Published April 29, 2026 12:00PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Key takeaways:\u00a0<\/b>New research published today, April 29, in the journal PLOS One<\/em> suggests that doing exercises while lying down can help improve your posture and balance. The four moves include: abdominal contractions, glute bridges, heel pushes, and toe stretches. The study authors and physical therapists explain why these exercises are so good for your back and how to do them safely at home.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n When you think about exercises to improve your posture and balance, you might imagine yoga poses or single-leg moves like Bulgarian split squats, which require a base level of strength and coordination.<\/p>\n But what if we told you you could work on your posture and balance while lying down, in as little as ten minutes a day? That\u2019s exactly what a new study<\/a>, published today, April 29, in PLOS One<\/i> suggests. The specific exercises the researchers examined during their study strengthen your core, lower body, and feet, which help keep you stable and upright as\u00a0you move.<\/p>\n Want to learn more about the workout itself and how you can do it at home, especially when you\u2019re too tired to hit the gym or walk your favorite outdoor trail? We chatted with the study authors and physical therapists for their tips.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an anatomical feat that humans can walk and move on two feet, considering the head, pelvis, and torso are so heavy compared to the lower body, according to the study.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m honestly amazed every day at the complexity of the human body and how all of its systems work together so seamlessly to allow us to function,\u201d\u00a0Lori Diamos<\/a>, a physical therapist based in Chicago, Illinois, and founder of PT Pearls Physical Therapy and Wellness, tells Outside.<\/em>\u00a0This is where having good posture and balance come into play. Posture allows us to stay upright, according to Diamos. Ideally, the head is stacked over the trunk, the trunk over the pelvis, and the pelvis over the lower body.<\/p>\n \u201cA simple way to think about it is like building blocks. When they\u2019re stacked well, the structure is stable. When they\u2019re misaligned, things start to break down. So when posture shifts or alignment is off, it creates mechanical stress and strain over time. That\u2019s when we start to see pain, injury, or loss of function,\u201d Diamos says.<\/p>\n But posture incorporates more than just sitting or standing up straight, according to Kelli-Anne Yorks<\/a>, a physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Being upright is the optimal position for our bodies, placing the least amount of stress on our muscles, joints, and ligaments, she says. And having good posture helps us absorb shock, efficiently distribute our own weight and external weight across our bodies, and generate force for everyday activities.<\/p>\n Having good balance is also essential to standing upright. \u201cBalance is critical because walking is essentially controlled falling forward,\u201d\u00a0Todd Haynes, a physical therapist and supervisor of outpatient rehab services at MelroseWakefield Hospital<\/a> in Melrose, Massachusetts, says. \u201cWe\u2019re constantly trying to prevent ourselves from falling flat on our noses. When we\u2019re young and without mobility issues, we take nice big steps and propel ourselves forward by getting each leg out in front of us,\u201d he says. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n However, as we age, we tend to become weaker and less active, which results in shuffling with smaller steps, Haynes says. The upper body then becomes the primary mover rather than the lower body. \u201cMaintaining an upright posture is crucial for balance and stability\u2014it prevents us from becoming unstable enough to actually fall,\u201d Haynes says.<\/p>\n The study, which included two experiments, was small, with 18 participants in one and 22 participants in the other. In both experiments, participants performed a ten-minute coordination-focused workout while lying down once a day for two weeks. The workout included four exercises: abdominal contractions, glute bridges, heel pushes, and playing \u201crock, paper, scissors\u201d with their feet.<\/p>\n Study co-author Tomoaki Atomi<\/a>, a physical therapist and posture\/movement control researcher based in Japan, says the four exercises are meant to stabilize the core (to support posture) and optimize both lower-leg and foot control to support the body when moving upright.<\/p>\n By the end of the two-week period, participants showed improvements in balance and agility during upright tasks, according to Atomi.<\/p>\n \u201cUnder normal conditions, humans control a relatively heavy trunk by coordinating multiple lower limb joints over a narrow base of support,\u201d he says. \u201cIn this study, performing exercises in the [lying down] position\u2014where antigravity muscle activity is reduced\u2014allowed us to link trunk stability with lower limb coordination.\u201d<\/p>\n In other words, performing exercises lying down helps isolate areas of the body, like the legs, while reducing some of the demands that gravity places on the body\u00a0when upright, says Grayson Wickham, a physical therapist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and founder of Stretch Mode<\/a>, a flexibility and mobility app.<\/p>\n There are four exercises in the study\u2019s workout. Perform\u00a0each move for the amount of time stated below, then immediately move on to the next. The goal is to complete this as one continuous set, but take breaks if needed.<\/p>\n How to Do It:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n How to Do It:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n How to Do It:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Ideally, the workout should be done on a firm surface such as the ground or on a yoga mat, according to Wickham. Lying in bed or on another soft surface can be an option if needed, he says, but it\u2019s less stable and less supportive than a hard surface.<\/p>\n In terms of how often to do this workout each week, study co-author Yoriko Atomi<\/a>, a skeletal muscle cell life scientist who spent 25 years as a physical education professor at the University of Tokyo<\/a>, says it varies by age and activity level. However, she says that you can do it every morning to set yourself up for success each day. If you don\u2019t have time to complete all four moves, even just choosing one specific movement to do for a minute is helpful, she explains.<\/p>\n The physical therapy experts we interviewed for this article are more cautious, suggesting anywhere from two to five times per week instead of every day in order to prioritize muscle recovery and prevent overuse injuries. Listen to your body, and if something feels off, scale back or stop completely, Diamos says.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to talk to a healthcare professional, like a physical therapist or your primary care doctor, before attempting these exercises, especially if you\u2019re looking to do them on a soft surface, Yorks adds, as your lower back could sag and you could potentially pull a muscle.<\/p>\n Want more\u00a0Outside<\/i>\u00a0health stories?\u00a0Sign up for the Bodywork newsletter<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\nWalking Is Essentially \u201cControlled Falling Forward\u201d<\/h2>\n
The 10-Minute Workout You Can Do Lying Down<\/h2>\n
How to Do Each Exercise From the Study<\/h2>\n
1. Abdominal Contractions<\/h3>\n
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2. Glute Bridges<\/h3>\n
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3. Heel Pushes<\/h3>\n
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4. Rock, Paper, Scissors with Your Feet<\/h3>\n
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The Best Way to Do These Exercises at Home<\/h2>\n