Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi have all been shown to improve mood and Wellbeing. Yoga can help with pain, especially back pain and helps improve flexibility and posture. It also helps with depression and anxiety and there is early evidence that it improves sleep, fatigue and lung function. Pilates can help with musculoskeletal pain, improve core strength and posture. Tai Chi is an effective activity to help ease pain, promote mindfulness and reduce falls.
Stretching and balance exercise doesn’t boost your cardio fitness much, but it helps keep you safe when you walk or do other exercise.
Stretching helps tight muscles recover and grow stronger.
This movement focuses on balance and supports all your activity.
That depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to improve your flexibility and strength, try yoga. If you want to develop a stronger core and abdominal muscles, choose Pilates. Both will help improve posture.
Yoga is for everyone, no matter how flexible you are to begin with. Practicing yoga will help with breathing and mindfulness. It’s about moving slowly and stretching carefully.
The gentle, repetitive swaying movements of Tai Chi can help to improve balance. Better balance reduces the likelihood of a fall.
It can be hard to know where to start when trying to move more. Everyone begins at a different point, depending on how active they are, how easily they move, and how strong they feel.
To get started, choose the option that best matches what you usually do on an average day in each column below. Look at your daily activities, mobility, and strength to find a sensible place to begin. Then click on the ‘see results’ button to reveal where you should start.
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Try one of the seated options. Many last only 10 minutes but try and do them as many times a week as you can. Build up to longer sessions and perhaps vary what you are doing each day.
Try one of the seated options to begin with. Many last only 10 minutes but try and do them as many times a week as you can. Build up to longer sessions and perhaps try to build more standing work as you get stronger. It may help to supplement this with an in person class as well, especially if you are struggling with pain.
Many providers offer courses which help you build up your strength and confidence as you go through. Try and do something at least twice a week. It may help to supplement this with an in person class as well, especially if you are struggling with pain.
Many providers offer courses which help you build up your strength and confidence and to help you improve your technique. Try and do something at least twice a week.
Practice regularly to improve your technique. Try and do something at least twice a week.
Yes, there are lots of online yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi chair-based options.
There are loads of online options to explore on google, some free and some not. Here are a few examples you might like.
Explore free NHS-guided videos for yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi — perfect for improving flexibility, strength, and mental wellbeing at your own pace.
Adriene publishes free Yoga Videos and has a library of over 500 free videos and growing.
Discover We Are Undefeatable’s range of easy-to-follow, accessible workout videos.
This site has been put together by specialists in exercise medicine and supported and funded by Nuffield Health Charity. In collaboration with academic experts, specialists in behavioural change, medics across a wide spectrum of specialties, physiotherapists, nurses and most importantly, people living with the symptoms of long term conditions. Through our rigorous academic process we have carefully ensured that all the information on this website is trustworthy and evidence based.
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