I swapped the plank for this simple Pilates exercise and my core strength 'skyrocketed' - here's how to do it

Woman stretching out on yoga mat in studio, smiling and with a friend out of camera shot, about to do leg raises to improve core strength.

I'm a fan of home workouts, and there are very few exercises I've not tried, so you shouldn't take it lightly when I say that leg raises are among my favourite plank alternatives.

Good core strength has become a priority for me in recent years. I've had to work harder for it after having children, and with perimenopause on the horizon, it's more important to me than ever for healthy ageing. A quick poll of my friends told me I'm not alone in this thinking.