If you can do this ‘daunting’ exercise, your body is moving the way it should

It’s all about strength and mobility (Picture: Getty Images)

When viewers saw Leilani Vega’s video of an exercise that checks whether ‘your body is moving the way it should’, they reacted as though they’d been asked to lick their own elbows.

‘Let me call the paramedics first,’ joked one, while another wrote: ‘My hips already told me no and I haven’t even gotten up yet’

‘I’ll try it after I put the kids to bed,’ a third commenter added. ‘They don’t need to see me fighting for my life.’

The clip, which has racked up over a million combined likes on Facebook and Instagram, starts off with the influencer standing with her hands behind her head and her feet shoulder width apart.

Leilani then squats, before switching into kneel, then moving into a seated position and standing back up again — all without using her arms.

While Bruno Pontes, an ACSM and AFAA-certified personal trainer at Muscle Booster, understands this could seem ‘complicated’ or ‘daunting’, he tells Metro it’s actually ‘an excellent fundamental movement and actually pretty achievable.’

Essentially a bodyweight squat with a couple of extra steps, he calls the routine ‘a measurable benchmark for real-world fitness and longevity’.

However, Mark Harris, qualified personal trainer and Mirafit expert, likens it to the ‘sit-to-stand test’, which can evaluate everything from lower body strength to coordination.

If you’re struggling, it could mean you aren’t as limber as you should (or at least could) be — which Leilani claims is a common issue among those who lead sedentary lifestyles, like so many of us do nowadays

‘Spending long periods of time sitting down, such as at work, can reduce muscle activation, while increasing muscle stiffness throughout the body,’ Mark tells Metro.

‘Over time, this can impact strength, mobility and coordination, all of which are needed for exercises like the sit-to-stand.’

You don’t need to become a gym bunny or give up your desk job to learn this move though.

‘Over time, anyone can improve their mobility, movement quality and overall strength by staying active and incorporating regular physical activity into their routine,’ explains Mark.

‘Like many functional movements, it’s less about natural ability and more about consistent practice and progression.’

It’s something you can build over time with consistent effort (Picture: Getty Images)

Recent Muscle Booster research found that many people overlook how everyday activities contribute to their wellbeing because they don’t require visible or structured effort.

However, Bruno says: ‘Simple activities like taking the stairs instead of the lift and even standing on public transport can quickly add up and supplement your overall fitness without the need or pressure to make time for structured workouts and training sessions.’

He also recommends regular movement breaks, where you get up from your computer and get the blood pumping, along with home-friendly exercises like step-ups and side lunges.

‘Training mobility is essential to help maintain independent movement, especially as we age,’ the trainer adds. ‘Prioritising it now is an investment in your future independence, acting as your personal protection against stiffness and injury.’

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