I am lucky enough to travel for work, and recently, I flew out to Olea All Suite in Zakynthos for a work fitness trip. As a trainer, fitness editor and all-round fitness nerd, I like to keep my routine up while I'm away, plus exercise helps me boost mindfulness when I'm very busy, so I was curious about what facilities would be available.

Luckily, I had more than enough gym equipment to play with, but that's not the case for everyone, everywhere, all the time, so I decided to create a short but effective three-move bodyweight workout you can do with just one of the best yoga mats and nothing else.

I teach a lot of people in their 50s and 60s, and while some of these clients love the gym, others want to exercise at home with little gym equipment, so building functional strength can take a "back to basics" approach, which is exactly what this workout does.

Ready? Me too, let's get stuck in.

Watch: 3-move bodyweight workout you can try anywhere

Resistance training is your anti-aging weapon for healthier joints and stronger muscles as you get older. Plus, with hormonal shifts, your metabolism can also take a bit of a dive later in life, so the more lean muscle mass you have, the faster your resting metabolism can become.

These tried-and-tested bodyweight exercises can be made more beginner-friendly or challenging, and you can add weights if you have them to further increase the load. If you don't have equipment, adjust the reps, sets, or tempo to add more work.

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 routine

Reps: 2/4/6/8/10...

Timer: 10 minutes.

Set a timer, then complete 2 reps of each exercise back-to-back. Rest for no more than 10 seconds, then repeat for 4 reps per exercise. Move through as many rounds, adding 2 reps to each move each time.

• Pike push-ups: Start in a downward dog, then walk your feet a few inches closer to your hands. Engage your core and softly bend your knees if you have tight hamstrings. Shift your weight forward slightly, then bend your elbows and lower the crown of your head until it touches the ground just in front of your hands. Press up and push back into the downward dog position. To begin with, you could place a cushion or some blocks in front of your hands to make things easier.
• Push-ups: Start in a high plank position with your shoulders directly over your wrists. You could place your knees down for extra support. Engage your core, then bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the mat. Pause at the bottom, then press the ground away to return to your starting position. For an extra challenge, release your hands from the ground at the bottom of the push-up, while keeping your stomach, hips and thighs lifted.
• V-ups: Lie on your back with your arms and legs extended. Engage your core and tuck your chin slightly. Lift your arms and legs into the air to touch overhead, peeling your shoulders away from the mat with control. Pause, then lower to the ground again. If this feels too challenging, bend your knees and tuck them toward your chest as you sit up, or alternate with one arm and the opposite leg, then switch sides.

What are the benefits?

Here are some benefits:

Pike push-ups imitate an overhead press without weights. Instead, you create a vertical downward position for your body, then use your body weight and resistance against gravity to create load. This move works your upper body and core hard, particularly your shoulders, upper chest, upper back and triceps. You might not think it, but you could actually start on your knees and practice the pike, or elevate them if you prefer.

Push-ups are perhaps the most well-known upper-body bodyweight exercise. You'll work your pecs, triceps and shoulders and use your core for stability. You can use your knees to begin with, but before you try full-range push-ups, ensure you can lower your chest to the ground for full range of motion. This keeps the muscles under tension for longer and helps build functional upper-body strength.

V-ups are primarily a core exercise, working the deeper stabilizing muscles of your core, as well as your abs and obliques. However, you'll also feel this move in your hip flexors, quads and hamstrings. Some people feel this move a little in the arms and upper back as well. You'll need an existing amount of core strength and mobility to drive this exercise, so if you find it too difficult, alternate with one arm and leg or bend your knees to crunch instead.

I don't subscribe to the idea that the exercises or routines you enjoy must change just because the number on your birthday card does. I still train my dad in the gym, and he's deadlifting 100kg at 72 years old. However, what matters are your levels of fitness, any health conditions, injuries, or illnesses, and your preferences.

Firstly, compound exercises that are both functional and progressive should be a top priority. Think your standard overhead press, squats, push-ups, bench presses, lunges and step-ups. Resistance training can be done using your bodyweight and weights, but whichever you choose, aim for an intensity that feels close to failure with the last few reps challenging to finish.

Try to move your joints through their range of motion in a variety of patterns while loading muscles using any form of resistance. Motion is lotion, so keeping your body moving in ways that feel natural will help improve functional strength and mobility.

The more you move throughout the day, the better you can also balance and stabilize; the more you load your bones and muscles, the stronger they get. You might still enjoy some higher-intensity exercise in your 50s and beyond, but low-impact movement can offer brilliant benefits. Think of the strength, flexibility and power you can build in yoga, or the core stability, posture and balance Pilates offers.

Before you consider adding weights, focus on the fullest range of movement and really squeezing the working muscles at the top of each rep. Control is essential, so prioritize your form and speed. And remember, you might not notice the progress straight away, but over time, you'll see huge benefits in how your body moves, adapts and responds.

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

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As we get older, strength training becomes more important than ever as a way to slow down and even reverse the physical effects of aging. Yet if you’re a complete beginner, or you’re returning to exercise following an extended break or injury, it can be difficult to know where to start.

To find out more, I spoke to Mellisa Leach, a yoga instructor and strength and conditioning coach. Below, she shares three exercises to help you build better mobility over the age of 40. All you’ll need is a long resistance band (you can check out the best resistance bands for working out at home here). Resistance bands are a fantastic way to build strength without putting stress on the joints.

As a reminder, if you’re currently recovering from an injury, this workout might not be right for you and your body. Always seek personalized advice from a qualified professional if you are unsure.

What is the workout?

1. Standing resistance band row

“This exercise strengthens the upper and mid-back, as well as your shoulders and biceps, while improving posture and shoulder stability,” says Leech.

How to do it:

• Secure a resistance band around a stable surface at chest height in front of you
• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and hold the ends of the band with both hands
• Extend your arms in front of your body
• Pull the band towards your torso, driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together
• Slowly return to the starting position
• Perform 2-5 sets of 10-15 repetitions

2. Standing resistance band reverse fly

“Perfect for targeting rear deltoids, rhomboids, and upper back muscles, this move helps improve posture, shoulder health, and upper-body stability,” Leech says.

How to do it:

• Secure a resistance band around a stable surface at chest height in front of you
• Stand tall and hold the ends with your hands extended in front of your chest
• Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, open your arms out to the sides
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together as your arms form a ‘T’ shape
• Slowly return to the starting position
• Perform 2-5 sets of 10-15 repetition

3. Standing resistance band overhead press

“Overhead press helps maintain shoulder mobility, upper-body strength, and the ability to perform everyday activities, such as reaching overhead, more easily.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart
• Hold each end of the resistance band in each hand at shoulder height with elbows bent
• Press your arms overhead until they are fully extended
• Hold briefly at the top
• Slowly lower back to the starting position
• Do 2-5 sets with 8-12 repetitions

What are the benefits?

“Mobility exercises are one of the most effective ways to maintain independence as we get older,” says Leech. “By regularly moving our joints through their full range of motion, we can improve strength, balance, coordination, and flexibility, all of which play an important role in staying active later in life.

“Over time, mobility training helps the joints and muscles work together more efficiently, which in turn helps reduce the risk of injury and falls by strengthening key stabilising muscles, as well as improving pain relief and making everyday tasks such as carrying shopping, climbing stairs, or even getting out of bed easier.”

Resistance band exercises like these place constant tension on the deep stabilizer muscles in the upper body and core. Strengthening these small stabilizer muscles can help improve your overall balance and stability, as well as improve your mobility.

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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 would encourage any of my clients to build a sustainable, consistent mobility routine into their weekly exercise program, but it doesn't always need to be 30 minutes or longer for the benefits to show. You can benefit from instant relief using this 60-second "hip release" reset, consisting of just three moves and a lot of love for stiff hips.

This is perfect for anyone who needs to stand up after hours spent at a desk or behind a laptop, and it can take as little as 60 seconds, or more if you have the time.

One of the best yoga mats is recommended, and that's all. You could do it from anywhere, including joining me by finding some space while abroad, and below, I show you exactly how to follow, plus the benefits.

Watch: 3-move hip mobility release

Trying to improve mobility and flexibility and strengthen your body using your body weight will help you move better and with more freedom.

Later in life, you'll be thankful for strong bones, muscles and ligaments that help you maintain an active lifestyle, and a consistent, progressive routine will help you do just that.

If you experience pain at any time, stop and rest. If you're working with an injury or health condition, I recommend consulting your physician or a yoga instructor before starting these exercises.

• "World's Greatest Stretch": Step your left leg into a low lunge with your back knee supported on the mat. Raise your left arm toward the ceiling and twist gently to open your chest, shoulder and hip, then drop your elbow toward your ankle. Bind your left arm under your left leg, with your hand just outside the left foot. Return to center, repeat for reps, then switch sides. Why? This move stretches your hips, opens your chest and shoulders and even gently mobilizes the spine.
• Downward dog to knee curl: Start in a downdog position with your butt lifted, heels drawn down toward the mat and shoulders pulled down away from your ears. Ripple forward into a high plank and curl one knee toward your chest. Pause, then return to downdog and switch legs. Why? Your hips work to help lift your leg, so strengthening them is vital if you enjoy walking and running. Knee curls also strengthen your core muscles, which are vital for protecting your spine and pelvis.
• Hip rolls: Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders stacked over your wrists. You can place a prop like a yoga block next to you, but you don't need one. Roll your hips by drawing your leg in circles around the block in both directions. Switch sides. Why? Hip rolls move your hips through rotation, building range of motion. Using a block is useful for testing your range. Try to keep your weight even between your left and right sides without leaning to one side to assist the movement. Working the left and right sides independently is also great for identifying and fixing any imbalances.

Just 20 seconds of each of these moves is a great start, but spend longer on them if you want or need to.

Unilateral work is great for working on both sides of your body without your stronger muscles taking over. I like to include unilateral movements during every session if I can.

Rotational work is ideal if you want to increase overall range of motion, but remember to externally and internally rotate the hips, working in both directions to target the stabilizing muscles and joints properly.

Knee lifts and core activation strengthen your hips, which is great if you sit for long periods. Weak, underused hips contribute heavily to back pain over time. Squeeze your glutes, pull your knee forward and slightly curl your spine by pressing through your hands to create space beneath your body.

For someone new to exercise, build up slowly and spend a few breaths on each move per side.

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
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Sometimes we mistake high intensity for direct results, but you don't need to blast your core with HIIT workouts and repetitive sit-ups and crunches to build a strong and stable core. Consistency, progressive overload, the right exercises and managing overall body fat levels as you get older will get you results in the gym.

But what are those exercises? Well, there's no one-size-fits-all approach, but as a trainer, I find compound exercises (multi-muscle moves) are effective for achieving overload, and I like to keep things as low-impact as possible while switching up equipment.

Recently, I designed this three-move core workout to build a strong, stable, injury-resistant core while targeting multiple muscle groups in your core network responsible for supporting your pelvis and spine.

Below, I show you how to do three of the best low-impact exercises for functional strength and stability. One of the best yoga mats is useful to have.

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

Watch: 3 low-impact moves to try anywhere

These strengthening exercises load the muscles to work through resistance. The result? A stronger core. Add weight when you feel comfortable with the moves.

The routine: 50 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 5 rounds. Add or reduce rounds depending on your ability.

