Coleen Rooney does hers in the shower, Jennifer Lopez in her garden, Arnold Schwarzenegger at the gym, with such enthusiasm, he once said, “I do squats until I fall over and pass out.”

While I don’t go that far, this underrated exercise is integral to my own workouts. Squats are endlessly versatile and suitable for every age and exercise level, can be a high or low-impact exercise, and not only improve strength, but mobility and cardiovascular fitness too.

“Squats are without doubt the most effective compound exercise to build strength and burn calories, and a form of functional movement that makes everyday activities such as walking, getting out of the car and climbing stairs easier,” says the personal trainer Cornel Chin.

But 100 a day?

PEWAUKEE, Wis. — Heart disease, type 2 diabetes and different types of cancers are linked to living an inactive lifestyle, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). 

AHA said the easiest way for someone to get moving and improve their health is to start walking. This is something Cindy Milgram does often, even after open heart surgery.

“Working out indefinitely is a mental release,” Milgram said. “It’s relaxing; it allows you to focus and stay mindful on taking care of your body, listening to your body and doing what you need to stay heart healthy.” 

Since she lives an active lifestyle, Milgram was shocked in 2021 to find out she had a heart murmur.

“I was completely asymptomatic,” Milgram said. “I was going in for an annual physical. A physical that was a year later than I would have liked, but because of COVID, I did not go in.” 

She had open heart surgery to repair a leaky mitral valve.

“I was out for about six weeks,” Milgram said. “Then I had cardiac rehab, which most women don’t get prescribed. When they do, we encourage that because it’s what helped me return to a normal lifestyle.” 

Maddie Goetsch is the fitness coordinator at ProHealth West Wood Health and Fitness Center. She said the current exercise guidelines for cardiovascular health are 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week and 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. 

“It doesn’t have to be vigorous to get started, maybe just amp up the minutes a bit,” Goetsch said. “Any piece of equipment that’s getting your heart rate up. You think stair climber for those very advanced people. Even just treadmill, seated bike for my knee replacement folks. Anything that gets your heart rate elevated.” 

While exercise is nothing new for Milgram, she now realizes how important it is to live a heart-healthy life. 

Now, she’s on the board for AHA.

“Eating a heart-healthy diet or a healthy diet and being able to workout every day, exercising, even just walking 30 minutes a day makes all the difference,” Milgram said. “Most of cardiovascular disease can be prevented if you take care of your health at an early age.”

Ivanka Trump‘s “luxury personal trainer” has revealed how you can get your dream body from the comfort of your home—and the items you need to build the ultimate workout center on your property.

Sandy Brockman is an Austin, TX-based fitness expert who has made a name for herself in the workout world for whipping some of the biggest A-listers into shape.

Along with the First Daughter, the 52-year-old is credited with helping a number of other marquee names gain taut waistlines and rock-hard abs.

Now, Brockman has exclusively told Realtor.com® how you can achieve the body of your celebrity idol right from your bedroom.

The strength training expert explained how working up a sweat at home can be more effective than “killing yourself” at the gym—and the household items you can use in place of dumbbells if you are on a tight budget.

Brockman opened up about the advantages of training at home and which workouts will get you the body of your favorite Hollywood heavyweights.

She revealed that the things you need to build your ultimate home gym are “dumbbells, a yoga mat, and bands,” adding that advanced fitness enthusiasts can purchase a rowing machine or a treadmill for cardio.

Speaking about one of the biggest perks of a home workout routine, she told Realtor.com®: “I think the benefit is consistency—you’ll actually do it. That’s the No. 1: You don’t have to get in your car and drive to the gym. It’s just right there, so there are no excuses.”

Brockman noted that sweating in the comfort of your home can also help you get more in tune with your body and get rid of any “gymtimidation.” She added that training in one of your rooms can help you establish a “baseline” of what to do when you do step into a gym.

“Definitely get at least a minimum of a 20-minute routine at home that you can take into a gym so that you always have that sort of baseline.

“If you have gym intimidation, it’s like, ‘Okay, I do this at home. I know what I’m doing. Here are the dumbbells. They look like my dumbbells at home.’ That’s a great way to start getting confident to go to the gym,” she said.

And while exercising at home can have its perks, Brockman warned beginners to avoid getting too comfortable and falling into a non-motivational pattern.

She explained that getting yourself in the mindset is the “hardest” part, suggesting that workout devotees use a training video online or download a “minute on the minute” app to help them stay on track.

“I think motivation is key in your house. You either need to blast music, have a timer keeping you on time and on task, or a video,” Brockman revealed.

The fitness pro revealed that if you commit to it, working out at home can be more beneficial than exercising at the gym.

She explained: “A 40-minute workout is great at home but a 20-minute workout at home five times a week is just as good as an hour workout at the gym four days a week.”

When it comes to what workouts you should do at home, she recommended “squats, push-ups, dumbbell bent over rows, kettlebell swings, and lunges.”

She called these “the basics,” adding that “you can riff off of these if you are advanced.”

Brockman has previously revealed that she has helped Trump achieve her dream body by urging her to do the same workouts with heavier weights.

Brockman recommended “three different sets of light, medium, and heavy dumbbells.”

And for those on a tight budget, Brockman lifted the lid on household items that can be used in place of workout equipment.

She admitted that many of her A-lister clients use “broomsticks” to stretch with when in a pinch, before revealing that you can use “water bottles,” “soup cans,” or anything with a “round shape” instead of dumbbells.

Brockman urged homeowners to consider their fitness goals when buying or renovating their homes.

“Put building a home gym into your plans because you will use it,” she advised. “Don’t make it an afterthought. It will change your life to have a room aside for fitness.”

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