Minute Tip · Strength
The strength you already use
Standing up from a chair is everyday strength.
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The tip
You stand up from a chair many times a day. That is strength you already use.
Guidelines support muscle-strengthening activity for adults, including older adults. A simple way to practice is the sit-to-stand.
Sit toward the front of a sturdy chair, with your feet flat. Lean slightly forward and stand up, using the arms if it helps. Sit back down slowly. Try up to five, resting whenever you like.
Keep it comfortable. Use a chair that will not slide, keep support nearby, and stop for pain or loss of balance.
The claim behind this tip
Strong evidence Guidelines support muscle-strengthening activity for adults, including older adults.
Consistent support from authoritative guidelines for the narrow claim made here. Source-checked on . No clinician has reviewed this page.
Limits: A chair-based set is a low-volume option, not a universal prescription. Stop for pain or loss of balance.
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018)
- WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, World Health Organization (2020)
Limits: A chair-based set is a low-volume option, not a universal prescription. General education, not medical advice.
Try it today
Do one comfortable chair-strength set. From a stable chair, try up to five comfortable sit-to-stands, using the chair arms if helpful. About 5 minutes.
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