Standing Up from a Chair: Progress over Four Weeks

To improve your sit-to-stand exercise, start with a stable chair. Stand up slowly, then control your return to the seat. Keep three points in mind: stable feet, controlled lowering and hand support. They will help you decide what to keep or adjust, without automatically increasing the number of repetitions.

The four-week schedule below is a personal, adaptable way to organise your practice, not a prescription. It is designed to help you notice what becomes easier, without promising independence by a specific date.

Choose your chair before you begin

In its home strength exercise advice, the NHS recommends a sturdy, stable chair with no wheels that does not slide on the floor. When you are seated, your feet should rest flat on the floor and your knees should form a right angle.

The NHS recommends a chair without armrests so they do not interfere with the movement. However, this should not lead you to remove support you genuinely need. If you cannot stand up comfortably in this setup, ask for advice on finding suitable support rather than improvising with nearby furniture.

To compare your observations, use the same chair in the same place whenever possible. Changing seats, particularly to a lower armchair, changes the conditions: you are no longer assessing only your technique.

Learn the full movement, not just the stand

Set up your feet and prepare to move

Sit near the front of the chair, with your feet hip-width apart. Lean your upper body slightly forwards. Before standing up, check that your feet are firmly placed and that the chair does not move.

Stand up slowly

The NHS describes a slow stand, using your legs rather than your arms, with your gaze directed forwards. Straighten up until you are standing. There is no need to speed up to reach a specific number of repetitions.

If you already use hand support that is necessary and safe, keep using it: you do not have to stop using it. Simply note when it comes into play — at the start, during the stand or while sitting back down.

Sit back down with control

Sit down slowly, without dropping onto the seat. The NHS states that your hands or arms can guide the return if needed. One repetition includes both standing up and sitting down: observe both parts, even if one feels easier than the other.

If you experience pain, dizziness or a new difficulty standing up, stop practising and ask a healthcare professional for advice.

Repetition and frequency markers

The NHS suggests aiming for five slow repetitions, then gradually increasing the number. Its page recommends doing these strength exercises at least twice a week.

The four-week tracker below is our suggested way to organise your practice and is separate from those recommendations. For your own practice, start with what you can do comfortably: five repetitions are not a test to pass. If a set becomes less controlled, you do not have to continue it.

If your main difficulty is finding room for this habit during the day, our article on getting back into activity at your own pace looks at the question more broadly. Here, focus your observations on this one exercise.

Four weeks to observe and decide

Week 1: describe your starting point

Note your setup and the support you use. After practising, write one sentence for each criterion: did your feet stay in place or move, was the descent controlled or sudden, and did you use your hands to stand up or sit back down? Look for a description, not a performance score.

Week 2: repeat the same conditions

Use the same setup and compare your observations. Do you hesitate less? Is the descent more even? If the exercise still requires a great deal of attention, keeping things as they are remains a useful decision.

Week 3: consider one adjustment

If the whole exercise remains comfortable and controlled, you can consider one change: adjust your hand support or slightly increase the number of repetitions. In this personal plan, do not change both at the same time. If your control decreases, return to the previous approach.

Week 4: keep what works

Read through your first notes again under comparable conditions. Identify the approach you can repeat comfortably, with the support you need. This review is there to help you choose what comes next, not to confirm a level: you can continue with the same routine.

Your tracking sheet

Copy this table into a notebook. Each week, summarise your observations and make one decision: keep the same approach, adjust your support or progress if the exercise remains comfortable.

Example: “Feet stable; descent sudden at the end of the set; hands useful when sitting back down; keep the support and do not add repetitions.” Another possible observation: “Descent better controlled, support unchanged.” That is improved control, even without completing an additional repetition.

Recognise progress without changing the goal

Feet moving less, a less abrupt return to the chair or better-timed hand support are all concrete changes. Compare yourself with your starting point, not with someone who can stand up without using their hands.

You do not need to replace this learning process with squats: our article on squat technique covers a different exercise. Here, the actual chair and your controlled return to the seat remain your reference points.

An option for broadening your practice later

To organise several exercises into a broader session, our exercise and progression guide offers a different framework. Keep your sit-to-stand sheet to track this specific exercise.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to increase the number of repetitions every week?

No. A better-controlled descent with the same number of repetitions can be your main sign of progress.

What if I miss a week?

Return to the last approach that felt comfortable and complete the sheet during your next practice, without trying to make up for the missed sessions.

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