Do you feel that as each year passes you find it a little more difficult to get into positions you never used to think about, or that your ability to bend, twist, turn or fold seems a little more rusty and challenging?

Well, today’s top tip doesn’t involve the gym or an exercise routine. Many of my previous posts about movement refer to incorporating mobility training or ‘flexibility through strength’ into every part of your training regime, but for most people, their overall movement time is much more important than their limited number of exercise hours, so this simple trick can really help turn the tide on your worsening agility.

. . . and yes, if you’re still young and reading this . . . this is for you too! . . .

Making friends with the floor

When I start working with an older client (not as old as you might be thinking), one of the first things I tell them is ‘find more reasons to be on the floor more often’. 

Why? – Well unlike more technical exercises in a program, simply getting down to the floor, spending time on the floor, and getting up from the floor forces you to use the end ranges of almost every joint in your body. 

When you sit on the floor for longer periods you’ll naturally want to change position every few minutes, meaning that you’ll be less sedentary or stiff in one position, and often you’ll notice improved posture over time too. 

By maintaining the ability to get down to the floor gently, and come back up smoothly, you’ll work through your ankle and knee end ranges of motion, and your lower back will be flexed then extended, and your subconscious confidence for moving comfortably in your own space will grow. 

Keeping a basic level of strength and stability is crucial at all ages, and it really is a case of ‘USE IT OR LOSE IT’.

. . . and for bonus benefits – spend time on the floor outside for controlling blood pressure, reducing inflammation, boosting your immune system and much, much more… 

Try this:

Here’s a few suggestions for practical ways to incorporate floor time into your day:-

• Think of tasks that you don’t need to be at a desk or table for and do them on the floor.

• Combine floor time with your morning sunlight routine and earthing time first thing in the morning as a perfect morning habit.

• Intentionally place items on the floor as a reminder to get down there. This will help trigger the habit

• Get rid of your chairs! – this one is extreme, but it is one way to make sure you’re getting down to earth.

• Do it at TV time – use the ‘before I’ rule to make sure you spend the first 30 minutes of your binge watching session on the floor.

• Set an hourly alarm and spend 5 minutes getting up and down each time the alert sounds.

• Only take phone calls when on the floor – a simple rule meaning you’ll likely get up and down regularly. – Use the ‘if;then’ awareness tool to help make this habit

Got an idea or trick that works for you? Let me know!