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Explore these bed-friendly exercises designed for individuals over 60 to strengthen your core and safeguard your joints, starting today.
As we age, especially beyond 60, achieving a flatter midsection through traditional methods like planking often falls short of expectations. While planks may seem theoretically effective, they require substantial wrist strength, shoulder stability, and can exert prolonged pressure on the spine, which many older adults may find challenging to manage. When tension shifts to the lower back or neck, the core muscles fail to perform their intended role of supporting and flattening the midsection effectively.
According to research published in Sports Medicine, older adults experience more consistent core activation through gentle, controlled exercises that prioritize breathing, pelvic stability, and sustained tension, rather than relying on intense bracing or prolonged static positions. These insights indicate that exercises performed in safer, more supportive positions often yield better results in terms of core engagement and routine adherence among seniors compared to traditional planking.
Exercises performed while lying in bed minimize fears related to joint strain and balance, allowing the nervous system to relax, which encourages deep abdominal muscles to engage properly. When these muscles, especially the transverse abdominis, are activated correctly, the lower belly naturally draws inward rather than pushing outward. The following four exercises specifically target this mechanism, offering a more effective approach to reducing belly overhang than traditional planks.
Bed-based exercises remove fear, joint pressure, and balance demands, allowing the nervous system to relax enough for the deep abdominal muscles to actually engage. When those muscles fire correctly, especially the transverse abdominis, the lower belly begins to draw inward naturally instead of pushing outward. These four exercises focus on that exact mechanism, helping flatten belly overhang more effectively than planks ever could.
Bent-Knee Heel Press
Lower belly overhang often connects to a lack of tension between the hips and the abdominal wall. This exercise restores that connection without spinal flexion or shoulder strain. By pressing the heels into the bed, the body activates the glutes and hamstrings, which immediately cues the deep core to engage in support.
Lying on the bed removes gravity-related strain, allowing attention to stay on controlled contraction rather than holding position. As the heels press down, the pelvis stabilizes and the lower abdomen tightens reflexively. This internal bracing effect plays a major role in flattening the belly over time, especially when practiced consistently.
The slow press-and-release rhythm also improves circulation and reduces morning stiffness in the hips and lower back, which often contributes to a protruding belly posture.
How to Do It
- Lie on your back with knees bent
- Press both heels firmly into the bed
- Hold tension briefly
- Relax and repeat.
Supine Knee Pull With Exhale
Most people overuse their hip flexors when trying to “work abs,” which pushes the belly outward instead of flattening it. This exercise corrects that by pairing controlled knee movement with intentional breathing.
Pulling one knee toward the chest while exhaling fully encourages the abdominal wall to draw inward. The bed supports the spine, preventing strain while allowing deep core engagement. Unlike planks, this movement teaches the abs to shorten and support rather than just brace.
Over time, this improves abdominal control during daily movements like standing up, walking, and bending, moments when belly overhang becomes most visible.
How to Do It
- Lie flat with legs extended
- Pull one knee toward chest
- Exhale slowly as knee lifts
- Alternate sides.
Bed-Supported Pelvic Tilt Hold
This movement directly targets the lower abdominal muscles responsible for belly flattening. Pelvic tilts retrain alignment between the ribs and pelvis, which often drifts forward with age and causes the belly to hang outward.
Lying on the bed removes pressure from the spine and allows subtle, precise movement. Tilting the pelvis gently engages the lower abs without crunching or bracing aggressively. Holding the position builds endurance rather than fatigue, which leads to better carryover throughout the day.
This exercise also improves awareness of neutral posture, a key factor in reducing belly overhang appearance.
How to Do It
- Lie on back with knees bent
- Gently tilt pelvis to flatten lower back
- Hold while breathing steadily
- Release and repeat.
Side-Lying Abdominal Brace
Side-lying positions engage the core differently than lying flat. This exercise activates the obliques and deep stabilizers that help hold the belly in from the sides, which planks often miss when fatigue sets in.
With the body supported by the bed, the abdomen braces gently without spinal movement. The focus stays on tightening the waistline rather than holding a rigid position. This builds muscular endurance that directly supports a flatter lower belly during standing and walking.
Because there’s no joint loading, this exercise remains comfortable even for those with back or shoulder discomfort.
How to Do It
- Lie on your side with knees slightly bent
- Gently brace abdominal muscles
- Hold while breathing calmly
- Switch sides halfway.