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Exercising with Chronic Lung Disease: Increasing Strength

Building muscle strength will allow you to do certain activities with less effort. Some of these exercises involve using hand weights. If you don't have weights at home, you can use water bottles, bags of dried beans, or soup cans instead.

Shoulder press

  1. Stand or sit, holding a weight in each hand at shoulder level. Your palms should face forward. Inhale.
  2. Exhale as you slowly press the weights upward. Reach as high as you comfortably can. Don't lock your elbows.
  3. Inhale while you slowly lower the weights to your shoulders. Repeat as directed.

Special instructions: _____________________________________________________

Man doing shoulder press exercise with hand weights.

Biceps curl

  1. Stand or sit with a weight in each hand. Keep your arms straight, very close to your sides, with your palms facing forward. Inhale.
  2. Exhale as you slowly bend your arms and lift the weights to shoulder level.
  3. Inhale while you slowly return to the starting position. Repeat as directed.

Special instructions: _____________________________________________________

Woman doing biceps curl exercise with hand weights.

Side lift

  1. Stand straight and hold on to a sturdy table, counter, or wall with 1 hand. Or you can do this exercise lying down on your side, keeping your legs straight. Inhale.
  2. Exhale as you lift your foot to the side. You only need to lift it a few inches. Keep your toes pointing forward. Hold the lift until you're finished exhaling.
  3. Inhale while bringing your leg back to your side. Repeat as directed. Then switch sides.

Special instructions: _____________________________________________________

Woman standing, holding on to counter doing side lift exercise.

Leg raise

  1. Lie on your back. Your doctor or pulmonary rehab team can teach you how to get up and lie down safely. A mat and pillow may keep you more comfortable.
  2. Bend 1 knee. Keep the other leg straight.
  3. Inhale. Then while exhaling, lift your straight leg until your knees are lined up.
  4. Inhale while you lower your leg. Repeat as directed. Then switch legs.

Note: If you're not comfortable lying on the floor, this exercise can also be done sitting in a chair.

Special instructions: _____________________________________________________

Man sitting in chair doing leg lift exercise.

Pursed-lip breathing

Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through pursed lips makes breathing easier during exercise. To do pursed-lip breathing:

  1. Relax your neck and shoulder muscles. Inhale slowly through your nose for at least 2 counts.
  2. Pucker your lips as if to blow out a candle. Exhale slowly and gently through your pursed lips for at least twice as long as you inhaled.
Online Medical Reviewer: Chris Southard RN
Online Medical Reviewer: Rajadurai Samnishanth Researcher
Online Medical Reviewer: Rita Sather RN
Date Last Reviewed: 3/1/2024
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