Class Timetable

Strength & Balance At Home

Exercises You Can Do at Home

These simple exercises are the same building blocks we use in every class. Staying active is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of a fall in the first place — and if a fall or illness ever does mean some time in bed or in hospital, that same strength is what helps you bounce back quickly: research shows just 10 days of reduced activity can cost an older adult around a kilogram of leg muscle. The good news is that regular strength and balance work builds exactly the reserve that protects against this. Try these two or three times a week to help keep you strong, steady and confident.

Before You Start

  • Use a sturdy, stable chair or worktop for support — never one with wheels or castors
  • Wear flat, supportive shoes rather than socks or slippers
  • Stop and contact your GP or call 111 if you feel chest pain, dizziness or become very short of breath
  • A little muscle soreness the next day is normal — sharp or lasting pain isn’t
  • If you have a new or complex health condition, check with your GP before starting, or ask one of our instructors for advice

Simple Moves to Try

Strength & Balance Exercises

Tap an exercise to see how it’s done. Try them two or three times a week — every day if you enjoy it — and you should notice an improvement in your balance and confidence over the coming weeks. Want to add a bit of extra resistance? We stock resistance bands that are available to buy — just ask your instructor or get in touch for details.
Sit towards the front of a firm, stable chair with your feet flat on the floor, slightly tucked back under your knees. Lean forward, then stand up — using your hands on the chair or armrests if you need to. Sit back down slowly and with control. Aim for 10—20 repetitions, and try using your hands a little less as you get stronger. Stop and rest whenever you feel tired — a little fatigue is fine, but there’s no need to push through it.
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding the back of a sturdy chair or the kitchen worktop for support. Slowly rise up onto the balls of your feet, keeping your weight over your big toes, then lower back down with control. Aim for 10—20 repetitions, resting whenever you need to. Stop if you start to feel tired.
Standing tall beside a sturdy chair or worktop, hold on for support and slowly raise one knee up in front of you, keeping your back straight rather than leaning backwards. Hold briefly, then lower with control — no kicking or swinging the leg. Aim for 10—20 repetitions per side, stopping if you feel tired.
Standing beside a sturdy chair or worktop, place one foot directly in front of the other so your heel touches your toes, as if you’re standing on a tightrope. Hold for 3—4 seconds to start with, building up towards 10—30 seconds over time. Swap feet and repeat. Use as much hand support as you need, and try to use less as your balance improves. Stop if you feel tired or unsteady.
Standing beside a sturdy chair or worktop, lift one foot slightly off the floor and balance on the other leg. Hold for 3—4 seconds to begin with, working up towards 10 seconds or more as you improve. Swap legs and repeat. Stop if you feel tired or unsteady.
Standing in the same position, keep your heels on the floor and lift your toes and the front of your feet up as high as feels comfortable. Hold briefly, then lower with control. Aim for 10—20 repetitions, stopping if you feel tired.
With the same foot position as the Heel-Toe Stand, walk forward in a straight line, placing each foot directly in front of the other. Take small, controlled steps, and start close to a wall or between two sturdy chairs if it helps. This is one of the more challenging exercises here, so take your time and only progress when you feel ready. Stop if you feel tired or unsteady.

Track Your Progress

Check Your Balance and Strength

These two simple checks are a nice way to see how you’re getting on — they’re not a medical test, just a guide. If you’re ever unsure about a result, our instructors are always happy to talk it through, and it’s worth mentioning anything that concerns you to your GP.
Using a chair with no arms, sit in the middle of the seat with your feet flat on the floor and your arms crossed over your chest. From sitting, stand up fully and sit back down again as many times as you can in 30 seconds, without pushing off with your arms. Count how many full stands you complete — that’s your score. Try it again in a few weeks to see how you’re progressing. If you feel unsteady, do this near a wall or with someone nearby, and stop straight away if you feel dizzy or unwell.
This test builds up through four positions, each held for 10 seconds: standing with your feet together side by side; standing with the instep of one foot touching the big toe of the other (semi-tandem); standing heel-to-toe in a straight line (tandem); and standing on one leg. Try each position near a wall or sturdy support in case you need it, and only move on to the next stage if you can comfortably hold the one before it. If you find it hard to hold the heel-to-toe position for 10 seconds, it’s worth mentioning to your GP or one of our instructors.

