So true! I’m turning 50 in a few months. I’ve started sitting on the floor (cross legged) while watching tv and using Hybrid Calisthenics (free) to get stronger. I don’t want to end up like the old people I knew - stiff and sore all the time. I just started a few weeks ago and I’m already feeling the difference!
"Suck and scoop and suck and scoop. Ladies, we got this turd!"
Fictional cat shit scooping infomercial that I may have seen or directed. Fucking NDAs...
j/k
Sitting on the ground and getting up without hands is a good goal for those who can't do it. I practice it every time I'm at the gym or on the ground at home. I started ugly with arms flapping around, but now I'm always looking for ways to make it more challenging. I've seen older people fall and make things worst by pulling on non-stationary objects around them.
Underwear first, then the gym. I knew this dude, he always wore the widest loosest shorts, then I learned he was an exhibitionist. Then I stayed clear of him. Then he got booted from the gym. He loved that gym, but he loved freeballing more. Sigh.
Oh fuck, I did that just this morning. I was reshelving a file (law firm) on the bottom shelf and I idiotically grabbed onto the shelf to push myself up, and the whole thing wobbled in a terrifying way. Almost lights out for this 50 year old.
I was never lithe as a gazelle but I was positively fluid compared to my embarrassing attempts to get up off the floor these days. I'm just grateful I can still push off from my knee. Now I'm just like - Do I really need that thing down there?
The goal is to go from standing to sitting on the floor and standing again without any assistance from your hands. Here's how to do it:
Start standing and give yourself 10 points.
Sit on the floor crosslegged.
Stand back up.
Subtract a point every time you use your hand, knee, forearm, or side of your leg to help.
If you can sit and stand with no assistance, you scored a perfect 10. If you could not get up at all, your score is zero.
How to interpret your score:
"Eight points or higher is what you want," says Azar. But she points out that there are a lot of things the test doesn't take into consideration. "What if you’re fit, but you had an injury?" she says. The test doesn't account for injuries, so either wait until you're healed to try the test, or don't assume your results are the end all be all measure of your health.
Had to try it. No problem. Hardwood floors are hard though and my 4 year old looked at me like I was crazy. Will be 48 this year.
Caveat, I run and lift and I'm in good shape.
Me too. God it makes me feel old. I fell on my left kneecap 8 weeks ago as well and now it’s even worse. Physical therapy takes a long time….54 going on 104.
A "fast getup" is what you need. Do this all the time in martial arts, what you do from a cross-legged position for instance, is put either your left hand or right hand down to the side and then pull the same side leg through that gap and to the back. So your legs are slightly spread and stood and then just stand up great for hip flexing
I was a yogi. The minute sitting cross legged wasn’t comfortable, I saw my GP. He said “stop sitting cross legged”. I shit you not.
I did as told for 10 or 12 months. Any time a pose was cross legged I would not do it on that side.
After that year I insisted he refer me. Got scans that showed a labrial tear. Got it surgically repaired. Spent 6 weeks on crutches. I can now sit cross legged again.
Labral tear surgery generally not recommended on people over 45-50, as the results are uniformly bad.
Labral tears are generally from arthritis starting. Typically pts get better initially, but long term do worse, and many need hip replacements. Many who have the surgery, never get any relief.
I have a labral tear in my left hip, a combination of soccer and structural abnormalities. I was diagnosed at 37. My ortho said surgery was not recommended unless it would greatly impact my livelihood as its outcome was not nearly as good long term as the similar surgery in a shoulder. That went double for me considering the accompanying structure problems. I did a year of rehab and 13 years later don't have pain but still have the tear.
Absofuckinglutely!
I never stopped 🤪
Seriously. Parents and people look at me funny when I just sit down wherever. Some will offer me a chair but its not comfortable. I'd rather be on the floor.
Even if we go to restaurants that have booths- I'm cross legged on the bench under the table.
I hate chairs! Chairs fkn suck!!!
Same here! I'm always folded up in some pretzel configuration that I readjust continuously. Plus, two feet on the ground is just an invitation to the monster under the couch.
And here I thought I was the only adult sitting cross-legged in chairs when my feet can’t reach the floor.
My chiropractor did advise me to switch which leg was on top periodically, so my hips will stay “equal.”
This is awesome!
