength than building muscle

Maintaining my current fitness is generally my main aim when traveling, rather than going all out to make big strength gains, and this workout fits the bill.

I wasn’t maxing out or finishing any of the moves completely exhausted, but I felt the challenge of each exercise and ended the session confident I’d had a good workout.

Rather than pushing myself in strength sessions while traveling, I find it better to try to stay consistent.

The workout lives up to the full-body tag

It’s not a long workout, but Anna packs in a lot of different moves and each area of the body gets a good workout, with lots of squats and lunges to hit the lower body, push-ups for the upper body, and planks and sit-up variations for the core.

Those looking to really hit their chest, arms and back will probably be better off with a more focused upper-body session, but I enjoyed the full-body approach of this workout.

It’s a fast and sweaty workout

I sometimes enjoy short, slow strength workouts where I don’t even really need to change into gym clothes, but this is definitely one you’re going to sweat during.

The pace is fast, so you pack in a lot of reps and don’t get long breaks; if you’re also doing it in the heat of summer like me, you’ll quickly get your heart pumping. It’s not an all-out HIIT session, but you’ll get some cardio fitness benefits alongside boosting strength.

It focuses on classic moves

In keeping with the back-to-basics theme of the session, you do multiple variations of classic exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, sit-ups and planks.

This isn’t a workout where you’re going to try all manner of novel moves and challenge your body in new ways; it’s all about hitting the fundamentals hard for a short, effective full-body session.

You might have to pick your own last move

I thought the workout was done after 15 minutes had ticked by, but Anna sprung a surprise with a 40-second crow pose finisher.

For those not acquainted with the crow pose, it involves supporting your entire body on your hands, with your knees resting against your upper arms.

I can do it for a few seconds before falling over, so I switched to a wall sit hold instead to round out my workout.

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When I sat down with Matt Damon's personal trainer to talk about his workout routine for The Odyssey, I wasn't sure how much Gabe Stump, DPT, would reveal.

After all, people would (and do) pay a lot of money to look as lean and jacked as Damon does right now. So I was pleasantly surprised when Stump took me through the details of his workout plan for the actor, whom he's been working with for the last four years.

As a trainer, I'm very familiar with upper-body workouts. Like Damon, I try to get two upper sessions into my weekly routine. Armed with Stump's secrets, I tried Damon's workout plan for myself, and here's what happened.

What is the upper-body workout?

“In an ideal week...We’d do two upper and two lower days, then we’d have a cardio or metabolic day...If we couldn’t get five sessions in, we’d have two full-body days,” Stump reveals when I ask what a typical week looks like. Though, in Hollywood, that can change with a click of the fingers.

On the uppers, they'd hit exercises like the dumbbell bench (press), supported rows, pull-ups, pull-downs, horizontal and vertical press. Lastly, they'd round out with isolation work, like biceps, triceps, flys, reverse flys.

"In a day, we’d be looking at eight movements, mostly staying in that 8-12 range, although sometimes we’d go up to 15. Sometimes we’d go as low as 5-6 (reps) for strength work," Stump tells me.

When I ask how close to failure he had Damon lifting, he tells me they try to keep "two to three reps in reserve."

“I didn’t really want to burn him out on any given workout," he says. Which makes sense, as Stump shares recovery as a key factor, ensuring Damon could get the most from each workout rather than start from a place of fatigue.

After all, you essentially break down muscle fibers through exercise and build them up bigger and stronger through ample rest and protein.

Stump also explains they had pretty basic equipment in Damon's home gym to work with, and on location, it could be even less. For that reason, he stuck to equipment like a trap bar, heavy dumbbells and even some calisthenics.

Finally, I ask what piece of actionable advice any gym-goer should take forward when training toward a fitness goal, and I'm told that something should be repeatable and consistent, meaning 20 minutes three times a week is better than 60 minutes every two weeks. He also encourages those efforts to be close to failure so that you're lifting with maybe two or three reps in reserve.

With this advice in mind, here's an upper-body workout I created for hypertrophy (muscle growth) based on his strength program:

• Superset 1: Dumbbell bench press & diamond push-ups
• Superset 2: Overhead dumbbell press & inverted row
• Superset 3: Supported pull-ups & cable pull-downs
• Superset 4: Biceps curls & triceps dips
• 8-12 reps, 3-4 sets, twice per week.

Here's what happened when I tried it

I've managed to hit this workout twice since programming it based on Stump's workout routine for Damon in the five-month lead-up to filming. I programmed to lift weights close to failure, which I already know how to do for each exercise because I'm familiar with all of them, and I kept rest short between 30 and 60 seconds.

Supersetting is an effective and efficient way to program if you're short on time, as you perform the two exercises back-to-back without rest; this allowed me to work my muscles harder without necessarily needing to lift heavier, as I kept my muscles under tension for longer.

If you're unsure what weight you should be lifting, I highly recommend testing your one-rep max, which is the most you can lift for an exercise for one rep. From here, you can work out what weights you'd need to lift based on a 70-80% (roughly) effort, meaning you have a couple of reps left in reserve, but no more.

It takes some trial and error, but it's well worth doing if you really want to push yourself.

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This was a really nice, well-rounded upper-body resistance program that uses basic compound exercises, working toward failure without overdoing it on the reps or sets. For most people, you probably wouldn't need as many exercises as eight; six would be enough. And given I went heavy with my weights, I stuck with eight reps.

I liked rounding out with the isolation work on my biceps and triceps. If you're short on time, you could remove a superset or the isolation work, given the routine naturally works the biceps during pulling movements and triceps during pushing movements. That said, if you've seen Damon's arms in the movie, you might decide to stick with those curls and dips.

In one session, you're hitting your back and biceps, chest and triceps, while the standing and inverted work will also make your core work hard to stabilize your body during movement.

I came out of this workout sweaty, fully worked and feeling it all over my upper body, with no stone left unturned (or no muscle left untouched, in this case). And yes, those DOMS were full on for the next few days.

I'm a big fan of simple routines, progressively overloaded and functional (pushing and pulling), without being too fancy or overcomplicated. If you fancy giving it a try, let us know how you get on in the comments.

Of course, just a few sessions won't be making a physical difference to my body just yet, but let's see how that changes in a few months!

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Building strength and range of motion in your body will keep your muscles, joints and ligaments prepared for walks, walking workouts, or other forms of sports and exercises you enjoy. While building strong bones and muscles is your greatest anti-aging tool, mobility is also the hidden secret to longevity; combining both is the weapon you need.

When considering stretching versus mobility for your body, you'll need to decide what it is you want to gain. While stretching may offer you benefits in flexibility, mobility routines will help you increase balance, strength, control and range.

So, walkers, before you next tie up a pair of the best running shoes or walking boots, take 10 minutes out of your day and give this short, bespoke mobility routine a try, suitable for all levels.

Watch: 10-minute mobility routine you can do from home

Ideally, mobility routines will combine some level of strength work with active and dynamic exercises targeted at areas like your shoulders, spine, hips, knees and ankles. You can perform all the moves on the floor if you don't want to use the chair, and you can opt to stick with your bodyweight or add ankle weights, dumbbells, or both.

