The background image is ONE Group staff member Melanie Potiaumpai, PhD, works with cancer patient Curt Chambers in the exercise room at Penn State Cancer Institute in 2018. Both are smiling and Chambers is pulling on a resistance band.
Exercise videos
The ONE Group (Oncology – Nutrition – Exercise) has put together a series of exercise videos that may be beneficial to people with cancer and that can be done from home, without any special equipment required.
All of the exercise videos were filmed in the Exercise Medicine Unit, a 300-square-feet facility within the second-floor infusion suite at Penn State Cancer Institute.
Before you begin
Can you lift a full gallon of milk out of the refrigerator and put it on the table?
If not, please ask your physician for a referral to physical therapy. The exercises that follow may be beyond your capacity.
Do you walk around your home between tasks?
If not, please only do the exercises in the seated and lying-down workout section.
Did you answer yes to both questions?
If you can lift a gallon of milk out of the refrigerator and you walk around your home between tasks, proceed to any of the videos listed.
Click or touch any of the buttons below to jump to a specific section.
The background image is Melanie Potiaumpai and Erica Schleicher of The ONE Group (Oncology - Nutrition - Exercise) demonstrate lunges. The two women face each other and each is holding the other's right hand.
Try working through the list twice, with 10 repetitions of each exercise each time.
If the exercise is shown for one side only, do it on both sides each time.
Week 1 WOW!
Warmup
Go for a 10-minute walk.
Workout
Work through this list of exercises twice. Be sure to do both sides. Try 10 repetitions of each movement.
Week 2 WOW!
Warmup
Do each of these warmup exercises for one minute.
Strength and core exercises
Do each strength exercise twice, 10 repetitions per movement. Be sure to do both sides.
Stretches
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Do both sides where appropriate.
Week 3 WOW!
Warmup
Take a 10-minute walk before starting the exercises.
Strength and core exercises
Do each strength exercise twice, 10 repetitions per exercise, both sides.
- Split squat
- Single-leg Romanian dead lift (RDL)
- Bear crawls
- Bicycle crunches
- Front arm raise
- Bicep curls
Stretches
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds on each sides.
Week 4 WOW!
Warmup
Do each of these warmup exercises for one minute.
Strength and core exercises
Do each strength exercise twice, with 10 repetitions per movement each time. Be sure to do both sides.
Stretches
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Do both sides where appropriate.
Warmup
Go for a 10-minute walk.
Workout
Work through this list of exercises twice. Be sure to do both sides. Try 10 repetitions of each movement.
Warmup
Do each of these warmup exercises for one minute.
Strength and core exercises
Do each strength exercise twice, 10 repetitions per movement. Be sure to do both sides.
Stretches
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Do both sides where appropriate.
Warmup
Take a 10-minute walk before starting the exercises.
Strength and core exercises
Do each strength exercise twice, 10 repetitions per exercise, both sides.
- Split squat
- Single-leg Romanian dead lift (RDL)
- Bear crawls
- Bicycle crunches
- Front arm raise
- Bicep curls
Stretches
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds on each sides.
Warmup
Do each of these warmup exercises for one minute.
Strength and core exercises
Do each strength exercise twice, with 10 repetitions per movement each time. Be sure to do both sides.
Stretches
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Do both sides where appropriate.
The background image is An abstract background image based on Penn State's signature shield shape
Note that some of these videos are shown standing, but the exercise can clearly be done seated.
Workout plan
Do both of the warmup exercises for a minute each, then choose two exercises from each of the other categories (flexibility, lower body, trunk, upper body). Do each exercise for 10 repetitions; rest, then repeat. Do this workout, seated or lying down, three times a week to maintain your physical function and improve your fatigue, anxiety, depression, sleep and quality of life.
Warmup
Do both for one minute each.
Flexibility
Choose two of these exercises and do each for 10 repetitions.
Trunk
Choose two of these exercises and do each for 10 repetitions.
Lower body
Do both of these exercises for 10 repetitions.
Upper body
Choose two of these exercises and do each for 10 repetitions.
Treolar Physiotherapy
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Sarah Weller and Ayesha Koome
Macmillan Cancer Support
United Kingdom
Anna Campbell, PhD
These short guides address nutrition and exercise topics that may be beneficial to people with cancer.
They are designed to help people with cancer manage the physical health effects of cancer and treatment and improve their mental health and wellness.
Support The ONE Group
The background image is A Penn State Nittany Lion statue is seen in the courtyard of Penn State College of Medicine in Summer 2016. The statue is in focus toward the right side of the image. Out of focus in the background, green plants and trees are visible in the courtyard.
The ONE Group accepts tax-deductible contributions to support these efforts via Penn State College of Medicine’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations.