The Power of Lying Down: A 10-Minute Exercise Routine for Better Balance and Flexibility
In a world where many people strive to hit 10,000 steps a day, a new approach to fitness is gaining attention. This alternative, which can be done while lying down, promises to improve balance, flexibility, and agility in just two weeks. Developed by Japanese scientists, the routine takes only 10 minutes a day and requires no planks, sit-ups, or crunches.
The exercise involves tensing specific muscle groups while wiggling the toes, and it has been credited with helping prevent falls in older adults. For younger individuals, it may also enhance posture and flexibility, potentially reducing the physical signs of aging. These benefits are highlighted in a study published in the journal PLOS One.
Inspired by Pilates, But Less Intense
The basic moves of this routine are inspired by Pilates, which also focuses on balance, posture, strength, and flexibility. However, this version is much less strenuous. Researchers suggest that even one minute of the routine per day can yield significant benefits.
Professor Yoriko Atomi from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology explains that controlling the weight of the torso, which accounts for about half of our body weight, is challenging. This difficulty can lead to issues such as falls and joint disorders. She emphasizes that improving balance not only increases agility but also enhances various motor skills, making daily life more comfortable.
Addressing the Challenges of an Aging Population
With the global population aging, preventing falls has become a critical health concern. However, sedentary lifestyles and the obesity epidemic are working against these efforts. Professor Atomi, who has spent decades studying muscle adaptation, believes that the best way to address this issue could be through exercises performed on the floor.
The professor perfected this routine after suffering from chronic knee and lower back pain for many years. Now, it is a crucial part of her morning routine.
The Study: What Did It Find?
A study followed 17 healthy men who were randomly assigned to perform the exercise routine every morning or not, for two weeks. Their physical fitness was tested at the beginning and end of the study using various tasks, including sit-ups, a standing long jump, side-to-side leaping, and a 50-meter run. During the run, the degree of ‘sway’ in their torso was measured to assess balance and stability.
In the second phase of the study, 22 participants—both men and women—were tested in a side-stepping task. Researchers assessed how well they could control their head, back, pelvis, and ankles to avoid overbalancing. Those who followed the routine for two weeks showed greater improvements in flexibility, agility, and static balance than those who did not.
However, completing the ten-minute daily routine did not improve power or overall muscle strength. That said, participants who followed the routine were able to complete more controlled side-to-side leaps than their peers. Researchers believe this improvement is due to the nervous system adapting to control muscles more effectively.
Why This Routine Works
Professor Atomi explains that the exercises work because they don’t involve the erector spina—the three vertical muscles running along the spine that we often over-rely on for posture and balance. Instead, the routine forces participants to strengthen other core muscles.
How to Perform the Routine
To begin, lie on the floor with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Place both hands on your stomach to help visualize engaging your core. Then, tense the muscles directly beneath your fingertips, creating resistance. Repeat this eight times, moving your hands clockwise in a circle from the starting point. Repeat the whole process three times.
Next, tilt your pelvis backwards so your lower back comes into contact with the floor. Tense your abdominal muscles and push your hips upwards away from the ground to hover your glutes off the floor. Hold for five seconds and repeat ten times.
Return to your starting position, straighten one leg, and leave the other bent at 90 degrees. Raise the foot of the bent leg off the floor and curl your toes over while keeping your foot raised upwards towards the sky. Straighten the leg, scraping the heel along the floor while keeping your toes clenched. Once completely straight, point your toes away from you and hold for five seconds. Repeat three times on each leg.
Finally, with both legs straight, perform a ‘rock paper, scissors’ movement with your toes on each foot. Clench the toes for rock, flex for paper, and then raise your big toes on its own and cross it over the front of your second toe for scissors. Repeat five times.