In the Instagram post above, I use one of the best yoga mats for protecting my joints, especially during kneeling exercises. Remember, people come into exercise at all levels, so you could adjust the reps, sets, or weights to your ability, or even skip out moves that don't feel good for your body.

I recommend starting with 6-8 reps per move on both sides of your body, trying a mix or all of the moves for a quick full-body reset.

If you experience pain at any time, stop and rest. If you're working with an injury or health condition, I recommend seeking advice before starting these exercises, especially if you find it difficult to get down on the floor.

What are the benefits?

It's a lifelong commitment to keep your muscles and joints functioning, especially after you hit your mid-30s, when muscle mass and strength naturally begin to decline.

Starting your day with gentle movement eases your body into whatever plans you have, whether that's a walk, a workout, or even just busying yourself with life admin. But it's also about maintaining posture and strengthening the muscles, bones and joints of the lower body, which will keep you balanced, agile and mobile as you age.

If you enjoy rambling, walking, hiking, or running, strengthening areas like your hips, lower back, core, glutes and legs will keep you doing what you love for longer. Improving the range of motion around your pelvis will also improve your gait and overall movement mechanics, helping you navigate outdoor terrain more effectively.

The more you move throughout the day, the better, as any movement you can accumulate will contribute toward overall energy expenditure and prevent prolonged sedentary time, a key cause of muscle weakness, poor posture and imbalance. This is known in the fitness industry as Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or NEAT.

I like to add bands or very light weights to mobility exercises, but I would always recommend focusing on consistently performing the exercises and learning the basics first; progressions can come later.

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Walking is a low-impact activity, but it still places stress on your joints, especially if the muscles surrounding them aren't able to properly support them. Rather than just adding more walks to your week, consider two to three strength and mobility sessions that focus on the muscles and joints that power walking, including the hips, glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves and core network.

Balance work that requires you to perform movement on one side of the body at a time will also improve stability, core engagement and proprioception, which is your body's awareness of where it is in space, aiding you to walk better.

Building strength and space in areas like your hip flexors, adductors, abductors and glutes will help stabilize your pelvis and power leg drive as you move around. Of course, strong quads and hamstrings are useful for navigating inclines and declines.

Your core will help you maintain an upright, strong torso position as you move and protect your posture, reducing the likelihood of back pain and injury. Then, there are your calves, which propel forward motion and stabilize your ankles while absorbing stress and shock.

Your calves are also known as the "second heart," helping to push blood up and around the body, so keeping them strong and active will also improve circulation.

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Since taking up Pilates, I've seen an enormous difference in my core muscles, and, combined with my 80/20 approach to a balanced diet, have been noticing better definition in my midsection, too.

My stomach has always been a problem area for me, and I maintain that your diet will move the needle most when it comes to how much muscle definition you show there, as well as other (quite annoying) factors like health conditions, sleep, stress, muscle-building workouts and genetics.

That said, I've been really enjoying programming core workouts recently, and I've been following this five-minute "abs blast" on lunch breaks when I get a spare second from work. It's been helping me maintain core strength outside of the Pilates studio, and it's a must-try if you have back pain or tight hips, as it helps target the muscles responsible for protecting you.

Here it is!

Watch: 5-minute 'abs blast' workout

Who doesn't love a short workout? You can make this five or 10 minutes, or even longer, if you prefer. I've been mostly sticking to one round four to five times per week, but I have also been switching it up with two rounds here and there if I have the time.

I recommend one of the best adjustable dumbbells or just a regular hex dumbbell (pictured below) if you want to stick with one weight.

• Arm raise x kneeling twist: Obliques
• Leg liftovers: Hips and glutes
• Crunch x toe taps: Deep core
• Boat pose x arm raise: Deep core, stabilizers
• Supported side crunches: Obliques
• Routine: 50 seconds on / 10 seconds off. 1+ round

Try to keep the reps similar for each move each round, and work both sides of the body. You have 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds to transition, and you can perform with your bodyweight or using any weight. If you choose more than one round, you could complete the reps on one side only, then change to your other side on the next round.

Each move brings something slightly different to the table.

Arm raises work the fronts of the shoulders, while the rotation of the kneeling twist hits the obliques, which are the muscles located along your waist active during side motions or twisting. This should be a gentle twist, but if you find that the movement still hurts your back, skip it or try reducing the weight first. Most importantly, listen to your body. I find a bend to the elbows helpful, too.

Leg liftovers need core engagement to stabilize your body as you lift your leg up and over the weight, while also strengthening your hips and glutes. For an extra challenge, see if you can take your supporting hand away from the mat and bring both hands to your hips or overhead. Note: this will work your core harder, but might not suit your lower back, so only try this progression if you don't have injuries or concerns.

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Crunches and toe taps are supportive as your lower back rests against the mat throughout. Remember to keep your navel drawn in and breathe expansively against your ribcage to help engage your diaphragm and TVA muscles, or the "deep core" responsible for stability. Keep your gaze soft as you peel your shoulders away from the mat, then lower one or both feet; you'll feel this in your lower abs.

Boat pose is a brilliant isometric exercise for building a strong core, combined with the arm raise to test balance, stability and control while also strengthening your shoulders. I recommend either removing the arm raise or placing one or both feet on the ground for extra support.

Supported side crunches strengthen the obliques as you draw your elbow and knee to touch in the supported side plank position. You could try it from a forearm side plank with both legs away from the mat for an extra challenge. The slower you move with this exercise, the more you'll feel it, so take your time to build control into each rep.

Why it works

This isn't just about hitting your abs, although the rectus abdominis muscles along the front of your stomach are being targeted, but about building deep core strength and working the muscles responsible for protecting your spine, like your hips, glutes and stabilizing muscles.

If you suffer from tight hips or back pain, some (or all) of these moves might be useful for you to try, but if they don't feel good for you, that's okay; stop and rest. As a trainer, I like to work on strengthening the weaker or tighter muscle groups that contribute to injury or pain, so that we can be preventative for the future.

Exercises like sit-ups or seated twists can make pain worse, as the spine is less supported while performing repetitive movements, especially with sit-ups. These create lumbar flexion and extension over and over again.

If you're unsure how to engage your core properly, this short "bracing" routine might be helpful for you before you start the workout. Remember to breathe properly, exhaling when your muscles meet the most resistance and not restricting it to your chest.

I've been hitting this routine weekly, and I'm noticing such a difference in control and endurance. It's supporting me for other workouts and tacks on nicely as a starter or finisher, depending on my mood.

Also remember that training should make you feel good, so if ripped abs isn't the goal, that's great; just focus on what you enjoy about the workout and let us know how you get on below!

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We often see famous actors take on epic transformations ahead of roles on the big screen. Matt Damon isn't exactly new to exercise; the 55-year-old Academy Award winner was already in pretty good shape, but he's been looking even leaner and subtly jacked ahead of his role in the epic Christopher Nolan adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey.

As a trainer myself, I was intrigued about the work that went into whipping Damon into shape, so I reached out to his trainer, Gabe Stump, DPT, to find out exactly what it takes to achieve his honed and toned physique.

Here's what he revealed.

