A new study from researchers at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology suggests that a simple 10-minute daily exercise routine performed entirely while lying on the back can significantly improve static standing balance and lateral agility. After two weeks, participants showed reduced body sway and faster side-to-side movement, even though muscle strength and explosive power did not noticeably change. The findings were published in PLOS One.
Not everyone wants—or is able—to stand up for a workout. But new research suggests that staying on your back might still train the body in a surprisingly important way: improving balance when you stand.
In a study designed around gentle movements done in a supine position, researchers found that participants became steadier during challenging standing tasks and improved their ability to move laterally, even though the routine required only low-intensity effort and took just minutes a day.
Why humans are naturally unstable
Humans may feel stable when standing still, but the body’s structure is not naturally balanced. The researchers note that the human center of gravity sits relatively high, around the thorax, while the base of support—the feet—is narrow.
This “top-heavy” setup means people are naturally prone to instability. When the trunk and legs fail to coordinate properly to keep the body aligned, it can increase the risk of problems such as back pain or joint injuries.
The researchers focused on one key issue: many exercise programs train the core or the legs separately, but rarely train them as a coordinated system, even though balance and agility depend heavily on both working together.
The idea: train the trunk and legs as a team
The Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology team wanted to test whether a short, low-risk routine could improve coordination between the body’s upper and lower halves.
They specifically aimed to create an exercise program that could be done entirely while lying down, connecting trunk control and lower-limb movement through carefully coordinated actions.
They also noted that there is little evidence on whether simple supine exercises can improve how the trunk and legs work together in ways that matter for real-world balance.
How the researchers tested the routine
The study included two separate experiments.
The first experiment involved 17 men in a randomized crossover trial. In this design, every participant tried both the exercise routine and the control condition, with the order randomly assigned. This allowed each person to serve as their own comparison.
The second experiment included 22 men and women in a pre-post trial. In this setup, participants were tested before and after completing the program to track measurable changes over time.
Both experiments tested the same exercise routine, which was performed once daily.
What the 10-minute supine routine involved
The routine was made up of three main exercise components, each designed to link the trunk and lower limbs through controlled movement.
First, participants held their abdominal muscles tight for five seconds while pressing their fingertips into different points across the abdomen. This appeared aimed at encouraging deliberate abdominal activation and awareness.
Next, participants performed a small hip movement where the pelvis was tilted and lifted slightly off the floor for five seconds, creating a small bridge-like posture.
The third part involved heel slides along the floor to straighten the leg while keeping the ankle flexed. This was followed by toe movements performed in a rock-paper-scissors pattern.
Together, the sequence focused on gentle but deliberate activation, pelvic control, and coordinated lower-limb movement—without requiring standing, jumping, or heavy resistance.
Clear improvements in standing steadiness
After following the program daily for two weeks, participants showed measurable improvements in standing balance.
The researchers reported a significant reduction in sway area (SA) and total locus length (TLL), both of which are used to assess how much a person wobbles while standing.
Lower SA and TLL values indicate better postural control, meaning the body is making fewer or smaller corrective movements to stay upright.
Notably, participants became significantly steadier when standing still with their feet together, a position that reduces the base of support and makes balance more difficult.
These results suggest that even a low-intensity routine done on the floor may still train balance-related control systems in a meaningful way.
Faster side-to-side movement also improved
The study did not only measure static balance. It also looked at lateral agility using a side-step test.
Participants in the exercise group showed a significant increase in the number of steps they could perform compared with the control group. This indicates improved ability to move side to side quickly, which is a key part of everyday mobility and stability.
The improvement supports the idea that the routine enhanced more than just stillness—it also helped participants respond faster during movement.
Strength didn’t change, but coordination likely did
One of the most interesting findings was what did not change.
The researchers found no significant changes in muscle strength or explosive power. In other words, participants did not become stronger in the conventional sense.
Instead, the routine appeared to improve how the nervous system coordinates the trunk and legs. The researchers suggest the gains may have come from improved neuromuscular coordination—essentially the body learning to control posture more efficiently through better communication between muscle groups.
This could explain why a short and gentle routine produced balance improvements without requiring high physical effort.
A case for simple exercises done lying down
The study builds an argument that exercise does not always need to be intense, complex, or performed standing to produce meaningful functional benefits.
By focusing on coordinated trunk and leg activation, the researchers demonstrated that even small movements performed in the supine position can lead to measurable improvements in balance and agility.
Because the routine is short, low-intensity, and performed while lying down, it may be more accessible to people who struggle with traditional exercise programs.
Why This Matters
Improved balance is not just a performance metric—it can affect safety and independence. This study suggests that a 10-minute daily routine performed on the floor may help reduce body sway and improve lateral agility in as little as two weeks.
The findings strengthen the case that balance can be improved through coordination training, not just strength training. If further supported, routines like this could offer a simple, low-risk way to support stability, reduce fall risk, and improve overall quality of life—especially for people who find standing workouts difficult or unsafe.
Study Details
Aya Atomi et al, A supine exercise program linking trunk stability with lower extremity coordination is associated with improved body balance and agility: A study using randomized crossover and pre-post trial designs, PLOS One (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0345749
