Your Apple Watch is jam-packed with vital information about your health. It keeps track of everything from how much you’re standing to how many steps you’re taking, and celebrates every time you hit your daily goals in each category with a closed ring. But while all these stats are important, according to board-certified cardiac surgeon Brian Lima, MD, there’s one ring that stands above all the rest as the most important one to fill in every day: your exercise ring.
According to Apple, the exercise ring shows: “How many minutes of brisk activity you’ve completed, whether you’re just moving at a fast pace or doing a specific workout.” Ideally, you’ll be getting at least 30 minutes of this type of movement every day in order to close the ring.
“I’d have to say that completing your ‘exercise’ ring is the most important, because regular exercise is one of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 Measures You Can take To Reduce Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease,” says Dr. Lima. “By completing the exercise ring, you’re helping maintain not only your cardiovascular health, but also promoting your overall wellbeing, mental sharpness, self-esteem and other cascading benefits,” he says. And as he puts it: “When our heart is firing on all cylinders, the rest of your body tends to follow its lead.”
The goal, Dr. Lima says, should be to make daily exercise a “nonnegotiable part of your daily routine that’s right up there with brushing your teeth.” The good news, though, is that you don’t have to do it all in one sitting. While you certainly can build a 30-minute (or more) sweat session into your schedule, you can also take the Blue Zones approach and treat yourself to shorter exercise “snippets” throughout the day. No matter how you structure it—even if you’re doing one minute of work every hour, on the hour—it will count toward closing that ring.
Though exercise might be the most important from a heart-health standpoint, that’s not to say you should ignore the others. “Moving and standing are also important but are only indirectly correlated with those seven activities set forth by the American Heat Association,” says Dr. Lima. For example: It’s not to say that burning calories, which the ‘move’ ring tracks, isn’t important, but it should be accompanied by a heart healthy diet to keep your weight in check, your cholesterol levels down and your coronary arteries free of plaque.”
Likewise, moving consistently throughout the day can ensure that lactic acid doesn’t build up in your muscles. This can result in soreness or body aches that might keep you from wanting to work out consistently. So, in short, while you should still have an eye on closing all those rings every day, if you can only make one happen, go for the green. Need a little inspo to get that exercise ring completed today? Follow along with the video below.
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Want to stay strong, steady, and mobile for life? It’s time to stop thinking only about forward and backward movements and start training side to side.
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Lateral exercises boost your ability to move and stabilize in the frontal plane—a genuine game-changer for longevity. Developing this kind of strength helps prevent falls, improves balance, and keeps your joints healthy as you age (more on this later).
Whether you’re climbing stairs, getting in and out of a car, or just want to feel more confident in your body, adding lateral exercises to your routine can keep you moving with ease for years to come. Here’s your bulletproof guide.
How lateral exercises boost strength
Lateral strength is your ability to move side to side—think stepping sideways, lifting your arms, side-bending at the waist, or balancing on one leg, says certified strength coach Maggie Fazeli Fard.
These movements, known as frontal-plane motions, rely on small but crucial muscles like the gluteus medius (outer hip), adductors (inner thighs), and quadratus lumborum (a lower-back muscle that helps lift your hips).
Neglecting these muscles can lead to poor balance, lower-back pain, and even knee issues, says Fard.
Why does lateral strength matter for longevity?
Incorporating more lateral exercises into your routine isn’t just about moving better—it’s about aging better. Stronger lateral muscles improve balance, coordination, and lower-body stability, helping you stay active and independent as you age, says Fard.
Want to carry groceries, chase grandkids, or swing a golf club with ease? Here’s why lateral strength matters:
Balance: Falls are the leading cause of injury and death in seniors, with 1 in 4 older adults taking a spill every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Strong lateral muscles help keep you steady.
Coordination: As we age, our brain slows down, affecting movement and reaction time. Lateral exercises help keep coordination sharp and movement smooth.
Lower-body mobility: Weak lateral muscles lead to stiff joints and poor mobility. Since most workouts focus on forward-backward movement (like running and lunging), skipping lateral work can leave you prone to injuries, says Fard.
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6 Best Lateral Exercises
Lateral strength is essential for balance, mobility, and injury prevention. But Fard says it’s best to think of these lateral exercises as accessory moves—not the core of your routine.
Sprinkle these moves into your workouts a few times a week (they’re great for warm-ups, pairing with bigger lifts, or conditioning workouts), and you’ll move stronger, smoother, and pain-free in no time.
1. Figure Eights
This low-impact move improves balance, coordination, and control—a perfect warm-up or daily brain-body booster, Fard says.
How to do it:
1.
Stand on your right foot, lifting your left knee to hip height.
2.
Extend your right arm forward.
3.
Gently move your left foot and right hand in small figure eight patterns (think: a sideways “8”) concurrently.
4.
Do 20 reps, then switch sides.
2. Side-Traveling Ape
This primal “animal flow” exercise engages “your lateral system from head to toe,” says Fard. Do it in warm-ups or pair it with heavy lower-body lifts.
How to do it:
1.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees bent.
2.
Keeping your back flat, lean forward to place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart, with your left hand directly in front of your right foot.
3.
Press your hands into the floor and hop your feet to the right, landing softly with feet hip-width apart.
4.
Bring your hands to the starting position and repeat for six steps, then switch directions.
5.
Perform three sets.
3. Side Plank March
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This move strengthens your hips, inner thighs, lower back, and shoulders while improving overall balance and full-body lateral stability, says Fard.
How to do it:
1.