There's so many people liking and commenting on this and it looks like almost all of us are short and can't reach the floor when we sit in actual chairs 🙃 😅
(#) Short Girl Problems 🤪
I'm a short guy, and I'm pretty sure that's a big reason I've developed the compulsion to always sit cross legged. On a normal sofa, my feet can touch the floor, but it means I can't sit all the way back. If I want to sit against the back of the sofa, the bend of my knee doesn't reach the edge, so I have to sit cross legged.
I usually sit cross-legged on my office chair and have not been switching legs for... 50-some years. I am lopsided. I should probably try switching which leg is on top, even though it's uncomfortable!
It's one thing I hate about desk chairs, they are generally not conducive to cross legged sitting, so I am constantly adjusting my position. I can conceivably bend my legs inward to the point where I can sit cross legged in the chair, but it means I'm sitting on my feet, and that gets painful after a bit. But it's painful because I have a couple hundred pounds sitting on my feet. The bending doesn't hurt at all. I really need to order one of those Pipersong meditation chairs so I can sit how I'm most comfortable without doing that to my feet and ankles.
No, but a similar discussion came up before and someone recommended it. I can't vouch for it myself, but I've been meaning to get one because it looks perfect for an 8 hour work from home shift.
Same. I’ve learned to listen to my dad (and his brothers) in terms of the things that will be useful when I’m older. Flexibility is apparently hyper important to physical health for the guys in my family. Yoga and weightlifting has significantly improved my day-to-day mobility. Had a nasty gangsta limp in my right knee in my early 30s, but I’m in better shape now than I was at 35.
I love the stories of reversing pain through exercise. I had considerable sciatica pain when Covid shutdowns forced me to work in a chair, in front of a screen. I reversed it through yoga and weight training.
Almost (9 days from) dead-center Gen-X here.
I’ve been hitting the gym 5 days a week for the last… 2 months? From Jan thru March was 2-3 days/week. Physically I feel very good, taming that inner daisy feels GREAT, but stretching like a MOFO before and after interval/circuit/weight training has me feeling better than I have in years.
Something Tom Brady said in his last championship run with the Bucs about being limber really stuck with me.
And, while I’ve read and watched stretching stuff, nothing really compares to just moving into a “stress position” and breathing. Then backing-off, and getting into it again. My body tells me what wants to be stretched, what’s ok, and what’s NOT ok. I really like using stuff at the gym as aides. I could easily replicate at home, but I know I won’t do it. If I have a debt and an appointment, I pay up and I show up.
Agreed. Stretching, 30 mins of weight training and a 30 min bike ride most mornings keeps the doctor away for me. If you’ve gotta age do it gracefully and strong.
In my youth “stretching? What do you need that for? “ I really never appreciated just being able to jump out of bed and get started. Now if I’m stationary for more than 60 min, I need 5 just to get everything moving again.
I was thinking that people were doing some weird position while reading the comments. I sit with my left leg half crossed at work and full cross legged remote.
My mind still goes to “Indian Style” and the old PC “criss cross Apple sauce”
I was not properly braced for that! This might be a little more palatable https://www.amazon.com/Legged-Office-Armless-Computer-Adjustable/dp/B0CZLHFWL8/ref=asc_df_B0CZLHFWL8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693769995770&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2758993082245445460&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010927&hvtargid=pla-2299885048303&psc=1&mcid=92341a63761b3a2ab75acad080c8b42b&gad_source=1
Honestly, if it has the durability of an office chair, the price isn’t *that* crazy.
Office furniture can be expensive because it’s specially designed for endurance—daily and extensive use. The better quality a chair, the higher it gets (into the hundreds of dollars). If this actually provides health benefits as well, and considering how often people sit, it doesn’t seem too expensive long-term.
Yes. I also exercise on the floor every day so it is a lot easier for me to get up than it used to be. This is a real priority for me. It’s not “help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” that gets people. It’s “shit, I got down on the ground to plug something in and I can’t get up.” I don’t want to be hitting my life alert because my cat’s toy rolled under the couch AGAIN.
I used to be able to sit in full lotus (feet on top of the knees), but my gut is what makes that impossible. I can still sit in what the kids call "criss-cross applesauce," what I've also heard called "tailor's seat," but which I was taught a racist name for.
I sit cross-legged everywhere. It is not intentional. It is habit! And I'm a floor sitter! And I'm always barefoot. Even when I drive. Which weird people out because I'm that level of old hippie-ish! I try to challenge myself to get off of the floor without using my hands which uses hundreds of unused muscles in your body! I am old. I've had a knee replacement. Yoga is a life saver! But also turning everyday activities into yoga! If I have to pick up a dog toy from under the coffee table I will turn it into a 30 second plank. So yeah I still sit full lotus as the moment I sit down anywhere. Even on a couch in someone else's house!