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Lunges and squats are two of the best exercises for building lower body strength and muscle. But if you’ve got certain joint issues, injuries, or mobility concerns, squats and lunges may be off-limits.

In my fifteen years as a certified personal trainer, I’ve worked with lots of clients who can’t squat or lunge. Instead, we do the following four chair exercises that target key lower body muscle groups like the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and hip stabilizers. These moves are also a great option for beginners, and they can be made more challenging by using dumbbells and resistance bands.

If you’ve been told to avoid squats and lunges, or even if you just want some variety in your routine, give these four chair exercises a try.

How to do the four chair exercises

Check in with your doctor before trying any new activity. These exercises are appropriate for most people, but your medical team may recommend alternatives based on your specific health history.

Beginners should consider meeting with a certified personal trainer to learn correct form. A trainer can also modify the exercises as needed and can give you progression options when you’re ready.

Start with one set of 10-12 reps for each exercise, 2-3 times a week. Gradually increase to 2-3 sets of each exercise. You can do one set of each exercise and then start over from the beginning (called a “circuit”), or you can perform all sets of one exercise before starting the next move.

You’ll just need a sturdy chair for this workout. Once the exercises start feeling easy, try holding onto a dumbbell for the chair squats and single-leg sit-to-stand, and use a looped resistance band for the standing glute kickbacks and fire hydrants.

Here’s how to do the exercises:

1. Chair squats

• Stand tall in front of a chair with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Hinge your hips behind you.
• Bend your knees and lower your hips towards the seat.
• Stand back up.
• Continue for 10-12 reps.

2. Standing glute kickbacks

• Stand behind the back of a chair, resting your hands on the seat back.
• Keep your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Squeeze your left glute and kick your left heel behind you.
• Pause briefly.
• Bring your left foot back to the starting position.
• Continue for 10-12 reps, then repeat on the right side.

3. Fire hydrants

• Stand behind a chair with your feet hip-width apart.
• Rest your hands on the chair’s seat back.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Bend your left knee at a 90-degree angle.
• Rotate your left knee towards the ceiling, bringing your inner thigh parallel to the floor.
• Pause briefly.
• Bring your left knee back to the starting position.
• Continue for 10-12 reps, then repeat on the right side.

4. Single-leg sit to stand

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Lift your right foot off the floor, balancing on your left foot.
• Hinge your hips behind you.
• Bend your left knee and lower your hips to the seat.
• Sit down, then stand back up on your left foot.
• Continue for 10-12 reps, then repeat on the right side.
• If the exercise feels too difficult, hold onto a solid structure for support (like the wall or another chair).

Benefits of the four chair exercises

The exercises in this routine strengthen the quads, hamstrings, hip abductors, hip adductors, glutes, and calves without putting excessive strain on sensitive joints.

Chair squats are a functional move that can help older adults maintain independence as they age. Use of the chair reduces the typical range of motion to a more comfortable level. The chair also gives you a “target” to aim for, promoting better form for strengthening the appropriate muscle groups.

The standing glute kickback strengthens the gluteus maximus and hamstrings, while the fire hydrants strengthen the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. The chair provides additional stabilizing support.

Single-leg squats (or pistol squats) are an advanced exercise that requires a high degree of lower body strength and mobility. The single-leg sit-to-stand mimics that movement, but is accessible for a much wider range of fitness levels. This move enhances balance and reduces any strength deficits between the left and right sides.

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I'm loving the polls at Tom's Guide at the moment because your feedback on what you do and don't like helps me know, as an editor, what I should be writing more or less of.

One poll, featured below, asked: "What's your favorite 'old school' weightlifting exercise?" Here's what you said, and why I'm sort of inclined to agree with you. Have your say below and vote for yours!

What's your favorite "old school" weightlifting exercise?

Here's the results of the top three:

• 1st place: 32%, Arnold press
• 2nd place: 23%, Pullover
• 3rd place: 15%, Bulgarian split squat

Personally, Bulgarian split squats would top my list, but I do love the Arnold press as a personal trainer, and here's why.

The benefits of the Arnold press

The Arnold press is a variation of the traditional dumbbell overhead press made famous by the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The press variation effectively targets all three shoulder heads — anterior deltoids (front), lateral delts (sides), posterior delts (rear) to build strength and muscle in your shoulders. To do it, you perform an overhead press while turning your palms as you press upward, then lower them back down. This maximizes muscular engagement and time under tension.

That said, it's not for everyone. If you have pre-existing shoulder injuries, exercise caution, as this exercise may further discomfort. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before attempting new exercises that you're unsure about.

Not only does this build more well-rounded shoulders, but it can also translate to other shoulder-based exercises, especially overhead lifts. This also allows you to train the lateral and posterior deltoids in one go, which are often neglected during lifts like the bench press and push-ups, which feature heavily in upper-body workouts.

Your core should always be active when lifting weights and exercising in general. That said, the standing Arnold press works the core muscles and improves trunk engagement, as your torso stabilizes your body and improves posture.

You could also perform this exercise seated or kneeling, which will remove any chance of your lower body assisting the movement. For some people, seated variations help align the spine and provide extra support for the back. Personally, I find I can't lift as much weight, and seated or kneeling variations feel a lot harder on my shoulders and core.

Bottom line

You've had your say: the Arnold press gets the nod this time around. It builds strength and muscle in your shoulders and is time-effective for targeting all three deltoid heads in one move. You can progressively overload the exercise as you get stronger, and it's a time-efficient way to build your upper body as part of a wider upper-body strength routine.

Why not add it to your next push and pull day?

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If your knees feel stiffer than they used to, you're not alone. It's common to notice more aches, tightness and reduced mobility in this area as we age, whether that's after a long walk, first thing in the morning or after sitting down for a while. But rather than dismissing creaky knees as simply “getting older”, we can build daily mobility habits that will keep our knees moving comfortably, in our 60s and beyond.

And it doesn’t require much of our time, either. Leah Upton, Physical Therapist at Recover Physio, says that one exercise, done consistently, can be enough to reduce aches and pains in our knees.

“Heel slides are a simple, low-impact exercise that gently move the knee through its range of motion,” she explains. “They’re a great way to reduce stiffness, improve joint lubrication, and make everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs, and getting out of a chair feel easier.”

If your knees have been bothering you lately, try adding heel slides to your daily routine. They’re a simple, accessible move that can be done easily at home. Below, Upton breaks down how to do heel slides correctly, and a couple of tweaks to make them easier or harder if you need to.

You only need one move to improve stiff knees, according to a physical therapist

How to perform heel slides:

• Lie on your back or sit with your legs extended in front of you.
• Slowly slide your heel towards your glutes, bending your knee as far as is comfortable.
• Pause for 2–3 seconds at the end of the movement.
• Slowly straighten the leg back to the starting position.

Repeat 10–15 repetitions on each leg. Perform 1–3 sets daily, moving smoothly and avoiding sharp pain.

Make it easier:

• Place a rolled-up towel or plastic bag under your heel to reduce friction.
• Perform the exercise on a bed if getting onto the floor is difficult.
• Only bend the knee through a comfortable range.Use a band or belt to assist the movement.

Make it harder:

• Use a resistance band or belt around your foot to gently pull your knee into a greater range of flexion.
• Hold the end position for 5–10 seconds before slowly returning to the start.

