Move · Videos · Strength · 13 min

Postural Strengthening on the Floor with a Physical Therapist

Postural Strengthening on the Floor with a Physical Therapist — video by Margaret Martin, Physical Therapist Play · 12:30

Video by Margaret Martin, Physical Therapist on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A registered physical therapist leads slow floor exercises that build the muscles holding you tall: belt-resisted shoulder rotation, snow angels, gentle ab bracing with leg lifts, then face-down leg, head and chest lifts. Needs a belt, two towels and a pillow.

  • 13 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • mat, towel

Good forBetter posture

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Step by step 9

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Set-up: lie on your back, a towel under the small of the back and one under the head, forearms inside a belt. 1:51
  2. Belt press: breathe out and press the forearms out against the belt, shoulder blades tucked, hold, then release. 2:28
  3. Snow angels: slide the arms up and down, pressing into the floor the whole way, pelvis and low back neutral. 3:45
  4. Abdominal activation: palms up, gently draw in the pelvic floor and deep tummy without flattening the back. 6:05
  5. Leg lifts: raise one leg a few inches while everything else stays still; two on the right, two on the left. 7:03
  6. Turn face down: a pillow from the pubic bone to just under the chest, forehead resting on a rolled towel. 8:46
  7. Face-down leg lifts: breathe out, squeeze the buttock and lift one leg; three each side, bigger pillow if needed. 9:26
  8. Head lift: feet and pelvis press down as you lift the head and neck, back of the head to the ceiling; three times. 10:28
  9. Arms and chest lift: raise the arms off the floor and let the chest follow, then lower; do as much as you can. 11:03

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

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep the pelvis and low back neutral while you lift a leg or slide the arms
  • Slide the arms up like a snow angel, pressing the arms into the floor throughout
  • Face-down, use a pillow under the pelvis if the back extension feels like too much

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 1 take load

  • Shoulders takes loadbelt rotation holds, snow angels, prone arm lifts
  • Neck movesface-down head and neck lifts
  • Upper back movessnow angels, face-down head, chest and arm lifts
  • Lower back movesleg drops with bracing, lifts over a pillow
  • Hips movesface-down glute leg lifts
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Bigger pillow under the pelvis if face-down extension is too much

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 Margaret Martin, Physical Therapist; 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