Floor Monday

12–16 min Quick Full Body Low Intensity Stability

An optional Monday opener. March, Hip Circles, Chair Sit-to-Stand, Floor Get-Up, Cat-Cow, Bird Dog, Glute Bridges, a second Floor Get-Up, and a Standing Side Body Stretch. A sturdy chair and a folded cushion are all you need. One pass counts. Skip any week you want.

How it runs. Easy warm-up, then practise getting down to the floor and back up. Do the floor moves while you are down there, then get up once more. About forty seconds each, a minute for each Floor Get-Up. A second pass only if the first felt quiet.

How to read ahead. Do to go one move at a time.

Warm-up

1 Marching in Place

60 seconds

Easy march. Soft knees. Let the arms swing.

Option. Tiny steps count. Hold a chair if balance feels unsure.

Stop if. A joint complains, the breath gets sharp, or the march turns into a stomp.

Show the steps

1
Stand tall with soft knees and relaxed shoulders.
2
Lift one knee to a comfortable height while swinging the opposite arm forward.
3
Alternate sides in a steady, rhythmic march.
4
Keep the torso upright and breathe naturally.
5
Stay light on your feet — no stomping.

Another way

2 Hip Circles

30 seconds

Hands on hips, feet hip-width. Slow circles one way, then the other.

Option. Small circles count. Hold a chair back if you want.

Stop if. The low back pinches or the hips twist.

Show the steps

1
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, soft knees, hands on hips or out to the sides.
2
Circle your hips slowly in one direction, keeping the upper body relatively still.
3
Make the circles as large and smooth as feels good.
4
After several circles, reverse direction.
5
Breathe and keep the movement fluid.

Another way

Main

3 Chair Sit-to-Stand

40 seconds

Sit to a sturdy chair, feet flat and a little behind the knees. Lean forward and stand by pushing through the heels. Lower with control.

Option. Use both hands on the chair arms, then one, then none on a later Monday.

Stop if. A knee pinches or the low back takes the load.

Show the steps

1
Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair with feet flat.
2
Lean slightly forward.
3
Push through your heels to stand up.
4
Slowly lower back down with control.
5
Keep your chest lifted.
6
Use arms for balance if needed.

Another way

4 Floor Get-Up

60 seconds

Chair beside you, cushion on the floor. Step back and lower one knee to the cushion, then stand by pushing through the front heel. Repeat slowly. End on the floor, on hands and knees.

Option. Both hands on the chair seat the whole time is fine. Go one step lower before you come up when the half-kneel feels easy: both knees, then sitting, then lying.

Stop if. A knee pinches when kneeling, you feel dizzy when you stand, or a wrist aches with weight on it.

Show the steps

1
Stand beside a sturdy chair, with a folded cushion on the floor.
2
Hold the chair and step one foot back.
3
Lower the back knee to the cushion into a half-kneel.
4
Put both hands on the chair seat and push through the front heel to stand.
5
Once that feels easy, go one step lower before you come up: both knees, then hands and knees, then sitting, then lying.
6
Come up the same way you went down.
7
Stand up slowly and pause before you walk away.

Another way

5 Cat-Cow

40 seconds

Hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Round the back slowly, then let the belly drop and lift the chest. Move with the breath.

Option. Fists or forearms on the floor if the wrists complain. Small range counts.

Show the steps

1
Start on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
2
Round your back upward and tuck your chin (Cat).
3
Then dip your belly down and lift your head and tailbone (Cow).
4
Move slowly with your breath.
5
Flow smoothly between the two positions.
6
Repeat for several breaths.

Another way

6 Bird-Dog

40 seconds

Hands and knees. Reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back, hold a breath, and return. Switch sides.

Option. Reach only the leg, or only the arm. Keep the hips level.

Show the steps

1
Start on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
2
Brace your core and keep your back flat.
3
Slowly extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back.
4
Keep hips level and back flat.
5
Hold briefly then return to start.
6
Alternate sides with smooth control.

Another way

7 Glute Bridges

40 seconds

Roll onto your back, knees bent, feet flat. Press through the heels to lift the hips, pause, and lower slowly.

Option. A smaller lift counts. Hold the top for two breaths when it feels quiet.

Show the steps

1
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, hip-width. Arms by your sides, palms down.
2
Gently tuck the pelvis so the low back kisses the floor. Soft brace. Soft ribs.
3
Press through the heels and squeeze the glutes to lift the hips. Stop when knees, hips, and shoulders form a quiet line — do not chase extra height with the low back.
4
Hold one breath at the top if the back stays quiet, then lower under control.
5
Keep the knees tracking over the middle toes. Match both sides.
6
Shorten the range or put both feet down the moment the low back takes over or a hamstring complains.

Another way

8 Floor Get-Up

60 seconds

From lying, roll to your side, come to hands and knees, step one foot forward, and stand with a hand on the chair. Lower back down the same way and repeat once or twice. Finish standing.

Option. Skip lying and start from hands and knees. Both hands on the chair seat is fine.

Stop if. A knee pinches when kneeling, you feel dizzy when you stand, or a wrist aches with weight on it.

Show the steps

1
Stand beside a sturdy chair, with a folded cushion on the floor.
2
Hold the chair and step one foot back.
3
Lower the back knee to the cushion into a half-kneel.
4
Put both hands on the chair seat and push through the front heel to stand.
5
Once that feels easy, go one step lower before you come up: both knees, then hands and knees, then sitting, then lying.
6
Come up the same way you went down.
7
Stand up slowly and pause before you walk away.

Another way

Cool-down

9 Standing Side-Body Stretch

30 seconds

Stand tall. Reach one arm overhead and lean gently to the other side. Switch sides halfway.

Option. Keep a hand on the chair. A small lean counts.

Show the steps

1
Stand tall with feet hip-width.
2
Reach one arm overhead and lean slowly to the opposite side.
3
Feel length along the side of the body from the hip up through the ribs and armpit.
4
Keep the chest open and avoid collapsing forward.
5
Hold, return to center, switch sides.

Another way

Breathe between moves. Come up slowly and pause before you walk. Shorten or skip anything that does not feel good today. One pass is a complete session.