The benefits of heel slides

Want to know more about the benefits of heel slides? Below are the results you can expect from adding this low-impact mobility move to your routine.

• Improve knee mobility: Heel slides gently move the knee through its range of motion, helping to reduce stiffness over time.
• Promote joint lubrication: Repeatedly bending and straightening the knee encourages the movement of synovial fluid, which helps lubricate the joint and reduce friction.
• Support everyday movement: Better knee mobility can make daily activities like climbing stairs and getting into bed feel more comfortable.
• Maintain lower-limb flexibility: Although the focus is on the knee, heel slides also gently move the hip and engage the muscles at the front and back of the thigh, helping maintain flexibility throughout the leg.

The bottom line

If your knees have started to feel stiffer with age, adding heel slides to your routine is a simple place to start. They take just a few minutes to do, require no equipment, and can help keep your knees moving comfortably. As with any new exercise, work within a pain-free range of motion and gradually build up as your mobility improves.

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Squats look simple enough, and they're one of the most popular compound exercises to feature in leg day routines and gym workouts, but they're also very easy to do wrong.

If you're learning how to squat properly, there are specific cues you'll learn to improve your form. Common ones you've probably heard include keeping your back straight, chest proud, core engaged and gaze ahead. But factors such as mobility, injuries, age, muscle imbalances, or even health concerns can impact your ability to squat properly.

A problem I've always had is tight ankles, and I struggle to reach parallel when I squat. For a long time, I blamed it on my hips, but not too long ago, I performed a mobility health test using the Pliability app. It was here that I learned my ankles are the likely issue.

Keen to make improvements to my squat, I committed to a 30-day ankle mobility program called "Fix Your Ankles," which can be found in the app logged as a five-week path. Here are my results.

What is the "Fix Your Ankles" mobility path on Pliability?

First, let me set the scene. Pliability is an app I've been familiar with for a few years now. It's a mobility app that allows you to take a mobility health MOT, then tailor your sessions, build your own programs and even follow paths or collections that interest you. It became a huge hit with the CrossFit community, but has since become popular with anyone interested in boosting recovery.

You can toggle to exercise-specific recovery like Hyrox or golf, filter for pregnancy or post-partum, or even body parts and areas like your hips and ankles or upper and lower body. The options are endless.

Each session you take will allow you to work through alongside a trainer or follow the routine alone with step-by-step instructions for each move. You can tell the app how much time you have and how often you'd like to move to help build a program specific to your needs.

I decided to re-test my mobility using "Take a Mobility Test," which involved performing an overhead squat from three different angles. You can find my results below. As you can see, my ankles were identified as the key area to improve, with my left ankle the most likely to be holding me back.

With that in mind, I chose the "Fix Your Ankles" pathway, which involves three sessions a week for five weeks, ranging from seven to 13 minutes a session.

Sneak peek of three ankle mobility exercises:

Limited mobility or imbalances can cause instability during squats; this could involve a common pelvic tilt called butt winking, low back pain, poor depth, knees caving in, heels lifting, or generally a feeling of limitation or tightness.

The hips, knees and ankles are often the main culprits, although thoracic mobility can also account for problems. A mix of strength work and mobility is often the solution; given I do a lot of both already, I was really interested to know it's my ankles causing the most issues.

Hip and ankle mobility improve motor control, which is key during squats, and also keep joints healthy and injury-free. Ankle instability and tightness increase the chances of your heels lifting during squats, poor knee positioning, or reduced squat depth. It was time for me to start fixing things.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram. You can download the Pliability app here with a 7-day free trial.

Despite my love of mobility training, I am guilty of neglecting areas I know need work in favor of ones I enjoy more, like hips. My ankles have been a problem area lurking in the background, and now's the time to turn things around.

I've shot some before-and-after photos for you to see the difference, and I'm pretty shocked by the results. I'm 30 days into the program, so I have a little bit more work to do, but so far, the difference in my ankles and overall range of motion feels totally transformed.

I feel like I have more space to move into, and my ankles feel more open and free without the tightness I could feel before, down the backs of the ankles and along the Achilles tendons.

I plan to continue the routine, and I find the bite-sized chunks of work accessible for me, as I'm often found rushing around and never taking the time out to focus on the more "boring" types of fitness that are very important. This taps into something called exercise snacking, which refers to accumulating exercise during the day to build consistency.

All I had to do was roll out one of the best yoga mats and commit to no more than 10 or so minutes three times a week. The exercises are performed slowly, with control, and are completely guided. Again, though, if you find the commentary annoying, you can just follow the exercises at your own speed in your own time and space.

I also feel like I can get better foot splay as I ground down and press the weight into my feet and heels, which is building stability in the squat, allowing me to lift slightly more weight without feeling like I'm pushing my chest forward or wobbling around. I'd say from a 2/10, I feel I'm at a 5-6/10 with room for improvement still.

Why does this matter? Dorsiflexion of the ankles means your shins can push forward during a squat, which improves balance and helps you stay upright. If you don't have any mobility or flexibility around your ankles, your form will naturally compromise. I notice this because my heels try to lift, which is a clear sign, plus my chest drops forward when I run out of space. Sometimes I also notice my left knee turns in, or I can't reach depth.

I can't wait to see how I feel and look after two months, so watch this space! But as a starting point? I'm impressed with my results so far.

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I'm a big fan of functional training and accessible but effective workouts. Bang-for-your-buck fitness is my bread and butter, which means you spend less time exercising overall, but still get the many benefits that come from progressive, intentional and consistent training efforts at the correct intensity.

I spend a lot of time explaining to clients that you don't need loads of fancy gym equipment, either, just the right weight selection and kit for the type of workout you want to do. And if you, like me, enjoy resistance training and lifting weights, you can master a full-body workout using just a set of the best dumbbells.

Here's why you can pair it back with just one set of weights, plus a full-body dumbbell workout you can try at home at any level using one or two dumbbells.

Watch: 5-move dumbbell workout that only takes 20 minutes

If you're short on time, you might want to focus on more muscle groups in one session using moves known as compound exercises (ones that work multiple muscles, like push-ups or squats). This means you can train the same muscles several times per week and still hit your workouts two, three, or more times if you wanted to.

If I were rushing through my resistance training for the week, I would try this workout, as it only takes 20 minutes, strengthens your whole body and doesn't require a gym membership. If saving money and time is the goal, here's how to achieve it.

This workout features just five moves and takes 20 minutes. Set a 20-minute timer. Complete 10-12 reps of your first exercise, then rest for the remainder of the minute. On the next minute, complete the next exercise for 10-12 reps, then rest. Continue through the exercises and complete four rounds.

10-12 reps is just a guideline; you're aiming for about 10 seconds of rest each time, so adjust the reps as needed.