• Up and overs: Sit with your legs extended in front of you and place a block slightly to one side. Place your hands by your hips for extra support or behind your head for an extra challenge. Engage your core and draw your navel in, keeping your chest proud and back straight. With control, lift your legs up and over the blocks, then back again. Slightly rotate as you move up and over the block or weight, engaging your waist.
• Plank-downward dog taps: Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your butt aligned with your shoulders. Keep your core engaged and navel drawn in. Lift your hips up and back into a downward dog, then tap one hand to the opposite ankle. Come back to plank, then repeat on the other side.
• Hollow hold leg raises: Lie on your back and extend your arms and legs. Engage your core, then slowly raise your arms and legs into the air to create a banana shape with your body. Keep your chin tucked, try to peel your shoulders away from the mat, point your toes and tuck your pelvis slightly under. Avoid arching your lower back. Hold the position and breathe toward your stomach. Once you feel ready, begin slowly lifting and lowering your legs without touching the ground.

What are the benefits?

Each of these exercises brings something slightly different to the table.

The up-and-over exercise is brilliant for targeting your obliques, deeper core muscles like the transverse abdominis (a belt of stabilizing muscle), abs and hip flexors. As you lift and lower your legs, your core must work hard to help move, along with your hips, without hurting your back. Rotational motion is an effective way to strengthen your waist, which will help your body resist unwanted motion and impact. Try to avoid your hips completely taking over the exercise.

Plank and downward dog tapping provide a full-body workout, hitting the arms, shoulders, chest, upper back, posterior chain (back of the body), core and hips. As you lift up and back, notice the stretch while the plank builds strength using isometric muscular contraction. Tapping improves balance and stability and forces your body to resist unwanted rotation while gently engaging the obliques.

Hollow holds with leg raises are one of my favorite exercises to train core stability. Again, isometric contraction means strengthening while remaining low-impact on the spine, as you focus on holding tension without arching your back and while maintaining your breath. When you feel comfortable, leg raises are a great addition for targeting the hips and the deeper belt of core muscles.

Really control these movements and make the most of them, rather than rushing. Play around by adding weights or equipment. I usually add dumbbells, but if this damages the quality of your reps, stick to using your bodyweight. You have plenty of time to progress through the exercises as you get stronger.

Focus on finding length through your spine rather than hunching, and keep your chest proud. Any time your hands are behind your head or next to your hips, try to knit both shoulder blades together to help open your chest and activate the mid and upper back.

Give these a try, and 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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The dead bug is a great core exercise that builds both strength and endurance in your midsection while being approachable to most fitness levels. It’s a hard move to improve on, in fact, but it turns out the best way to upgrade a dead bug is to move onto bigger creatures.

I’d never heard of the dying turtle until a few weeks ago, when I did the move as part of attempting a pro runner’s 12-minute core workout. While I love turtles and the idea of them dying fills me with sadness, I immediately marked the exercise down as one to include in future workouts. It's also known as the dead bug press, which is a slightly less horrifying name.

That’s because it builds on the benefits of the dead bug by making the move more challenging. As an obsessive runner I’m always looking for moves that boost core endurance, which helps me to maintain my running form deep into long events like marathons, and if they work one side of the body at a time then all the better.

The dying turtle fits the bill perfectly, and I think it’s an especially good core move for runners and other sportspeople as a result, but really almost anyone can benefit from adding it to their training routine.

How to do the dying turtle

The dying turtle is a floor that you do while lying on your back, so if you might want to roll out one of the best yoga mats to do it. In the video above you can see it demonstrated by Brian Kinslow, Doctor of Physical Therapy at Evolve Flagstaff.

1. Lie back on the floor and press your lower back into the floor — think about pulling your belly into your spine to help with this, and keep your lower back on the floor throughout the move.
2. Bring your knees up into tabletop position and raise your arms above you.
3. Firmly push on your left knee with your right hand — resist this push with your knee so it stays in tabletop position.
4. Keep pushing as you lower your left arm behind you and extend your right leg out in front so both limbs are hovering just above the floor.
5. Bring both limbs back up, then lower them again. Do 5-10 reps on this side, then switch and do the same on the opposite side, or work to time, doing 20-30 seconds on each side.

I found that pushing on one knee while you lower the opposite limbs really engages your core during the movement and forces you to hold a tough position while moving, making the dying turtle a great progression for those comfortable with dead bugs.

It’s important to keep your lower back imprinted on the floor throughout the move, so if you feel it starting to lift up, then you might need to shorten the reach of the arm and leg that you’re lowering.

Benefits of the dying turtle

Like the dead bug, the dying turtle works pretty much all the muscles in your core, including the deep stabilizing muscles. The upper and lower abs are engaged by the move, as well as the obliques, and it also targets the hip flexors.

Along with strengthening the target muscles, it also helps to build endurance because you are holding the engaged position by pushing your hand into your knee while moving.

I find that the move also exhausts my core muscles much more quickly than just doing dead bugs, making it more time efficient — doing 20 seconds on each side is enough to get my muscles burning when doing the dying turtle.

The act of pushing on your knee also makes you engage more with the exercise in general I find, and it means I stay focused on pushing my lower back into the floor. With dead bugs I can get a bit complacent about this and fail to spot I've lifted my back up.

It is a more challenging move than the dead bug, but you can easily switch back to the dead bug from the dying turtle by releasing the pressure on your knee, so it's a move that I think anyone can try, so give it a go in your next core workout.

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“It doesn't just isolate the abs; it engages the hip flexors, glutes, pelvic muscles, and back all at once,” yoga instructor and strength and conditioning coach Melissa Leach says when answering my question. I’m looking for a single yoga pose to build deep core strength and balance. I wish I had the time for a 20-minute daily yoga practice to build mobility as I train for my seventh marathon, but if there’s one pose I should prioritize, what is it?

According to Leach, it’s the boat pose. "This is part of why it can outperform traditional exercises like sit-ups, as they target a much narrower range of muscles,” she tells me. “A sit-up is a repetitive, single-plane movement, whereas boat pose asks your entire core to work together to keep you balanced and lifted, which is a much greater test of strength and control.”

Read on to find out more about how to do a boat pose and its benefits. As a reminder, what works for me might not be right for you and your body. If you’re pregnant or postpartum, or you’re currently recovering from an injury, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional before trying something new.

How to do the boat pose

“There are different ways to perform boat pose. Traditional holds usually consist of staying in the pose for a total of 25 breaths, broken into five sets, while others add movement by hinging the upper body upwards and downwards,” says Leach.

“This version is a more accessible entry point for beginners, starting with bent knees and shorter, more manageable holds.”

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
• Lean your torso back slightly while keeping your spine long and your chest lifted
• Engage your core and slowly lift your feet off the floor, bringing your shins parallel to the ground
• Balance on your sit bones, avoiding rolling onto your tailbone
• Once stable, extend your arms in front of you, with your palms facing each other at shoulder height
• If you feel comfortable, you can slowly extend your legs to create a ‘V’ shape with your body
• Hold for 20-30 seconds, and repeat 2-4 times

What are the modifications for beginners?

“For beginners, keeping your legs bent in a half boat pose instead of straight can help reduce the core strain and effort required at the start. Lightly gripping the backs of your thighs can also provide support to help you balance,” Leach says.

“If you struggle with balance and maintaining a straight spine, you can either sit on a folded blanket or cushion to help tilt the pelvis forward, or sit with your back a few inches from the wall for reassurance.

“The most important thing is to get a hold of the technique first, so start slowly, only holding for as long as it's comfortable and slowly increasing the length as your core strength improves,” she adds.

Form mistakes to look out for include slumping back or arching your lower back — this is a sign you’re not properly engaging your deep core. You also want to make sure you’re not hunching your shoulders — think about rolling your shoulder blades down your back, and keep your gaze soft, focused on your toes to keep your neck long and neutral.

If it’s too much to straighten your legs as you have tight hamstrings, don’t force it. If you do, you’ll probably notice your lower back collapsing and your back arching. Holding the pose with bent knees and a flat back will work your core harder than straight legs with a rounded back.

Finally, make sure you’re not holding your breath as you hold the pose.

What are the benefits?

"Boat pose also helps build stability rather than just endurance,” says Leach. “Holding the position forces your deep core muscles, the ones that support your spine and pelvis, to switch on and stay engaged throughout. Over time, this can translate into better posture, a stronger lower back, and a core that supports your everyday movement."

I’ve been doing the boat pose every day for the past week, and while physically I, of course, look the same (if only building abs was that simple), after holding the pose for a few minutes a day, I’ve already noticed an improvement. My hip flexors don’t feel quite as tight, and I’m getting better at embracing the deep core shake I feel towards the end of my hold. Give it a go and let me know how you get on in the comments.

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• 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'

As we get older, strength training is the best way to slow down and reverse the physical effects of aging. Starting around age 30, adults start to lose between 3-8% of their muscle mass per decade — this is a process called sarcopenia, and it accelerates dramatically after age 60.

Resistance training, even if you’re just using your bodyweight, can help build and maintain muscle, build bone density, and improve your overall stability and balance to prevent falls.

Yet if you’re new to exercise, or you’re returning to exercise following an extended break, it can be difficult to know where to start. Luckily, you’ve landed in the right place. I asked certified personal trainer and strength coach Amy Kiser Schemper, who has experience working with seniors, for a simple workout she gives her clients over 50. Read on to find out more.

As a reminder, if you’re currently recovering from an injury, it’s always a good idea to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional before trying something new. If at any time you feel sharp pain, stop.

What is the workout?

“As we age, all movement is important, but strength training is key,” says Schemper. “I recommend focusing on compound exercises in our functional movement patterns: squat, hinge, lunge, upper body push, upper body pull, and rotation. Here’s a quick strength circuit using dumbbells or bodyweight for beginners.” You can check out the best adjustable dumbbells for working out at home here.

There are three circuits with three exercises in each circuit. Schemper recommends doing each exercise for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds. Repeat for a longer workout.

Circuit 1

• Squat: Stand with feet hip-distance apart and toes turned out slightly. Engage your core and sit your hips back and down as if sitting in a chair, keeping your chest lifted. Drive through your feet to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top. This can be done with just bodyweight, or holding dumbbells by your side.
• Bent-over row: Stand with feet hip-width apart and hinge forward at the hips while keeping your back flat and core engaged. Let your arms hang naturally, then pull the weights towards your hips and your elbows back toward your rib cage, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Slowly lower the weight or arms and repeat.
• Dead bug: Lie on your back with arms reaching toward the ceiling and knees bent in “tabletop” (90-degree angle). Keep your core tight, and slowly extend the opposite arm and leg toward the floor. Return to the starting position and alternate sides.

Circuit 2

• Deadlift: Stand with feet about hip distance apart. Engage your core, push your hips back, and slightly bend your knees as you hinge forward, keeping the weights close to the front of your legs as you lower. Keep your back flat and shoulders pulled gently back. Drive through your feet and squeeze your glutes to stand tall.
• Chest press: Lie on your back on the mat or a bench with feet planted. Position your arms out to the sides with elbows bent and slightly angled in towards your torso. Press the dumbbells toward the ceiling and in towards each other until your arms are extended. Slowly lower your arms with control and repeat.
• Plank: Start on the mat on your forearms and toes, but modify by staying on your knees. Engage your core and create a straight line from your shoulders through your hips. Tighten through the core, but also through the legs, glutes and back, while being sure not to hold your breath. Hold the position while keeping your hips level and avoiding sagging or excessive lifting. Breathe steadily and maintain tension throughout your body.

Circuit 3

• Lunge: Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart. Step one foot behind and lower your body toward the floor, bending both knees while keeping your torso upright. Push through the front foot to return to standing, then switch sides. Use a shorter range of motion or more of a “tap back” if needed. This move can be done with just bodyweight, or holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Bicep curl to press: Stand tall with your arms by your sides holding dumbbells and core engaged. Bend your elbows to curl the weights toward your shoulders, then rotate your palms outward and press your hands overhead. Lower the arms back down with control, reversing the movement. Keep your ribs down and avoid leaning backward as you press. Alternate if needed.
• Side plank: Begin on your side with your elbow directly beneath your shoulder and legs extended, or modify by keeping your knees bent. Engage your core and lift your hips away from the floor, creating a straight line from your shoulders to your feet or knees. Hold while keeping your hips stacked, then lower with control. Repeat on both sides.

