Check first if you have any worries
Speak to your GP before you start if you have a heart condition, chest pain, high blood pressure that isn't under control, or you haven't been active for a long time. Stop and get help if you have chest pain, feel faint, or have sudden pain in a joint.
What the guidelines ask for
The UK Chief Medical Officers' guidelines for adults say to aim for each week:
- At least 150 minutes of moderate activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a mix of the two.
- Strength activities that work all the major muscle groups on at least two days.
- Less time sitting still, and a short break to move whenever you've been sitting for a long time.
- Balance and coordination activities on at least two days, which the guidelines specify for people aged 65 and over. Many people in their fifties add them early, because balance fades without anyone noticing.
Moderate means you're warm and breathing faster but can still talk. Vigorous means you can only say a few words at a time. If you're new to exercise, build up slowly, and add 5 to 10 minutes a week.
Your weekly movement check
Add what you do and watch the bars fill. The check restarts every Monday.
Strength: eight moves you can do at home
Pick four or five and do them on two days a week, with a day off in between. Take about three seconds to lower each time. By the last few repeats you should feel it, but your form should still be tidy. When twelve repeats feel easy, make the move harder.
Sit to standLegs and hips
Sit near the front edge of a sturdy chair, feet flat and hip-width apart. Lean forward a little, stand up, then lower yourself slowly over about three seconds.
How many: 2 sets of 8 to 12
Easier: Sit on a cushion to raise the seat, or push off with your hands.
Harder: Cross your arms, or hold a bag of shopping against your chest.
Wall press-upChest, shoulders and arms
Stand an arm's length from a wall with your hands on it at shoulder height. Bend your elbows to bring your chest towards the wall, then push back.
How many: 2 sets of 8 to 12
Easier: Stand a little closer to the wall.
Harder: Lean on a kitchen worktop, then a sturdy table, for a lower angle.
Glute bridgeButtocks, hamstrings and lower back
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips until your body makes a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold for two seconds, then lower. A firm bed works if the floor is hard to get down to.
How many: 2 sets of 8 to 12
Easier: Lift only a short way.
Harder: Lift one foot off the floor and work with the other leg.
Heel raiseCalves and ankles
Stand holding a worktop. Rise onto your toes, pause, then lower slowly.
How many: 2 sets of 10 to 15
Easier: Keep both hands on the worktop.
Harder: Use one hand, then one leg at a time.
Seated row with a bandUpper back and arms
Sit on a firm chair with a resistance band looped around both feet. Hold the ends and pull your elbows back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Return slowly.
How many: 2 sets of 8 to 12
Easier: Use a lighter band.
Harder: Use a thicker band, or shorten your grip.
Step-upThighs, buttocks and balance
Face the bottom stair with one hand on the rail. Step up with one foot, bring the other to meet it, then step back down.
How many: 2 sets of 8 on each leg
Easier: Use a lower, sturdy step.
Harder: Hold a bag in your free hand, or add a second step.
Suitcase carryGrip, core and posture
Hold a bag of shopping in each hand and walk tall for 20 to 30 seconds. Keep your shoulders level and don't lean. Put the bags down carefully.
How many: 3 carries of 20 to 30 seconds
Easier: Use lighter bags.
Harder: Use heavier bags, or walk further.
Counter plankCore and shoulders
Put your hands on the edge of a firm, fixed worktop. Walk your feet back until your body is a straight, sloping line. Hold, breathing normally.
How many: 3 holds of 15 to 30 seconds
Easier: Put your hands on a wall instead.
Harder: Use a sturdy table, then a low bench.
Sharp pain is a reason to stop. A dull ache in the muscle the next day is normal. If it lasts more than two days, do less next time.
Balance: three short practices
Two or three minutes, twice a week or more. Tai chi and yoga are good options too, and the NHS recommends tai chi for balance. Many leisure centres and councils run strength and balance classes for older adults, and your GP surgery can tell you what's near you.
Single-leg stand
Stand beside a worktop with your fingertips on it. Lift one foot a few centimetres and hold. Start with 10 seconds on each side. When that feels easy, use one finger, then no hands.
Stay safe: Never practise on a slippery floor, and keep something within reach to catch yourself.
Heel-to-toe walk
Walk along a line as if on a tightrope, placing the heel of one foot against the toes of the other. Take 10 steps, turn around and come back.
Stay safe: Keep a wall or hallway within reach.
Weight shifts
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly shift your weight onto one foot, lift the other foot a little, then change sides. Do 10 on each side.
Stay safe: Stand near a worktop until it feels steady.
Stamina: build it a few minutes at a time
Anything that gets you warm and breathing a little harder counts: brisk walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, digging the garden or a gentle jog. Choose what you enjoy, because you'll do more of it.
- Try interval walking: three minutes at a brisk pace, two minutes easy, and repeat four times.
- Add 5 to 10 minutes a week until you reach 150.
- Short bursts add up. Three ten-minute walks count the same as one thirty-minute walk.
- If you have high blood pressure, our blood pressure scale shows where a reading sits, and your GP can tell you what's safe for you.
An example week
About 150 minutes of walking, cycling and swimming, two strength sessions and two balance sessions. Swap days to fit your life.
| Day | What | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Strength session and a brisk 20 minute walk | 20 min walk |
| Tuesday | Brisk walk | 30 min |
| Wednesday | Stretching routine | 8 min |
| Thursday | Strength and balance session, then a gentle cycle | 30 min cycle |
| Friday | Brisk walk | 30 min |
| Saturday | Swim, garden or a longer walk | 40 min |
| Sunday | Rest, or stretch and a balance practice | Optional |
Sources: NHS: physical activity guidelines for older adults and the UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines.