The following exercises are aimed at people who are mobile. The activities are simple and easy to follow. Where weights are mentioned, you can use a tin of food, such as baked beans or soup, instead of fitness weights.

Upright row  

• Hold weights in front of you against your body.
• Lift the weights up in front of you by raising your elbows, ensuring that your elbows are always higher than your wrists.
• Repeat the movement until you feel the back of your neck and front of the arms have worked.

Shoulder press  

• Hold weights in front of your chest with your elbows bent and
  your palms facing inwards.
• Push your arms upwards in the air and twist your wrists.
• When arms are straight up your palms will face outwards.
• Repeat the movement until you feel your shoulders and the back of your arms have worked.

Bicep curl  

• Hold weights in front of the body with arms fully extended.
• Lift your weights by bending your elbows and your palms facing upwards.
• Tuck your elbows in to keep your arms close to your sides.
• When the weights touch your shoulders, lower back down.
• Repeat the movement until you feel the front of your arms have worked.

Lateral raise 

• Standing up, hold weights at your side and lift them sideways.
• When the arms are parallel to the floor hold for two seconds.
• Return your arms to your side.
• Repeat the movement until you feel your shoulders have worked.

Russian twist  

• Hold a small weight out in front of you with both hands.
• Twist round to the right as far as you can go, your head will naturally follow.
• Twist back round to the left as far as you can go.
• Ensure that your arms remain straight and parallel to the floor.
• Repeat the movement until you feel your shoulders and stomach have worked.

Isometric flyes

• Hold your arms out in front of you.
• Press your hands together hard and hold for five seconds.
• Release the pressure before repeating the exercise.
• Repeat the movement until you feel your chest has worked.

Bicep/tricep press

• Hold your arms out in front of you and press hands together.
• Keeping them pressed together turn your wrists 90 degrees.
• Hold this position for five seconds.
• Turn your wrists back through 180 degrees and press again.
• Keep changing every five seconds by turning through 180 degrees.
• Repeat the movement until you feel your arms have worked.

Leg extension  

• Sitting down on a chair, put one foot behind the other.
• Place your rear foot against your front leg.
• Keeping your front leg firm, push forward with your rear foot.
• Push for five seconds at a time and swap over and do the other leg.
• Repeat the movement until you feel your thighs have worked.

Leg curl

• Sitting down on a chair, put one foot behind the other.
• Place your front leg (just above the heel) against your rear leg.
• Keeping your rear leg firm, pull backward with your front leg.
• Pull for five seconds at a time and swap over and do the other leg.
• Repeat the movement until you feel the back of your thighs have worked.

Feet tapping

• Sitting down on a chair.
• First tap your toes fast on the floor about 20 times.
• Then tap your heels fast on the floor about 20 times.
• Then keeping your toes still move your heels out and in x 20.
• Then keeping your heels still move your toes out and in x 20.

Fingers and toes 

• Squeeze a ball using all your fingers separately.
• Click your fingers individually.
• Put a towel on the floor under your bare feet.
• Scrunch the towel up with your toes.
• Alternatively, move your feet forward by curling your toes against the carpet.

Reviewed March 2010
Next review September 2011