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 meet with plenty of personal training clients over 60 who are embarking on a fitness routine for the first time, and truthfully, they’re some of my favorite clients to train. I wholeheartedly believe that exercise can be life-changing at any age, and it’s never too late to start.

It’s important to start the right way, though. Most of my newcomers tend to be intimidated by the whole process, but I do have a few that make a beeline right for the dumbbells. Instead of picking up weights right away, I begin with the following no-equipment exercises that build up the appropriate strength for more complex moves.

These exercises aren’t reserved just for seniors. Beginners of any age can benefit from them, and they even make great warm-up options for intermediate or advanced fitness levels.

How to do the 4 no-equipment exercises

Be sure to check in with your medical team before trying this workout. These exercises are doable for most people, but your doctor may recommend alternatives based on your personal health background.

You should also consider meeting with a certified personal trainer or physical therapist to learn proper form, especially if you’re dealing with any current or past injuries. A trainer and therapist can also give you modifications if needed, and will know how to make things more challenging as you get stronger.

You’ll just need a chair and a section of bare wall for this workout.

Start by doing 10-12 reps of each exercise for one set, and hold the wall plank for 15 seconds. After a week or so, add an additional set of each exercise. When that starts to feel easy, tack on one more set. Eventually, you’ll do 3 sets of each exercise with a brief rest in between each set. You can also increase your reps to 15 and your wall plank time to 30 seconds.

These exercises should be done as their own workout at first. After a while, you may be able to use them as a warm-up for more intense programs.

Here’s how to do the exercises:

1. Diaphragmatic breathing

• Sit upright in a chair.
• Keep your spine tall and shoulders relaxed.
• Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.
• Inhale deeply, breathing into the hand on your stomach.
• Pause briefly.
• Exhale, drawing your belly button towards your spine.
• Continue for 10-15 reps.

2. Chair squats

• Stand tall in front of a chair with your feet hip width apart.
• Lengthen your arms in front of you.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Hinge your hips behind you.
• Bend your knees and lower your hips towards the seat.
• Tap your hips onto the seat, then stand back up.
• Continue for 10-15 reps.

3. Wall planks

• Stand facing a wall.
• Place both hands on the wall, aligned with your shoulders.
• Step your feet back until your body is in a diagonal line.
• Engage your core.
• Hold in this position for 15-30 seconds.

4. Wall push up

• Stand tall in front of a wall.
• Place both hands on the wall, slightly below the shoulders.
• Step your feet back until your body is in a diagonal line.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the wall, keeping your shoulders, hips, and feet in alignment.
• Push yourself back up to the starting position.
• Continue for 10-15 reps.

Benefits of the no-equipment exercises

The exercises in this routine strengthen major muscle groups in the upper body, lower body, and core without the need for extraneous equipment. They’re appropriate for total beginners, easily accessible, and relatively joint-friendly.

Diaphragmatic breathing and wall planks target muscles deep in the core, like the transverse abdominis and diaphragm. These muscles are responsible for stabilizing the pelvis and spine and maintaining proper posture.

Chair squats work your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and help to develop lower body strength and power. This exercise mimics the action of getting up and down from a seated position, making it a functional movement.

Your pectorals, shoulders, and triceps engage while doing wall push-ups. The stronger these muscles are, the easier it is to carry heavy objects or push yourself up from the floor.

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• 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'

When a neurosurgeon gives you advice on reducing back pain using your feet, you sit up and take note. And that's exactly what I did when Anthony Ghosh provided a simple foot exercise you can do to improve alignment and posture and reduce pain.

Many people aren't aware that back pain doesn't necessarily originate at the back and can be caused by weakness, instability, under- or over-firing, or tightness in other muscles and joints, including the feet, glutes, hips and hamstrings.

Within your body, you have anatomical sling systems, which basically mean a connection between muscle groups. There are four main sling systems, creating a network of fascia and muscles that recruit together across the body. For this reason, it's very important to view your body holistically rather than just focusing on one specific area when you experience pain or injury.

I learned this the hard way, as years of issues with my left shoulder threw up issues in my neck and traps that I wasn't even aware of.

You barely need any equipment to do the exercise below, just a chair and a few minutes to spare. Learn how to do it from a leading neurosurgeon, and why I've been adding it to my routine to fix desk posture.

Watch:

"When the intrinsic foot muscles are weak, this causes some instability of the foot arch, therefore causing the foot to slightly rotate inward under load (pronation)," explains Ghosh.

"This creates a biomechanical cascade, which causes some internal rotation of the lower half of the leg and, therefore, a small amount of internal rotation up at the hip, forcing the pelvis into a forward tilt and increasing the lumbar lordosis as a result," says Ghosh.

That means an issue that originated at the foot has crept up the knees to the hips, pelvis and spine.

"This is the natural backward curvature of the lower bit of the spine, which can increase in such conditions, therefore putting more load on the facet joints, causing pain. For this, a seated short foot exercise can be really helpful for back pain," he recommends.

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 have lower-body joint or muscular issues.

"If you feel any extremely sharp pain, always consult a medical professional."

How to do a seated short foot exercise

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor in front of you.
• Without curling your toes, try to draw the ball of your foot toward your heel. You will feel the arch lift slightly off the floor.
• Hold for around 5 seconds.
• Slowly lower back to a relaxed state.
• Repeat for several rounds or up to 60 seconds, then switch sides.

Here's what happened when I tried it

As Ghosh mentions, any tightness or limited range of motion in the feet and ankles can have a cascading effect higher up the body, especially along the joints. That's why it's important to zoom out when looking at injuries and health conditions and look holistically at the issue and where it might originate.

I've been experiencing a little low back pain recently, and I have horrifically tight ankles and sensitive feet, not to mention I spend more time than I'd like sitting at a desk, not always paying attention to my posture.

I wanted to find a solution for fixing desk posture, and while this exercise alone isn't a cure-all, it has certainly helped me relieve tension in my feet and ankles using dorsiflexion of the foot, which has actually helped relieve tension in my back.

Foot exercises are great for stability and balance and help improve foot-ground connection during exercise, whether that's playing sports or lifting heavy weights. It can also feel grounding (quite literally), which is useful for reducing anxiety and stress, not to mention feeling more stable during squats and lifts.

I love this move because it's functional, moving your body in a natural movement pattern. Relieving tightness and building range of motion here can translate to other activities like climbing or running, and spending some time working on the feet can help proprioception, neuromuscular control and joint stability, too.

Will I continue doing this exercise? Absolutely. Give it a try and 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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• 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

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — the right exercise routine for you is the one you want to do. Someone who proves my point is actor Julie Andrews, 90, who shared the simple workout routine she does "most days" to stay in shape.

Staying active as we get older is essential for longevity, balance, and fall prevention. Simple resistance training, even using just your body weight, can help slow and even reverse the muscle loss that comes with aging. This can help build the functional power you need to complete daily tasks, such as standing up from a chair or carrying a bag of groceries.

What is Julie Andrews’ go-to workout?

Two years ago, the "Sound of Music" star told Yahoo Life: “I have all my life worked out first thing in the morning or something like that — a little less so these days.” She shared that her routine consisted of 30 minutes of yoga and ballet. Telling Woman & Home in 2000, "I work out as little as I can for as much gain as I can. Yoga and a little bit of ballet — only 30 or 40 minutes every other day. I keep supple for myself more than for roles."

Along with this, walking has always been part of the actor’s fitness regime: "I was trying to get myself ready for a stint at the London Palladium. And I knew I needed more energy than I could possibly muster. So I decided to go for brisk walks every day. And I started to walk up to the farm and around because there are many hills and steep inclines, and that really gets the legs strong," she told Theatre Week in 1993.

What are the benefits of yoga and ballet barre for seniors?

Both yoga and ballet barre are forms of low-impact exercise, ideal for seniors. Both can help build flexibility, with yoga especially focusing on joint mobility and barre focusing on muscle endurance and balance.

Yoga is a great way to ease stiffness in the hips, knees, and spine without putting pressure on the joints. You’ll also be gently working one side of the body at a time, directly improving your balance, which can help prevent falls.

Barre can be a little more intense than yoga, but it is a fantastic way to improve your single-leg stability and balance by strengthening the small stabilizer muscles around the feet and ankles. You’ll be doing lots of reps of the same low-impact exercises to strengthen the glutes, thighs, and deep core without putting too much impact on your joints.

Unsure where to start? Try this simple 20-minute barre workout that uses just your body weight to build strength. Remember, if you’re currently recovering from an injury, this might not be the right workout for you and your body — always seek personalized advice from a qualified professional if you’re unsure.

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

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Having a strong core is essential as you get older — it protects your lower back from injury, helps maintain good posture, and reduces your overall risk of injury. Someone keen to spread this message is fitness advocate (and supermodel) Gisele Bündchen, famous for her sculpted midsection.

In a video posted to her Instagram, Gisele shared that “even now, at 45, I feel super strong” thanks to these five “slow, intentional” Pilates exercises. The model credits the exercises with helping her rebuild her core following the birth of her third child and says she wishes she had known about them sooner.

Gisele adds in her caption, “I'm not a doctor or physical therapist. This is simply me sharing my personal postpartum experience and what worked for my body. Everyone is different, so please listen to your body and check with your healthcare provider before trying anything new.”

What are the exercises?

All of these Pilates exercises work on the deep core muscles and pelvic floor. You won’t need any additional equipment, but using one of the best yoga mats can keep things more comfortable.

Gisele says she started with sets of 5 reps of each exercise before moving on to sets of 10. She now does sets of 20 reps.

1. Bear plank lift

• Start on all fours, with your wrists stacked underneath your shoulders and your knees bent at 90 degrees.
• Push into the floor and tuck your toes. Inhale and engage your abs, thinking about squeezing your belly button to your spine as you push the floor away.
• As you exhale, lift your knees a few inches off the floor and hold here for a few seconds.
• On your next inhale, tap your knees back to the floor and repeat.

2. Bear plank knee tap

• Maintaining the same bear plank position as above, keep your knees hovering a few inches above the ground throughout.
• As you inhale, engage your core and lift to tap your knees together underneath your body.
• On the exhale, take them back to your starting position.
• Keep tapping your knees and gently lifting and lowering in each position.

3. Bear plank twist

• Your abs will probably be screaming by now, but while remaining in the bear plank with your knees hovering off the floor, rotate your hips to one side, lowering the opposite knee to the floor.
• Keep your abs engaged throughout and your shoulders steady as you keep switching sides.

4. Bear plank toe tap

• You’ll hold your bear plank position and tap one foot, then the other, a few inches out to the side.
• Keep your core engaged and your hips level throughout.

5. Bear plank knee drive

• For the final exercise, hold your bear plank and bring one knee in toward your torso — this doesn’t have to be a big movement; it’s not a mountain climber.
• Return to your starting position and repeat on the other side.
• Think about keeping your core engaged and your hips level throughout.

What are the benefits?

As you’ll soon find out if you attempt Gisele’s routine, the bear plank is a killer isometric hold that blasts your deep core. Your abs have to stay engaged to support your body weight in this move, and your quads will also be getting a workout.

