Building strength is about helping your body cope better with everyday demands – sitting, standing, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling. And you can do a lot for your health with very little equipment, space or time. You do not need gym membership, heavy weights or complicated routines. In fact, some of the most effective strength work uses simple movements you already do in daily life.

Key Movements to Support Your Health

• Push movements – using your arms and upper body to push something away
• Pull movements – drawing something towards you, important for posture
• Standing / squat movements – getting up and down
• Hinge movements – bending at the hips to lift safely
• Core stability – supporting and controlling movement
• Leg strength & balance – how we walk, climb stairs and move confidently
• Carrying & holding – real-life strength for everyday loads

Single-leg movements help build strength, balance and coordination. Many everyday activities happen one leg at a time - walking, climbing stairs, stepping off kerbs or moving on uneven ground.

Training one leg at a time helps improve stability and confidence, and can support joint health as we age. You don’t need special equipment or a gym for this to be effective. Try this:

• Stand facing a step, sturdy box or bottom stair
• Place one foot fully on the step
• Push through that foot to stand up tall
• Step back down with control
• Repeat on the same side before switching

That’s a step-up. Start with a low step and focus on steady, controlled movement. As you build confidence, you can increase the height slightly - but every version counts. You don’t need a high number of repetitions for this to be worthwhile. A good starting point is 6 to 10 controlled repetitions on each leg, take a short break, and then repeat.

❄️ Beat the Cold February Challenge: Log 6 hours and get a £60 voucher! Still chilly out there? Wrap up, get moving, and show winter who’s boss — one activity at a time.

📅 February Ten Days Active Challenge: Just ten active days this month. Very doable, very motivating, and a great way to keep momentum going 🔥.

🌊 ACG ARP: Chase the Coast: Inspired by the coast, powered by movement. Run, walk or ride your way through this scenic-inspired challenge.

🖤 Virtual NYRR Black History Month Challenge: Run 28 miles and move with purpose this February.

What are some of your life goals? To be the fastest 70-year-old in the world? Any active person would happily take that!

Our inspiration this week is Canadian Wendy James, who gave up running when her successful teenage running career came to an end with a horrible injury.

Told that she’d never run again, she got married, had kids, became a teacher. Until one day she was at the track with her son, and she fell in with the seniors. After 33 years she started training again.

Last year Wendy broke *4* world records, clocking 14.63 seconds over 100m.

Hats off to you Wendy, a proper inspiration for not letting age be a barrier and remembering the things you’d wanted once upon a time.

Watch the CBC Sports interview with Wendy on Instagram.