Parkinson's fitness class

This is perhaps the easiest way for a person with Parkinson’s to begin exercising, as there’s a huge range of Parkinson’s workout videos to try online from the comfort of your own home, so even the least confident person can give exercise a try without worrying what anyone else thinks.

From fitness guru Joe Wicks’ Parkinson’s workout above to a regular series of exercise videos (such as our ExerciseCast, or Bial’s Keep ON Moving video programme), there really is something for everyone.

Exercise and fitness articles

How much exercise should people with Parkinson’s disease do each week?

US charity Parkinson’s Foundation and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have shared new exercise recommendations for people living with Parkinson’s disease.

Read more

How tailored exercise programmes can help people with Parkinson’s

Become proactive in the management of Parkinson’s symptoms by finding a specially tailored exercise programme to suit you, writes fitness coach Patrick LoSasso

Read more

13 people with Parkinson’s on the impact of exercise

“What are the benefits of exercise?” A new global video project sees people with Parkinson’s share how staying active has helped them manage their symptoms – and encourages others with the condition to join in

Read more

Parkinson’s exercise and fitness videos

 

Parkinson’s UK: Exercise and Parkinson’s YouTube playlist:

Exercise class at Parkinson’s Information Conference 2023 at the Rehabilitation Clinic Zihlschlacht

Parkinson’s Europe ExerciseCast YouTube playlist:

Find the full series of ExerciseCast videos, including extra downloads and audio files, as well as the entire Bial Keep It ON video series, at the end of this page.

Full ExerciseCast and Keep It ON exercise series

Parkinson’s exercise resources

Rana Exercise Diary for Parkinson’s

Daily Dose PD Free Workout Videos

NeuroHeroes Community Exercise Fund

Reach Your Peak 10-week Parkinson’s exercise programme

Bial Keep It ON Exercise

Useful organisations

Parkinson’s UK


Power for Parkinson’s


Brian Grant Foundation

Parkinsons.Me

Online Video Exercise Programmes for Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s Europe ExerciseCast

During the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, Parkinson’s Europe Board member and physiotherapist Josefa Domingos, together with speech and language therapist John M. Dean, produced this series of videos to help people with Parkinson’s exercise from the comfort of their own homes.

These exercise sessions combine movement, voice and cognitive skills like memory and reaction times, with the exercises specifically designed to address common Parkinson’s issues.

Access the full playlist on YouTube, or see below for individual videos.

You can also download various worksheets and audiofiles in the resource box below to help you complete the exercises without the video, or while using your own music.

Episode 1: The body speaks & spells

This session works our body, brain and voice at the same time! Associate the vowels of the alphabet to one movement and the consonants to another movement, then repeat while spelling out words and sentences.

Episode 2: What happened to Monday?

This session uses the days of the week to progressively challenge our motor and cognitive skills. Mimic exercise-based movements while keeping attention to the days of the week that will be spoken out loud and displayed on screen, then progressively alternate your attention to focus more on your voice, on your movement or on both.

Episode 3: Punchalicious! Can I punch you now?

In this session, boxing, cognitive and fun exercises are merged into one higher-intensity training session that will challenge your capacity to talk, think and move.  Grab your kitchen gloves and engage your competitive, fighting side!

Episode 4: Moving for something new

In this upbeat session movement, voice and cognitive exercises will be integrated in a rhythm-based training session. Perform three distinct amplitude-based movements while paying attention to three different music patterns.

Episode 5: Shall we dance?

Get ready for a vigorous, energetic 10-minute dance session! This session was designed for those who want to push themselves physically a bit more – while still being fully accessible to adapt for everyone.

Episode 6: Exercise pair o’dice

Here, we use a dice to challenge our quick responses, voice, movement and memory. Once you’ve learned six amplitude-based movements, you will be challenged to move continuously through the activities in response to a rolling dice presented on-screen. Compete against time and the instructors to enhance the fun!

Episode 7: Do mind me

This activity challenges your ability to rapidly process information and take quick decisions. First, you’ll punch out numbers performing two different whole-body movements, then things get more challenging as we ask you to focus on one sequence of numbers (1 to 10) while ignoring all other numbers popping up in the background.

Episode 8: The corona exercise battle

This session using aerobic exercise to strengthen cognitive skills like attention, quick response and working memory. We’ll challenge you to quickly spot the image of coronavirus popping up on the screen, in different positions, and remember which movement to use to hit it away. At the same time, we will be walking to the beat of the music in a constantly-moving forest environment.

