2 minute leg strengthening exercises.

Stand on one leg. 

If you brush your top teeth first, then stand on your left leg until you’ve finished. Then swap to your right leg for the bottom row. Pretty soon you will have increased balance and strengthened your ankles and the supporting muscles in the leg. You will also be working your ‘proprioception’ which is your body’s method of working out where you are in space. (I’ll give you a clue – 3rd planet from the Sun).  

Calf raises. 

Again, this will help build strength in your legs and improve your balance. Don’t believe me, try holding the raise at the top for a split-second. At the start you’ll be moving all over the bathroom. Keep count, aim to increase by 1 rep each time you do it. Rest in between days when you first start. 

Once you’ve mastered the above, switch to single leg calf raises. Left leg for top row of teeth, right for bottom row. *You may find you have to hold onto something to keep your balance – aim to not push down against something as this will take some weight off the movement.  FOCUS on keeping your feet straight, try not let your ankles flare out to the side. 

Play with it, start gradually, this is a life habit you’re building – not a ‘30 day hack'. One of the main causes of injury in older people comes from falls. This is due to either a lack of balance or lack of strength in the legs to stop the fall.  

Message me the first time you reach for something on a high shelf and you do it effortlessly (this was the first time I knew it was doing some good). Share your longevity habits with the group!