Unlike crunches or sit-ups, the bear plank works your core while keeping your spine neutral. This protects your lower back and also works your shoulder and upper back stabilizers. The bent-knee position makes it easier to keep your pelvis in a neutral alignment, too. It’s important to think about engaging your pelvic floor muscles during this move — I like to imagine I’m sucking my abs up and in.

It’s likely these low-impact moves will raise your heart rate, and you’ll probably feel the circuit in your shoulders, core, and legs once you’ve finished. Hats off to Gisele; this might be my new go-to ab routine.

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There are some components of fitness that you really want to keep a hold of (in this case, quite literally) as you age, like grip strength and balance. That's because a strong grip is associated with better longevity.

Below, I cover a quick 60-second grip test you can do using heavy weights like dumbbells or kettlebells. Can you do it? Find out what it means for your health.

60-second grip test: Farmer's hold

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 test

• Farmer's hold, 60 seconds: Grip two heavy weights such as dumbbells or kettlebells and place them just outside your feet.
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Engage your core and sit your hips back to lower, then 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 without moving.
• Once you reach your limit, sit your hips back and lower the weights to the ground. Try not to drop them.

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 body weight and fitness level.

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

Why does it matter?

Your ability to grip and squeeze powerfully has been linked to biological aging and can tell you a lot about overall strength. Did you know that research shows grip strength is a key indicator of longevity? Those with a weaker grip have a higher risk of mortality, according to the data.

Grip strength is a form of functional strength, indicating how well you can perform daily tasks, like opening a door or a jar. But let's not get morbid here: this test isn't a direct measure of when you're going to die — let’s not get carried away — but it does indicate how independent you can remain and how fast you age, as grip strength begins its decline around 50.

Your grip can also reflect important markers like bone density and muscle mass, with a weaker grip increasing your risk of developing chronic diseases or becoming frail, all of which increase the likelihood of early mortality.

The good news? It's a pretty simple fix with consistency and the right type of exercises. Think of adding grip exercises into your routine, including anything that involves holding weights, like the farmer's hold or farmer's carry, and exercises like dead hangs.

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

When we talk about mobility, we’re not just referring to how well you move. Mobility is how well your joint can move actively through its intended range of motion. Incorporating mobility exercises into your routine is important, especially as we get older, as it can help relieve chronic joint pain and stiffness, prevent injuries, and help build and maintain maximum muscle strength.

Mobility exercises are typically different from flexibility exercises or passive stretching. With a mobility exercise, you’ll actively be moving a joint through its full range of motion. This helps enhance the mind-muscle connection and work on the functional movement you need to help improve your posture.

Yet if you’re a beginner or returning to exercise following an extended break, it can be tricky to know where to start. To help, I spoke to Jen Rulon, a 15-time Ironman triathlon finisher with a Master's degree in kinesiology. Rulon has over 20 years of experience as a fitness coach and has shared the following mobility circuit.

What are the exercises?

“You can do this heading into your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond,” Rulon explains. She advises you to focus on doing the simple circuit two to three times a week to start with, and you’ll soon notice a difference in your overall mobility.

You won’t need any additional equipment for this workout, but using one of the best yoga mats can help keep things more comfortable.

Glute Bridge: 10-15 reps

Why: The glute bridge opens the front of the hips, which can typically get stiff if you spend a lot of time sitting down behind a desk, and can help restore correct pelvic alignment.

Here’s how to do it:

• Lie flat on your back on your exercise mat. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Rest your arms by your side.
• Engage your core, sucking your belly button into your spine and tilt your pelvis slightly to press your lower back into your exercise mat.
• Drive through your heels to lift your hips off the mat until your knees, hips, and shoulders are in a straight diagonal line. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement for a couple of seconds.
• Lower your hips back to your exercise mat slowly and with control. Lightly touch your glutes to the floor before lifting them back into your next rep.

Scorpion: 60 seconds each side

Why: The scorpion stretch is a dynamic movement that opens tight hips, the lower back and chest muscles.

Here’s how to do it:

• Lie face down on your exercise mat with your legs extended behind you. Place both arms out to your sides in a “T” position, with your palms facing down. Rest your forehead gently on the mat.
• Lift your left leg slightly off the floor and bend your left knee to a 90-degree angle so the sole of your left foot points toward the ceiling.
• Contract your left glute to drive your left heel up and across your body toward your right hand. Lift your left hip off the floor as your foot reaches across, then let your torso naturally twist while keeping both shoulders flat on the floor.
• If you can, lightly tap the floor behind you with your left foot, hold for a couple of seconds, then slowly reverse the rotation back to your starting position.
• Rulon recommends doing 60 seconds on each side.

Pigeon pose: 60 seconds each side

Why: The pigeon pose is a fantastic exercise for opening the deep hip rotators and hip flexors. It can help improve pelvic alignment and squat depth, as well as relieve pressure on the lower spine.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start on all fours in a tabletop position. Bring your right knee forward and place it on the floor behind your right wrist. Angle your right ankle toward your left wrist, so your front shin lies diagonally across the mat.
• Extend your left leg back behind you so your thigh is flat on the floor and the top of your left foot is resting on the mat. Keep your hips square to the front. Don’t collapse on your right glute; instead, imagine you have a light on each hip, and you want to keep both shining forward like headlights.
• Inhale and press your fingertips into the floor to lift your chest and lengthen your spine.
• If it feels comfortable to do so, walk your hands forward and lower your torso over your front shin, resting on your forearms as you exhale. Hold here, taking slow, deep breaths.
• Slowly move back out of the stretch and switch sides.

Cat-cow: 10-15 reps

Why: The cat-cow is an effective, low-impact way to work on your spine mobility. By moving the spinal column back and forth through flexion and extension, it can help relieve stiffness caused by prolonged sitting.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Make sure that your wrists are directly beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Keep your head and neck in a neutral position with your gaze down to the floor.
• From here, inhale and tilt your pelvis back, dropping your belly button to the floor. Lift your chest, gaze, and tailbone toward the ceiling, and draw your shoulders down away from your ears. This is the cow pose. Breathe here for a few seconds.
• Then exhale and tuck your chin to your chest, pull your belly button in toward your spine and arch your upper back toward the ceiling, like a stretching cat. Push through your hands to broaden your shoulder blades.
• Slowly move between the cow and cat, focusing on moving through each segment of the spine rather than rushing the movement.

90-90 hip switch: 10-15 reps per side

Why: This is an essential move for opening tight glutes and hip flexors. You’ll be moving your hips through internal and external rotation, helping lubricate the joints as you do so.

Here’s how to do it:

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Let both knees drop to the right side so they rest flat on the floor. Adjust your posture so that your front leg forms a 90-degree angle at the hip and knee, and your back left leg also forms a 90-degree angle.
• Sit up as tall as possible. Place your hands on the floor behind your hips for support if you need it, but as your mobility improves, aim to keep your hands off the floor.
• Think about keeping your heels pressed to the floor as you lift your back (left) knee off the ground and rotate it to the left side. Allow your front knee to follow the movement, sweeping both legs to the left.
• Pause for a few seconds, then rotate back to your starting side.
• Repeat for 10-15 controlled reps per side.

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

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Zone 2 training is pretty popular, which involves staying within a low heart rate zone for the duration of your cardio efforts (in other words, slowing things right down). But have you heard of Zone 0 training? Well, zone 0 is having a moment, so let's discuss why.

This approach to workouts takes little effort and is pretty low-impact, too. We live in a chaotic world right now, so many of us personal trainers are encouraging clients to include more mindfulness in their daily routines, and zone 0 ticks that box perfectly.

Below, I discuss why zone 0 training is becoming popular, how to do it and the advantages. Grab a coffee and let's dive in.

What is Zone 0 training?

Activities like gentle walking, stretching and mobility routines, or gardening all count as zone 0 activities. They involve moving slowly, focusing on your breathing and feeling connected to your body; in other words, active recovery.

This could include micro-movement workouts or exercise snacking peppered throughout the day, or just getting up and moving around more often. The idea is to lower cortisol levels, reduce systemic inflammation and help clear the by-products of exercise such as lactate.

That doesn't mean you have to let go of your existing training regimen, but instead, try to include one or two days of zone 0 training per week. If you're not sure whether an activity counts, ask yourself this: "Am I exercising at a conversational pace?"

As you breathe, slow it down, breathing down into your stomach while lightly bracing your core. Imagine inflating and deflating a balloon; keep your breathing evenly paced while you move.

What are the benefits?

Here are some of the benefits you can expect.

Accessibility

Not everyone wants to power through marathon training or HIIT workouts, so zone 0 training carves out space for people to enjoy gentle movement for the love of it. This makes it accessible, achievable and beginner-friendly, and any movement you can accumulate during the day contributes toward a healthy metabolism, reduced sedentary time and calorie burn.

Mobility

I'd argue we don't spend long enough on mobility routines as a whole, and any personal trainer or coach will tell you how important this is for boosting performance and keeping you strong and injury-free as you age. Zone 0 training allows for more mobility work and lower-intensity movement, allowing your body to recover and rebuild.

Mindfulness

If you, like me, struggle to sit in meditation or work through breathing exercises, this is a quick way to include moments of mindfulness in your day without it feeling like a chore. This can help reduce stress, lower cortisol, improve anxiety and boost mood.

Gentle cycling, low-intensity yoga, light mobility work, walking, or even doing chores all count and will help you manage fatigue and potential overtraining. It's also a great way to improve your relationship with exercise, especially if you're a beginner or someone returning to movement after pregnancy, injury, or a health condition.

Physical health

Exercise helps improve key metrics like lowering blood pressure, improving glucose control and circulation and boosting cardiovascular fitness, strength and muscle mass, depending on what you do. A 2022 review published in The Lancet found that taking more steps daily lowers the risk of mortality, and it doesn't matter if you walk fast or slow.

The researchers suggest that older adults (60+) benefit most from around 6,000–8,000 steps a day, while younger adults see the biggest gains at 8,000–10,000 steps, as an estimate.

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

Is zone 0 training enough?

As a trainer, I am a huge advocate for including low-impact activities in your schedule, but would I recommend it without higher-intensity cardiovascular training or resistance routines? Well, it depends.

For most healthy adults, I recommend a mix of cardiovascular and strength-building activities to maintain a healthy heart and set of lungs and to build strength, balance and muscle, especially at an older age.

But if you are just returning to exercise, zone 0 training is a valuable way to ease yourself into movement and build confidence, and I definitely recommend it alongside your regular routine. It can help you stay active, support recovery and build consistency, while still leaving room to explore more challenging workouts.

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We often talk about building a strong core, but we’re not referring to visible six-pack abs. Instead, we’re referring to the complex network of muscles that wrap around your trunk, acting as your body’s corset. This includes the deep transverse abominis, the obliques, the lower back muscles, as well as the glutes and pelvic floor.

When your core is weak, your spine absorbs more stress as you move and lift, so working on your core strength is one of the best ways to manage and prevent lower back pain. Your core also helps overall balance and prevents falls.

Yet if you’re a complete beginner or returning to exercise following an extended break, it can be difficult to know where to start. Luckily, you’ve landed in the right place. I asked certified personal trainer and strength coach Amy Kiser Schemper for a simple home workout that can build core strength and stability.

Read on to find out more. As always, if you’re pregnant or postpartum, or you’re exercising with an injury, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional.

What is the workout?

The workout consists of three different circuits, all with three exercises. Schemper says to do each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest. Repeat the circuits for a longer workout.

When these exercises feel easy, increase the intensity by holding a set of dumbbells. Check out the best adjustable dumbbells for working out at home.

