Exercise - May 2026: National Guidelines — Strength + Balance Twice a Week
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Author: Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
Length: minute read
Category: Exercise, Balance, Strength, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Heart Health
If you want a plan that is simple enough to repeat and strong enough to matter, make it this:
Strength + balance twice a week.
This isn’t a trend. It’s recommended in the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines:
adults should do muscle-strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week, and
older adults (and those at risk of falls) should also include activities that improve balance and coordination on at least 2 days a week.
This guide gives you a clear, repeatable template using My Movement Medicine’s Balance Level 1 (Supported) and Balance Level 2 (Intermediate / Unsupported) workouts.
“The first wealth is health.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson
What “minimum effective” actually means
Minimum effective doesn’t mean “easy”. It means:
enough stimulus to improve strength and stability
low enough dose to recover well
simple enough to repeat every week
Most people don’t fail because they choose the wrong exercises. They fail because the plan is too big to sustain. This one is built for real life.
“Success is the product of daily habits — not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.”— James Clear
Why balance belongs in a heart-health plan
Balance isn’t just about falls. It’s about staying active long term — and long-term activity is where heart health improves.
Better balance supports:
confidence walking outdoors (kerbs, uneven ground, crowds)
safer turning, stepping, and carrying bags
fewer “wobbly moments” when tired or stressed
better technique in strength exercises
A key point for many people in cardiac rehab: the first stage is often confidence, not fitness. Repeating safe drills rebuilds trust in your body.
“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.”— Peter T. McIntyre
Safety first
Start at the level that feels safe.
Your Beginner plan is supported — use a kitchen counter, chair, or sturdy surface.
Stop if anything causes pain, and if symptoms worsen or you feel anything unusual or concerning, get checked (this is included in your templates).
Keep intensity light to moderate:
breathing steady
able to talk normally
no breath-holding or straining
If you’re unsure, start easier. The win is repeatability.
The full session structure (20–30 minutes)
Do this twice per week.
Warm-up (5–8 minutes)
2 minutes easy walk/march
1 minute ankle circles + heel-toe rocking
1 minute hip circles
1 minute shoulder rolls
1–2 easy practice reps of sit-to-stand
Strength (10–12 minutes)
Pick 3–4 moves, 1–2 sets each:
sit-to-stand (8–12 reps)
wall press-ups (8–12 reps)
band row / seated row (8–12 reps)
calf raises (10–15 reps) — also in Level 1 plan
Balance (8–10 minutes)
Use the MMM templates below.
Cool-down (2–5 minutes)
slow walk/march
6–10 slow breaths (long exhale)
Balance templates (MMM)
There are videos included in each of the pdf files to demonstrate each activity
Level 1: Beginners (Supported)
Choose 3–5 drills per session.
Calf Heel Raise Two Legs
Repeat 10, perform 2 times daily, 3 days/week.
Single Leg Balance Standing with Support
Hold 10 seconds, repeat 12, 3 days/week, both sides.
Straight-Line Balance Standing with Support (heel-to-toe stance)
Repeat “10 steps times”, 3 days/week, both sides.
Step Up and Downs Supported
Repeat 12, 3 days/week, both sides.
Partial ¼ Lunge Supported (or ½ Lunge Supported)
Repeat 12, 3 days/week, both sides.
Level 2: Intermediate (Unsupported)
Choose 3–5 drills per session.
Side Lean Gentle
Repeat 12, perform 2 times daily, 3 days/week, both sides.
Front Shift onto Opposite Leg
Repeat 12, 3 days/week, both sides.
Back Shift onto Opposite Leg
Repeat 12, 3 days/week, both sides.
Star Excursion Balance (tape a star on the floor)
Repeat 12, 3 days/week, both sides.
Straight-Line Walking Unsupported (near a wall “just in case”)
Repeat 12, 3 days/week.
Step Front Unsupported
Repeat 12, 3 days/week, both sides.
Which level should you start with?
Start with Level 1 if:
you feel wobbly with turns/kerbs
you’ve had a near fall
you’re rebuilding confidence after illness
you want the safest path to consistency
Move to Level 2 when:
Level 1 feels steady and controlled
you can reduce support without anxiety
you finish sessions thinking “I could do that again”
“Stability is not stillness. It is control.”— Gray Cook
A simple weekly schedule
Option A (most people):
Session 1: Strength + Balance (Level 1 or 2)
Session 2: Strength + Balance (Level 1 or 2)
Add walking on other days if you can.
Option B (busy week):
One full session
Two short walks
One “micro” balance day (2 drills only)
Minimum version = warm-up + 2 strength moves + 2 balance drills.
Progression (the rule that prevents setbacks)
Progress one variable per week:
hold balance longer (10s → 15s → 20s)
reduce hand support (full hand → fingertips → hover)
add 2 reps to one strength move
add one extra set to one strength move
If you feel noticeably more fatigued or wobbly afterwards, go back one step and repeat.
“If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly.”— G. K. Chesterton
SMART challenges
Short-term SMART challenge (7 days): Two sessions done
Specific: Complete two sessions this week.
Measurable: 2 sessions completed.
Achievable: 1 set strength + 3 balance drills counts.
Relevant: Meets UK guideline targets for strength and balance.
Time-bound: 7 days.
Long-term SMART challenge (4 weeks): 8-session base
Specific: Strength + balance twice/week for 4 weeks.
Measurable: 8 sessions total.
Achievable: Progress one variable per week.
Relevant: Builds stability and confidence that supports long-term heart-healthy activity.
Time-bound: 4 weeks.
MMM tips (to make it stick)
Link balance to a daily cue: kettle on = one drill.
Train near a counter even when you’re “intermediate” on low-energy days.
Repeat the same routine for 2 weeks before progressing.
Your goal isn’t “hard”. Your goal is “repeatable”.
How My Movement Medicine can help
If you want support with getting moving in a healthy, and sustainable way, here are a few simple options.
Phase 4 cardiac rehab C.I.C. group sessions (in-person and online): safe pacing, clear progressions, in a supportive environment
Confidence with intensity: learn to use the talk test and Borg RPE so exercise feels safe and doable
Choose what suits you with our Subscriptions and Plans:
Keep an eye out on our online programmes page for some upcoming ways to move and get healthy
If you’d prefer a more personalised approach, one to one support is available, especially if you want help rebuilding confidence, working around symptoms, or returning to exercise after a health event
Trying a new activity? Approach it the right way with some support from our Activity Specific Guides:
Recommended books
Rehab Science — Tom Walters (excellent on safe progressions and managing niggles)
Built to Move — Kelly Starrett & Juliet Starrett (simple daily mobility and movement “standards”)
The Practicing Mind — Thomas M. Sterner (brilliant for building consistency without perfection)
Evidence references
UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines.
MMM Balance templates: Beginner (Supported) and Intermediate (Unsupported).
Summary
If you want a plan that’s simple enough to maintain and strong enough to matter:
Strength + balance twice a week.
Start supported, build confidence, progress one small step at a time — and let consistency do the heavy lifting.
This health guide was written by Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
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