• Dumbbell push-up to renegade row: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and start in the push-up position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and core engaged. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the ground to perform a push-up. Press the ground away, extend both arms, then row one dumbbell toward your back pocket, keeping the elbow close to your body. Repeat the row on your other side.
• Dumbbell squat to calf raise: Stand with a weight racked at each shoulder and position your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Sit your hips back and lower into a deep squat, keeping your chest lifted and back straight. Keep the weight even through your feet. Pause at the bottom, then drive up to stand and lift onto your toes to perform a calf raise. Squeeze your calves at the top, then slowly lower your heels to the ground.
• Dumbbell bear plank pull-through: Start in a tabletop position with a dumbbell to the left side of you. Tuck your toes and lift your knees to hover above the ground. Push away with your hands to create space between your shoulder blades and draw your navel in as you engage your core. Grip the dumbbell with your right hand and drag the dumbbell over to your right side. Now grip the dumbbell with your left hand and drag it back over to the left.
• Dumbbell staggered RDL: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Take a small step back with your right foot and raise your heel, creating a kickstand with your back leg. Keep a soft bend in your knees and engage your core. Hinge forward at your hips and send your butt back, lowering the weights to either side of your front leg. Keep your shoulders pulled back and gaze slightly ahead. Pause with a flat back, then drive up to stand. Switch sides.
• Dumbbell swing: Hold a dumbbell in your hands and stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Pull your shoulders back and down and engage your core. Swing the dumbbell between your legs, hinging forward at your hips and pushing your butt back. A soft knee bend is great, but don't squat. Use your core, glutes and hips to sweep the dumbbell up to your eyeline, then control the weight back between your legs again.

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Free weights like barbells and dumbbells are brilliant tools for building strength, power and muscle mass, burning calories, improving cardio fitness, developing coordination and balance and learning key technical lifts and skills.

Both are used in strength programs, cardio workouts, or strength and conditioning routines, and you can lift heavy with either, but you're more likely to save your barbells for maximal lifting, and for many people, dumbbells are more accessible for the home.

I try to program my clients using dumbbells for this reason until we need to work at a much heavier weight or develop a particular technique. I find this particularly beneficial for beginners; when using dumbbells, your weaker side or muscle groups have nowhere to hide — you will lift the weight or fail the lift, and this is a great way to see what areas need improvement or how your form is.

Dumbbell training can work muscles more evenly, and you can also exercise unilaterally (single-sided), which helps develop strength, balance and coordination, specifically in weaker areas that need focus. For example, I have weak rotator cuff muscles, and I really struggle to lift the same weights on my left and right sides. For that reason, I always use dumbbells for upper-body workouts, as using barbells would just mean my right side picking up the slack.

Another reason to love free weights is a more natural range of motion, which is a big tick for functional training. Where machines and barbells might restrict certain movement patterns, dumbbells don't. That said, you won't be able to load as heavily with dumbbells, and you'll also be limited by your grip strength at certain levels.

Bottom line

I recommend dumbbells for beginners new to weightlifting or those building a home gym in a small space.

Dumbbell training provides better range of motion than barbells and gym machines, and is an effective way to build strength, muscle and power. If you notice a significant difference in ability on one side versus another, work with dumbbells at the ability level of your weaker side and gradually increase the weight. Over time, leveling things up will help you avoid injury and pain associated with weak muscles, tightness, or poor posture.

I would aim for a few sets of weights, if you can, for your upper and lower body and core. Otherwise, a medium set is a great place to start, or invest in adjustable dumbbells if you want to have more options. Unilateral training means you'll only need to invest in one weight, which could save you some extra money.

More from Tom's Guide

• The caterpillar walk is considered the 'gold standard' for lower body mobility and flexibility — here's how to do it
• Forget running — this 20-minute walking workout fires up your metabolism and builds functional strength
• I did the Frankenstein walk to strengthen my hip flexors and build core stability: here’s what happened after a week

If you’ve ever hit pause on your fitness goals, you’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 4 adults aged 65 and older get no physical activity or exercise beyond their daily routine. Life gets in the way, whether it’s an injury, a busy schedule, a health setback, or simply feeling unmotivated, and it can keep you from training for months or even years.

The good news is that you don't need a complicated program or heavy weights to start rebuilding strength. Studies show that resistance training helps older adults preserve muscle mass, protect bone density, and maintain the functional strength needed for common daily tasks like carrying groceries, climbing stairs, and getting up from a chair.

And when it comes to rebuilding strength after 65, a pair of dumbbells is one of the most accessible tools for the job. “After a long layoff, the goal isn’t to push hard; it’s to rebuild movement patterns and remind your muscles how to work under load,” says Amanda Capritto, CPT, a certified personal trainer with Garage Gym Reviews. “Starting with a few basic dumbbell exercises lets you rebuild strength gradually while keeping your joints and connective tissue safe.”

Here are four dumbbell exercises that Capritto recommends for rebuilding strength after a long break. If you’re new to working out, recovering from an injury, or managing any health conditions, check with your healthcare provider before starting any new fitness routine.

1. Goblet Squat

Goblet squats train the same movement pattern you use every time you stand up from a chair, couch, or toilet. Plus, holding the weight in front of your chest encourages good posture, which takes pressure off your lower back and helps you move through a controlled range of motion.

How to do it:

• Hold one dumbbell close to your chest with both hands.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Sit your hips back and bend your knees.
• Lower only as far as feels comfortable.
• Keep your chest upright and your core engaged.
• Press through your feet to stand back up.
• Do two to three sets of 8 to 10 reps, resting for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

2. Seated Shoulder Press

Pressing overhead keeps your shoulders mobile and strong, which helps make daily tasks like reaching into a cupboard, lifting a bag onto a shelf, or putting on a jacket easier. This exercise targets your shoulders, upper back, and triceps.

How to do it:

• Sit tall in a sturdy chair with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor and your core engaged.
• Press the weights overhead without shrugging your shoulders.
• Pause for one to two seconds at the top of the movement.
• Lower them slowly back to shoulder height.
• Aim for two to three sets of 8 to 10 reps with a light, manageable weight that you can lift with proper form. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

3. Dumbbell Chest Press

Chest presses build pushing strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps, which are muscles you rely on for movements like pushing a door open or getting up off the floor. Research suggests that maintaining upper body strength supports independence and functional strength as you age.

How to do it:

• Lie on a bench or the floor with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Plant your feet flat and keep your lower back in a neutral position.
• Start with the weights near your chest, elbows bent.
• Press them straight up until your arms are extended.
• Lower them back down with control.
• Perform two to three sets of 8 to 12 reps, resting for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

4. Farmer's Carry

Walking while holding weights challenges your core, shoulders, and forearms while improving posture and stability, all of which help with balance and fall prevention as you age. Farmer carries also enhance grip strength, which is linked to better overall health and longevity in older adults.

How to do it:

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
• Stand tall with your shoulders relaxed and your core braced.
• Walk at a comfortable pace while keeping your steps steady.
• Avoid leaning to one side or letting your shoulders round forward.
• Walk for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat for two to three rounds, resting as needed between sets.

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm a personal trainer who works with clients over 50 — these are the 3 mobility exercises I never skip
• After 60, this is the 10-minute routine I use with my clients to stay strong, mobile and independent
• 'I’m a Pilates instructor, and I recommend these 5 core exercises to help older clients build strength and improve posture'

I’ve been doing more stretching in recent months, and not just because I feel a responsibility to practice what I preach. As the years roll by (and they seem to be picking up the pace), stretching becomes increasingly important for better flexibility and balance, and to relieve the pain caused by muscle and joint stiffness. It can also help prevent strains and muscle damage. We should all be stretching at least two or three times a week, if not daily.

