{"id":757372,"date":"2026-06-24T04:44:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T04:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/757372\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T04:44:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T04:44:19","slug":"angela-rippon-81-reveals-the-one-exercise-she-never-skips-for-strong-legs-i-do-it-every-morning-without-fail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/757372\/","title":{"rendered":"Angela Rippon, 81, reveals the one exercise she never skips for strong legs: ‘I do it every morning without fail’"},"content":{"rendered":"

At 81, Angela Rippon is one of the UK’s most energetic and active broadcasters. A long-time advocate for movement, the former ballet dancer has often credited simple, consistent habits with helping her stay strong, mobile and independent as she gets older. And among her daily rituals is one surprisingly simple exercise she swears by: pli\u00e9s.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ll do 20 pli\u00e9s in the morning, because that\u2019s really good for your balance, your knees, your posture, your core strength, for everything,\u2019 she told Good Housekeeping<\/a>. \u2018Ballet is a wonderful thing for keeping your legs in good shape. It builds the right muscles in your calves and thigh. I go to class whenever I can. I\u2019m a great advocate for dance<\/a> being the best form of exercise for your mind and your body.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"angela<\/p>\n

@theangelarippon\/\/Instagram<\/p>\n

Pli\u00e9s are an easy move that require no equipment and Rippon\u2019s 20 reps take less than a minute to do, yet experts agree that they can offer a host of benefits, from improving balance and posture to building lower-body strength and supporting healthy joints. As Women\u2019s Health Fashion Editor and dance instructor Isabelle Knevett says, \u2018Plies strengthen the legs, glutes and inner thighs simultaneously. They also require core activation in order to maintain an upright posture, which helps train your balance and stability.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Research backs Rippon’s morning habit, too. A 2024 study<\/a> found that a 10-week classical ballet programme improved lower-body strength and physical function in women over 50, suggesting ballet-inspired movements may help support mobility and independence as we age.<\/p>\n

And Angela has one more non-negotiable within her morning routine: stretching<\/a>. \u2018I do it every day without fail. Even if I\u2019m on a really tight schedule and in a very small hotel room. Think about a cat. A cat might sleep for five hours, but when they get up, they stretch absolutely everything. I feel that after I\u2019ve been sleeping, that\u2019s what I need to do to get everything moving again.\u2019<\/p>\n

As for its benefits for longevity, a recent study<\/a> published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports found that greater flexibility<\/a> was associated with a lower risk of early death, while other research found that a 10-minute at-home stretching routine can counteract significant decreases in strength, flexibility and jumping performance caused by low physical activity levels. Consider us influenced.<\/p>\n

\"plan\"<\/p>\n

One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women\u2019s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo<\/a> exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan \u2013 created exclusively for Women\u2019s Health COLLECTIVE members \u2013 you\u2019ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.<\/p>\n

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\"Headshot<\/p>\n

As Women\u2019s Health UK\u2019s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.<\/p>\n

After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine\u2019s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!<\/p>\n

Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner\u2019s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in <\/a>print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as \u2018Fit At Any Age\u2019, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.<\/p>\n

She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks \u2013 all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n