Circuit 1

• Squat and rotational reach: Stand with feet hip-distance apart and sit back into a squat, keeping your chest lifted. As you stand out of the squat, rotate your torso and reach one arm overhead and across your body. Return to the center and repeat on the opposite side.
• Standing knee cross: Stand tall with your core engaged and posture upright, with hands behind your head. Slowly lift one knee across your body, bringing a knee toward the opposite elbow. Return to standing and repeat on the other side.
• Single-leg balance hold: Stand tall and shift your weight onto one foot. Lift the opposite foot off the floor and hold your balance while keeping your hips level and core engaged. Repeat on the opposite side. Place one hand on a wall, sturdy chair, or counter for added balance if needed.

Circuit 2

• Bridge hip lift: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Engage your core and lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing the glutes and hamstrings while staying connected to the abs. Pause at the top, then slowly lower your hips back to the floor.
• Dead bug: Lie on your back with arms reaching toward the ceiling and knees bent in tabletop (a 90-degree angle). Keep your core tight, and slowly extend the opposite arm and leg toward the floor. Return to the starting position and alternate sides.
• Lying knee drop: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, or lift your legs into a tabletop position for more challenge. Keeping your core engaged and hips stable, slowly lower one knee toward the side without allowing your pelvis to rotate. Return to center and alternate sides.

Circuit 3

• Bird dog: Come to the mat on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep the core pulled in and slowly extend one arm and the opposite leg. Keep your hips and shoulders square to the floor. Pause, then return to the starting position and switch sides.
• Plank singles: Start with your torso and legs facing down on the mat, lifting up onto your elbows. Using your core to control the movement, slowly lift onto your knees, trying to only use your abs to lift. For an added challenge, continue to lift up to the toes in a full plank position. Hold for a count at the top, then slowly return to the starting position with control. Minimize movement through the hips and shoulders — the goal is to create and control the movement primarily with your core.
• Side plank hip lift (on knees): Begin on your side with your knees bent and your elbow directly beneath your shoulder. Lift your hips off the floor to create a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Slowly lower your hips toward the floor, then lift them back up. Keep your core tight and avoid rotating your torso. Repeat on both sides.

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Running really is having its moment; suddenly, everyone seems to be outdoors, wearing the best running shoes and logging their times on Strava or Runna. But for those with joint issues, it might be inadvisable to run. In which case, you need a low-impact alternative to running that still builds strength, raises your heart rate and helps you burn calories.

I'm a personal trainer, and this is my five-move low-impact workout for those of you with joint pain or who, for whatever reason, aren't running. Even if you are a keen runner, I encourage strength training throughout life to maintain as much muscle mass, strength, mobility and balance as possible; it'll make you a stronger runner and less prone to injury, too.

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

Watch: 5-move full-body workout

First, let's look at the moves.

• Kettlebell or dumbbell swings: Glutes, hamstrings, core, hips, back, shoulders. Why it replaces running: Without running, your heart rate will still rise as you use an explosive hip hinge to drive the weight upward, training the entire posterior chain (the back of the body) — the muscles that running often neglects unless you do a lot of uphill work. Why it's low-impact: Your feet stay planted, so force is absorbed horizontally through the hips and core rather than vertically down through the joints.
• Bear crawl waves: Shoulders, chest, core, quads, wrists, forearms, hamstrings, ankles. Why it replaces running: Your upper and lower body work together (similar to a sprint gait), while building mobility and articulating the spine. Why it's low-impact: You maintain four contact points, removing impact on knees and ankles as you move horizontally.
• Thrusters: Full body — legs, glutes, core, shoulders, triceps, chest. Why it replaces running: Thrusters combine a squat with an overhead press, working the full body, including muscles you use for running, while raising your heart rate in one fluid motion. It's peak metabolic conditioning. Why it's low-impact: Again, your feet are connected to the ground, so there's no repeated jumping or impact bearing down on your joints.
• Speed skater taps: Glute medius (outer glutes), quads, hips, hamstrings, core, arms, shoulders, adductors. Why it replaces running: Lateral skater movements train side-to-side stability using a different plane of motion from standard running, which can improve agility for sports like soccer. This also strengthens the hip stabilizers and helps protect your knees, but try to stay light on your toes. Why it's low impact: You don't need to hop; step side to side if you prefer. Keep one foot planted at all times while moving at a smooth tempo, keeping a soft bend in the knees.
• High-knee drives: Hips, glutes, core, hamstrings, quads, calves. Why it replaces running: Variations of high-knee exercises are used to mimic running while strengthening the muscles used. This version removes the impact as you keep one foot planted while lifting the other leg against resistance. This will also train the knee drive used in sprinting. Use a band around your feet or knees if you have one, or loop your foot through a kettlebell. Why it's low-impact: Soft knees without constant force or jarring joints.

The workout: Breakdown

• Minute 1: 12-15 x Swings
• Minute 2: 12-15 x Bear crawl waves
• Minute 3: 10-12 x Thrusters
• Minute 4: 20 x Speed skaters
• Minute 5: 8-10 x per side High knee drives
• Complete 5 rounds.

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This is a 25-minute EMOM workout, which means Every Minute On the Minute. Complete the given reps within the minute, then rest for the remainder of the minute. In the next minute, complete the given reps of the next exercise, then rest, and so on. Focus on keeping the tempo high to keep your heart rate raised.

Everyone has a mix of fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers in the body. Your fast-twitch fibers are trained during speed and power and sustain exercise for shorter bursts (think sprinting); slow-twitch fibers typically sustain longer, slower efforts (think a long run or steady-state run).

To increase functional fitness, try to focus on both to maintain endurance, power, speed, balance and reaction time.

Choose weights that challenge you without compromising speed. Aim for around 10-15 seconds of rest per round, adjusting your reps if needed. Keep your core engaged and focus on the quality of your reps. I recommend a set of the best adjustable dumbbells or kettlebells for this routine and a band.

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Creatine, like many supplements right now, is having its moment. There's heightened press around the benefits of creatine, especially for women, in helping sustain energy levels and your efforts in the gym, and building or maintaining strength and muscle mass.

Creatine is often taken in powder form, and anywhere between 3 and 5 grams per day is estimated to suit most people, though creatine cycling or opting for other forms like creatine gummies or tablets has also become increasingly popular.

In my line of work as a personal trainer, I’m never too far away from a trending supplement, protein shake, or pre-workout. Despite dabbling with it here and there, though, I’ve never really used creatine consistently. Until now.

A few months back, I started taking creatine monohydrate every morning, mixing a 4g scoop into my water before exercise. If you’re unfamiliar with creatine and its benefits, I cover them below, plus contraindications and what I experienced when taking it.

Here’s what happened to my body.

What is creatine?

Creatine is a naturally produced organic compound from amino acids. It's primarily stored in skeletal muscle cells as phosphocreatine and acts as an energy supply during exercise, especially bouts of high-intensity movement.

Typically, exercisers supplement with creatine for high-energy or power-output demands, like powerlifting or sprinting. That said, it isn't a pre-workout, in the sense that it won't pump you full of caffeine or give you a slightly hectic buzz in the same way.

Many creatines, like the Warrior Creatine Monohydrate powder (above), come fortified with electrolytes, and you can also get unflavoured options if you don't like the taste of powders in your drinks.

In short, creatine helps people, from the everyday gym-goer to sportspeople, boost athletic performance by supporting rapid energy replenishment or turnover, helping you go longer and recover quicker. It is also used to help increase muscle mass and strength over time with regular, safe usage.

While the body produces creatine in the liver, kidneys and pancreas, you also absorb it through consuming foods like fish and red meat. Supplements should never replace natural supplies, but as the name suggests, they can act as a way to top up levels if you might be falling short.

If you're quite new to creatine, there's a process called ATP recycling. This means that inside your cells, creatine turns to phosphocreatine and helps regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is basically the primary currency of energy for producing muscular contractions. ATP is depleted during hard exercise efforts, so to sustain exercise, you want rapid turnover to keep you going.

Users supplement creatine to help bolster energy reserves in cells, which can increase training volume overall and translate into gains in strength, endurance and muscle mass.

According to sources like the Mayo Clinic, this could lead to "greater gains in strength, muscle mass and performance" and also help exercisers who require "rapid recovery during training and competition."

There is even a growing body of evidence "showing that creatine supplementation, particularly when combined with exercise, provides musculoskeletal and performance benefits in older adults," according to the National Institutes of Health. This is useful for anyone over 35 or women who are hitting perimenopause or menopause, as these are all instances where muscle mass, strength and bone density begin to naturally decrease (called sarcopenia).

There’s also research that suggests creatine can lower blood sugar and improve brain function. As reported by Tom's Guide, studies indicate that (larger) doses of creatine can fight fatigue and improve sleep deprivation.

I've been taking creatine for months — here’s what's happened to my body 

Before jumping in, we don’t encourage supplementation fads at Tom’s Guide, and I work based on my experience as a personal trainer and on existing research. What works for my body might not for you, so exercise caution if you try supplementation.

Also note that if you want to take larger doses, this isn't generally recommended every day long-term, so I strongly advise you to research creatine cycling to keep your body safe so that you can take breaks and taper appropriately.

In terms of day-to-day safety, creatine is well-researched and generally considered safe for daily use in healthy adults, though it can cause mild water retention. If you have any health conditions related to your liver, pancreas, or kidneys, or you're just unsure, seek medical assistance.

I've taken creatine before, but this time I locked in. Several months down the line, with consistent use, I've experienced the gentle uplift creatine provides during the slog of intense workouts, and my overall training output has increased. However, it shouldn't be treated as a pre-workout or an iso gel that will pump you full of caffeine or quick carbs, so try not to anticipate this if you take it.

That said, creatine is often found as a single ingredient in pre-workouts alongside caffeine, but rather than leaving you with the dreaded jitters, creatine takes care of improving performance output over time instead.

I've been taking 4 grams daily, and I plan to have a week off soon as a reset. I have noticed a little water retention this time around, but otherwise, no adverse effects yet, despite having a pretty sensitive stomach. I've been using Warrior Creatine, but I've just moved to C4 and have also taken Optimum Nutrition before (featured below).

I recommend doing your research and looking for pure creatine monohydrate with maximum bioavailability. Check the ingredients list: I like to opt for unflavoured (I hate the taste of anything pretending to be something it isn't. "Mixed berry" can get straight in the bin) and with added electrolytes.

I prefer the powder and trust it more, but if yours doesn't mix well and sits at the bottom of your drink, I would move to another brand.

Granted, as a trainer, I tell my clients to fuel with adequate protein (protein taken before workouts can help increase muscle protein synthesis, and this is how much protein you actually need to build muscle), plus plenty of sleep and active rest. But creatine is hitting the headlines more and more as a daily supplement with real, lasting benefits, especially for women who need to cling to muscle later in life.

As a woman myself, I know this battle already, and if it works for you, I recommend it. For the first time, I've really noticed a change in how my body looks. I feel great during exercise efforts (crucial if you have to perform continuous efforts), and I feel like I'm maintaining a great level of muscle mass right now.

Building muscle — called hypertrophy — takes months of consistency with your workout routine and progressive overload, and even then, body fat percentage plays a role in the definition you can see. Although I have leaned out a little this summer, I have definitely seen more muscle definition in my body from taking creatine consistently, along with my balanced lifestyle.

There aren’t any contraindications to taking creatine at night, but if you’re looking for the best time to exercise, a general rule of thumb is to avoid high-intensity workouts and heavy weightlifting sessions within a few hours of bedtime.

Personally, in the summer, I stick to early workouts, so this isn't really a problem for me. Whether this shift in timing has also improved fatigue and recovery levels alongside taking creatine, possibly.