Most of us think about our legs and back when it comes to maintaining flexibility and range of motion, but we often neglect our hips. One of the most effective stretches I have done to work this area is the 90/90 hip stretch, so when my editor challenged me to take on the shin box stretch for a week, I felt (once I found out what it was) supremely confident I could do so with little effort. I was, as I so often am with these challenges, effortlessly wrong. When will I learn? Next time. For sure.

What is the shin box stretch?

This dynamic movement targets both internal and external hip rotation. It also works the glutes and the core. The stretch is called the “shin box” because, in start position, your shins form a part of a sort-of box shape, if you squint and use your imagination. It is not, perhaps, the best-named move I have ever performed. Or attempted.

Internal and external hip mobility are crucial for daily activities, as well as sport, and are also important for lumbar spine stability. Given the prevalence of back pain in the US (at any given point, it affects about one quarter of adults), we should all be spending some time on this area.

How do I do it?

Use a mat for this stretch, as it can be hard on the knees, and make sure you have plenty of space.

• Begin by sitting on the mat, with your right leg bent in front of you at a 90-degree angle, with the outside of your leg on the mat (this achieves external rotation).
• Position your left leg on the mat behind you, at the same angle, and in internal rotation (the inside of your leg will be on the mat). You may not be able to achieve the 90-degree angle with one or both legs. Don’t worry about this; just get as close as you comfortably can.
• Face ahead and, with your core and glutes engaged, drive your hips forward to lift your upper body. At the top of the move, your weight will be on your knees, and you should feel a stretch at the front of your hips.
• Return to the start position with control, landing softly on the mat. Repeat five times.
• Keeping your feet in contact with the floor and, sitting tall, switch sides using a windshield-wiper motion so the inside of your right leg and the outside of your left leg are on the floor (you may need to use your arms to achieve this). Repeat the move five times from this position.

I did the shin box stretch every day for a week and this is what I learned

The main thing I learned is that I cannot do it properly. This was the first Tom’s Guide challenge in which I failed to reach a point where I was happy with my form and felt I had improved over the week. I found it extremely difficult to maintain an upright position or switch sides without using my hands to steady myself. With my right leg in external rotation, my torso leaned to the right (albeit slightly), and with my left leg in external rotation, I leaned to the left.

Oddly enough, given my less-than-ideal start position, I found it reasonably easy to rise up onto my knees and lower again, though I did not feel any pleasing stretch from this part of the move, and could not do it from the full 90-degree position. Also, I have rarely felt as clumsy as I did when I switched sides.

I tried this move at home (on a yoga mat), in the gym, and in a hotel room. I was never comfortable, but the extra space and carpeted floor in the hotel room did help… a little.

I don’t know why I found this move so troublesome. My partner, who regularly does yoga, did it with enviable ease, so perhaps I’m not as flexible or as strong through my core as I thought. By the end of the week, I was marginally less awkward, but the move did not sit well with me, nor I with it. Admittedly, I felt some looseness in my hips after my efforts but by no means enough to convince me I should add this one to my list of stretches.

Some moves work… some don’t

I go into all of these challenges with a positive attitude, if not “can-do”, then “will-do, eventually”. I always come away from them with useful information about my strength, flexibility or mobility, and sometimes I’m so impressed with a move that, years later, I still do it (for example, good mornings, a challenge I did in 2022). In a few cases, I’m not unhappy to end the challenge and, once in a rare while, the move simply does not work for me. Such was the case with the shin box stretch. You may find it does the job and becomes part of your stretching routine, but if you try it and it doesn’t appeal, or you’re not yet ready for it (this is considered an advanced move), then simply try something else.

If you want to work on your external hip rotation, try the frog stretch, the clamshell or the butterfly pose. For internal rotation, try the hip sleeper stretch or the half frog, and if you want to work on internal and external rotation at the same time, I highly recommend the 90/90 hip stretch mentioned above.

I would have far preferred to finish the week knowing I had mastered the move, or at least reached a degree of adequacy, but it wasn’t for me. And so, on to the next one. I will definitely be thinking outside the box.

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm a personal trainer who works with clients over 50 — these are the 3 mobility exercises I never skip
• After 60, this is the 10-minute routine I use with my clients to stay strong, mobile and independent
• 'I’m a Pilates instructor, and I recommend these 5 core exercises to help older clients build strength and improve posture'

Whether she's playing Abigail Whistler in "Blade: Trinity" or starring in the Amazon Prime thriller "The Better Sister," there's no denying Jessica Biel takes her training seriously, even while juggling Hollywood with life as a mom of two.

In fact, her personal trainer of more than 10 years, Ben Bruno, describes her as a "bona fide badass in the gym," and after watching the pair train together on Instagram, it's hard to disagree. Biel trains hard. Her workouts are refreshingly unfiltered and, above all, incredibly effective.

One routine that particularly caught my eye was her go-to full-body dumbbell complex. It's quick, brutal and, best of all, takes around 25 minutes from warm-up to finish.

If you've ever tried a dumbbell complex, you'll know they aren't pretty, but they’re effective, combining strength training with a serious cardiovascular challenge. As a busy mom of two and the proud owner of a pair of adjustable dumbbells, I couldn't resist giving it a go. Here's why, and what happened when I did.

What is Jessica Biel's dumbbell complex?

Rather than doing standard strength training or just training one muscle group at a time, Biel does a dumbbell complex. “The name makes it seem complicated, but it's actually really simple,” says Bruno.

“It's just four exercises done in succession without putting the dumbbells down, and those four moves cover the whole body and jack your heart rate up for some cardio. So, it's a great option for when you're short on time and energy.”

And it makes sense: you're moving from one exercise to the next without resting, so your muscles stay under constant tension while your heart rate continues to climb. The result is a workout that feels like a hybrid of strength training and cardio. Best of all, you only need a pair of dumbbells.

According to Bruno, Biel performs three to four rounds after a short warm-up. As for weight, she’ll start with 10lb dumbbells for the opening rounds, then progresses to 15lb, while Bruno occasionally encourages her to tackle the final round with 20lb dumbbells.

“We'll hit the weights about twice a week, sometimes three… and then she'll try to do some Pilates and cardio as well.”

Perform each exercise back-to-back without putting the dumbbells down, then rest for 60-90 seconds and repeat the sequence for three to four rounds.

1. Single-arm alternating shoulder press

Reps: 10 (5 each arm)

Benefits: The single-arm shoulder press strengthens your shoulders, triceps and upper back while forcing your core to work harder to keep your torso stable. Pressing one arm at a time also helps improve balance, coordination and shoulder stability.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing forward.
• Brace your core and keep a slight bend in your knees.
• Press both dumbbells overhead so your arms are fully extended.
• Lower your right dumbbell back to shoulder height with control, then press it overhead again.
• Repeat on the opposite side and continue alternating until you've completed all your reps.

2. Alternating reverse lunge

Reps: 10 (5 each side)

Benefits: Reverse lunges are one of the best lower-body exercises for strengthening your glutes, quads and hamstrings while also challenging your balance, coordination and core stability.

