I'm a personal trainer — when I notice mature clients struggle with balance, this is the one move I give them to fix it

Not everyone reaches a certain age and struggles with balance. Still, I’ve noticed a common theme among mature clients during workouts or mobility routines: the wobbles. And this is the exercise I always prescribe (injuries permitting).

Maintaining or building balance as you age is a strong indicator of longevity, helping you stay mobile and independent and prevent daily tasks from becoming too difficult. Think about activities you may not even think about: running, walking, climbing the stairs, or lifting one foot to tie up your sneakers.

As we age, we begin to lose muscle mass and bone density, which means strength, coordination, flexibility and balance are at risk of decline. Did you know that we begin to lose strength and fitness around 35? Yep, you read that right.

But it’s never too late to get started with exercise; I recommend it to every age category. It can help you reverse aging, maintain lean muscle, build strong bones and increase mobility and flexibility — all of which will keep you stronger for longer.

Want to know the one move I prescribe when I see people struggle with balance? This is it.

Plié squat with calf raises

Who doesn’t want the balance of a ballet dancer? I’ve seen a few variations of this exercise, but this version involves keeping your heels together and toes opened wide, allowing you to sit back into a squat position while testing hip, knee and ankle mobility. If you prefer, you can walk your heels slightly further apart to begin with, using a wider stance.

I like to add a calf raise for an extra challenge and to work the pretty underused calf muscles in the lower legs, which help you walk and run and contribute to forward propulsion and balance.

This exercise doesn’t just increase balance, it also builds strength in your inner thighs, quads, hips, glutes (especially the outer glutes), hamstrings, core and calves, making it a lower-body strengthener as well as a mobility exercise.

How to do plié squats with calf raises

During this exercise, think about keeping the weight in your heels and sitting back as if lowering into a chair behind you. If you find balancing difficult, you may find your body wants to lean forward, making the weight transfer to your toes, so always keep your chest lifted and move with control rather than speed.

Start with your bodyweight, then add dumbbells or kettlebells for added intensity. I like to add a pulse at the bottom, too. Remember, as you drive up to stand, you will lift onto your toes for the calf raise, so try to make this all one fluid movement.

• Stand with your heels together and toes turned outward. If you would like to, hold a weight to your chest with both hands
• Engage your core, then send your hips back and lower into a squat. Try to sit your thighs parallel to the ground or lower if you can
• Keep the weight in your heels and track your knees in line with your toes
• Pause at the bottom, then drive upward to stand and squeeze your glutes. Keep your chest raised and weight in your heels
• As your hips and knees extend, lift onto your toes with control
• Pause at the top of the calf raise and squeeze your calves, then lower your heels slowly to the ground
• Aim for 3-4 sets of 8 reps.

Form tips from a personal trainer

If you can't lower into the squat with your heels together, there's plenty of benefit to walking them further apart. Limited mobility in the hips, knees, ankles, or thoracic spine, or even tight muscles, can inhibit movement.

One way to determine if your form is correct is to look at your knees. Are they tracking in line with your toes? Good. Are they caving in? Not so good. Try to push them out and squeeze your glutes. As I briefly mentioned above, it's important to stand tall and avoid leaning forward. Always think about the weight distributing across your feet and press into your heels.

When I first started training my dad (he's in his seventies), I found he tried to vertically lower into a squat, which meant he could barely squat at all. Instead, I taught him to think about a chair behind him and asked him to try to sit in it. We used a chair on multiple occasions to help him sit his hips back, and this is what I want you to do if you need to.

Finally, let's not forget the calf raises. Did you know that your calves are called your second heart? When working these muscles, the contractions act like a pump to move blood around the body, aiding circulation and reducing the likelihood of swelling or pooling. The more you can keep them active, the better, as they also help you move around, balance and exercise.

And let's not forget this is a lower-body strength exercise, building your legs and glutes, which support activity, daily tasks and stability; strong glutes also protect your lower back.

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