Sit to stand exercises

Back to the basics: The sit to stand

By Jack Nuske

09/11/2022

The sit to stand is a super simple movement, but one that can quietly become more difficult to complete as you get older. You might find yourself unable to get up and go without using your hands, or having to make a few attempts before you can hoist yourself up. Most people will develop subconscious habits to help them, like digging the back of their knees into the chair as a lever or relying far too much on their arms to push up.

Alongside maintaining a level of general strength to be able to cope with the physical requirements of a sit to stand, I believe technique can play a huge part in improving how hard it is to stand up. I recommend everyone tries to stand up without the use of their arms to see if they can manage (as long as it’s safe to do so!).

If you find you struggle with it, try these things below:

One key thing to utilise the momentum you create as you lean forward. Some popular prompts are “chin over shins” and “nose over toes”, as this will shift your bodyweight forward and then you can drive upwards with your legs a little easier.
Shifting your bum so it’s closer to the edge of the seat.
Another thing to try is raising the height of the seat you’re standing up from, which reduces the overall distance needed to travel to be in standing.
Trying to only use your arms at the start to help with creating momentum at the start.

A common test is to see how many sit-to-stands you can do in 30 seconds. Give it a go and let us know how you did next time you’re in the clinic - and if you’re not too happy about the number, practice!