Prevention Starts at Home

Check Your Home

Most falls happen in and around the home, and small changes can make a big difference. Have a look through these room-by-room checks — you don’t need to do everything at once, and it’s often easier to ask a friend or family member to help you spot things you might miss.
Loose rugs and mats are one of the easiest hazards to fix — either remove them or secure them with a non-slip backing. Keep walkways clear of clutter, and tuck away or tape down any trailing wires and cables. If a carpet edge is lifting or worn, it’s worth having it repaired.
Handrails on both sides make the biggest difference on stairs, especially if they’re fitted securely along the full length. Make sure step edges are easy to see — a strip of contrasting tape on the front of each step can help — and keep the stairs completely clear of anything stored on them. Good lighting at the top and bottom matters just as much as the rails themselves.
Check that light switches are easy to reach from the doorway, so you’re never crossing a dark room to turn a light on. A plug-in night light in the hallway or bathroom is a simple, low-cost way to make night-time trips safer, and heavy curtains or blinds that block daylight can be swapped for something lighter.
Keep the things you use most often on shelves between waist and shoulder height, so you’re not stretching or climbing — a chair or worktop is not a substitute for proper steps. If reaching high shelves is sometimes unavoidable, a sturdy step stool with a handrail is far safer than anything makeshift. Wipe up spills straight away, and a mat by the sink can help keep the floor dry.
Grab rails by the bath, shower and toilet are one of the most effective single changes you can make, and they’re straightforward for an occupational therapist or handyman to fit. A non-slip mat inside the bath or shower helps too, and drying the floor after use keeps it from becoming a hazard for the next person. It’s also worth avoiding locking the door — a simple privacy bolt you can open from the outside is a safer choice, so help can still reach you quickly if you ever need it.
Keep a clear, well-lit path between the bed and the bathroom for night-time trips, and a lamp you can reach without getting up. Keeping glasses, a phone and a torch within arm’s reach of the bed means you’re never fumbling in the dark if you need them.
Check that front and back steps are in good repair, with a secure handrail if you use one. Outside lights that actually work make a real difference on darker evenings, and it’s worth keeping paths clear of leaves, moss and, in winter, ice — grit or a temporary mat can help on icy mornings.
Want to check more than just your home? Ealing and Hillingdon each publish a free self-assessment guide covering balance, eyesight, hearing, diet and medication — well worth doing alongside these checks: Ealing’s “My Staying Steady Guide” (PDF)  |  Hillingdon’s “Avoiding Slips, Trips and Falls” guide (PDF)
Managing osteoporosis or a fracture risk? Our Bone Health & Osteoporosis guide covers which exercises are safest and how to build strength without unnecessary risk.

Just In Case

If You Have a Fall

Most falls don’t cause serious injury, but knowing what to do can help you feel calmer and stay safer if it happens.
Take a moment to stay calm and check yourself for injury before moving. Roll onto your side, then push yourself up onto your hands and knees. Crawl to a sturdy piece of furniture, like a solid chair or sofa — never anything on wheels. Place one foot flat on the floor with your other knee down, then push up through your arms and legs to stand, or to sit on the furniture. Rest for a moment before carrying on with your day.
If you feel pain, especially in your hip or back, or you don’t feel able to get up safely, stay where you are. Keep as warm and comfortable as you can, and try to attract attention — use a personal alarm or phone if you have one nearby, or call or bang on something to alert someone. Move gently every so often while you wait, rather than staying completely still.

Call 999 if you think you may have injured your head, neck, back or hip, or if you simply can’t get up. Call 111 if you’re in pain or don’t feel right, even if you don’t think you’re seriously hurt. It’s also worth telling your GP or one of our instructors about any fall, even a minor one — it helps us understand what extra support might help.

Prefer to Do These With Some Company?

These exercises are exactly the kind of thing we build into every class — with an instructor to check your technique, and other people to share the journey with.
Find a Class Near You