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Exercise library / Sit-to-stand

Sit-to-stand

Suggestions, not prescriptions. Exercises here pass automated checks. They have not been clinically reviewed, and no exercise is right for everyone. Adjust to your comfort and ability.

Stand up from a chair and sit back down slowly. It is the movement behind getting up from the couch, the car and the toilet.

Main focus
Everyday movement
Level
Starting
Equipment
Bodyweight, A sturdy chair
Load
Your body weight
Stability
Supported by a seat, bench or wall
Balance type
Dynamic balance

Keep something steady within reach: a counter, wall or sturdy chair.

Before you start
  • Warm up first with a minute or two of easy walking or marching in place, and cool down the same way after.
  • Wear flat, closed shoes with a good grip, or go barefoot on a non-slip floor if that feels steady to you.
  • Clear the floor around you. Keep a sturdy chair, counter or wall within reach for any move you do standing.
  • Build up slowly. Add repetitions or minutes over weeks, not days. If you take a break, work back up gradually.

Talk with a doctor or physical therapist before you start if you have not been active for some time, if you have a health condition or a worry about exercise, if you have fallen or fear falling, or if a clinician has told you to limit activity. This library is general information, not medical advice.

What you need

A sturdy chair without wheels, placed against a wall or on a non-slip floor.

How to do it

  1. Sit near the front edge of the chair with your feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Lean slightly forward.
  2. Stand up slowly, using your legs. Use your hands on your thighs or the chair only if you need to.
  3. Stand up tall, then slowly lower back down, using your hands only to guide you.
  4. Rest, then repeat.

How much

To start: Up to 5 slow rounds, once. Fewer is fine.

As it gets easier: 8 to 12 slow rounds, then a rest, then a second round when it feels easy.

How it should feel: Your thighs and buttocks work. You can keep talking.

Make it easier

  • Use your hands to push off.
  • Sit on a firm cushion so the seat is higher.

Make it harder

  • Lower yourself more slowly, counting to three.
  • Cross your arms over your chest.

Safety

  • Make sure the chair cannot slide.
  • Look ahead, not down.
  • If you feel lightheaded when you stand, hold the chair or counter and wait before you move.

When to stop

  • Stop and rest if you feel dizzy or lightheaded, sick to your stomach, or unusually short of breath.
  • Stop if you feel sharp, sudden or joint pain. Muscles working hard is expected. Pain is a signal to stop.
  • Stop and sit down if you feel unsteady and cannot settle yourself right away.
  • Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure, fainting, or sudden weakness, numbness or trouble speaking.
  • After any of these, do not repeat the exercise until you have talked with a doctor or physical therapist.
  • You feel pain in a knee or hip.
  • You feel lightheaded when you stand and it does not pass in a few seconds.

Connected exercises

Other ways to do this movement

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Where this comes from

NHS "Sit-to-stand": sit on the edge, feet hip-width, lean slightly forward, stand using your legs not your arms, look forward, slowly sit using hands only to guide you, aim for 5 repetitions, slower is better. CDC lists standing up from a sitting position as a balance activity. NIA: 8 to 12 repetitions is effective for strength; strength work makes getting up from a chair easier. Steps, counts and support advice follow the NHS page; wording and extra safety notes are Fitafter50's own.

This is general information, not medical advice. It does not diagnose anything or tell you whether an exercise is right for you. Adjust to your comfort and ability.