Stepping backward places less stress on the knees than a forward lunge, making it a great option for many exercisers.

• Stand tall with your feet together, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
• Brace your core, then step your right foot backward into a lunge, lowering until both knees are bent to roughly 90 degrees and your back knee hovers just above the floor.
• Drive through your front heel to return to the starting position.
• Repeat on the opposite side.

3. Split stance row

Reps: 5 each leg

Benefits: Split stance rows strengthen your upper back, shoulders and arms while challenging your balance and core stability. The staggered stance forces your glutes, legs and core to work harder to keep you stable throughout the movement, making it a highly effective exercise for improving posture and balance.

• Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Step your left foot back into a split stance and hinge forward from your hips, keeping your back flat and chest lifted.
• Pull the dumbbells toward your lower ribs by driving your elbows backward and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Pause briefly, then lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
• Complete all your reps and switch legs.

4. Single-leg RDL

Reps: 5 each leg

Benefits: The single-leg Romanian deadlift develops strength in your glutes, hamstrings and core while improving balance, coordination and hip stability. Training one leg at a time also helps identify and correct strength imbalances, making it an excellent exercise for building functional lower-body strength.

• Start in a split stance with most of your weight on your front leg. Keep a slight bend in both knees and use your back foot as a kickstand for balance.
• Brace your core, keep your hips and shoulders facing forward, then hinge at your hips by pushing them backward until you feel a stretch through your front hamstring and glute.
• Allow the dumbbells to travel down the front of your working leg, keeping them close to your body throughout the movement.
• Drive through your front foot to return to the starting position. Remember to switch sides.

Bottom line: What happened when I tried the workout

At first glance, four exercises don't sound like much, but by the end of the first round, and a total of 40 reps without putting the dumbbells down, I'd changed my mind.

Because there's no downtime between each move, my heart rate climbed surprisingly quickly, and my grip and forearms clung on for dear life. I also noticed that my shoulders were working continuously, while my legs, glutes and hamstrings were working from the lunges, single-leg Romanian deadlifts and also stabilizing my body during the split stance rows.

The clever part is that because each movement flows naturally into the next, there's next to no wasted time. Instead of changing equipment or resting between sets, you simply keep moving. By the third round I was breathing hard enough that it genuinely felt as though I'd squeezed both a weights workout and a cardio session into one.

One of the biggest barriers to strength training is finding the time, but this workout removes that excuse. In around 25 minutes, I'd trained my legs, back, shoulders, arms and core while also getting my heart rate high.

It's also incredibly easy to adapt. If you're new to dumbbell complexes, start with lighter weights and focus on mastering your technique. As you get stronger, gradually increase the load rather than rushing through the reps.

And while this routine alone won't build Jessica Biel's physique, it's easy to see why she keeps coming back to it. By combining compound exercises into a continuous sequence, it trains almost every major muscle group, with a particular emphasis on the glutes, shoulders and core.

It's also efficient, challenging and refreshingly uncomplicated, which are qualities that aren't always easy to find in celebrity workouts, which is exactly why I'll happily keep it in my weekly training routine.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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• No squats! I just tried this 8-minute chair workout, and it’s perfect for seniors, beginners, and anyone looking to build strength without impact

Not everyone can, or wants, to squat. It might be down to mobility, an injury, or a preference, but you perhaps want to build lower-body strength and work your hips, glutes, quads and hamstrings hard, without repeatedly bending your knees and moving up and down. You still can.

Enter a variation on the popular wall sit that I wish all my clients would do as they get older. It's low-impact, which is great news if your knees don't get on with front squats, back squats, or any other squat variation for that matter.

Below, I cover a few of the many benefits you can expect, plus the variation I love most. You don't need weights, but I like to use one of the best adjustable dumbbells.

Watch: Single-leg wall sit with dumbbell

If you experience pain at any time, stop and rest. If you're working with an injury or health condition, I recommend seeking advice before starting this exercise, especially if you find it difficult to bend or kneel.

• Stand with your back against a wall so that your spine is supported from top to bottom. You can hold a weight if you'd like.
• Step your feet out in front of you, engage your core, then slide your butt down and lower into a squat position, pressing into the wall lightly.
• Lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground below, knees stacked over heels and hips aligned with knees.
• Stay here, or raise one leg into the air, keeping your hips level and square.
• If you're using a weight, rest it against the thigh of your supporting leg.
• Hold, then switch sides.

How long you stay here depends on your ability to hold the single-leg wall sit with good form. Try anything from 20 to 30 seconds and build. I recommend 3-4 sets.

What are the benefits?

Some people are blessed with healthy joints and may never decide to try the wall sit, but for others, it's a fantastic way to access a squat hold without the impact.

Wall sits, also known as wall squats, target your quads using isometric contraction, which builds strength without any movement, meaning the muscles aren't going through flexion or extension repeatedly. This exercise also activates the glutes, core, hips, hamstrings and calves.

Avoid letting your knees push too far over your ankles, as this will make it less effective on your quads and may put more pressure on your knees. Keep your core engaged and your weight in your heels, not in your toes. To stand, press back into your heels and slide your back up the wall until you are s

This bodyweight exercise is especially great for runners, those who are currently rehabbing an injury, or anyone building up to squats. By activating the slow-twitch muscle fibers, you’re helping build endurance with or without load, but it won’t help you grow your muscles (that would require overload), so if your goal is muscle growth, consider other squat alternatives.

Unlike a squat, where you have periods of work and rest, during a wall sit, you’re keeping your muscles under tension; this is known as time under tension. Try to keep your stomach braced and breathe expansively, drawing your ribcage outward to help engage your core, diaphragm and pelvic floor. You may get some trembling, which is completely normal.

Once you feel comfortable, lift a leg; this challenges balance and stability as your body must maintain the tall, upright position, and it will feel a lot harder as you place your weight into one side at a time, known as unilateral training.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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Recently, I spoke with a friend of mine, and I was surprised to hear he dedicates almost a whole gym session to what he calls "Arms and Farms," which translates as arm and shoulder exercises and the farmer's carry.

It makes sense to work your shoulders and arms in one workout, and it's smart to pair this with the farmer's carry. Still, if you're short on time, you might want to focus on more muscle groups in one session using moves known as compound exercises (ones that work multiple muscles, like push-ups or squats). Thankfully, the farmer's carry, or farmer's walk, does that, as it works almost your entire body.

If I were rushing through my resistance training for the week, I would pick this exact exercise to work my upper and lower body and core muscles. Here's why, plus the benefits.

How to do the farmer's carry

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and two kettlebells placed on either side of your feet. You could also use a trap bar, dumbbells, or similar.
• Bend your knees and lower into a squat, keep your chest lifted and the weight evenly distributed across your feet. Look ahead with a flat back
• Grip both kettlebells, engage your core and set your shoulders back and down
• Push through your heels to stand. Begin walking without leaning forward, backward or to one side.
• Contract as many muscles as possible and pull your shoulder blades together to prevent hunching. Stand tall as you walk while keeping a firm grip on the weights. 
• Try 2-3 sets or accumulate as much distance or time as possible against a time cap or rep target.

