Sit-to-stand

Hips & legs · Seated → standing · about 35 seconds · Updated 23 October 2026

A sit-to-stand is exactly what it sounds like: stand up from a fixed chair, without using your hands if you can, then sit back down slowly. Eight in a row work the thighs and glutes and practise the everyday strength of getting out of a chair.

The Moveful figure doing the sit-to-stand — The sit-to-stand as the Moveful figure demonstrates it. The pink glow shows the area it works.

How to do the sit-to-stand

Sit on the front of a stable chair, feet hip-width.
Lean slightly forward and stand up, without using your hands if you can.
Lower yourself slowly back down.

What it works

Glutes
Thighs

How long and how often

In a movement break it's 8 slow reps, about 35 seconds in total, and it can come up in the “Hips & low back” and “Full-body reset” classes. It's meant to be repeated through the day in short breaks rather than done once; doing it regularly matters more than the exact timing.

Tips

Nose over toes
Slow on the way down
A fixed chair: no wheels or swivel

Who should skip it

Poor balance or a fall risk: skip it (Moveful does, when that's ticked in the health check)
Light-headed when you stand up: skip it (Moveful does, when that's ticked in the health check)

Move gently, in a comfortable range. Stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness, tingling or dizziness.

Try it with the guided 3D figure →