Taking creatine shortly before (and after) exercise is the best way to fuel, as creatine is believed to also improve exercise recovery. First and foremost, I recommend always looking at your diet before adding a creatine supplement.

And finally, combining caffeine with creatine could worsen sleep and cause some stomach discomfort if you consume more than the recommended daily dosage. Always check the label and stick to the guidelines given by the product brand.

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• Forget crunches — this standing move trains your core and hip flexors and improves posture at the same time

At 35 (ahem, nearly 36), I've learned that building strong hips is a secret weapon for boosting mobility and keeping my body robust as I get older. Not only does it improve my ability to squat, deadlift and lunge safely, but it also helps me walk and run with more freedom, hike with less stiffness and feel generally more free and open.

The best hip mobility exercises will focus on strength, range of motion, balance and stability. For that reason, I want to share three simple exercises I swear by; if you sit at a desk for long periods, these are a game-changer for waking up stiff hips and relieving tension.

Check them out below, as well as some benefits.

3 simple hip-awakening exercises to try at home

Been at your desk a while? Here is your call to action. If you can, stand up, push your laptop aside and try these moves.

1. Single-leg hinge

This exercise opens your hips, rotates them and stretches the adductors, the muscles along the inner thighs.

Think of this exercise as a joint lubricant: aim for slow, controlled movement and try to increase the range of motion available with every rep.

• Stand with a chair to your right side and extend your right leg to the side, resting the inner part of your foot on the chair, toes pointed forward
• Place your hands on your hips and stand tall through your spine
• Bring a very soft bend to your left knee. Slowly hinge forward at your hips and push your butt back, lowering your chest to almost parallel to the ground in front of you
• Pause when you feel a stretch through your inner thigh. Drive upward to stand, then turn your toes to point to the ceiling
• Return to your starting position, complete your reps, then switch legs
• Aim for 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions per side, twice per week.

2. Lean back with hip lift

Lean backs are typically categorized as a core exercise, but this move also stretches and extends your hip flexors and works your quads. The aim is to keep both knees pressed down; if you need to, place a cushion or rolled-up mat beneath your knees for support.

Aim to keep your back straight and gaze forward, chin tucked.

• Kneel on a yoga mat or similar, toes tucked or untucked depending on your preference
• Sit tall through your spine and brace your stomach, engaging your core while maintaining your breath
• Extend your arms in front of you or overhead, then slowly lean back as far as you can without lifting your knees or losing your straight spine
• Pause. Place your hands just behind your hips, then press your hips upward toward the ceiling
• Slowly lower your butt to your feet, then return to your starting position
• Aim for 2 sets of 8-10 reps several times per week.

3. Figure-4 squat

This is a test of balance, control and stability. If you need, have a stable surface nearby that you can use for support.

It doesn't matter if you wobble or fall out of the posture, as this will improve as you build strength in your lower body over time. Figure-4 stretches your glutes, including the deep piriformis gluteal muscle, and also targets your groin and hips, works the small stabilizing muscles in your upper and lower legs, and strengthens your hips, knees and ankles.

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart
• Place your right foot just above your left knee and gently draw your right hip open. Flex the foot to protect your knee
• Send your hips back and lower into a single-leg squat, maintaining the figure-4 position while keeping your chest lifted and back straight
• Pause at the bottom of the squat, then press through your left foot and leg to stand
• Aim for 2 sets of 6-8 reps per leg, several times per week.

What are the benefits?

Where I can, I like to work the left and right sides independently, whether training myself or clients. It ensures you work without dominant muscle groups or sides taking over, and allows you to measure progress on both sides of your body, potentially improving imbalances or activating underfiring muscles.

The glutes are notoriously tight, underactive and underused. Weak glutes contribute to back pain and can cause potential issues with running, sports, or even walking.

Think about any tightness you might have in your spine or your lower body. Does it impact how you move? Does it cause pain or limitations? Think of this as a small, quick reset, creating more space around your pelvis and reducing tension in your spine.

While these exercises are recommended, you should always listen to your body and stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness, or tingling. Working with a physical therapist, personal trainer, or similar professional will help you determine what exercises are suitable for your body based on your personal journey.

That said, these three strengthening exercises will help build strength in the muscles surrounding the joints and improve stability, balance and weight-bearing.

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

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Having taken up Pilates a few years ago, I've learned one hard lesson along the way: sometimes, less is more. Pilates is known for building muscle endurance, core strength, better posture and increased overall stability, balance and coordination.

Typically, traditional classes tap into low-impact, high-rep, lightweight loading. That's because you really don't need heavy weights when you're hitting upward of 15 reps per move, with other moves layered on top. For this reason, I pay way more attention to moves that require less equipment and loading but still pack a punch.

The exercise below only requires a loop band or one of the best resistance bands for home workouts. The thicker, the tougher the exercise becomes; the thinner, the easier, but also the greater your range of motion. Pick your poison, and let's get started.

Watch: Banded hip march for core and hips

I would add this exercise to an existing core workout or to a hip mobility routine you enjoy.

I've been mostly sticking to 2-3 "activation" sets of 15-20 reps per side several times per week to activate my hips, core and glutes before lower-body workouts, but you could add bands or choose a thicker band and reduce your reps.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and secure a loop band over your feet
• Place your hands on your hips or overhead. You could hold a weight overhead if you'd like an extra challenge
• Keep your gaze forward and engage your core, bracing your stomach and slightly drawing your navel in
• Lift one knee into the air to roughly hip height. Avoid arching your back or leaning to one side, and stay tall through your spine
• Pause at the top, as if frozen in a marching position
• Slowly lower your leg, then repeat on the other side.

You're aiming to move against the resistance of the band to draw your knee upward, working your hip flexors, which activate to help raise your knee into the air. This motion mimics activities like climbing, sprinting, or walking, but with load.

Your core muscles, especially the deeper belt of core muscles known as the transverse abdominis, work hard to stabilize your torso and pelvis as you balance.

Standing hip marches even teach you to balance on one leg and independently work one side of your body, then the other, which is called unilateral training. It's a highly functional type of exercise, as simple movements like walking or stepping require you to do this.

Moreover, standing on one leg improves proprioception (your body's awareness of itself in space) and balance by strengthening the smaller stabilizing muscles in your legs, plus your joints, to stay upright.

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I like programming this move for older clients because it forces your abdominals to resist rotation, wobbles, or swaying while strengthening the typically weaker hip complex, which is prone to tightening if you sit for long periods. This is great if you want to improve posture and reduce sedentary time.

I find that anyone over the age of 60 or 70 in particular benefits from single-sided stability work, especially if balance and posture have taken a hit in recent years.

How to progress hip marches

This is about building deeper core strength to protect your spine and hips, so you might decide to work with your bodyweight and focus on slowing the tempo down.

If you choose to add more resistance, go for a heavier resistance band or hold weights at your chest, overhead, or by your sides to add core load.

If you suffer from tight hips or back pain, stop and rest. As a trainer, I like to work on strengthening weaker or tighter muscle groups that contribute to injury or pain, which means we're being preventative for the future. But that doesn't mean working to a place of pain.

If you're unsure how to engage your core properly, this short "bracing" routine might be helpful for you beforehand.

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I’ve been practicing Pilates for 15 years: it’s gotten me to the start line of six (nearly seven) marathons and helped me rebuild my core following the birth of my son two years ago. But more importantly, it’s helped me stay injury-free for years, giving me the functional strength to carry my toddler on my hip and the endless bags that come with being a mom.

One exercise that humbles me every single time is the dead bug. This simple-looking move is one of the best ways to train anti-extension core stability — in other words, you’re teaching your deep core to hold your spine and pelvis completely still as your arms and legs move.

Unlike sit-ups and crunches, this move won’t put your spine under pressure, making it suitable for beginners. That said, if you’re pregnant, postpartum, or you’re currently recovering from an injury, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional.

How to do a dead bug

Let’s start with how to do a dead bug with perfect form. You won’t need any additional equipment for this move, but to add resistance once it feels easy, hold a set of light dumbbells. Here are the best adjustable dumbbells for working out at home.

• Lie on your back. Use a yoga mat to make things more comfortable.
• Engage your abs and press your lower back flat gently toward the floor. Imagine you have a piece of paper under your lower back and you don’t want someone to be able to pull it out.
• Raise your legs into tabletop position — this means your arms are straight to the ceiling, with your elbows in line with your shoulders, and your knees are bent at 90 degrees.
• Slowly and with complete control, extend your left leg away from your body, stopping when it's a few inches off the floor. At the same time, extend your right arm away from your body. Think about reaching out as far as you can.
• Pause here for a few seconds, then bring both back to your starting position, repeating on the other side.
• Keep alternating sides, exhaling as you extend, inhaling as you return to tabletop.
• Opt for 10 repetitions on each side.

If you notice your back arching off the mat, you’re not engaging your core. Keep your arms still and just extend your legs, taking them out at a 45-degree angle. The lower your leg drops to the floor, the harder this exercise is.

What are the benefits?

This exercise works your deep core muscles, also known as your transverse abdominis. Far from sculpting visible abs, these deep muscles act as your body’s corset, protecting your spine from injury. Your obliques and outer core will also get a workout here, too.

If, like me, you’re a runner, this exercise helps build the cross-body coordination you’ll need for running and walking. You’ll be building deep stability in your core.

Bruno Pontes, a certified personal trainer at Muscle Booster, adds, “The dead bug is a great starting point for functional core training because it teaches you to keep your core stable while moving your arms and legs independently.

“The key is to move slowly and maintain control rather than rushing through the repetitions. It’s a relatively simple exercise, but it can help develop core stability, coordination and body awareness, making it a useful movement for people of different fitness levels.”

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As a trainer who exercises four to five times per week, I like to think I have pretty strong shoulders. A visit to my physio later, and I'm sadly humbled.

Having coped with under-firing muscles in my left shoulder for years, developing niggles, pain and weaknesses along the way, I knew it was time to put the work in if I really wanted to fix it. Sadly, no amount of overcompensation with presses, rows, or Pilates and yoga would help me avoid the (let's face it) pretty tedious but necessary strength and mobility exercises required to make my shoulder better.

Charlie Brahmbhatt, physiotherapist and co-founder of Arlen Health, told me to start with three exercises repeated several times a week at low intensity and high reps. The idea is to get the deeper, stabilizer muscles firing up around my shoulders to prevent the bigger, dominant ones from taking over the work (think the lats and pectorals, for example).

These three moves are game-changers, and I want to share them with you, along with some of the benefits. I use stretchy resistance bands and a set of light dumbbells, but all of them can be performed using your bodyweight.

3 shoulder exercises for strength and stability

Before we get stuck in, these three exercises have been specifically prescribed to me under the care and guidance of a physiotherapist and based on my individual shoulder condition.

I strongly advise seeking medical assistance, visiting your physician, or booking an appointment with a physical therapist before starting any exercise regimen or recovery program.

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

• Scapula push-ups, 8 reps, 10-second hold, 2 sets:
  • Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders directly over your wrists and your hips stacked over your knees. Lightly engage your core and push away with your hands to broaden through your upper back.
  • Gently draw your shoulders down away from your ears. Keeping your arms straight, perform a push-up without bending your elbows, lowering your chest toward the ground and squeezing your shoulder blades together. \
  • Press up and away to separate the shoulder blades again, holding the position at the top. Progression: perform from a push-up position (no knees) or practice extending one arm in front of you at a time while pushing through the grounded hand. Try holding for 5-10 seconds.