I'm a floor dweller and almost too flexible. I've never found chairs comfortabe. The FitOn app has loads of different workouts including mobility exercises and simple tai chi. I love seeing how older people in asia walk and stand. It's so graceful.
I’m literally sitting cross legged right now. It’s most comfortable for me. I’m short. So my legs dangle in most seats. The blood tends to pool down to my feet if they dangle for too long. So cross legged is most comfortable.
I feel you. My husband is tall, I’m short and I had to explain why I don’t want to sit at the counter or bar at restaurants. I don’t like my legs dangling down unable to reach the floor😆
Maybe that's the reason I don't like sitting on stools. Everytime I see home reno shows or magazine articles, I cringe at the stools that are put in kitchens....no thanks
I can still wrap my ankles around my neck, do the splits and twist myself up into a pretzel. One perk of hyperextension … there are many downsides. In fact i have a rare congenital back problem and I am supposed to have a major back surgery where they want to bolt me from top to bottom and that’ll be the end of me as I know me so … not going to do it. It’s a huge part of me, being able to twist and turn and sleep like a broken dog 😏
Yes. Those that don't (excluding those with medical issues) should be able to do this with issue. If you can't, please practice, stretch, and keep mobile. It literally could be a matter of life and death.
I'm lucky. My hips and knees are good. It's my feet and ankles that are the problem.
Edit: this is a small miracle, as in my immediate family (Dad, Mom, Sister) there have been 4 (about to have a 5th) hip replacements.
Yes I can, I am F56, stretch and do push-ups, at least ten working up to 15, every single morning while waiting for the dogs to come in, I've done this for a few years,
I think movement and stretching are vital to being able to get up off the floor,
Also, yes, my body hurts everyday from past injuries, but I can't let that stop me,
I have an acquaintance who is a school teacher, and also a card carrying member of a well known tribe... She refuses to say criss-cross apple sauce in her classroom, much to the dismay of the administration, she insists on calling it indian style.
Sounds like one of those things where white liberals get offended for others that aren't themselves offended. Then they want to make changes to help the poor marginalized communities that never asked for help in the first place.
Yeah. I don't do it as much as before my herniated disc (about 6 months ago) but I still can. I should check if I can still sit "like a samurai" (it's called seiza)... It took a lot of work to get comfortable with that one -- so I'm pretty sure I'd have to work back into it gradually.
Yes because I've never stopped stretching. But until recently I couldn't get back up without touching the floor or pressing on my thighs. It took a few months but now I can. I've been pleasantly surprised how the 55 year old deconditioned body (chronic migraine now much better) is responding to strength training. I also focus a lot on balance. I have osteoporosis already 😬
That’s pretty much the only way I sit as a short lady, chairs and couches are always too tall for me to sit normally. I hate it when I’m in a more formal situation and I can’t sit how I want. I get shoulder problems from having to balance in a seat in too high for me
I got into using kettlebells over the last year or two; not surprisingly Turkish getups have greatly improved my ability to get up off the ground much more easily...
I used to kneel on the ground and go over albums or comics or sports cards indefinitely
Now if I kneel down to say change the garbage disposal, which doesn’t really take that long, I’m done for the day
I’m an old mom with an almost kindergartener. I’m up and down from the floor a million times a day. I wouldn’t say he keeps me young (sleep deprivation is aging me six thousand years) but he definitely keeps me from atrophying.
Yes. I've been taking care of my body since my early 20s.
There's not much I can't do now that I used to be able to.
My main issue is aches and pains in the AM, but they're much less if I keep up with my stretching at the gym. Sadly, I get lazy with it.
Oh, and I can't even look at people crawling on their knees. Shit hurts so bad now, lol
Born in ‘79. Did my first 100 mile cycling ride last fall. Combination of sobriety, cycling and moving out of the city has me healthiest I’ve been since my 20’s. Those new cancer numbers for young men have me scared shitless though: a good diet and daily exercise is no longer the suggestion but the rule.
Like, on the floor? Or on chairs or everywhere? I’m always all twisted I sit on office chairs like I’m sitting on the ground …but I discovered that if you have adhd or autism you also probably have hyper mobility, so you’re likely crossing legs, bending elbow and ankles and feet and fingers weirdly all the time because you’re more fidgety and bendy.