Episode 9: Exercise and compare numbers

In this session, we will challenge you to compare some numbers and decide which one is the biggest in size (font) and then which one is the biggest in value, and perform a specific move for each. Things get more challenging as we increase the speed and then get you to focus your attention on either value or size.

Episode 10: Walking (and counting) in the woods

This exercise combines the aerobic activity of walking through a moving forest environment with memory and attention skills as we challenge you to perform several movements while counting repetitions.

Worksheets and audiofiles

Bial’s Keep ON Moving

Following the success of the Parkinson’s Europe ExerciseCast, Parkinson’s Europe joined forces with our company partner BIAL to produce a new exercise programme for people with Parkinson’s to perform at home – Keep ON Moving.

Once again, Parkinson’s Europe Board member and physiotherapist Josefa Domingos and speech and language therapist John M Dean lead this series of workout videos, which addresses common Parkinson’s issues by combining voice, movement and cognition tasks.

Each video can be watched separately for a quick practice or in sequence with others, for a longer and more complete workout session.

Exercise series 1

The first Keep ON Moving video series was launched on 10 November 2020.

Episode 1: Physical amplitude workout

In this exercise we will practise:

  • large amplitude movements
  • fast total body movements
  • cognitive capacity
  • working memory
  • visual-vocal interaction

Episode 2: Arms and legs working and thinking together

In this exercise we will practise:

  • large amplitude movements
  • rhythm
  • speed of response
  • selective attention
  • memory

Episode 3: Brain exercise

In this exercise we will practise:

  • motor planning
  • focused attention
  • memory
  • dual task capacity

Episode 4: Daily-life moves, dance-like exercise

In this exercise we will practise:

  • motor planning
  • focused attention
  • memory
  • dual task capacity

Episode 5: Breath and voice exercise

In this exercise we will practise:

  • voice production
  • focused attention
  • memory
  • dual task capacity
  • breath and posture

Exercise series 2

The second Keep ON Moving video series was launched on 11 April 2021 – World Parkinson’s Day.

Episode 1: The ABC of sitting to standing

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • breaking down sitting/standing into sub-tasks​
  • thinking about and improving it
  • feeling steadier when getting up​
  • physical capacity​
  • lower limb strength training​
  • attention and working memory​

Episode 2: Grasping for the word

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • upper limb amplitude-movement​
  • reaching and twisting while seated
  • lower limb and trunk mobility
  • voice and language production
  • attention and working memory

Episode 3: Transition with the pillow

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • sitting and standing
  • upper limb amplitude-movement
  • overall physical capacity
  • lower limb strength training
  • movement rhythm
  • attention and working memory

Episode 4: How to take the first step

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • breaking down standing and taking a step
  • focused attention
  • mental calculation
  • overall physical capacity
  • movement rhythm
  • lower limb strength training
  • stepping

Episode 5: Moving chair to chair

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • large amplitude lateral stepping
  • transitions in sitting
  • visuo-spatial capacity
  • divided attention
  • physical capacity
  • movement speed

Exercise series 3

The third Keep ON Moving video series was launched on 13 July 2022 via the Keep it ON Training Area.

Episode 1: Dance: amplitude & speed

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • following the leader warm-up
  • memorising a sequence of movements associated to the letters of the alphabet
  • using the alphabet moves to different types of sounds

Episode 2: Mimicking sports for Parkinson's

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • Mimicking a featured sport
  • Associating selected sports to a day of the week
  • Identifying and performing the sport for each respective day

Episode 3: Boxing: breath, speak and punch

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • Learning & numbering our punches
  • Training punches & kicks randomly
  • Reacting to the bells and punch accordingly
  • Boxing combinations with additional exercise twists
  • Following along with random punching and kicking for an active
    fire-down

Episode 4: Multitasking: hand and movement exercise

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • Identifying which hand it is and mimicking it with yours
  • Reacting to hands from different places in the screen
  • Hands & random numbers 1-5

Episode 5: Walking with sticks

In this exercise we will work on:​

  • Amplitude movements, coordination and strength training with walking sticks
  • Breathing and stretching with walking sticks

Disclaimer
We encourage you to consult with your healthcare professional before undertaking any exercise programme. If you engage in these exercises, you agree that you do so at your own risk and are voluntarily participating. None of the parties involved in the development of these works assume liability for any actions resulting from performing the activities in these videos.