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For much of human history, people squatted on the ground to eat, tell stories, or frolic with their families. Even today, children in kindergarten and camp enjoy sitting on the ground to play games or sing songs.
Most adults, on the other hand, have given up the ground for the comfort of chairs. This comfort comes with a price: workers spend the day hunched over desks in their chairs, which can negatively impact the body, HuffPost reports.
Getting Started
The good news is, research shows sitting on the floor can boost mobility and flexibility, while supporting your health. Sitting cross-legged on the floor is one of the ten healthy habits, according to TIME. It can also help relieve back aches and everyday pain. Experts recommend spending 15 to 30 minutes sitting on the floor every day.
Floor sitting allows the body to release strain caused by sitting in the same position for hours at a time. Human bodies were also designed to sit in ground-based positions — which is reflected by how one-third of the world’s population sits today.
A blog on the posture website Upright recommends newcomers to floor sitting start gradually to build strength without discomfort. Begin with five minutes of floor sitting a day and increase by two to three minutes a week. As with any new exercise routine, there may be some muscle tiredness at first.
Popular Floor-Sitting Positions
These popular floor sitting methods are the best ways to get started. Novices should choose the one that is most comfortable.
The cross-legged position is best for beginners and easiest to maintain for extended periods of sitting. To try it out, have your legs crossed comfortably in front of you with your hands on your knees or in your lap. Keep your spine straight but not rigid.
The kneeling position helps build leg strength. It requires kneeling with the tops of the feet flat on the floor and sitting back on the heels. The knees are kept close together, and the hands rest on the thighs. The spine should remain straight, as in the cross-legged position.
If you're on the go, the squatting position allows for active sitting and mobility. The feet are placed shoulder-width apart on the floor. Lower yourself into a squat, keeping your chest up and heels down, with your arms resting on your knees for stability. This position allows for a quick way to stand or move around.
Sitting on the floor isn’t just a change of position. It’s a simple way to enjoy an abundance of health benefits.
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