8 Types of Floor Exercises Without Equipment – Floor exercise is a type of exercise that has a myriad of benefits for health and fitness, you know, Sinaumed’s. This type of exercise is a series of movements combining elements of flexibility, strength, jumping and balance. All movements must be carried out with rhythm and harmony.
Floor gymnastics which is often part of physical education and sports learning is part of artistic gymnastics. As a form of systematic physical exercise, floor exercise combines various planned movements to achieve certain goals.
In floor exercises, the soles of the feet are the first part of the body to touch the floor when landing. Floor gymnastics or floor exercises are exercises that involve acrobatic movements, such as spinning, rolling, resting on your hands, or jumping.
As the name suggests, these acrobatic moves are performed on a mat or floor. Floor gymnastics is a branch of gymnastics that does not require additional equipment. The movements in floor gymnastics are carried out with basic movements that aim to train balance and strength.
For beginners, practicing floor gymnastic movements on a mat can avoid and minimize injury. Just like other sports, floor exercises certainly bring a myriad of benefits to the body if you do them with the right technique.
A health officer Dr. HF Minkema who came from the Dutch royal navy was the inventor of floor gymnastics. Floor gymnastics is generally divided into two, namely floor gymnastics without tools and floor gymnastics with tools.
This article will discuss floor exercises without tools in depth, starting from the preparations that need to be made, practicing techniques, to the benefits that will be obtained. Check out the reviews below to the end, OK?
Floor exercises that are performed with a mat without the use of other tools are referred to as floor exercises without tools or free exercises. Even though it is said to be free exercise, this one group of exercises must still be carried out under supervision.
Before doing so, Sinaumed’s needs to prepare several things. Prepare a mat as an important tool when doing various floor gymnastics techniques. Then you need to place the mat on a flat floor in the right position.
Make it a habit to warm up before exercising on the floor. Generally, to do floor gymnastics you will start with the most basic, intermediate, to the most difficult techniques.
Types of Floor Exercises Without Equipment
As a basic exercise before learning other types of gymnastics, floor gymnastics is suitable for starters. For Sinaumed’s who need moderate-intensity exercise and are classified as effective in training muscles, floor gymnastic exercises can be the best choice. The following are types of floor exercises without equipment that beginners can do under supervision.
1. Attitude of Candles
Illustration of Candle Attitude (source: freepik.com)
This type of floor exercise is also often referred to as candle pose and shoulder stand. The candle stance is a type of floor exercise in which the whole body is straight, resting on the shoulders, elbows and hands to help support the body’s weight on the waist.
The candle stance is a type of floor exercise that aims to train balance and calm. The attitude of the candle provides various benefits, namely stretching the neck and upper back muscles, relieving stomach cramps due to menstruation, and maintaining the health of the thyroid gland.
There are various other benefits that you can get, from alleviating indigestion and asthma, increasing blood circulation to the head, to toning the stomach and leg muscles. However, this type of floor exercise needs to be avoided for pregnant women, people with hypertension and glaucoma.
How to do the candle stance:
- Prepare the mat and start the candle position by sleeping on your back on the mat.
- Then lift your leg up as high as possible.
- For beginners, you can place your hands on your waist as a body support to maintain balance.
- If the balance is good, it’s a sign that you managed to do it.
2. Roll Forward ( Forward Roll)
Illustration of Rolling Forward (source: yes4all.com)
Forward roll is one of the basic elements or the earliest movements learned in floor gymnastics. This one floor exercise is done in two ways, namely rolling forward from a standing starting position and rolling forward from a squatting starting position .
Roll forward ( forward roll) using the upper back of the body, starting from the nape, back, waist, to the back of the pelvis. The following steps roll forward using two ways.
How to roll forward with a standing start:
- Prepare your mat and stand straight with your arms straight at your sides.
- Then raise both hands forward, bend over, position your legs straight, and place both palms on the mat.
- Position your elbows to the sides, tuck your chin towards your chest between your two hands.
- Then touch your shoulders to the mat and roll forward.
- After that, fold your knees, pull your chin and knees to your chest, and position your hands to embrace your knees.
- For the final attitude to roll forward is to squat then stand up straight.
How to roll forward with a squat prefix:
- Prepare the mat and start the movement with a squatting attitude.
- Position your feet together, put your knees to your chest, and both hands resting in front of the toes.
- Then bend your hands, place your shoulders on the mat while bending your head along with your chin to your chest.
- Then do a forward roll.
- As your hips touch the mat, grab your shins with both hands into a squat to finish.
