®Do it along with a timer
Choose your circuit and start
Choose the number of exercises, the work time and the number of rounds. During the work time, repeat the exercise at a controlled pace; during the rest time, get ready for the next exercise. If your sound is on you will hear a beep at each change; if you like, the names of the exercises are read out too.
Number of exercises
Work and rest
Rounds
Sit-to-stand from a chair
Sit at the front of a sturdy chair without arms. Stand up without using your hands, then sit down slowly. If it is too hard, put your hands on your knees for support.
Wall press-up
Place your hands on the wall at chest height. Keeping your elbows close to your body, bend them to bring your chest towards the wall, then push back. As it gets easier, you can move to a kitchen worktop and later to a low table.
Resistance band row
Anchor the band to a door handle or under your feet. Keeping your elbows close to your body, pull the band towards you, squeeze your shoulder blades together and release slowly. If you have no band, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a few seconds.
Step-ups
Holding the banister, step up on to the bottom stair, or on to a sturdy, low step, one foot at a time, and step down. Halfway through, switch the leading foot.
Bridge
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips off the floor so that your shoulders and knees form a straight line. Lower slowly.
Heel raises
Hold lightly on to a kitchen worktop or the back of a chair. Lift both heels together to rise up on to your toes, then lower slowly. When it gets easier, try without holding on.
Ready
Look through the exercises once, then press Start.
The days you did a circuit are stored only on this device; nothing is sent anywhere.
Before you start
- Use a sturdy chair without arms or wheels that will not slip.
- Wear comfortable clothes and keep some water nearby.
- Warm up for a few minutes by marching on the spot or swinging your arms.
- In the first weeks, start with 4 exercises and 1 round, and build up gradually.
Doing it right
- Control over speed: do every repetition slowly and fully.
- Breathe out during the hardest part; do not hold your breath.
- Keep your back straight in squats and press-ups; push up with your legs, not your arms.
- Mild muscle tiredness is normal; if you get sharp joint pain, skip that exercise.
Frequently asked questions
Why 2 days a week?
The World Health Organization recommends that everyone over 18 does, alongside at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, strengthening exercises working the major muscle groups on at least 2 days a week. This circuit works the muscles of the legs, hips, chest, arms and back together.
How much is enough?
In a meta-analysis combining 16 observational studies, people who did muscle-strengthening exercise had a 10–17% lower risk of death, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and lung cancer. For death, cardiovascular disease and cancer, the largest reduction was seen at about 30–60 minutes a week; well beyond that, no clear extra benefit was seen. People who combined strengthening with aerobic exercise had a 40% lower risk of death. These studies show associations; they do not prove cause and effect.
Do short sessions work?
In a randomised trial of 97 people over 65 at Penn State University in the USA, published in PLOS One in 2026, participants did a programme of about 4 minutes every day: press-ups, chair stands, rows with a resistance band and step-ups; each exercise for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds’ rest. Compared with the group that did no exercise, the programme increased the number of chair stands in 30 seconds by 4.2 and the time standing on one leg by 3.6 seconds. Participants did the programme on 81% of days.
Do I need to use weights?
Not to get started. In a 2023 analysis combining 178 studies, every form of resistance exercise studied increased muscle strength and muscle size compared with no exercise. The biggest gains in strength, however, came with heavier loads and more than one set. You can start with your body weight and a resistance band and make the exercises harder as they get easier.
When should I make it harder?
If at the end of the work time you feel you could still do a few more repetitions, you can make the exercise harder: press-ups on a worktop instead of the wall, a stronger band, heel raises without holding on, or a single-leg bridge. Slowly increasing the number of repetitions is another way.
Who should take care?
If you have heart disease or uncontrolled high blood pressure, have had recent surgery, or your doctor has restricted exercise, check with them first. Do not hold your breath while exercising; stop if you get chest pain, dizziness or sharp joint pain.
To measure your leg strength, see the 30-second chair stand test; for short bursts of movement spread through the day, see exercise snacks; and for your weekly activity goal, see how much activity is enough.
Sources
- World Health Organization. Physical activity: recommendations for adults and older adults.
- Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451–1462.
- Momma H, Kawakami R, Honda T, Sawada SS. Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Br J Sports Med. 2022;56(13):755–763.
- Currier BS, Mcleod JC, Banfield L, et al. Resistance training prescription for muscle strength and hypertrophy in healthy adults: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2023;57:1211–1220.
- Sciamanna C, et al. FAST-2 randomised controlled trial. PLOS One. 2026. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0336748. Haber: Penn State News, 9 June 2026.
- NHS. Strength exercises. Page last reviewed 28 February 2024.