by Ethan Johnson
December 4, 2007

As I have mentioned several times throughout my fitness updates, I have incorporated a simple floor exercise into my fitness plan that takes roughly 15-20 minutes to complete, three times a week. This does not require any special equipment, and can be done on a bare patch of floor in a space that allows you to stretch completely out lengthwise (arms over head) and vertically (standing, arms over head). This is not a particularly aerobic exercise, and should be safe for all experience levels. However, as with any fitness routine, consult your doctor - this article in no way serves as a substitute for medical advice.

An exercise mat can be used if available, otherwise a carpeted floor or even a patch of grassy land outdoors will work best. Wear comfortable clothing. In the example photos, I'm wearing a breathable workout shirt (watch for sales at Kohl's, for example) and my "evil Spider-Man™ pants" to best capture the routine specifics. I originally found this routine in the June 2007 issue of the Oprah Magazine, but over time I have added some adjustments of my own. Even now there are more elements to this routine that were not captured on film. Add your own elements as you get accustomed to regular floor exercise.

Drink water before and after this exercise. It can be used as a rudimentary warm-up before walking or bicycling. Other activities often have a more specific warmup plan, so stick with what works best. This routine is a great way to introduce the floor exercise habit without the need for special equipment or other expenses. Ready? Let's begin:

Note: Photos of each step are included as hyperlinks in the instructions. Click to view the example as desired.

