Sit-to-stand exercise

The sit-to-stand exercise strengthens your lower body and helps you prevent falls by maintaining or improving your mobility and balance. 

Aim to complete the following exercises in a slow, controlled manner without using your hands to assist you.

Step 1

• Sit at the front edge of a sturdy chair with or without armrests. 
• Place your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees slightly.

Step 2

• Lean forward to bring your nose over your feet. 
• Push through your legs to carefully stand up. 
• Optional: to make this more challenging, do this step without using armrests.

Step 3

• Stand up tall.
• To sit back down from your standing position, slightly bend your knees and push your hips towards the back of the chair.
• Slowly lower yourself safely back onto the chair.
• Repeat.

How to adjust the exercise difficulty

You can adjust the difficulty of this exercise depending on your fitness level. 

You can make the exercise easier by: 

• Sitting on a chair with armrests and using them to assist you when standing up
• Doing fewer repetitions
• Increasing the height of the chair by adding a cushion to your seat

You can make this exercise more difficult by: 

• Doing more repetitions
• Using a lower chair
• Holding a small weight while you exercise (try holding a can of tinned food or a bottle filled with water to create light resistance)

Benefits of the sit-to-stand exercise

The sit-to-stand exercise is an effective way for older adults to improve strength, balance, and mobility. Over time, it can help you strengthen the muscles in your legs and hips. This can make everyday activities like standing up and walking easier. This exercise can also help you improve your posture and keep your joints flexible, reducing your risk of falls.  

You can do it any time at home. You don't need fancy gym equipment, just a chair! Doing an exercise like this every day can be a cheap and easy way to support your independence. It's one simple step towards taking charge of your health as you age. 

How often to do the sit-to-stand exercise

The Department of Health recommends older adults do 30 minutes of physical activity on most days (preferably every day). Here's how you can incorporate the sit-to-stand exercise into your daily recommended dose:

• Start by doing 5-10 repetitions of the sit-to-stand exercise
• Have a rest for 1 minute
• Repeat 2 or 3 times

When this exercise becomes too easy, it's time to find more challenging exercises to add to your routine.

You can find more exercises to improve your strength, balance, and mobility here:

• Resistance band exercises
• Balance exercises
• Chair yoga poses

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.

References

Department of Health. (2021). Physical activity and exercise guidelines for older Australians (65 years and over). https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians/for-older-australians-65-years-and-over