3. Roll Back ( Backward Roll)
Illustration of Backward Roll (source: medibank.com.au)
Back roll or rolling backwards is a type of floor exercise in contrast to the forward roll. This one movement is almost similar to a forward roll, but in the opposite direction. Back roll or rolling backwards is a type of floor exercise that is performed when the body position is rounded by rolling the body backwards, namely the legs are folded, the knees are attached to the chest, and the head is bowed until the chin is attached to the chest.
How to roll backwards:
- Prepare the mat and start the movement with a squatting attitude.
- Position your feet together with your heels lifted.
- Then lower your head with your chin touching your chest and position your feet pushing back.
- When your back touches the mat, immediately fold your hands beside your ears and palms while facing the top to be ready to reject.
- Immediately swing your legs back over your head and be helped by both hands to resist strongly.
- Position both legs folded so that the toes land on the mat with a squat as the end of the movement.
4. Standing with Hands ( Handst and)
Handstand illustration (source: yogateket.com)
Handstand or standing with hands is a floor exercise that is often used in several other sports, such as modern dance and yoga. The essence of this type of floor exercise is to stand with your hands supporting the whole body in a stable state.
Standing with your hands or in the English equivalent is called a handstand is useful for strengthening your arms, shoulders and wrists. Then a handstand also has other benefits, such as stretching the abdominal muscles, calming the brain, improving balance, and helping relieve stress. There are things that need to be considered for doing a handstand, which is to do it on a hard mat to make it easier for you to balance.
How to stand on hands:
- Start by standing straight with one foot slightly forward.
- Then bend over with your hands resting on the mat shoulder-width apart.
- Focus your gaze slightly forward and push your buttocks high.
- Try to bend the front leg, while the back leg is straight.
- Then swing the back leg up to contract the abdominal muscles.
- Then position both legs together and straight.
- Make a view between the pedestals of the hands with the body stretched upwards.
5. Kayang ( Bridge)
Illustration of Kayang (source: majisports.com)
Kayang is a type of floor exercise in which the body rests on the hands and feet, with the back forming an arc or bridge facing the ceiling. Do this type of floor exercise gradually to avoid injury because it requires a fairly flexible back.
The kayak or bridge position is useful for straightening your arms and wrists, stretching your chest area, and straightening your spine. In addition, the movement of Kayang can strengthen the muscles of the legs, stomach, shoulders and arms, up to the waist.
How to do kayaking:
- Prepare your mat, start in a standing stance, and position your hands resting on your hips.
- Bend your legs, elbows, and position your head folded back.
- Then both hands are rotated backwards until they touch the mat as a pedestal.
- Then position the body curved like a bow or bridge.
6. Jump Tiger ( Tiger Sprong)
Illustration of Jumping Tiger (source: sindunesia.com)
The next type of floor exercise is tiger jump or in the English equivalent it is called tiger sprong. This type of floor exercise will involve jumping forward with the position of both hands straight ahead, followed by a rolling motion.
Tiger jump or tiger sprong is a type of floor exercise that ends in a squatting position. It can be said that the tiger jump is an additional variation of a forward roll. Although it is classified as a form of additional variation, tiger jump is useful for training body coordination, strength, alertness, and body balance.
7. Cartwheel
Cartwheel illustration (source: fit2bmom.com)
Well, this type of floor exercise is probably what Sinaumed’s often did when he was little. However, you may not think of doing it as an adult.
Cartwheel is a type of floor exercise that involves somersaulting while turning the whole body to the side and resting on the hands. This floor exercise requires flexibility of the body because it has a high level of risk of injury.
Make sure Sinaumed’s always warms up before doing floor exercises. To practice this floor exercise, you can start in a standing position, lean your upper body forward, and position one leg forward to form a right angle.
Cartwheel is a floor gymnastics movement without tools that is performed with the arms straight beside the head. Then engage your back foot and push forward to turn with your head.
Try to do this step with the focus on the hands. When spinning, try to keep your legs straight, your back straight with your buttocks, and keep your head inward. The last step, position both feet to land on the mat with a standing attitude.
8. Child’s Pose
Illustration of Child’s Pose (source: mydomaine.com)
This type of floor exercise involves extending your hands forward, then widening your knees with your fingers touching each other. Then position your chest down between your thighs.
Child’s pose has the benefit of relaxing the body as a whole. This move can open your hips, stretch your lower back, stretch your shoulders, and even help relieve insomnia.
9. Butterfly Pose
Illustration of Butterfly Pose (source: goodtherapy.com)
Butterfly pose or in the English equivalent is called butterfly pose is a type of floor exercise that is very easy to do. Sinaumed’s only needs to sit with his legs spread like a butterfly’s wings. Then grab your feet with both hands and straighten your back so that your hands, back and shoulders are engaged.
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