Floor Mat Exercises for Any Fitness Level

Floor Mat Exercises can be the perfect addition to your workout routine. 

They offer effective options for building strength, improving flexibility, and enhancing balance from the comfort of your home and are accessible to most beginners and seniors. Let’s look at some of the best moves for every skill level.

What Are Some Floor Mat Exercises?

Floor mat exercises on a soft surface help increase strength, flexibility, and core stability and promote weight loss.

They allow you to target multiple fitness goals by engaging various muscle groups while remaining low-impact and easy on the joints (1).

Floor Mat Exercises for Legs

Floor mat exercises for the legs focus on building strength and endurance in the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Exercises like glute bridges, fire hydrants, and lying leg raises can enhance leg strength without requiring weights.

Glute Bridges 

1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent so your feet are flat on the floor.
2. Brace your core as you press through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
3. Hold the position for 1 – 2 seconds while squeezing the glutes.
4. Slowly lower the back to the starting position, keeping tension on the glutes.
5. Perform 10 – 15 reps, adjusting as you are able.

Fire Hydrants 

1. Begin on all fours on a mat, placing your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
2. Keep your knees bent at 90-degree angles, and lift one leg to the side to bring your thigh parallel to the ground. This movement resembles a dog lifting its leg when visiting a fire hydrant.
3. Hold the position for 1 – 2 seconds before slowly returning to the starting position.
4. Complete 10 – 15 repetitions on one side before switching to the other side.
5. Aim for 2 – 3 sets, depending on your fitness level.

Floor Mat Exercises for Seniors

Floor mat exercises for seniors will focus on gentle movements that improve flexibility, balance, and muscle strength while reducing the risk of falls (2). 

Seated Leg Extension 

1. Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.
2. Grab the side of the chair for added stability.
3. Lift one leg, extending it straight in front of you until it’s parallel to the floor with your toes pointed toward the ceiling.
4. Hold the position for 1 – 2 seconds.
5. Slowly lower the leg back to the starting position.
6. Complete 10-15 reps on one leg, then repeat with the other. Aim for 2-3 sets.

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Heel Slides 

1. Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Socks will work best for this movement, allowing your heel to glide across the floor.
3. Slowly slide one heel along the floor, extending your leg until it’s almost straight.
4. Slide your heel back towards your glutes, returning to the starting position with control.
5. Complete 10 – 15 reps on one leg before switching to the other and aim for 2 – 3 sets, adjusting as your fitness level allows.

Floor Mat Exercises for Weight Loss

Floor exercises can promote weight loss by building muscle and increasing metabolism. For added cardio, incorporate interval-style sets (3) as this can burn even more calories by keeping your heart rate up for an extended period. 

Additionally, your daily food intake will play a massive role in achieving your goal when seeking weight loss.

Mountain Climbers 

1. Begin in a high plank position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
2. Keeping your core stable, bring one knee toward your chest, keeping the other leg straight.
3. Return the leg to the starting position at maximum contraction and repeat with the other leg.
4. Continue alternating legs briskly, simulating a climbing or running motion.
5. Perform the mountain climbers for 20 – 30 seconds or 10 – 15 reps per leg, adjusting based on your fitness level.

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Burpees 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms relaxed by your sides.
2. Bend your knees to get into a squatting position.
3. Jump both feet back, landing on your palms in a high plank position with your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
4. Lower your chest to the floor by performing the decline of a push-up, then push back up.
5. As you push back up, jump your feet towards your hands so you can return to the squat position.
6. From the squat, explode upwards into a jump, reaching your arms overhead.
7. Land softly into the starting position with your knees slightly bent to absorb the impact.
8. Perform 10 – 15 reps, aiming for 2 – 3 sets, depending on your fitness level.

Floor Mat Exercises for Beginners

Beginner floor exercises focus on foundational moves that improve muscle awareness and strength without overwhelming the user (4). 

Planks 

1. Place your forearms on the mat with elbows directly under your shoulders with your hands flat or clasped. You can do this in a high plank position where your palms are on the floor instead of your elbows.
2. Extend your legs straight back, lift your hips off the ground, and keep your toes grounded so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
3. Focus on breathing in through your chest and out through your stomach. Each breath out will squeeze your abs even further.
4. Keep your body steady in this position for 20 – 60 seconds, gradually increasing the time as you progress.

Knee Push-Ups 

1. Begin on all fours on a mat, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Slowly lower your body by bending the elbows.
3. Go as low as possible while maintaining control, aiming to get your chest close to the ground.
4. Slowly push yourself back to the starting position, focusing on using your chest muscles to do the work.
5. Aim for 10-15 reps, adjusting based on your fitness level, and aim for 2 – 3 sets.

Floor Mat Exercises at Home

Performing floor mat exercises at home allows you to stay healthy with little or no equipment. They’re simple, space-efficient, and target a wide range of muscles.

Crunches 

1. Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Put your hands behind your head so your elbows point to the sides, but don’t pull on your neck while performing the exercise.
3. Lift your upper back and shoulders off the mat, using your abs to do the work.
4. Hold for a second at the top of the movement and squeeze your abs for maximum engagement.
5. Slowly lower your body back to the starting position.
6. Aim for 15 – 20 reps per set and 2 – 3 sets.

