Move · Videos · Strength · 12 min

12-Minute Beginner Deep Core Workout, on the Floor or in Bed

12-Minute Beginner Deep Core Workout, on the Floor or in Bed — video by Dr. Kristie Ennis Play · 12:24

Video by Dr. Kristie Ennis on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A physical therapist leads a gentle real-time core session you can do on the floor or in bed: small marches, careful curl-ups, oblique reaches, leg lowers, dead bugs, bridges, cat-cow, bird dogs and a knee hover, with easier options. Suits beginners and anyone returning to exercise.

  • 12 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • mat
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Step by step 10

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Set your centre: rock to find your most comfortable back position, then draw the belly button gently in. 0:27
  2. Small marches: lift each knee only a little, keeping the pelvis level, 10 on each side. 1:02
  3. Curl-ups: hands behind the head, lift a little without the belly pushing out, then add a knee lift. 1:50
  4. Arms by your sides: 20 small pulses, then reach one hand across, 10 each side; head down if the neck aches. 3:18
  5. Leg lowers: straighten one leg up and lower it only as far as you can without the back arching; 10 each side. 5:04
  6. Dead bug: legs in tabletop, straighten the opposite arm and leg; keep the feet down if your back arches. 6:52
  7. Bridge: peel the spine up one vertebra at a time to your highest point without arching, then roll down. 7:42
  8. Cat-cow on hands and knees: arch and lift the head as you breathe in, then round up and draw the belly in. 8:58
  9. Bird dog: reach the opposite arm and leg out without tilting or arching; start with the leg only if needed. 9:52
  10. Knee hover: on hands and knees with toes tucked, brace and lift the knees just off the floor, then lower. 11:30

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Find the back position that feels most comfortable, then draw your belly button gently in while breathing
  • Lower the leg only as far as you can without your back arching or your belly pushing out
  • Start with two or three non-consecutive days a week and stop when you feel fatigued

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Neck moveshead lifted in curl-ups, pulses, oblique reaches
  • Shoulders movesbird dog and knee hover on the hands
  • Wrists & hands movescat-cow, bird dog, knee hover
  • Upper back movescat-cow
  • Lower back movescurl-ups, cat-cow, bridges
  • Hips movesmarches, leg lowers, dead bugs, bridges
  • Knees movesall fours, child's pose
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.
  • Rounding or twisting the back. With osteoporosis or a back problem, move smoothly and within comfort, and ask a physio which suit you.

Easier option from the coach: Head down if the neck strains; legs only in the dead bug; leg only in the bird dog

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Dr. Kristie Ennis; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety