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:

  1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and look forward.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms relaxed at your sides.
  3. Push your hips back slightly and lower your body by bending your knees.
  4. Keep your chest up and core engaged for balance.
  5. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground—this is the half-squat position.
  6. Hold the position briefly, then push back up to standing, keeping your back straight.
  7. 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.