11 minutes · Standing · Stronger

Balance builder

Confidence on your feet. The weekly plan brings it in from week seven.

Have within reach

• A sturdy chair
• A clear stretch of wall
• A worktop or kitchen counter

The running order

Each movement starts with a few seconds to get into position, and a new round starts with a breather. The eleven minutes include both. The times are for the first weeks of the plan; later weeks hold some movements a little longer.

Two rounds of

1. 

   50 seconds, changing sides halfway

   Clock reach

   Hold the chair with one hand. Reach the other arm forward, then out to the side, then back.

2. 

   45 seconds, changing sides halfway

   Single leg stand

   Stand by the chair and lift one foot just off the floor, standing knee soft. Hold as long as feels steady, then lower and lift again until it is time to swap.

3. 

   45 seconds, changing sides halfway

   Heel to toe stand

   Place one foot directly in front of the other. Look ahead, hold steady, then swap.

4. 

   45 seconds

   Weight shifts

   Stand with your feet apart and a chair beside you. Shift your weight slowly onto one foot, then the other. Stay tall.

To finish

1. 

   45 seconds, changing sides halfway

   Calf stretch

   Hands on the wall, one foot back, heel down, back leg straight. Hold, then swap.

2. 

   a minute and a half

   Slow breathing

   In through the nose for four, out through the mouth for six. Never hold your breath.

To keep a copy

Print this page from your browser: the pictures, menus and buttons are left off, so the running order fits on a sheet.

Vaskuna is not a medical device. It does not diagnose, treat, monitor or prevent any condition, and nothing in it is medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting new exercise, and stop and seek medical help if you notice chest pain or tightness, severe breathlessness, dizziness, or a racing heartbeat.

All nineteen routines