• Prone arm raises, 2x12-15 reps/ 3x18:
  • Lie on your stomach with your forehead resting on your right forearm, hips square and thighs and tops of the feet resting on a mat beneath you.
  • Extend your left arm by your side, palm up or down. Roll your shoulders back and down away from your ears and lift your shoulders slightly off the mat, knitting the shoulder blades together. With control (at least 3 seconds), lift your left arm into the air, pause at the top, then lower it again.
  • Repeat on the other side, moving slowly. Progression: hold a light weight in your hand.

• Internal rotations, 2x12-15 reps:
  • Tie a rehab band to something sturdy behind you just above shoulder height. Start in a half-kneeling position facing away from your anchor point with your right leg forward, knee bent, foot planted.
  • Grip the band in your left hand and raise your arm, elbow bent, to 90 degrees, as if performing a shoulder press. Clench your fist. Position your left elbow slightly in front of the shoulder at shoulder height. Check for a straight line from fist to elbow.
  • Slowly lower your left fist forward until roughly aligned with your elbow, or slightly lower. Pause, then control the movement up again. Remember to switch sides.
  • Progression: try a thicker band or move further from the anchor point. Position your right thumb and middle finger around the left pec and armpit to ensure your back and chest don't take over.

Why I love these exercises: Personal trainer verdict

I encourage clients to work on mobility and strength several times a week, as this helps train the lesser-known stabilizing muscles in the body, as well as those aesthetically pleasing, powerful muscle groups, like the glutes, lats, chest and quads.

Think of your stabilization work as strengthening the muscles that support and assist you in doing the sports and exercises you enjoy. Without them, injuries, pain and a spendy visit to your physical therapist could be waiting.

Sadly, many of us won't even realize we have muscular imbalances or weaknesses from underfiring and overcompensation until we feel the little aches and pains set in. Ideally, we want to strengthen and activate these weaker areas preventively rather than being reactive. A hard lesson I've had to learn with my shoulders.

These exercises work one side of the body at a time, known as unilateral training, allowing you to focus on your dominant and non-dominant sides without your stronger side taking over. That said, muscles such as your pectorals and lats can take over even when working unilaterally, so try not to compensate elsewhere; when fatigue sets in, "you're done," Charlie says.

Charlie asks me to use light weights and bands to maximize range of motion and control, ensuring the correct muscle groups switch on and work at those top rep ranges for better endurance while still working through resistance.

Each strengthening exercise is also low-impact on your joints, meaning it's suitable for the shoulder joints and the rotator cuff muscles surrounding the scapulae.

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Longevity tests aren't always all about how long you can run on a treadmill or whether you can touch your toes. That said, there are five longevity tests I would recommend trying if you are looking to assess your balance, strength and mobility as you get older.

The natural loss of lean muscle mass and strength later in life (if not built or maintained) can impact your balance, so if you've noticed falls or trips have become more frequent, it could be time to test your balance.

The aim after 40 is to maintain a good amount of functional ability and strength. If you're unable to do this balancing exercise for 30 seconds per side, I recommend adding some resistance training, single-sided exercises, or mobility drills to support getting better at it.

Below, let's test yours.

Watch: Balance test for 30 seconds

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.

The test

• Stork pose, 30 seconds per side:
• 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 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 stay as still as possible
• Slowly lower the left leg
• Reset, then switch sides. Test twice per leg, then try with your eyes closed.

The 'why'

The stork pose tests balance and stability using unilateral exercise. Learning to stand on one leg is also functional, as many exercises we do daily, like climbing, running, or tying a shoelace, require us to shift the weight from one side of our bodies to the other.

Hip flexibility and strength might limit how high you can raise your knee during this test, but don't worry, just lift the knee to a position that feels comfortable. Focus your gaze on an anchor point, which is anything unmoving.

Balance board brand Equibalanceofficial rates anything above 45 seconds as super strong, but actually, research shows that 30 seconds is a great place to aim for. In a study published in 2024, researchers found that standing on one leg is "a better measure of aging than changes in strength or gait," and "the greatest age-related decline in one-legged balance (occurs) especially when participants stood on their nondominant leg."

This can be from changes in proprioception, neuromuscular control, core strength and joint stability.

The constant realigning, wobbling and focus it takes to hold the position engages your small stabilizing muscles in the body, including your core, hip flexors and glutes. But you'll also feel this in your shins, calves, ankles and hip joints.

If there's a huge difference in your ability between the left and right sides, I strongly recommend adding more single-sided strength and balance exercises to your routine on a weekly basis to help even things out. Single-leg deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats and lunges are great examples, or investing in a Bosu ball.

Over time, regular balance training will help strengthen your joints, muscles and reaction times, which can improve exercise performance, help prevent injury and make daily life a lot easier.

If you've performed this test and aren't happy with your results, here's a five-move 'barefoot mobility' routine to get you prepared. And here's a five-minute 'bracing' routine to help you activate your core before exercise.

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I'm in awe of people who have high levels of mobility. You know the types: the ones who can sit into a deep squat, heels planted, butt almost touching the ground (and stay there) like it's nothing. Or the ones at CrossFit pumping out heavy overhead squats like they're not casually holding a very, very loaded bar over their heads.

I coach mobility several times a week, but I'm sadly not perfect. I have extremely tight ankles that I have to release every time I do a lower-body workout if I want to get any squat depth whatsoever, and dodgy shoulder joints from years of lifting without the best mobility exercises in my twenties. That said, I love mobility training, and I love coaching it even more.

It's hugely beneficial for joint health, and it's beginner-friendly and low-impact. So I encourage you to grab a set of the best adjustable dumbbells and try these three dumbbell mobility exercises at home. If I had weights to hand, I wouldn't stop doing them.

Watch: dumbbell mobility routine for all levels

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, squat, or kneel.

• Seated leg-overs, 3x 8-10 reps per side: Sit tall with your legs extended in front of you, spine long and back straight. Position a dumbbell on one end in front of you, outside of your left ankle. For an extra challenge, place your hands behind your head or hold a second weight overhead, arms extended. Lift your left leg up and over the dumbbell, tapping it lightly to the ground, then up and over again to the starting position. Switch legs after you complete your first set of reps.
• Half-kneeling weighted ankle pulses 3x8-10 reps per side: Start in a half-kneeling position with your right leg forward and left knee supported behind you. Place a dumbbell on top of your right thigh. Keep your torso upright and your right heel pressed into the mat, then gently pulse your right knee forward over your toes and back, stretching the ankle. Switch sides.
• Cossack squat exchanges 3x 8-10 reps per side: Stand with a dumbbell in your right hand, your legs wide apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Keep your spine tall, chest lifted and core engaged. Bend your left knee and lower into a side lunge, keeping your left heel grounded and lowering your butt as far down as possible without leaning forward. Tap the weight toward your left foot, then stand. Switch hands and repeat on the other side.

What are the benefits?

These three exercises teach your body control, strength, balance and stability under load.

Lifting your leg up and over the dumbbell works your hip flexors, and you'll also feel this in your core, quads and hamstrings. Try not to dump your leg back down to the ground; instead, think about lifting up and over for three seconds, then back in the other direction for three seconds. This is about strengthening your hips.

The ankle pulse is brilliant for dynamically stretching and mobilizing your ankles, which will improve squat depth and make lower-body workouts feel more accessible. Tight ankles can limit your range of motion and have a knock-on effect on your hips and knees. Track your knee over your toes while pressing your heel down for maximum effect.

Cossack squats strengthen your hips, glutes, core, hamstrings, quads, adductors, groin, calves and ankles using a wide-legged position. The goal is to sit your hips back and lift your chest while lowering as far as possible; your balance will be put to the test, especially if you use the dumbbell to load this exercise. Positioning a dumbbell on one end behind you can be helpful to measure how low you can get.

The idea is to tap into time under tension, which means keeping the muscles under contraction throughout. Keep your stomach braced and breathe expansively, drawing your ribcage outward to engage your core, diaphragm and pelvic floor.

Start with a light weight, then build up as you get stronger. Remember, mobility and strength take time to build, so while you might notice small improvements in the first few weeks by doing this routine several times per week, you'll need to stay patient for the long-term gains.

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

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The best deadlifts for lower-body strength differ depending on who you talk to. I prefer Romanian deadlifts to standard deadlifts, for example, but I know plenty of people who prefer single-leg variations, especially as this helps you train one side of your body at a time.

A deadlift you might not have heard of is the gladiator deadlift. It appears to be trending on social media right now, but if this move isn't already in your strength program, should it be?

Below, I discuss some benefits of the gladiator deadlift, how to do it step-by-step, and who might benefit the most from adding it to a regular lifting program.

I recommend a set of the best kettlebells or dumbbells for this. Ready? Let's crack on.

How to perform the gladiator deadlift

If you've deadlifted before, you'll be familiar with the hip-hinge movement pattern. This is no different, except you'll position a dumbbell or kettlebell on either side of your feet and cross over your body to pick up each weight.

Cross-body pick-ups add rotation into the exercise, which trains your anti-rotational core stability, as well as strengthens your glutes, hamstrings and the quadratus lumborum of the lower back (known as the QL).

The unique move means you can activate neglected muscles (like the lower back stabilizing muscles) and various core muscles, like your obliques, through rotation. However, I recommend lifting lighter than normal to begin with, as you need to control all aspects of this exercise, from picking up the weights to standing, then putting them down again.

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.

• Place two kettlebells or dumbbells on the floor just outside your feet and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
• Hinge forward at your hips while engaging your core and keeping your back straight and long.
• Reach across your body with your right hand and grip the weight placed on the left-hand side
• Keep the weight close to your leg and square your hips. Try to resist turning all the way to the side, then stand and fully extend your hips and knees as you bring the kettlebell to your right-hand side
• Repeat on the other side, keeping the first weight in your hand
• With control, hinge forward at your hips, then carefully lower your first weight to its starting position
• Stand fully, then repeat with the other weight. Think: cross-lift, cross-lift, cross-lower, cross-lower.

What are the benefits?

Functional strength

The gladiator deadlift is great for developing strength in your core, glutes, lower back, hamstrings, forearms and wrists using gentle rotation (though technically developing anti-rotational stability).

Why? The weight is placed off-center to the side of the body, meaning you must reach across to lift it, which creates instability through uneven loading; this load essentially tries to twist your torso.

As you reach over with the opposite hand, you're moving away from your midline, which is the center of gravity, hinging, then standing, creating a force called torque.

Stabilizing strength

Muscles like your QL and obliques work during movements like gladiator deadlifts, and you'll also work deep core engagement as you brace to lift and lower the weights with control. Try to keep your hips as square as possible to ensure this movement happens through the torso.

Why? Through controlling the entire exercise, you teach your muscles to resist unwanted movement and hold tension under load. Some of your muscles are lengthening and shortening (isotonic contraction), while deeper stabilizer muscles are contracting isometrically (without flexing or extending).

Glute and hamstring engagement

If you struggle to engage your glutes and hamstrings during deadlifts, this is for you. The hip hinge allows you to work the muscles along the back of your body, known as the posterior chain. The deeper spinal stabilizers will also be working, which are responsible for proper posture and protecting you from injury.

Why? Strong glutes and hamstrings support your lower back and power lower-body exercises.

Grip strength

Finally, holding and lifting heavy weights is great for building forearm strength and improving grip.

Why? Did you know grip strength is a key indicator of longevity? Balance and coordination are also key anti-aging exercises, and this strength exercise will help improve them.

For someone new to exercise, I'd recommend 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps per side.

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

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As we get older, strength training becomes less about building muscle and more about protecting yourself against age-related falls and loss of independence. Starting from the age of 30, adults lose 3-8% of their muscle mass per decade — a process called sarcopenia. This accelerates dramatically after the age of 60.