1. Begin by standing straight, arms at your sides, feet together, facing forward. Inhale deeply, hold it, and exhale. Repeat.
2. Remain standing with your feet together. Place your hands on your hips, and make wide circles with your hips 5 times in a clockwise motion, keeping your feet planted (photo 1). Make wide hip circles 5 times in the other direction.
3. Drop your arms to your sides, remain standing, feet together. Make circles with your shoulders forward for 5 times, then backward for 5 times (photo 2). Do this as quickly or as slowly as you are comfortable with. I personally move at a moderate pace.
4. Remain standing, feet together. Hold your arms outstretched, palms down, thumbs facing forward (photo 3). Make fairly tight circles (about the width of a basketball at most) 20 times (photo 4). Then point your thumbs down for 20 circles (photo 5). Thumbs pointing up (photo 6) for 20 circles (maintain a flat, open palm, fingers together, thumbs out), and finally 20 circles with palms facing up and thumbs pointing back.
5. Remain standing, slide your feet hip-width apart, and bend forward, trying to touch your toes (photo 7). If you can't make it that far (I can't, still), bend as far as you can and hold it. The longer you hold this bend, the more your muscles will begin to stretch out (it feels like sand shifting in bag for me) and the lower you'll reach. If you can touch your toes, try to palm the floor. Hold this for at least 20 seconds (less if you're feeling discomfort).
6. Return to standing position, working your way to a stand in stages (don't jerk up suddenly). If necessary, put your hands on your knees (photo 8) to help ease the transition. Keep feet hip-width apart, and bend forward, with your arms stretched underneath (photo 8.1), hands balled into fists. Remain bent forward, and "flap" your arms out to your sides, fists balled (photo 9), and back underneath. Repeat 20 times.
7. Return to standing (again, gradually), feet hip-width apart. Reach your hands up over your head, and grasp your right wrist with your left hand (photo 10). Extend the pinkie finger of the right hand, closing the other fingers into a fist. Inhale, then exhale and stretch to your right side and hold it for at least 10 seconds (photo 11). Return to standing, arms overheard, switch wrists, inhale, then exhale into a stretch on your left side (photo 12), holding it for at least 10 seconds.
8. Remain standing. Bring your heels together into a "V" formation (photo 13). Stand on your tiptoes (photo 14), then tap your heels onto the floor, then back to tiptoes. Repeat 40 times. Again, do this as quickly or as slowly as you are comfortable with.
9. Remain standing, feet in V position, hands on hips. Extend your right leg forward (like a goose-step, for example) and return to standing (photo 15). Repeat 10 times (maintaining balance is tricky). Switch to your left leg and repeat 10 times.
10. Remain standing, feet hip-width apart. Extend both arms overhead (photo 16). While keeping the left side straight (this was very hard to capture on film), bring the right arm down and the right leg up to touch elbow to knee (photo 17). Repeat 10 times, then switch sides. I'll confess that this is probably my least favorite element in the routine.
11. Remain standing, feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on your hips (photo 18). In a continuous motion, extend your arms straight up (photo 19), then to your hips (photo 20), bend to touch your toes (photo 21), and return to hands on hips. Repeat 10 times. Count each rep every time you reach up to start the sequence.
12. Sit down on the floor. Bend your knees, and support your back by placing your hands behind you (photo 22). Bring your right leg up and across your left knee (photo 23). Lean into the stretch for at least 10 seconds (photo 24). Lean back, and switch sides. Repeat.
13. If you have a ruler or locking tape measure, use it for this exercise to help you track your progress as you build up flexibility. Sit with your legs spread apart as far as they'll go (photo 25). If using a measuring device, slide it between your legs so that the "zero" pount is between your heels at the center (see photo 25 for example). Inhale, then exhale and reach for your right foot, holding the stretch for at least 5 seconds (photo 26). Lean back, inhale, then exhale and reach for the center, trying to reach as far onto the measuring stick as you can (photo 27). For tracking, anything that falls short of the "zero" mark is considered "negative reach". So for example, today I wasn't very bendy, and could only comfortably reach the 3 inch line. That was a -3 reach. Lean back, inhale, then exhale and reach for your left foot, holding the stretch for at least 5 seconds (photo 28). Lean back, inhale, then exhale and stretch to the center again (photo 29). You may notice that as you work through this part of the routine that you can gradually make more progress down the ruler. Avoid negative connotations about your progress. What's important is that you're building up flexibility and establishing the habit of performing this routine. Repeat right, center, left, center (etc) for at least 5 runs.
14. Remain seated. Bring your legs together, inhale and reach for your toes and exhale (photo 30). You may find (as I do) that you are less flexible in this position than the other. Hold the stretch for at least 5 seconds, then lean back to rest and inhale (photo 31). Repeat 3-4 times.
15. Lay on your back. Bring your knees up, feet on the floor, hands across your chest (or waist, whichever works). Squeeze your internal lower abdominal muscles in a manner as if you're trying to fight the urge to urinate (photo 32). Sorry to the easily offended, but this exercise is meant to stave of even greater embarrassment - incontinence. Repeat 10 times. You're doing this at home, nobody needs to know about it. Thank me later.
16. Remain lying down. Fold your arms across your chest (photo 33), and bring your feet up into the air, legs bent (photo 34). Bring your right leg down and tap your heel on the floor, then return to the feet in the air position (photo 35). Switch legs and repeat.
17. Remain lying down. Clasp your hands behind your head. Legs bent, feet on the floor (photo 36). Inhale, then exhale into a crunch by bringing your head, neck, and shoulders up (photo 37). Repeat 20-30 times, depending on comfort level. To make this more challenging down the road, "pulse" the crunch 3 times before lying back down. (Go up, rock slightly back and forth, two, three, and back down.) You'll find that crunches work best when performed in concert with your breathing. Make sure you're exhaling with each crunch. Do not hold your breath (like I found myself doing before I learned how to control my breathing).
18. Remain lying down. Extend both legs. Bring your right knee up into your chest, and pull it toward you gently, pointing your toes down (photo 38). Hold for 10-20 seconds. Release and switch to left leg and repeat.
19. Remain lying down. Roll to your right side. Prop your head up with your right hand (photo 39). Lift your right leg up as far as you can, and tap your right foot down onto your left foot (photo 40). Repeat 10 times. Roll onto your back. Keep one hand behind your head, the other across your chest. Lift the left leg and tap your left foot down onto the floor 10 times (photo 41). Switch to the right leg. (Note that I keep switching legs so as to evenly distribute the work and lessen fatigue.) Repeat 10 times. Roll onto your left side, and lift your left leg as high as you can, tapping your left foot down onto your right foot 10 times. Roll onto your stomach, and lift the right leg back 10 times (photo 42). Switch to the left leg and repeat. Lifting the leg back will be more painful than the other positions so don't try to overdo it. Move at a comfortable pace.
20. Move up to your hands and knees (photo 43). Dip forward and do 10-20 modified push-ups (photo 44). IF you can do manly push-ups, do those instead. Sadly, I have never been particularly good at push-ups. Modified is better than none at all, but my goal is to finally learn how to do the "manly" version once and for all. Depending on your fitness level, your body may plain not be able to support your weight the "manly" way. Doing the modified version builds up the strength to do the "real" way over time.
21. Come up to a kneeling position, hands on your thighs (photo 45). Bring your hands behind your back and clasp them together (or grip your fingers as best as you can). Pull your hands up and back as far as possible and hold for at least 10 seconds (photo 46). Release.
22. Move into a "plank" position by placing your forearms on the floor roughly shoulder-width apart. Extend your body lengthwise, propping up on your tiptoes (photo 47). Try to keep your butt down - it's easy to find yourself arching upward. You should be feeling pressure down your spine as you press downward. Hold for at least 10 seconds, then release. Remember to breathe during these endurance moves!
23. Lie face-down on the floor, arms bent back, hands next to your chest, top of feet flattened out on the floor (photo 48). Push up with your hands until your arms are straight, keeping your legs and feel flat against the floor (photo 49). Look over your right shoulder 10 times, then to the left 10 times (photo 50). Return to face-down position.
24. Extend your arms and legs outward, flattened against the floor (photo 51). Inhale, then exhale and lift your arms and legs up off of the floor as high as you can (photo 52). Inhale and bring your arms and legs down close to the floor but not touching (photo 53). Exhale and repeat the lift 5 times. The movement should ebband flow with your breath. I used to hate this part but now that I learned how to time my breaths, it's more enjoyable.
25. Slide up to a standing position (I like to swipe an "X" onto the carpet as I move to a stand to psychologically mark the end of the floor moves, but that's just me). Slide your feet over to shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms out to your sides, palms facing up (photo 54). Inhale, then exhale and dip down into a squat, keeping your arms outstretched and palms up (photo 55). Inhale and return to standing. Repeat 20 times.
26. Hold onto a chair or other nearby object that can support your weight (photo 56). Bring your right leg up and back, and grab your right foot with your right hand (photo 57). Hold the stretch for at least 20 seconds, then switch sides.
27. All done! Have some water, and prepare to face the day!

Special thanks to Beth for her assistance with the photo shoot, and to Jeanne who did it the first time but the photos didn't turn out very well (not her fault). And to Drs Oz and Roizen for passing along the core of this exercise in the Oprah magazine. As I have done, make this your own and try new things as you build strength, endurance, and confidence. Unlike other more strenuous workouts, this exercise is designed to be passive (seemingly) but effective. I've been doing it for months and highly recommend it to anyone who has been turned off to floor exercises and is willing to give them another try.

2008 is almost here... why not get a head start on those fitness resolutions today? Doctor willing, of course. <EM>