Bollywood actress Malaika Arora is known for her dedication to fitness. Whether she’s heading to the gym or posting workout videos online, the 51-year-old often shares health and fitness tips with her fans. In her latest Instagram post, Malaika showed one of her favourite lower-body workouts: dumbbell half-squats, to help tone thighs and glutes.
Her go-to exercise for toned thighs
In the video, Malaika is seen holding dumbbells in both hands while performing half-squats on a yoga mat. She recommends the move for anyone looking to lose thigh fat and achieve well-shaped hips, which she refers to as “apple hips.” Her tip: “Just do 3 sets of 15!” she wrote on the post, adding the motivational line, “Stronger every day, fitter every moment.” She captioned the video with the phrase “Sculpted simplicity” and included a weightlifting emoji.
Why dumbbell half-squats work
Squats are a popular strength-training exercise that targets the glutes, thighs, and core. The half-squat version is a slightly easier variation of the full squat, but it still offers great benefits. It helps build strength, improve balance, and burn calories.
Dumbbell half-squats focus on several major muscle groups, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, hip flexors, and core. They are also beginner-friendly and don’t require any special equipment apart from a pair of dumbbells.
How to do dumbbell half-squats
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to try this exercise at home or the gym:
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and look forward.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Push your hips back slightly and lower your body by bending your knees.
- Keep your chest up and core engaged for balance.
- Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground—this is the half-squat position.
- Hold the position briefly, then push back up to standing, keeping your back straight.
- Repeat the move. Aim for 3 sets of 15 reps, or adjust based on your fitness level.
This simple exercise, recommended by Malaika, is a great way to start working on lower-body strength and fitness.