One of the best ways to slow down and even reverse this loss of muscle is to exercise. Strength training doesn’t have to mean hours in the gym lifting weights; simply using your bodyweight is a great way to build and maintain muscle, protect your bone density, and prevent falls.

Yet if you’re a complete beginner, or you’re returning to fitness following an extended break, it can be tricky to know where to start. To find out more, I asked geriatric kinesiologist Mercedes Fernandez for the five standing bodyweight exercises she recommends to clients. A kinesiologist studies human body movement to help people recover from injuries and manage chronic health conditions. While all of these exercises are suitable for beginners, if you’re working out with an injury, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a medical professional.

What are the exercises?

Below, Fernandez outlines the five different exercises she recommends, plus progressions. You won’t need any additional equipment, but as you get stronger, investing in a set of the best adjustable dumbbells can help you add resistance to the exercises.

1. Squats/Sit-to-stand

“This is one of the best exercises to practice regularly to maintain strength, coordination, and balance. We need these muscles for everyday movements such as getting up from a chair, out of bed, and even from the toilet.

"This exercise can be modified in many ways. For beginners, sit-to-stand with a chair is recommended before progressing to squats. For intermediate and advanced users, perform squats with a chair behind you to ensure safety.”

2. Wall sit

“This exercise emphasizes strength in the legs, glutes, and core. To perform this exercise, stand with your back against a wall. Walk your legs out slightly and bend to slide your back down the wall. Slide back up and repeat.”

3. Heel raises with different stances

“This exercise is known and easily doable. The twist here is to do it in different stances. For example, feet together (smaller base of support) and feet apart wider than a natural stance. Lifting onto the toes in these different stances will challenge the balance while also strengthening different muscles of the calf and ankles.”

4. Single-leg weight shifts

“This exercise targets balance and strength, requiring the core to activate. Start by shifting body weight onto one standing leg while hovering the other off the floor. Shift to the opposite side. The progression is to lift the free leg higher as balance improves. Always have a sturdy object within reach while performing these exercises for safety."

5. Tandem stance mini-squats

“Unlike ordinary tandem stance exercises, this one adds a twist of strength training.

Put one foot in front of the other as if walking on a tightrope. Begin to squeeze the core and bend gently into the knees. The key is to sit back slightly and keep the chest lifted so as not to lean forward. And stand back up. Always have a sturdy object within reach while performing these exercises for safety.”

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Low-impact doesn't mean fewer benefits; it means your joints undergo less stress while you build strength and muscle. For many, the knees are an all too familiar problem area, but that doesn't mean you can't build strong legs and glutes; it also doesn't mean you have to stop yoga altogether.

This short five-move yoga routine for strong knees keeps things low-impact on your joints while strengthening your lower body. It has been designed by yoga instructor and wellness expert Jack Bryant, and is perfect for adding a short, mindful burst of yoga into your day.

You don't need weights, but one of the best yoga mats is recommended, and that's all. You could do it from anywhere, including joining Bryant by rolling out your mat outdoors. It's suitable for beginners, and below I show you exactly how to follow it, plus the benefits.

Five yoga poses for knee strength from a yoga instructor

It's never too late to build resistance training into your program, and that can come in many forms. Yoga is renowned for improving mobility and flexibility and strengthening your body using your body weight. It helps move the body into the parasympathetic nervous system, which is good for reducing stress and anxiety and boosting relaxation.

It's unlikely to overload the muscles in a way that will build a lot of strength and muscle (I still recommend lifting weights several times a week), but it can definitely help beginners improve functional strength without weights.

Later in life, you'll be thankful for strong bones, muscles and ligaments that help you maintain an active lifestyle, and yoga contributes toward that.

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

• Chair Pose (Utkatasana): Stand tall with your feet together. Bend your knees. Lower your hips as if sitting in a chair. Keep your weight in your heels. Arms up by your ears. Shoulders away from the ears. Hold for five breaths. Why? Chair is a bit like a modified overhead squat and can improve thoracic mobility while strengthening your core and lower body. Try to zip your navel in and tuck your pelvis under so that you don't stick your butt out.
• Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II): Step your feet wide apart with one foot facing forward. The back foot is parallel to the back of your mat. Bend your front knee over your ankle. Keep your back leg straight. Reach your arms out wide at shoulder height and hold for five breaths. Switch sides. Why? Warrior II looks a little like a lunge, although your back foot is planted and turned slightly out. Your front knee should stack over your ankle and your thigh should be parallel to the ground, if you can. This is a true strengthener, so relax your shoulders away from your ears and remember to breathe through the trembles.
• Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana): Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your feet flat on the floor. Check that you can just touch your heels with your middle fingers. Lift your hips toward the sky. Squeeze your glutes and inner thighs. Press your feet into the floor. Hold for five breaths. Why? Bridge is a posterior chain strengthener, meaning it targets your lower back, glutes and hamstrings while extending your hips and engaging your core. Try to create a straight line from knees to shoulders and avoid dropping your hips.
• High Lunge (Ashta Chandrasana): Step your right foot forward. Bend your right front knee. Keep your back heel lifted. Engage your thighs and reach your arms up. Hold for five breaths, then switch sides. You can lower the back knee for more support. Why? The overhead arm position will engage more of your upper body; try to wrap your arms inward, palms facing each other. Again, aim to lower your thigh parallel to the ground and breathe.
• Tree Pose (Vrksasana): Stand on your left foot. Place your right foot on your left inner calf or thigh, or bring your toes to your mat and heel to your ankle. Avoid pressing your foot directly on your knee joint. Bring your hands together at your chest. Balance for five breaths, then switch sides. Why? Tree pose is a great balancing exercise that strengthens the stabilizer muscles in your lower body surrounding your hips, knees and ankles. Don't worry about the wobbles; the more you practice and center yourself, the more balance you'll build.

Why these 5 yoga exercises?

Start with a stable surface, including opting for a thinner mat for better foot-ground connection. For balance exercises, having a wall or chair nearby is useful, but try without first. The best way to improve your balance is to test it.

Balance work is great for building strong knees and ankles, and it will also improve your focus; find a point that doesn't move that you can gaze at, and play around with your foot placement and arm position.

Chair pose is a deep narrow squat that targets your legs, activates your core, tests posture and boosts stamina. Tuck your pelvis under a little so you don't stick your butt out and place stress on your lower back.

Bridge pose activates your glutes and stretches your hips, which is great if you sit for long periods. Squeeze your glutes at the top and draw your knees forward, pressing through your feet and keeping your chin tucked.

Warrior II builds lower-body strength, opens your hips, and stretches your groin and shoulders. It's also great for building stamina, balance and stability. High lunge (crescent lunge) is a standing pose that improves balance and stretches your hip flexors. It also builds core stability and opens the upper body if you raise your arms overhead.

For someone new to exercise, build up slowly and spend a few breaths on each move per side.

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

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As we age, leg strength becomes increasingly important. Our legs support us during a lot of our everyday movement, from walking and climbing stairs to getting out of a chair and staying steady on our feet. These everyday movements are what help us stay active and independent throughout our 60s and beyond.

But building lower-body strength doesn’t mean you need to start lifting heavy dumbbells or spend hours in the gym. Bodyweight exercises can still challenge the muscles in your legs, particularly when they’re combined with controlled movement and repeated consistently. Better still, you can pair them with something many of us are already doing: walking.

That’s the thinking behind this 10-minute walking-strength workout from Colin Pennington, Exercise Science Program Director at Gwynedd Mercy University. Pennington recommends combining short walking intervals with simple exercises like chair squats, calf raises and step-ups to target the major muscles of the lower body.

The routine he’s designed takes just 10 minutes, requires no weights, and can easily be adapted to your ability level. So, if you’re over 60 and want to make your daily walk work a little harder for you, this could be a smart place to start.

What is the 10-minute walking-strength workout?

Pennington’s routine alternates one-minute walking intervals with simple bodyweight strength exercises, giving you a mix of cardio and resistance work without needing any equipment. The strength moves target the quads, glutes and calves, and there are also balance and coordination challenges in there — all useful for maintaining everyday mobility as you age.

The routine is designed to be adaptable. You can walk in place or use a hallway for the walking intervals, hold onto a chair or wall for extra stability during the strength moves, and swap the step-ups for high-knee marches if you don’t have a suitable step nearby.

Here’s the full 10-minute routine:

• Minute 1: Gentle in-place or hallway walking
• Minute 2: Chair squats — 8–12 controlled reps
• Minute 3: Brisk walking
• Minute 4: Standing calf raises — 12–15 controlled reps
• Minute 5: Brisk walking
• Minute 6: Low step-ups — 8–10 reps per leg, or high-knee marches
• Minute 7: Chair squats — 8–12 controlled reps
• Minute 8: Brisk walking
• Minute 9: Standing calf raises and step-ups
• Minute 10: Gentle cooldown walk with deep breathing

Don’t worry about racing through the strength exercises to fill the entire minute. Prioritize slow, controlled reps and good form, then use any remaining time to reset before moving on to the next interval.

How to do the strength exercises

1. Chair squats

Chair squats strengthen the quads, hamstrings and glutes — the muscles you rely on for everyday movements like standing up, climbing stairs and walking uphill. Using a chair also gives you a clear target to work toward, making this an accessible squat variation.

• Stand in front of a sturdy chair with your feet around shoulder-width apart. Place the chair against a wall so it can’t slide.
• Push your hips back and slowly lower yourself as if you’re going to sit down.
• Lightly touch your glutes to the seat rather than dropping your weight into the chair.
• Press through your heels to return to standing.
• Aim for 8–12 controlled reps.

2. Standing calf raises

Don’t overlook your calves when it comes to building stronger legs. These muscles help propel you forward when you walk and play an important role in ankle stability and balance.

• Stand behind a chair or beside a wall or countertop for support, with your feet hip-width apart.
• Press through the balls of your feet and slowly lift your heels as high as feels comfortable.
• Pause for one second at the top.
• Lower your heels back to the floor with control.
• Complete 12–15 reps.

3. Low step-ups

Step-ups mimic climbing stairs, so they’re particularly useful for building the kind of leg strength that carries over into everyday life. They work the quads and glutes while adding a balance and coordination component.

• Stand at the bottom of a staircase or in front of a sturdy low step and hold onto a handrail or wall if needed.
• Place your whole right foot on the step.
• Press through your right heel to step up, bringing your left foot up to meet it.
• Step back down carefully, one foot at a time.
• Complete 8–10 reps leading with the right leg, then switch and match the number of reps on your left.

If there’s no step nearby, march in place instead, aiming to lift each knee toward hip height.

Why combine walking and leg strength after 60?

Walking is a brilliant way to support cardiovascular fitness, mobility and overall activity levels as we age, but adding strength work helps fill an important gap. Exercises like squats, calf raises and step-ups challenge the muscles that support your knees, hips and ankles, helping you stay stronger as you age.

Combining the two also makes your workout more efficient — you’re getting your heart rate up while strengthening your lower body at the same time. Start at a pace that feels manageable, use support where you need it, and focus on consistency rather than intensity. Over time, those 10 minutes can add up.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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.

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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
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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.

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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.

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• 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.

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
• I teach people how to be strong and mobile: this is the one exercise I regret ignoring for years
• I teach people over 50 to be mobile: 3 low-impact moves that build more stability than a 30-minute walk

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.

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'

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.

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'

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.”

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

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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'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 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.

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

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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.

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'

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.

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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.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’m 72 years old — here’s the simple bodyweight workout I do to build strength and mobility with just 5 exercises
• Forget burpees —the 'Pilates burpee' is beginner-friendly and low-impact (and you’ll love it)
• 30 minutes, full body — two trainers share the workout that builds muscle and strength