Lie on your left side with your feet right foot directly in front of your left and your left elbow under your left shoulder, forearm along the floor.
2.
Press through your left forearm and lift your body so that you're balancing on your left forearm.
3.
Keeping your hips lifted, bend your right knee toward your chest, then return to start. Bend your left knee toward your chest; return to start.
4.
Continue “marching” for 8 total reps, then switch sides and repeat.
4. Banded Lateral Walks
This exercise strengthens the small stabilizing muscles around the hips (which are key for lateral strength), says Fard. Control is key here—no bouncing.
How to do it:
1.
Place a resistance band around your ankles.
2.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and clasp your hands in front of your chest.
3.
Bend your knees slightly, and step to the left.
4.
Bring your right foot back to hip-width slowly, resisting the band's pull.
5.
Repeat on the right side (returning to start); continue alternating for 10 reps per side.
5. Lateral Lunge
Stronger hips, knees, back? This move can help you achieve all three, targeting the outer hips and inner thighs for improved hip stability and lower-body control, says Fard. (Make it harder by holding a pair of dumbbells.)
How to do it:
1.
Stand with your feet at hip-width distance, toes facing forward. Clasp your hands in front of your chest.
2.
Shift your weight to the right and step to your right with your right foot.
3.
With a flat back, bend your right knee and shift your hips back, keeping your left leg straight.
4.
Keep your toes pointed forward on both feet.
5.
Press into your right heel to return to standing.
6.
Complete 8–10 reps, then switch sides and repeat. Do 2–3 total sets.
6. Lateral Step-up
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This lateral step-up variation strengthens the outer hips, inner thighs, and lower back, making it a great prehab move for injury prevention, says Fard.
How to do it:
1.
You’ll need a bench or box to complete this exercise.
2.
Stand next to your bench and place your left foot on the bench, so that your left knee is bent round 90 degrees.
3.
Keeping your torso upright, press your weight into your left foot and push through your quads and glutes to straighten your left leg and stand on top of the bench.
4.
Reverse the move, lowering your right foot to the floor with control. Step your left foot down to the floor next to your right.
5.
Complete 8–10 reps, then switch sides and repeat. Do 2–3 total sets.
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When you think of Scarlett Johansson, the epitome of a picture-perfect movie star probably comes to mind. Everything from her red-carpet confidence to her glowy complexion seems flawless, effortless, and yes, a *bit* unattainable.
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Well, about that glowy complexion... Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to interview Johansson at QVC's Master Beauty Class event, where she got candid about her skin. Turns out, she’s not as unrelatable as you’d think—she’s struggled with her complexion for much of her life. (Stars, they’re just like us.)
At just 12 years old, Johansson began dealing with acne—a journey that would last well into her 20s despite seeing countless dermatologists and trying every pimple-fighting product she could get her hands on. "At the time, the message was very much like, ‘If you have acne, you have dirty skin that needs to be cleaned,’" she says. "Back then, we didn't know anything about the skin barrier and the pH balance of your skin, and how important that was."
This lack of education created a vicious cycle for her: Harsh products dried out her skin, which only triggered more breakouts and irritation. It wasn’t until she decided to simplify her routine and switch to sensitive-skin products that she started to see a real difference. After spending a few months committed to this gentler approach, she watched her breakouts and irritation decrease for the first time in years—and she finally felt confident enough to skip foundation.
The experience completely shifted her outlook on skincare and inspired the creation of The Outset, the skincare brand she founded as a reflection of her own story and hard-earned philosophy. Each gentle, hydrating product in the collection is designed to support the skin barrier and keep things simple—exactly the kind of products she wished she'd had as a young adult.
I’m no stranger to the struggles of sensitive, acne-prone skin, so Johansson’s story hit close to home. Before we wrapped up our conversation, I had to ask one final question: Which product from The Outset do you find yourself reaching for the most? I assumed her answer would be one of the brand’s buzzy bestsellers, like the Collagen Prep Serum (which I swear by) or the viral Blue Clay Mask that hydrates while exfoliating.
To my surprise, her answer was neither: Johansson revealed that her most-loved product is the Barrier Rescue Balm, which has earned a permanent spot on her bedside table and in her purse.
The Barrier Rescue Balm was originally formulated as a lip balm, but it’s much more versatile than that. Johansson coats it on her cuticles, the ends of her hair, dry patches on her knees and elbows—and even swipes it on her cheeks as a subtle, hydrating highlighter.
It’s also become a family favorite. "The other day, my daughter—she's 10—asked, 'Can I have the balm from your bag? My lips are so chapped,'' Johansson says. "So I gave it to her, and then my brother used it, and then I used it. My brother was like, ‘I should be videotaping this, it's great content.’"
Packed with nourishing ingredients like rose hip oil, jojoba oil, marula oil, and The Outset’s signature botanical hyaluronic acid, the Barrier Rescue Balm is formulated to hydrate and protect the skin’s barrier, making it the ultimate multitasker for dryness and irritation. Whether it’s protecting against harsh weather (these days, Johansson uses it to shield her children’s cheeks from the bitter New York temps), soothing cracked lips, softening rough patches, or adding a natural glow, this balm does it all.
So yes, when it comes to daily struggles like irritated skin, even stars like Scarlett Johansson are just like you. And you can be just like her by putting The Outset’s Barrier Rescue Balm (plus other favorites like the Night Cream or Travel Set) on permanent rotation. Your skin will feel deeply moisturized, soothed, and ready for anything—red carpet or otherwise.