Leg Circles 

1. Lie flat on your back on a mat with your arms resting by your sides.
2. Extend one leg straight up toward the ceiling, pointing your toes, while keeping the other leg extended and grounded on the floor.
3. Begin making small, controlled circles with the lifted leg.
4. Perform 5-10 circles in one direction, then switch to make circles in the opposite direction.
5. Lower the first leg and repeat with the second.
6. Aim for 2 – 3 sets.

Floor Exercises at Home

Floor exercises at home primarily use bodyweight exercises to provide a full-body workout.

Russian Twists 

1. Sit on the mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Lean back slightly to engage your core, but keep your back straight.
3. Lift your feet slightly off the floor for better core engagement (optional).
4. Rotate your torso to one side, bringing your hands or the weight beside your hip, keeping the movement controlled.
5. Twist your torso back to the center, then rotate to the opposite side.
6. Continue twisting side to side in a controlled manner for 15-20 reps on each side, aiming for 2 – 3 sets.

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Flutter Kicks 

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and arms resting by your sides or under your lower back for extra support.
2. Lift your head, shoulders, and legs a few inches off the floor, engaging your core to stabilize your body.
3. Lift one leg a few inches higher than the other, then quickly switch, lowering the first leg while raising the opposite one to create a fluttering, scissor-like motion with your legs.
4. Continue the motion, keeping both feet off the ground for 15 – 30 seconds, adding as much time as possible.

Pilates Mat Workout

Pilates are great for core strength and flexibility. Mat Pilates can target smaller stabilizing muscles to improve posture and balance (5).

Lying Leg Raises 

1. Lie flat on your back, keeping your legs extended and your arms by your sides with palms facing down.
2. While keeping your legs straight and together, slowly raise them towards the ceiling until they form a 90-degree angle with your torso.
3. Slowly lower your legs back to the starting position, stopping just before touching the mat.
4. Complete 10-15 reps, adjusting as needed for your fitness level, and aim for 2-3 sets.

Read more: 14 Leg Mobility Exercises That’ll Improve Your Performance

Rolling Like a Ball 

1. Sit on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Hold your shins or wrap your hands around your ankles, bringing your knees close to your chest.
3. Inhale as you gently roll backward along your spine, stopping when your shoulder blades touch the mat.
4. Exhale as you roll back up to the starting position, using your core muscles to bring yourself back up.
5. Aim for 6-10 rolls, maintaining control throughout the movement and keeping the motion smooth.

Learn how to strengthen your pelvic floor with the best pelvic floor exercises.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do mat workouts work?

Yes, mat workouts are highly effective for improving strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance and can be a great addition to any workout routine. 

Ultimately, it will depend on your fitness goals as these exercises may not replace high-intensity cardio or heavy resistance training. However, they can be an excellent option for improving overall fitness, and you can combine them with a resistance training program.

• Are mat exercises good for weight loss?

Yes, mat exercises can be a significant part of a weight loss program, especially with a balanced diet. 

Mat exercises are often low-impact, and though they usually won’t burn as many calories as a high-intensity cardio workout, they can help build strength and core stability, making more intensive exercise easier (6). Weight loss comes when we are burning more calories than we are consuming. Any movement our bodies do will burn calories, so adding mat exercises can be an ideal way to increase that daily movement. 

• What mat exercise burns the most belly fat?

Unfortunately, targeted fat reduction is impossible, and mat exercise alone can’t specifically target belly fat. However, specific core-focused mat exercises are practical for building abdominal strength and promoting overall calorie burn, which can contribute to fat loss over time (7).

• Is 20 minutes of mat pilates enough?

Yes, 20 minutes of mat Pilates can be beneficial, mainly if you perform it consistently and focus on engaging your muscles effectively. Over time, these shorter sessions will build strength, flexibility, and body awareness, helping you progress toward your fitness goals (8).

• Is it ok to do mat pilates everyday?

Yes, it is generally ok to do mat Pilates every day, especially since it’s a low-impact exercise focusing on flexibility, core strength, and muscle endurance. However, it is essential to remember that muscles require time to heal and repair, making them stronger. Working out every day can reduce your gains, especially when you are first getting started (9).

• How long does it take to see results from mat pilates?

Seeing results from mat Pilates varies depending on factors like your starting fitness level, frequency of practice, and intensity of each session. 

However, many people start to notice results in as little as 2  – 3  weeks, with the potential for a visible increase in muscle mass after 6 – 8 weeks. 3 month body transformation workouts are pretty popular and can be an attainable goal (10). 

• Are exercise mats good?

Exercise mats are beneficial for most types of workouts, especially those done on the floor, like Pilates, yoga, stretching, and bodyweight exercises. They provide cushioning and create a non-slip surface that is clean and portable, which allows you to perform these bodyweight exercises virtually anywhere! 

The Bottom Line

Floor mat exercises provide effective, accessible workouts for people at any fitness level, offering benefits like muscle strengthening, flexibility improvement, and core stability. 

This guide highlights how you can tailor a mat workout to suit your needs regardless of whether your goals are weight loss, senior fitness, or improved general fitness. When combined with consistency and a balanced diet, they can be an effective way to improve your overall health.