I’ve been doing home health care for the last near decade and have seen the effects of a lifetime of limited mobility on the human body. I mean just people whose lives as adults are an endless cycle of sitting at work, sitting at home, sitting in the car, etc. with just short periods of walking and maybe light housework. The core strength starts to plummet along with the steady decline of muscle mass beginning in our 30s if we live this way and most of us do. Even if you’re doing the treadmill and some weight lifting at the gym that won’t keep you flexible. People forget about or never realize how critical this is until they’ve lost it. Something as simple as having the flexibility to wipe your own behind in your 80s and beyond is rooted in keeping core strength and flexibility intact as you age.

I broke an ankle and a wrist over the last few years and have suffered some neck issues from spinal stenosis. I’ve been to PT several times to work on rehabbing those injuries and learning how to move my body to minimize the effects of the stenosis. I’ve seen a number of elders in PT to work on limited mobility not adjacent to injury. It’s made me realize that I need to get very serious now at 52 to recover from the decades I’ve spent sitting at desks and coming home exhausted to sit on the sofa. I’m getting back into yoga and ballet because I want to be able to wipe my own poop hatch as long as possible.

55 yrs woman…yes with no hands or taking a knee. Just pull your feet close to your body/chest and rock a little forward and up you go. Almost like coming up from a deep squat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can do it without hands but I need to use my knees. I'm trying to picture anyone my age being able to do this and I can't picture it.

Personally I put my feet flat on the floor, lean forward into a deep squat, then stand. I don’t quite understand the standing cross-legged logistics; that sounds hard to balance to me but everyone’s body is different I guess.

I also find it easier to stand from the deep squat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I am shocked at how many people are saying they can’t do this!

Same. I could do it multiple ways- criss cross applesauce and then also just leaning forward and standing. I don't get the knee thing that you all are talking about.

Foot back, knee forward. Roll over the knee-foot line until your body is above knee, the push your knees up.

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I am shocked at how many people are saying they can’t do this!

Same. I could do it multiple ways- criss cross applesauce and then also just leaning forward and standing. I don't get the knee thing that you all are talking about.

yes, im 22

I tried it and could do it. Easiest way is to cross legs, sit down into cross cross applesauce, and then stand up with your legs crossed as well. The technique to put your feet flat on the floor and stand up from a squat was harder for me but might come down to your leg length / height.

Wow, I am shocked at how many people are saying they can’t do this!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How in the world do you do this without involving knees?

I’m a man and don’t think I could ever do this

https://youtu.be/n_0MuVsyHfQ

I can do this easily. I'm 56 fwiw, normal BMI, not especially fit IMO.

Oh sticking your hands way out front probably helps a lot.

Yes, and I’m a 46 year old female. The second time I did it, I focused on bracing my core and it was easier.

In my 40s and could do this easily. I do a lot of barre and rowing but not that flexible overall.

Never been able to do it at any age. I have always have used my hands to get up from floor. I am just not coordinated.

Yes. I’m also a kindergarten teacher and it’s pretty much part of my day. Mid 40s.

Anonymous wrote:I can do it without hands but I need to use my knees. I'm trying to picture anyone my age being able to do this and I can't picture it.

Personally I put my feet flat on the floor, lean forward into a deep squat, then stand. I don’t quite understand the standing cross-legged logistics; that sounds hard to balance to me but everyone’s body is different I guess.

Anonymous wrote:Without hands yeah but not without taking a knee first.

59 woman. this is me as well. I sat down criss cross apple sauce and was able to get up. but I needed to roll my legs so I could get on my knees first. but hey... no hands.