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Strength at home

Strength and balance exercises for seniors

Do it three times a week, holding a counter or the back of a sturdy chair, and make it a little harder every week or two: falls programmes that challenged balance prevented the most falls, and guidelines advise keeping it up for at least 12 weeks. If you can't stand for long, start with the chair exercises for seniors. If you have fallen and were hurt, fallen twice or more in a year, or couldn't get up, ask your GP about a falls service first.

40 minBeginner18 movesA bench or box · Something with weight · A wall · A step · A band · An anchor pointHip flexors · Quads · Glutes · Hip abductors · Calves · Shins
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Warm-up

  1. Standing march1 to 2 min
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoHolding the counter, or seated. Lift your knees at a comfortable rhythmHarder: Standing band hip flexion
  2. Thoracic rotation6 each side
    Beginner · 3D demoSit or stand tall and turn your upper body only, within comfortHarder: Reverse lunge with rotation

Strength (1 round in weeks 1 to 2)

2 rounds · Rest 60 to 90 s between rounds; working one leg rests the other

  1. Sit to stand from a chairUp to 10
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoA firm chair with its back against a wall; hands on your thighs if needed. From week 7: stand up briskly and sit down slowly, over about 3 sHarder: Bodyweight squat
  2. Seated knee extension (chair)Up to 10 each leg
    Beginner · Quads · 3D demoUp for a slow count of 3, down for 5. Add a light ankle weight when 10 is easy. If the knee hurts, work only in the bent-knee halfEasier: Quad set (static quads)Harder: Leg extension
  3. Wall side leg lift (standing side kick at the wall)Up to 10 each leg
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Glutes, Abs · 3D demoUp for 3, down for 5, toes forward and body upright, with a hand on the wall. Add an ankle weight laterHarder: Lateral band walk, band at the feet
  4. Slow calf raise10 to 20
    Beginner · Calves · 3D demoUp for 3, down for 5, holding the counter. With big-toe arthritis, stop short of full tiptoeEasier: Seated bent-knee calf raise (soleus raise)Harder: Standing dumbbell calf raise
  5. Tibialis raise5 to 10, 2 s hold
    Beginner · Shins · 3D demoBack near a wall or a hand on the counter: lift the fronts of both feetHarder: Single-leg tibialis raise
  6. Low step-upUp to 5 each leg, building to 8 to 12
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoThe bottom stair, with the rail in reach. Stop if the knee hurts. Later, a higher stepHarder: Step-up
  7. Wall push-up5 to 10
    Beginner · Chest, Triceps, Shoulders · 3D demoStep your feet further back to make it harderHarder: Push-up
  8. Band row10 to 15
    Beginner · Back, Biceps, Shoulders · 3D demoA light band anchored in a closed door on the hinge side. Check the band and anchor firstHarder: Supported single-arm dumbbell row

Balance (next to the counter)

  1. Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walkHold 10 to 30 s, then 5 to 10 steps
    Beginner · Calves, Hip abductors · 3D demoA hand on the counter; look aheadEasier: Semi-tandem stanceHarder: Single-leg stand
  2. Single-leg stand3 holds of 5 to 10 s each leg, building to 30 s
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoFingertips on the counter, lifting one finger at a time as you improveEasier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walkHarder: Single Leg Reach Matrix
  3. Side-stepping (sideways walking)10 steps each way
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoAlong the counter, on a clear floorHarder: Lateral band walk
  4. Backward walking10 steps, 2 or 3 times
    Beginner · 3D demoA hand on the counter; short stepsHarder: Backward sled drag
  5. Heel walk10 steps
    Beginner · Shins · 3D demoAlong the counterEasier: Tibialis raiseHarder: Eccentric heel drop

Floor practice (optional, with someone present)

  1. Get Up and Down from the Floor1 to 3 practices
    Beginner · 3D demoStart kneeling with your hands on the chair seat: bring one foot forward and push up to sit. Practise the earlier steps only when this is easy. After a hip or knee replacement, check positions with your surgeon or physiotherapist firstEasier: Sit to stand from a chairHarder: Bodyweight get-up

Cool-down

  1. Wall calf stretch (gastrocnemius)30 s each side
    Beginner · Calves · 3D demoEasier: Seated calf stretch with a towelHarder: Contract-relax hamstring stretch (PNF)
  2. Doorway chest opener30 s
    Beginner · Chest, Shoulders · 3D demoElbow at or below shoulder heightEasier: Elbows backHarder: Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Tips

  • Three times a week on days that aren't back to back; on other days, do the 10-minute balance routine and a walk.
  • Stop and sit down for chest pain, dizziness or severe breathlessness, and call 999 if chest pain spreads to your arms, neck or jaw or doesn't settle.
  • Feeling your muscles work, or being slightly sore the next day, is normal.
  • Wear supportive shoes, clear the floor, and have someone nearby for the hardest balance moves if you have fallen recently.
  • With osteoporosis or a past spinal fracture, keep your back long: this session has no forward bending.
  • From week 7, add a third round if you have the time and energy; it takes about 12 minutes more.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Part of these weekly plans

Follow the whole week: which session on which day, and how to progress.

Guides that recommend it

Find more moves like these

More strength at home

Beginner bodyweight workout

A 20-minute full-body workout with no equipment: squats, knee push-ups, bridges, lunges and planks.

20 minBeginner10 movesNo equipment

Full-body bodyweight workout

An intermediate no-equipment workout: push-ups, split squats, single-leg bridges, pike push-ups and core work.

30 minIntermediate11 movesNo equipment

Full-body dumbbell workout

A 35-minute full-body strength workout with dumbbells: goblet squats, presses, rows, Romanian deadlifts and carries.

35 minIntermediate9 movesA band, A dumbbell

Questions people ask

How long does the strength and balance exercises for seniors take?

About 40 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A bench or box, Something with weight, A wall, A step, A band, An anchor point. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 8 of its 18 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.