SteadyStrong
Seated StrengthFully seated10 minutes

Seated Leg Strength

Straighten and lower each leg slowly to strengthen the muscles that lift you out of a chair.

Gentle startLast reviewed 24 September 2026
Seated Leg Strength: Two older women doing seated arm work with exercise balls in a community centre

Start guided session

6 steps · about 10 minutes. You can pause at any time, and every step shows a gentler alternative.

Step instructions shown as you goThree paces to choose from
Length
10 minutes
Effort
Gentle
Position
Seated
Steps
6
Legs & hipsA firm chair

Why this routine helps

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

  • Strengthens the quadriceps, which protect your knees on stairs
  • Improves knee control when walking on slopes
  • Safe for arthritic knees because there is no bodyweight load

Safety cues for this routine

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

Step by step

All 6 steps, with a gentler version of each

Open any step to read the full instruction and how to make it easier. The timing is a guide — going slower is always allowed.
  1. Tall seated postureAbout 45 seconds

    Sit forward of the chair back, feet flat, hands on your thighs. Lengthen through the spine.

    Modify this move

    Place a small cushion at your lower back for support.

  2. Straighten the right legAbout 45 seconds

    Slowly straighten your right leg until the foot is level with your hip. Stop just short of locking the knee.

    Modify this move

    Straighten only halfway if the knee pulls.

  3. Hold, then lowerAbout 90 seconds

    Hold for three seconds, then take four counts to lower the foot back to the floor. That slow lower is the strength work.

    Modify this move

    Lower over two counts instead of four.

  4. Build your repetitionsAbout 180 seconds

    Do eight repetitions on the right leg, then eight on the left, resting thirty seconds between legs.

    Modify this move

    Start with five per leg and add one per week.

  5. Ankle circlesAbout 120 seconds

    Lift one foot and draw ten slow circles with your ankle in each direction. Swap feet.

    Modify this move

    Draw smaller circles if the ankle clicks.

  6. Check inAbout 60 seconds

    Note how many repetitions you completed and whether they felt easier than last time. Then stand up slowly once to finish.

    Modify this move

    Write it down so you can see the progress.

Keep going

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Reviewed by Dana Whitfield, PT, DPT — licensed physical therapist specialising in older-adult rehabilitation.