I'm a personal trainer — this is the surprising lower-body exercise I recommend to most people after 50 trying to boost mobility

Blonde woman in pink workout gear against a blue sky backdrop holding her knee to her chest for a stretch — (Image credit: Getty Images)

I'm someone with very tight ankles, as I explained during my 30-day "Fix Your Ankles" mobility challenge, which (sadly) limits my squat depth. Squats are one of the best compound exercises for building lower-body strength, and while they're not exactly essential for every resistance routine, they're certainly one of the most effective movements out there.

There are squat variations that work better for my body, including front squats, but one I've been working on recently is the supported stiletto squat or heel-raised squat. I use it with my dad, whose tight ankles I'm starting to think might be genetic. He credits the exercise with improving squat depth and working his quads harder.

Before you get started learning how and why the supported stiletto squat is worth it, it might not be suitable for those with bad knees, though it will help strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints. If you're worried about pain or injuries, I recommend speaking with a health professional beforehand.

Watch: Supported stiletto squat

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.

Place blocks or plates roughly hip-width apart behind you. Roll onto the balls of your feet and rest your heels on the plates or blocks.
Engage your core, bracing your stomach as if expecting an impact while drawing your navel in and up.
Sit your hips back and perform a squat, lowering slowly and with control. Keep your spine straight and chest proud without leaning forward.
Pause at the bottom of the squat, then drive upward through your legs to stand. Try to keep your knees tracking in line with your toes and avoid rounding your back.

The supported stiletto squat works your glutes, hips and legs with a quad and front-loaded focus, but unlike the supported version, it tests balance less while still helping improve ankle mobility. Try to stay up on your tiptoes to work the calf muscles harder.

The position of the block or plate beneath your heels elevates the back body more, tilting your weight further forward over your toes. That said, it's important to keep your heels down and sit your hips back into the squat rather than trying to move vertically. Think about a chair behind you as you lower.

People with tight ankles will enjoy this squat variation because it allows them to sit deeper, increase range of motion, and work their lower body harder without being limited. As soon as my dad elevated his heels this way, he could sit much deeper into his squat and reported that his legs and quads were working harder.

Try to stand with your feet hip-width apart and move with your body weight first. Next, hold a weight in each hand at your shoulders. You could also hold one weight to your chest using both hands, extend your weights out in front of you, or even press the weights overhead for an overhead squat.

As you lower into the squat, keep your chest proud and try to avoid tilting forward. Stay tall and focus on a slow descent and powerful ascent to maximize control and power. At the bottom of the squat, pause for a moment, then drive up to stand.

What are the benefits?

Unlike the unsupported stiletto squat, which requires you to balance on your toes without support for your heels, the supported version allows you to lift heavier while still improving stability and engaging your core.

Unlike the unsupported stiletto squat, which requires you to balance on your toes without support for your heels, the supported version allows you to lift heavier while still improving stability and engaging your core.

If you have particularly tight ankles, I recommend focusing on a regular ankle mobility routine to improve range of motion over time, but the supported heel-raised squat will allow you to sit deeper and reach parallel with less struggle and pain.

Some people are blessed with healthy joints and may never sacrifice range of motion due to mobility, but for others, it can inhibit lower-body movement significantly.

You're still strengthening your glutes, core, hips, hamstrings, quads and calves without letting your knees pass too far over your ankles, though your individual anatomy, like the length of your bones, will influence this to some degree, too. Just ensure you're not straining your knees while you move.

This bodyweight exercise is especially great for runners, those who are currently rehabbing an injury, or anyone building up to squats.

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Sam Hopes is a level 3 qualified trainer, a level 2 Reiki practitioner and fitness editor at Tom's Guide. She is also currently undertaking her Yoga For Athletes training course.

Sam has written for various fitness brands and websites over the years and has experience across brands at Future, such as Live Science, Fit&Well, Coach, and T3.

Having coached at fitness studios like F45 and Virgin Active and taken on both 1:1 and group, Sam now primarily teaches outdoor bootcamps, bodyweight, and kettlebells.

She also coaches mobility and flexibility classes several times a week.

Sam has completed two mixed doubles Hyrox competitions in London and the Netherlands and finished her first doubles attempt in 1:11.