Balance & Fall PreventionStanding, low impact15 minutes

Clock Reach Balance

Reach toward the numbers on an imaginary clock face to train balance in every direction.

Building upLast reviewed 24 September 2026

Start guided session

7 steps · about 15 minutes. You can pause at any time, and every step shows a gentler alternative.

Step instructions shown as you goThree paces to choose from

SteadinessA chair back or counter to steady yourself

Why this routine helps

Three reasons this session is worth your ten minutes, and what you should notice changing over the first few weeks.

Read our full safety guidelines if this is your first week of exercise, or if anything here feels unclear.

Step by step

Open any step to read the full instruction and how to make it easier. The timing is a guide — going slower is always allowed.

Centre yourselfAbout 45 seconds
Stand with feet hip-width apart, one hand on the chair back. Find your balance point and breathe for thirty seconds.
Modify this move
Sit for this first minute if standing balance is new.
Reach to twelveAbout 90 seconds
Reach your free arm forward and up toward twelve o’clock, then return to centre. Six slow reaches.
Modify this move
Reach only to shoulder height.
Reach to three and nineAbout 120 seconds
Reach sideways to three o’clock, back to centre, then to nine o’clock. Let your ribs follow the reach a little.
Modify this move
Shorten the reach and keep your feet planted.
Reach back to sixAbout 90 seconds
Reach your arm down and slightly behind you toward six o’clock. Go slowly and keep your chin tucked.
Modify this move
Skip the backward reach if your lower back is sensitive.
Swap handsAbout 180 seconds
Change which hand holds the support and repeat all four directions with the other arm.
Modify this move
Repeat only the directions that felt easy.
Reach without holdingAbout 120 seconds
For the final two minutes, let go of the support for the forward and side reaches, keeping one hand hovering near it.
Modify this move
Keep your hand on the support. That is the right call when in doubt.
SettleAbout 45 seconds
Stand still, feet together, and take five slow breaths. Notice how much steadier that felt than at the start.
Modify this move
Sit to finish and rest as long as you like.

Keep going

Balance & Fall Prevention
Sit to Stand Basics
The single most useful movement for staying independent — practised safely, ten times over.
10 minStandingBuilding up
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Heel-to-Toe Steady Walk
Slow, deliberate walking practice that sharpens the balance reflex in your ankles and hips.
10 minStandingBuilding up
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Balance & Fall Prevention
Supported Single-Leg Hold
Five minutes of standing on one leg while holding a counter — the fastest way to build steadiness.
5 minStandingA good challenge
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Reviewed by Dana Whitfield, PT, DPT — licensed physical therapist specialising in older-adult rehabilitation.