Why you should try the farmer's carry this week

The farmer’s carry works your shoulders and core hard, but it also works your legs, glutes, back, arms and chest. If you load heavy and walk slowly, you can tap more into strength, whereas opting for lighter, faster will raise your heart rate.

This is one of the most functional strength exercises out there because it closely mimics carrying something heavy, like your groceries, while walking. You can also scale the exercise to hold a weight overhead or to load one side at a time; the former will challenge your upper body and balance more, whereas single-sided loading tests anti-rotation and stability.

You could walk across flat ground, uphill or upstairs to work your lower body harder, or test endurance by walking for longer distances.

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As you get older, building stronger bones, joints and muscles becomes even more important; the farmer's carry contributes toward this using a process called bone loading, which means putting bones under stress (the good kind) to stimulate bone growth. Consistently performing weighted walking exercises like this will help prevent age-related injuries associated with falls or balance.

If you're a beginner, the exercise can be scaled to any difficulty, depending on your current fitness or posture. A very slight forward lean during uphill efforts can help engage your glutes, which will protect your lower back, but try to avoid excessive leaning, especially on flat ground.

You could choose free weights like kettlebells or dumbbells, or opt for groceries or filling water bottles if you don’t have access to weights. I know some of my clients like to use a trap bar with weights loaded on either side, as it helps them drive through their legs without straining the lower back so much.

Why not give this move a try and let us know how you get on in the comments.

More from Tom's Guide

• The caterpillar walk is considered the 'gold standard' for lower body mobility and flexibility — here's how to do it
• Forget running — this 20-minute walking workout fires up your metabolism and builds functional strength
• I did the Frankenstein walk to strengthen my hip flexors and build core stability: here’s what happened after a week

We love a poll at Tom's Guide, as it helps us to understand you (our readers) much better, so we can give you more (or less) of what you do (or don't) want.

One poll that recently caught my attention, featured below, asked readers: "Which fitness tracking metrics do you trust the least?" Here's what you said, and why you're definitely on the right track when strapping on one of the best fitness trackers for your workout.

Which fitness tracking metrics do you trust the least?

Here's the results of the top three:

• 1st place: 45%, calories burned
• 2nd place: 21%, heart rate
• 3rd place: 13%, distance

You guys are right to not trust the calorie burn totals on your fitness trackers, and here's a little more on why.

Why calorie burn isn't too accurate on fitness trackers

Calorie burn is very person-specific and varies depending on multiple factors, from lifestyle choices, sex, weight, activity levels, to genetics or health conditions. So before we get into it, if anyone online touts a high-calorie burn workout, I, as a trainer myself, would run a mile.

To test it out myself not long ago, I pressed play on a 500-calorie HIIT workout, and I wasn't even close to the target.

There are several ways to calculate the calories burned during a workout, which I'll briefly summarize below, but your best bet would be to get hooked up in a lab setting, where monitoring would be the gold standard.

• Calorie calculators: These use MET value charts to estimate how much energy a person could burn during different workouts, but these are standardized across the board.
• Fitness trackers and the best running watches: These track calorie burn by looking at your personal details (age and weight, for example), workout type and factors like heart rate, workout length and oxygen consumption. They’ll estimate VO2 max and expected energy expenditure.
• Chest strap heart rate monitors: I'd say these are your best bet for more accurate data. They look at the effort it takes for an individual to do a workout based on heart rate and assess calories you’re likely to burn. Most devices are still only an estimate, though some do better than others based on the wealth of data they have to crunch.

Ideally, you’ll need to find out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) — how many calories your body requires to get through the day — and total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which refers to how many calories you expend outside of "dedicated" exercise bouts, to help determine likely calorie burn during the day.

There are methods to help you calculate BMR and TDEE, but, as mentioned, visiting a doctor, lab, or sports clinic will help you get more accurate BMR and body mass readings. I'd also recommend measuring your VO2 max and maximum heart rate.

Now, you could go through all of this to find out likely calorie burn, but if you, like me, enjoy training different ways, you're looking at a wide range of calorie burn depending on your activity. And, really, who cares?

Bottom line

I always tell my clients that calorie burn during workouts only determines a very small amount of overall energy expenditure and doesn't really tell you much about your health, fitness, or longevity.

Firstly, your diet moves the needle the most in terms of fat loss or muscle gain. And other areas of your fitness, recovery and health, like Heart Rate Variance (HRV), steps taken, sleep quality, stress, sedentary time and workout intensity, are much more important metrics to look at for your overall health and the likelihood of developing health conditions in the long term.

The best advice I can give is to use calorie burn as an estimate and focus attention on other goals — building strength, increasing muscle mass (which is more metabolically active) and, most importantly, feeling good during and after workouts.

Calorie burn should never really be the focus, so I'm glad to see Tom's Guide readers are wary!

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I run marathons for fun, and spend most of the day sitting down behind my desk, writing about how you shouldn’t spend hours sitting down for Tom’s Guide — if I didn’t have tight hips, I’d be superhuman.

A few years ago, when my sciatica was really bad, a physiotherapist told me to do the figure-four stretch every day to help relieve tight hips and target the piriformis — the deep hip rotator that sits directly over the sciatic nerve.

Since then, I’ve done the figure-four stretch every single day, and it’s changed my life for the better. Read on to find out more about this wonder stretch for tight hips.

How to do the figure-four stretch

The figure-four stretch, also known as the supine pigeon pose, is one of the most effective movements for opening the hips and relieving lower back tension. Here’s how to do it:

• Lie down on your exercise mat, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Take both legs up to a tabletop position, so they are both bent at 90 degrees, then cross your right ankle over your left thigh, just above the knee, forming a “figure four” shape.
• Keep your right foot flexed to protect your knee.
• Hold onto your left leg, interlocking your fingers behind your thigh.
• You should feel a stretch in your right glute and outer hip.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing deeply, then switch sides.

What are the form mistakes to look out for?

This is a gentle stretch, so if you feel any pain while holding it, stop and seek advice from a physiotherapist or PT. When holding the stretch, keep the crossed foot flexed to engage the muscles around the ankle and the knee, and protect the ligaments.

Keep your head and neck flat against the floor as you reach for your thigh. If you can’t reach without your head peeling off the floor, place a pillow or block under your head so that your neck stays neutral.

You also want to avoid your back arching in this move. Press your tailbone gently down as you hold the figure-four stretch — this will intensify the stretch into your hip, as well as protect your spine.

What are the benefits?

If, like me, you suffer from sciatica, this is one of the best stretches to add to your routine, as it targets the piriformis. This is a deep hip rotator that sits directly over the sciatic nerve. When it is tight, it can compress or irritate the nerve. The stretch lengthens this deep muscle and takes the pressure off the sciatic nerve.

If your glutes and hip rotators are tight, they can pull on your pelvis, straining your lower back muscles. By unlocking the hip muscles, you can relieve this tension. Plus, compared to stretches like pigeon pose, because you perform this one lying down on your back, you won’t put strain on your spine while stretching.

As well as helping you feel more comfortable, you’ll also be working on your overall hip mobility and range of motion during this stretch, which can help during squats, lunges, and deadlifts.

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