By Julie Robinson, Founder and CEO of Move it or Lose it

Not everyone who supports older people wants a full fitness qualification.

But many want the knowledge and skills to help older adults move safely and confidently.

As Founder and CEO of Move it or Lose it, I have spent over 15 years specialising in exercise for older adults across the UK. I created this chair based exercise course to give care and community teams practical, evidence-informed training that works in real-world settings.

We offer structured seated exercise training across the UK to charities, councils, housing providers, care homes and voluntary organisations.

Move it or Lose it equip staff to become confident chair based exercise instructor leaders within their own organisations — without retraining as full fitness professionals.

Our approach is supportive, structured and genuinely fun training, because confidence grows faster when learning feels positive.

Summary

Move it or Lose it provides practical, evidence-informed chair-based exercise training that enables care and community teams to lead safe, engaging seated sessions without needing full fitness qualifications. Tailored programmes (half-day to two-day), small-group delivery and blended online options emphasise clear cueing, safe adaptations and the FABS framework (Flexibility, Aerobic fitness, Balance, Strength), with dementia-specific approaches where needed. Organisations build in-house capability, staff confidence and a sustainable movement culture that supports falls prevention and wellbeing across UK care, housing and community settings.

Why Organisations Choose Our Chair Based Exercise Course

We hear the same concerns everywhere:

“We know movement matters.”

“As an organisation, we want to do more.”

“But we don’t feel confident delivering it safely.”

Staff worry about:

• Falls
• Medical conditions
• Frailty
• Limited mobility
• Doing harm

Our chair based exercise courses remove that fear.

We give staff the practical skills they can plan and run safechair-based sessions with clear, confident delivery.

We focus on:

• What to do to improve physical activity
• What not to do
• How to make it a fun activity
• Safe adaptations
• Progressive structure
• Clear cueing
• Building engagement in small groups

Practical Seated Exercise Training Courses

We design our seated exercise training courses around your needs, time and budget.

We deliver:

• A half-day training session
• A structured one-day programme
• A comprehensive two-day chair exercise instructor training

Each training session is interactive and designed for adult learners. We encourage discussion, reflection and hands-on practice.

They learn how to:

• Structure a safe chair based exercise session
• Adapt for frailty and limited mobility
• Lead engaging seated exercise classes
• Progress safely within small groups
• Build motivation and inclusion

Every programme includes high-quality training material that supports learning long after the course ends.

Delivering Chair Based Exercise in Care Homes and Nursing Homes

Our training works particularly well for:

• Care home exercise
• Nursing home exercise
• Extra care housing
• Dementia support services

We specialise in chair based exercise in care homes, helping teams embed movement into everyday care routines.

Staff learn to plan and lead chair-based movement with confidence. They deliver it as part of daily care exercise. It is integrated fitness care.

For organisations seeking a sustainable alternative to hiring an external care home fitness instructor, our course builds in-house capability instead.

Dementia-Specific Seated Exercise Training

For dementia services, we adapt our seated exercise training to focus on clarity and simplicity.

We teach teams to:

• Use simple movement patterns
• Avoid over-complex sequencing
• Reduce cognitive overload
• Read emotional cues
• Use positive reinforcement

This ensures safety is both physical and emotional.

Participants leave with stronger communication skills and the confidence to lead safe, inclusive seated exercise classes.

Supporting Limited Mobility and Online Options

Some organisations need options beyond face-to-face delivery.

We can support blended learning, including resources suitable for those exploring an online course limited mobilityoption for refresher training or wider team access.

We also provide digital support through move it or lose it online exercise classes, giving organisations access to structured sessions that can complement in-house delivery.

This flexibility allows teams to build both competence and consistency.

What Makes Our Training Different?

Our training is:

• Practical
• Structured
• Designed for adult learners
• Delivered in small groups
• Focused on real-world application

Participants practise in real time.

They leave with both knowledge and skills, not just theory.

Move it or Lose it focus on developing confident chair based exercise instructor leaders who can safely plan and deliver chair-based sessions immediately.

