If standing for long is hard, or you have not exercised for a while, you can start in a chair. The NHS sets out five sitting exercises to do at least twice a week: a chest stretch held 5 to 10 seconds, 5 times; an upper-body twist 5 times each side; hip marching 5 lifts with each leg; an ankle stretch in 2 sets of 5; and neck rotations 3 on each side. We set out the original as published.
1. A solid chair without wheels, at least twice a week. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and keep water handy, and combine these with the other routines in the series.
2. Five moves. Chest stretch, upper-body twist, hip marching, ankle stretch, neck rotation.
3. “As far as is comfortable” is the limit. The twist, the leg lift and the neck rotation all stop there in the original.
The five moves — NHS original
1. Chest stretch — good for posture
- Sit upright and away from the back of the chair. Pull your shoulders back and down and extend your arms out to the side.
- Gently push your chest forward and up until you feel a stretch across your chest.
- Hold for 5 to 10 seconds and repeat 5 times.
2. Upper-body twist — flexibility in the upper back
- Sit upright with feet flat on the floor, cross your arms and reach for your shoulders.
- Without moving your hips, turn your upper body to the left as far as is comfortable. Hold for 5 seconds.
- Repeat on the right. 5 times on each side.
3. Hip marching — hips and thighs
- Sit upright without leaning on the back of the chair and hold on to the sides.
- Lift your left leg with the knee bent as far as is comfortable, then place the foot down with control.
- Repeat with the other leg. 5 lifts with each leg.
4. Ankle stretch — ankle flexibility
- Sit upright, hold the side of the chair and straighten your left leg with the foot off the floor.
- With the leg straight and raised, point your toes away from you.
- Point your toes back towards you. 2 sets of 5 with each foot.
The NHS says this stretch improves ankle flexibility and lowers the risk of developing a blood clot.
5. Neck rotation — neck mobility
- Sit upright with shoulders down, looking straight ahead.
- Slowly turn your head towards your left shoulder as far as is comfortable, hold for 5 seconds and return.
- Repeat on the right. 3 rotations on each side.
At a glance
| Move | NHS prescription | Total reps (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Chest stretch | Hold 5–10 s × 5 | 5 |
| Upper-body twist | Hold 5 s × 5 each side | 10 |
| Hip marching | 5 lifts each leg | 10 |
| Ankle stretch | 5 each foot × 2 sets | 20 |
| Neck rotation | Hold 5 s × 3 each side | 6 |
Totals across both sides are our sums. Adding the three timed moves (chest up to 50 seconds, twist 50, neck 30) gives at most about 130 seconds of holds — a short routine.
Combining with other routines
The NHS says to combine these with the other routines in the series, which we have set out as flexibility, strength and balance exercises. The neck rotation appears in the flexibility set with the same prescription.
Checklist
- ☐ A solid, stable chair without wheels
- ☐ Comfortable clothes and water
- ☐ At least twice a week
- ☐ Every move only as far as is comfortable
Questions that remain
How is this different from chair strength work?
This article covers only the five NHS “sitting exercises.” Strength-focused moves such as standing up from a chair are in our chair home workout and strength articles.
What if something hurts?
The original limit is “as far as is comfortable.” If you have pain or a medical condition, talk to a doctor before starting.
Sources
- NHS — Sitting exercises (reviewed 18 January 2024, next review 18 January 2027, checked 2 October 2026). Chair, clothing, water and twice-a-week advice, and the steps, holds and repetitions of the five moves.
- Our own working. Totals across both sides and the hold total (at most about 130 seconds) are ours.
Where to check further
- Time spent sitting — sitting too long, by WHO.
- Flexibility — flexibility exercises for older adults.
Written on 2 October 2026. The moves are from the NHS; the totals are ours.
