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Chair-based exercise training for care homes and organisations

Give your staff and volunteers the skills and confidence to run safe, fun chair-based exercise sessions for the older people they support. Move it or Lose it offers a range of bespoke training, from 3-hour chair-based exercise workshops to 2-day training packages, starting from £66 per person.

Our bespoke training is available to care homes, housing providers, councils, NHS teams, charities and community groups who work with older adults and want to promote independence and enhance their physical and mental health. We deliver in person at your venue anywhere in the UK, or online.

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Who our chair-based exercise training is for

  • Care homes and nursing homes
  • Extra care and sheltered housing
  • Dementia support services
  • Local authorities and councils
  • NHS and health teams
  • Charities, community groups and volunteer networks
  • Leisure centres

Your team doesn’t need to retrain as fitness professionals. The training builds in-house capability, so movement becomes part of everyday care rather than something you buy in once a week.

We’re proud to have worked with Royal Voluntary Service, Hallmark Care Homes, Dudley Council and Elmbridge Borough Council.

Proud to work with

Royal Voluntary Service logo
Dudley Council logo
Hallmark Care Homes logo
Elmbridge Borough Council logo

Choose the training format that suits your team

Every package is tailored to your setting, your residents or clients, your time and your budget.

Half-day workshop

A practical 3-hour chair-based exercise workshop. Ideal for introducing a team to safe seated exercise and getting sessions started quickly.

One-day programme

A structured day covering session planning, safe adaptations, cueing and engagement, with plenty of hands-on practice.

Two-day training package

Our most comprehensive option for staff who will lead regular chair-based exercise sessions across your organisation.

Delivered in small, interactive groups, in person at a venue of your choice or online.

Request a call & brochure

Three ways to get your residents moving

Whether you want your own team to lead sessions or would rather bring someone in, we have an option for your care home or service.

Train your staff

Bespoke chair-based exercise training so your team can lead safe, fun sessions every day, not just once a week. The most sustainable option.

Classes led by our instructors

Local Move it or Lose it instructors can visit your care home to run chair-based and standing exercise classes for residents. See care home exercise options.

Online Club group licence

Live weekly 30-minute classes plus recorded strength and balance sessions, with group licences for residents. Find out about the Club for care homes.

Built on the FABS framework

All our training follows the FABS framework: Flexibility, Aerobic fitness, Balance and Strength. These pillars align with the UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines for older adults, and support falls prevention and independence.

Fun activities for older people that build strength

Good chair-based exercise doesn’t feel like a workout. It feels like the best part of the day. Our training shows staff how to turn simple seated movement into a fun, sociable activity that also builds strength, balance and confidence.

It may look like a 10-minute session in the lounge, gentle strength work before lunch, a regular exercise group or balance practice during an activity morning. Sessions mix strength, balance, coordination and gentle aerobic work to music, so residents never get bored.

Book training for your team

Training for dementia care and limited mobility

For dementia services we adapt the training to focus on clarity and simplicity: simple movement patterns, less complex sequences, reading emotional cues and positive reinforcement, so sessions feel safe physically and emotionally.

For people with limited mobility, every exercise can be done seated, with adaptations for different abilities in the same group.

About Move it or Lose it! Training

Move it or Lose it! Training is committed to help older people to live longer better, through safe, effective and enjoyable exercise sessions. As collaborative partners with the Centre for Healthy Ageing Research at University of Birmingham, our training is of the highest standard and is informed by the latest research into active ageing.

Our training is aimed at improving functional ability to help older adults live independently by increasing their strength, mobility, confidence and coordination. Each exercise session is also an opportunity for older adults to have fun, interact and socialise with their peers to help reduce loneliness.

Move it or Lose it is a CIMSPA Education Partner rated “Enhancing”: three stars, the top of CIMSPA’s quality assurance scale.

In 2016, Royal Voluntary Service commissioned an independent pilot study to evaluate the impact of the Move it or Lose it chair-based exercise programme. The findings from the pilot show that functional improvement was achieved in 61% of the sample and that on average people improved by 20%. The pilot also showed a very positive impact on loneliness scores; 22% less reported they were lonely at assessment stage.

This led Royal Voluntary Service to officially partner with Move it or Lose it to deliver the chair-based exercise programme to staff and volunteers across the UK.

See the study results: “Reducing sarcopenia in older adults and improving wellbeing through targeted chair-based resistance exercises.”

See Move it or Lose it on BBC One

Chair-based exercise training: frequently asked questions

Who is chair-based exercise training for?

Staff and volunteers in care homes, housing providers, councils, NHS teams, charities, community groups and leisure centres who support older adults and want to lead safe, enjoyable seated exercise sessions.

Do our staff need fitness experience?

No. The training is designed for care and community teams, so your staff can lead sessions confidently without retraining as fitness professionals.

What will our staff learn?

  • Plan and structure a safe chair-based exercise session
  • Adapt exercises for frailty, limited mobility and long-term conditions
  • Give clear, confident cues to small groups
  • Progress exercises safely over time
  • Make every session a fun, sociable activity residents look forward to
  • Build motivation, inclusion and regular attendance

Every programme includes training material your team can keep using long after the course ends.

How long is the training?

We offer a 3-hour half-day workshop, a one-day programme and a two-day training package. We tailor the content to your setting and the people you support.

How much does bespoke training cost?

Bespoke training starts from £66 per person. The final price depends on the format, the number of people and whether we deliver in person or online. Request a call and brochure for a quote.

Can you train us at our own venue or online?

Yes. We deliver in person at a venue of your choice across England, Scotland and Wales, or online.

Is the training suitable for dementia care settings?

Yes. For dementia services we adapt the training to focus on simple movement patterns, clear communication and reading emotional cues.

I want to teach my own exercise classes. Is this the right course?

Bespoke training is for organisations training their teams. If you want to run your own classes for older adults, see our Become a Fitness Instructor page.

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