Fitness for All: lower body workout

These exercises from Fitness for All with Kamilla Haufort will help you strengthen your lower body, so you can stay able to:

• Get up off a chair or toilet without help
• Get out of bed on your own

Sit-to-stand

Supported or unsupported, with or without added weight

This movement will strengthen the muscles at the front and back of the thighs and buttocks.

Instructions

Sit-to-stand

1. Sit upright on a chair, forward in the seat.
2. Place your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor.
3. Stand up from the chair.
4. Sit down on the chair to resume the starting position.
5. Add weights once you can complete the movement correctly. To do this, keep a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing each other.

Tips to help you get the movement right

• Feet should be placed slightly back underneath the knees. This allows knee movement forward to stand up.
• Keep your back as tall as possible. Have shoulders relaxed and down. Keep your eye gaze straight ahead.
• When sitting down, bend at the hips and knees to place your bottom back onto the chair.
• Inhale (breath in) to prepare. Exhale (breath out) as you stand up.
• Inhale as you sit back.

Knee extension and hip flexion

Seated or standing, supported or unsupported, with or without added leg weights

This exercise will strengthen the muscles which bring your knee up to your chest and those that straighten the knee.

Instructions

Seated option

1. Sit upright in a chair. Start by sitting in good posture with both knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
2. Raise one foot and extend the leg so the knee is straight but not locked.
3. Flex your ankle and point the toes upwards towards the ceiling, hold for a moment.
4. Lower the leg to the starting position, and repeat 5-10 times.
5. Do the same for your other leg.

Standing option

1. Stand upright.

2. Raise one knee upwards towards your chest (90-degree hip/knee angle), then extend the leg forward.

3. Slowly lower your knee again to the starting position, and repeat 5-10 times.

4. Do the same for your other leg.

5. Add ankle weights to increase resistance.

Tips to help you get the movement right

• Do not bend at the waist. Keep upright both in seated and standing version.
• If you are unsteady, hold onto a chair or railing for support.
• As balance improves, you can let go of the chair or reduce support to fingertips. Keep support near in case you need to reach for it.

Hip abduction/side leg lift

Supported or unsupported, with or without added resistance

This exercise will strengthen the muscles at the side of the hip. These muscles move your legs out to the side. They are important for stability and balance.

Instructions

1. Stand up tall.

2. Keeping your knee straight and toes pointing ahead, move one leg straight out to the side about 30-40cm. Lead with the heal, not toes.

3. Lower your leg to the starting position.

4. Repeat 5–10 times then change to the other leg.

5. You can add leg weights around your ankles or use resistance band to add resistance, once you've mastered the movement.

Tips to help you get the movement right

• Start by holding onto the back of a chair or bench for support. If you feel stable and it is safe to do, you can challenge your balance by only putting a finger or no hands on the chair.
• It's important you feel the movement in the muscles on the outside of the hip, not the front.

Calf raises

Double or single leg, with chair as support or added weights

This exercise will strengthen the muscles around the ankle and lower leg. This will provide you with more power in your 'gait cycle'. It gives you a more powerful push-off and helps with stability for everyday walking.

Instructions

For double leg

1. Stand up tall and straight, holding onto the back of a chair.

2. Raise up slowly as high as possible onto the balls of both feet.

3. Pause and squeeze the calves at the top

4. Lower your body to the starting position.

For single leg

1. Lift one foot off the floor.
2. Lift the heel of the foot that's on the floor, rising up as high as possible onto the ball of the foot.
3. Pause and squeeze the calf at the top.
4. Lower your heel to the starting position.
5. Add ankle weights once you can complete the movement correctly for at least a set of 10 repetitions while remaining strong throughout.

Tips to help you get the movement right

• Don’t lean forward onto the chair.
• Keep your weight over your toes.
• As balance improves, use the chair for support less. Reduce support to fingertips and if balance is good, let go of the chair. Keep it in front of you in case you need to reach for it.

Get in touch with LiveUp

If you would like to find local exercise classes, social activities, and helpful tips, try the quick LiveUp quiz or call our helpful team for free today on 1800 951 971.