Strength & balance in later life
Seated strength and stretch
A chair-based session for days when standing work isn't possible — marching, curls, presses and stretches.
Based on the NHS sitting exercises, with some light strength work added. Filled water bottles are fine instead of dumbbells.
The plan
Warm-up 3 min
- Seated marching, slowly1 min 30 sec
- Shoulder rolls30 sec
- Ankle circles, both feet30 sec
- Arm swings, forward and back30 sec
Main set 2 rounds — rest 45 sec between rounds
| Exercise | Each round | Rest after |
|---|---|---|
 Seated marching (hip marching) |
45 sec | 15 sec |
 Biceps curl Seated |
10 reps | 20 sec |
 Dumbbell shoulder press Seated, light weights |
8 reps | 20 sec |
 Sit to stand Only if you can do it safely |
5 reps | 20 sec |
 Seated upper-body twist |
5 each side | 15 sec |
 Seated chest stretch |
30 sec | 15 sec |
Cool-down 2 min
- Seated chest stretch20 sec
- Seated upper-body twist, both sides30 sec
- Ankle stretch (point and flex), left20 sec
- Ankle stretch (point and flex), right20 sec
- Slow breathing, sitting tall30 sec
Watch
This workout is part of: 4-week low-impact start.
Sources
- NHS: Sitting exercises — checked 3 Oct 2026