We do not overload learners with jargon.

Instead, we focus on applied training course exercises that translate directly into practice.

Built on the FABS Framework

Every chair based exercise course and seated exercise training programme follows our FABS framework:

• Flexibility
• Aerobic fitness
• Balance
• Strength

These pillars align with UK Chief Medical Officer guidelines for older adults.

We translate evidence into clear, practical steps.

Why Invest in Chair Based Exercise Instructor Training?

When you invest in structured seated exercise instructor training, you:

• Build internal capability
• Increase staff confidence
• Improve resident wellbeing
• Support falls prevention
• Embed movement into daily routines

Movement becomes part of the culture.

It may look like:

• A 10-minute chair based exercise session in a lounge
• Gentle strength work before lunch
• Structured nursing home exercise groups
• Balance practice during activity mornings

This is sustainable, scalable care exercise.

A Strategic Partner in Healthy Ageing

Budgets are tight.

Teams are stretched.

Time is limited.

Our seated exercise training courses provide a practical solution.

We help organisations:

• Improve wellbeing
• Reduce inactivity
• Strengthen chair based exercise in care homes
• Develop confident chair based exercise instructors
• Deliver safe, engaging seated exercise classes

If you are exploring a chair based exercise course , looking to develop an internal chair based exercise instructor, or planning structured care home exercise sessions, we would love to talk.

Healthy ageing is not a one-off programme.

It is a culture.

And culture starts with confident people who have the right knowledge, skills and support to help others move.

Request Your Free Brochure or Arrange a Call

📘 Request your free brochure to see full course options, delivery formats and pricing.

📞 Prefer to talk it through? Email us at

👉 info@moveitorloseit.co.uk

and we will arrange a call at a time that suits you.

We will listen to your needs and recommend the right level of training for your organisation.

Healthy ageing starts with confident teams.

Let’s build that confidence together.

FAQs

Question 1: Do staff need a full fitness qualification to lead these sessions? Short answer: No. The course is specifically designed for people who support older adults but don’t want or need a full fitness qualification. Move it or Lose it equips staff to become confident chair based exercise instructor leaders within their own organisations, focusing on practical skills for safe, engaging delivery in real-world care settings.

Question 2: How does the training make chair-based exercise safe and effective? Short answer: Safety and effectiveness are built in through clear cueing, safe adaptations for frailty and limited mobility, and a progressive structure delivered in small groups. Content is evidence-informed and follows the FABS framework (Flexibility, Aerobic fitness, Balance, Strength), which aligns with UK Chief Medical Officer guidelines. Staff also learn what to do—and what not to do—so they can address common concerns about falls, medical conditions, and doing harm.

Question 3: What formats are available, and what does a typical training experience include? Short answer: You can choose a half-day session, a structured one-day programme, or a comprehensive two-day chair exercise instructor training. All formats are interactive and designed for adult learners, with discussion, reflection, and hands-on practice. Participants learn to structure safe sessions, adapt for different needs, build motivation and inclusion, and progress safely in small groups. Every programme includes high-quality training materials for ongoing support. Blended options and digital resources (including Move it or Lose it online exercise classes) can complement face-to-face delivery.

Question 4: How is the course adapted for dementia services? Short answer: The dementia-specific approach emphasises clarity and simplicity: simple movement patterns, avoiding over-complex sequencing, reducing cognitive overload, reading emotional cues, and using positive reinforcement. This supports both physical and emotional safety. Teams leave with stronger communication skills and the confidence to run inclusive, dementia-aware seated exercise classes.

Question 5: What outcomes can organisations expect, and how do we get started? Short answer: Organisations build internal capability, increase staff confidence, improve resident wellbeing, support falls prevention, and embed movement into daily routines—whether that’s a 10-minute lounge session, gentle strength before lunch, structured group classes, or balance practice during activity mornings. To get started, request the free brochure for options, formats, and pricing, or email info@moveitorloseit.co.uk to arrange a call. The team will listen to your needs and recommend the right level of training for your setting.