Yesterday we told you what happened when Worcestershire put 50,000 resistance bands into people's hands. Today, here is what they were doing with them.
This is the programme: eight seated exercises with a flat resistance band, built into a 12-week plan that starts easy and progresses. It takes about ten minutes. The NHS asks for strength and balance work twice a week; this is one way to do it that doesn't need a floor, a gym or good knees.
Download the free 12-week guide (PDF)
11 pages · A4 · 1.7 MB · free to print, copy and share
Why chair-based?
Because the people who most need strength work are often the people least able to get down to the floor or stand unsupported for long. Every exercise here is done sitting or standing from a chair. The chair is the safety equipment.
Chair-based band programmes have been studied properly. A 2022 review of nine trials in care homes found seated band exercise improved grip strength, leg endurance, dynamic balance, daily function, sleep and mood. A 12-week trial of band training in women over 65 improved gait speed, single-leg balance and chair-rise ability, with 98% attendance and no injuries. And the strength exercises here map directly onto the Otago programme, the falls-prevention programme with the strongest evidence, shown to cut falls and injuries by about 35%.
Before you start
Speak to your GP or physiotherapist first if you haven't exercised for some time, have a heart condition or uncontrolled high blood pressure, have osteoporosis, a recent fracture or a joint replacement in the last 12 weeks, or have fallen more than once in the past year. Stop and seek help if you have chest pain, dizziness or severe breathlessness. Mild muscle soreness the next day is normal.
You need a sturdy chair without wheels or arms on a non-slip floor, a flat resistance band about 1.5 m long (start with light), supportive shoes and a glass of water. Check the band for nicks before every use, never stretch it beyond three times its length, and keep it clear of your face.
Warm up first (5 minutes)
Sit tall, feet flat. Do each slowly, 5 to 10 times: shoulder circles; neck turns; upper-body twist with arms crossed; hip marching; ankle circles and pumps; and two slow sit-to-stands without the band. You should feel warmer and looser, not tired.
For every exercise: sit in the front half of the chair unless told otherwise, back straight, feet flat. Count two to push, four to return. Breathe out on the effort and never hold your breath. Start with 8 repetitions and build to 12. By the last two or three it should feel "somewhat hard": you could talk, but you wouldn't want to sing.
The eight exercises
1. Chest press · 8 to 12 reps
Works: Chest and arms. Why it matters: Pushing yourself up from a chair or bed.
Sit back in the chair. Pass the band around the back rest and hold one end in each hand, hands at chest height by your sides. Push your hands forwards until your arms are almost straight. Don't lock the elbows. Slowly bring them back.
Tip Keep your wrists straight and your shoulders down, away from your ears.
2. Leg press · 8 to 12 reps each leg
Works: Thighs and buttocks. Why it matters: Standing, stairs, and stopping a stumble.
Sit in the front half of the chair. Place the centre of the band under one foot and hold an end in each hand, fists tucked into the sides of your hips. Lift your knee towards the ceiling, then push your foot forwards and down until the leg is nearly straight. Slowly bring it back.
Tip Keep the fists anchored at your hips so the band, not your arms, gives the resistance.
3. Knee splits · 8 to 12 reps, hold 3 to 5 s
Works: Outer hips. Why it matters: Sideways stability: the muscles most linked to injurious falls.
Sit in the front half of the chair, knees and feet together. Wrap the band around your lap, then walk your feet apart to hip width so the band is pulling your knees together. Keep your feet flat. Push your knees apart against the band, hold for 3 to 5 seconds, then slowly return.
Tip This is the exercise most people skip, and the one most linked to fall prevention. Don't skip it.
4. Back flies · 8 to 12 reps
Works: Upper back and shoulders. Why it matters: Posture, reaching, and carrying.
Sit in the front part of the chair. Hold the band with both hands shoulder-width apart, arms straight out in front at chest height. Keeping your arms straight, stretch the band apart until your arms are in line with your shoulders and you feel the shoulder blades squeeze. Slowly return.
Tip Sit tall. If you have osteoporosis this is one of the most useful exercises in the programme.
5. Sit to stand · 8 to 12 reps
Works: Everything below the waist. Why it matters: The movement that keeps you independent.
Sit in the front part of the chair, middle of the band under both feet, one end in each hand. Move your feet back so your toes are level with your knees. Lean forwards and stand up. The band adds resistance as you rise. Pause, then slowly lower yourself back down, keeping your back straight.
