Gentle exercises

If you haven’t done exercise for a while or you have reduced mobility due to a long-term condition or disability, gentle exercises offer a way of getting started with activity again.

There are a range of options to support your flexibility, strength and balance which can all be done from home.

Equipment needed 

Make sure you wear something you feel comfortable in and have water to hand to keep hydrated. Some exercises involve use of a solid, stable chair without wheels as a support during activities or to sit on if the activities can be done while seated.

Getting started

The NHS has created step by step instructions for four different types of gentle exercises which you might like to try. You can aim to gradually increase the repetitions of each exercise over time.

• Strength exercises
• Sitting exercises
• Flexibility exercises
• Balance exercises

For each type of activity there are pictures to help you understand the exercises and a PDF document that can be downloaded so you can look at the instructions offline.

10 Today is another option if you are looking for gentle activities. 10 Today have created a series of 10 minute audio files with enjoyable and easy routines involving gentle stretching and moving exercises. You can listen to the audio clips on the 10 Today website.

Top tips

Start slow

Like any activity, building up your activity as you gain in confidence and strength is a good way to build a routine. If you experience sore muscles a few days after taking part in an activity, you may find the NHS pain after exercise advice to be useful.

Advice if you have a long-term health condition

When you’re managing a long term health condition, being active is about finding what works for you. The We Are Undefeatable website has lots of information about activities to help you build activity into your life – www.weareundefeatable.co.uk

Organisations such as Versus Arthritis, MS Society, Diabetes UK and Parkinsons UK have also developed condition-specific advice which can be accessed on their websites. You may also find these resources useful if you want to get active with the person you care for.

Advice if you have a disability

Many people with a disability find it is even more difficult for them to get active. But there is a lot more help and opportunities than people realise. The Activity Alliance works to make active lives possible for disabled people and provides advice - www.activityalliance.org.uk

These warm up and cool down suggestions from the NHS can also help reduce the risk of injury.