Wow--have you guys seen Madonna perform at the annual Coachella recently? In case you missed it, Madonna was a surprise guest when Sabrina Carpenter took the stage. Right after Sabrina finished singing a line, the iconic beginning sound of the song “Vogue” started playing and lights are turned to Madonna rising up from underground on a platform snapping her fingers. She was wearing a purple corset, apparently the same one she wore 20 years ago at Coachella.

With confidence and STRENGTH, she physically maneuvered that stage with grace and when they started to sing “Like a Prayer”, she kneeled on the stage. But wait there's more… after kneeling for 2 minutes, she effortlessly stood up, by herself and without holding on to anyone or any thing, while wearing high-heeled boots. 

Take a peek yourself:

https://youtube.com/shorts/h7a8ustdgN8?si=BUqVtI8rZeHRQvit

So the question remained in my mind, how does a woman stay in shape like that at age 67? The LA Times is reporting that she “.. maintained her physique for her 2026 Coachella appearance through a rigorous, long-term fitness regimen focused on high-intensity interval training (Tabata), resistance training, and dance-based cardio. Her training, designed for stamina and strength, typically includes Pilates, yoga, and, occasionally, heavy-intensity, multi-hour daily workouts”.

It’s a very specific combination of lower-body strength, joint mobility, core stability, and nervous system control.

And for fit pros working with everyday clients (especially women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond), that’s actually a powerful training blueprint—not a celebrity anomaly.

If we break down what that “stand from kneeling effortlessly” actually requires, it’s a sequence most bodies lose over time unless they train for it directly:

Deep knee flexion strength (quads + tendons)

Glute power to drive the hips forward

Ankle mobility (so the heel can stay grounded or controlled in transition)

Core bracing (to prevent collapsing forward)

Single-leg support during the transition

Eccentric control (especially lowering down safely and reversing out)

So instead of thinking “how does a 67-year-old do that?”, a better question for trainers becomes: what patterns do I need to rebuild to make that possible again?

Here are a few highly effective, real-world applicable training progressions you can use with clients working toward that kind of functional strength:

1. Assisted Half-Kneeling to Stand

Start in a half-kneeling position (one knee down, one foot forward).

Use a wall, dowel, or bench lightly for support

Drive through the front heel to stand

Slowly lower back down with control
This builds the exact “floor-to-stand” pattern without overwhelm.

2. Sit-to-Stand (Slow Eccentric Focus)

From a bench or box:

Stand up without momentum

Take 3–5 seconds to sit back down
This strengthens quads and glutes in a very functional, transferable way.

3. Split Squats (Static Lunge Pattern)

Builds knee stability and hip strength

Can be regressed with support or reduced range

Progressed into deeper range for kneeling prep

4. Glute Bridge + Marching Progression

Bridges build hip extension strength (critical for rising from the floor)

Marching adds pelvic stability and single-leg control

5. Ankle Mobility + Heel Drive Drills

Knee-to-wall ankle rocks

Heel-loaded squat holds
These often determine whether a client can actually get out of the bottom position smoothly or gets stuck.

6. Floor Transitions Practice (The Missing Piece)

This is the most overlooked training tool:

Kneeling → half-kneeling → standing

Sitting on floor → stand without hands (or minimal assist)

Slow, controlled transitions instead of reps for fatigue

When you train this way consistently, the goal isn’t just aesthetics or even strength—it’s independence of movement. The ability to get up from the floor, recover balance, or move through life without hesitation.

And that’s what made that Coachella moment so striking. Not the outfit, not the lighting, not even the choreography—but the quiet message underneath it:

Strong isn’t about age. It’s about what you still own physically.

Would love to hear your thoughts, send them to :hello@musclemixmusic.com

-Denise Imbesi/CEO/Muscle Mix Fitness Music