Tip Too hard with the band in week 1? Do it without, or with hands on your thighs. Add the band when you can do 10 without hands.
6. Side raises · 8 to 12 reps
Works: Shoulders. Why it matters: Reaching cupboards and steadying yourself on rails.
Sit in the front half of the chair, middle of the band under your feet, one end in each hand at your sides. With a slight bend at the elbow, raise your arms out to the sides until hands and elbows are almost level with your shoulders. Slowly lower.
Tip Don't go above shoulder height. If your shoulders are sore, raise to 45 degrees instead.
7. Bicep curls · 8 to 12 reps
Works: Front of the arms. Why it matters: Lifting, carrying, and pulling yourself up.
Sit in the front part of the chair, middle of the band under your feet, one end in each hand held palm-up like an ice-cream cone. Tuck your elbows into your sides and keep them there. Curl your hands up towards your shoulders, imagine taking a drink, then slowly lower.
Tip If your elbows drift forward the band is too strong for now. Move your hands towards its ends.
8. Calf press · 8 to 12 reps each foot
Works: Calves and ankles. Why it matters: Push-off when walking; ankle strength for balance.
Sit in the front part of the chair, middle of the band around the ball of one foot, one end in each hand, fists tucked at your hips. Extend your leg, then press your foot forwards, pointing your toes away from you like pressing a car pedal. Slowly bring the foot back towards your shin.
Tip Pull the toes back as far as you can on the return. That half strengthens the muscle that lifts your foot clear of the carpet edge.
How the 12 weeks progress
Muscles only get stronger when the work gets slightly harder over time. There are four ways to make any exercise harder. Use them in this order: add repetitions (8 up to 12); add a second set; move your hands closer to the middle of the band; change from the light band to the medium. The rule for moving up: if you can do 12 repetitions and it feels "light" rather than "somewhat hard" on two sessions in a row, make it harder using the next step.
| Weeks | Band | Sets × reps | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Light, hands near the ends | 1 × 8 | Learn the movements. Do the week-1 tests. |
| 3-4 | Light | 1 × 10-12 | Add reps. Add the 3 to 5 second hold on knee splits. |
| 5-6 | Light, hands towards the middle | 2 × 8-10 | Add a second set, 60 to 90 seconds rest between. |
| 7-8 | Light or medium on legs | 2 × 10-12 | Leg press, sit to stand and calf press move to medium when 12 feels easy. |
| 9-10 | Medium on legs | 2 × 10-12 | Add a third session if you can. Slow the return to a four-count. |
| 11-12 | Medium where you can | 2-3 × 10-12 | Consolidate. Do the week-12 tests and compare. |
Measure it: two tests, week 1 and week 12
30-second chair stand
Arms crossed over your chest, feet flat. Stand fully and sit fully as many times as you can in 30 seconds. If you need your hands, the score is 0. That's fine, it's your starting point. For a woman aged 70-74, fewer than 10 suggests increased fall risk; for a man, fewer than 12. The full age table is in the guide.
Single-leg stand
Hold the back of the chair lightly, lift one foot, let go if you can, and time it up to 30 seconds. Average for people in their 70s is around 20 seconds. If you can't manage 10, this programme is for you.
Most people see the chair-stand number climb by several repetitions over 12 weeks. That is the change that shows up as fewer falls.
Download the free 12-week guide (PDF)
11 pages · A4 · 1.7 MB · free to print, copy and share
The printable guide has everything above in large print, plus a 12-week tick-box calendar and the full self-test norms by age. If you're a physiotherapist, exercise instructor or run a community group: print it, adapt it, put your own logo on it. It's free to use, and we can supply a co-branded version.
Tomorrow: what to do after a fall, the first 48 hours and the first eight weeks.
Sources: Worcestershire County Council, Resistance band exercise guide (Living Well for Longer); NHS, Physical activity guidelines for older adults; Otago Exercise Programme manual (University of Otago / ACC); Liao et al., Scientific Reports 2018; Chair-based band exercise in care homes, systematic review, 2022; NSCA position stand, Resistance training for older adults, 2019; CDC STEADI 30-second chair stand norms; Springer et al., unipedal stance norms, J Geriatr Phys Ther 2007; Royal Devon NHS, Exercise band advice; Royal Osteoporosis Society, Strong, Steady and Straight.