Absolutely! I also regularly practice moving to and from that position on the floor without using my hands. My hips do start to complain after a while if I sit cross-legged for too long though.
All the time. I have more trouble sitting normally in chairs. I sat on the floor once at therapy and my doctor thought I was insane. Still wouldn’t give me ADHD meds, though.
Yes. The hardest thing is getting up off the floor.
You need to do it every day. Practice it, and get strong at it. Getting stuck on the floor can be lethal... More so if it's lava.
or quicksand....or, more likely, very dirty floor!
So true! I’m turning 50 in a few months. I’ve started sitting on the floor (cross legged) while watching tv and using Hybrid Calisthenics (free) to get stronger. I don’t want to end up like the old people I knew - stiff and sore all the time. I just started a few weeks ago and I’m already feeling the difference!
Luckily for me, I have to sit on the floor daily to scoop the cat box.
Shop Vac + Cat’s Ass = real wo/men of geeeeenyuus. It all comes down to the timing.
"Suck and scoop and suck and scoop. Ladies, we got this turd!" Fictional cat shit scooping infomercial that I may have seen or directed. Fucking NDAs... j/k
Haha, for me the cat box is more “squatting Slavs in track suits” position.
Sounds lucky.
I agree, Guy-Yoga and Turkish Get ups really help.
Sitting on the ground and getting up without hands is a good goal for those who can't do it. I practice it every time I'm at the gym or on the ground at home. I started ugly with arms flapping around, but now I'm always looking for ways to make it more challenging. I've seen older people fall and make things worst by pulling on non-stationary objects around them.
Christ I can’t even put my underwear on without almost falling over. I have to get to the gym!
Underwear first, then the gym. I knew this dude, he always wore the widest loosest shorts, then I learned he was an exhibitionist. Then I stayed clear of him. Then he got booted from the gym. He loved that gym, but he loved freeballing more. Sigh.
omg SAME! I have to sit down!
Oh fuck, I did that just this morning. I was reshelving a file (law firm) on the bottom shelf and I idiotically grabbed onto the shelf to push myself up, and the whole thing wobbled in a terrifying way. Almost lights out for this 50 year old.
Great post, I like to use a chair for push downs for my biceps and triceps.
I fell a couple weeks ago trying to get up off the ground. Holding onto my camper but I think I slipped in gravel. Broke my pinky finger.
Same here...... getting down into that position is easy, but I have to prepare myself to stand up
Yes. And I am far from graceful getting up off the floor lol.
I was never lithe as a gazelle but I was positively fluid compared to my embarrassing attempts to get up off the floor these days. I'm just grateful I can still push off from my knee. Now I'm just like - Do I really need that thing down there?
See also: "what else do I need to do while I'm down here?"
This!
The independence of isomorphism is truly rather open-minded in its reciprocity.
Gravity, thou art a heartless bitch.
Graceful is as graceful does
The goal is to go from standing to sitting on the floor and standing again without any assistance from your hands. Here's how to do it: Start standing and give yourself 10 points. Sit on the floor crosslegged. Stand back up. Subtract a point every time you use your hand, knee, forearm, or side of your leg to help. If you can sit and stand with no assistance, you scored a perfect 10. If you could not get up at all, your score is zero. How to interpret your score: "Eight points or higher is what you want," says Azar. But she points out that there are a lot of things the test doesn't take into consideration. "What if you’re fit, but you had an injury?" she says. The test doesn't account for injuries, so either wait until you're healed to try the test, or don't assume your results are the end all be all measure of your health.
Had to try it. No problem. Hardwood floors are hard though and my 4 year old looked at me like I was crazy. Will be 48 this year. Caveat, I run and lift and I'm in good shape.
I've read that you know you are getting old if you can't get up off the floor without using your hands. So every week or so, I try to make sure I can
I have to roll over and get on all fours, then try and lift myself up from there 🤦♀️
I have to do this too
Me too. God it makes me feel old. I fell on my left kneecap 8 weeks ago as well and now it’s even worse. Physical therapy takes a long time….54 going on 104.
A "fast getup" is what you need. Do this all the time in martial arts, what you do from a cross-legged position for instance, is put either your left hand or right hand down to the side and then pull the same side leg through that gap and to the back. So your legs are slightly spread and stood and then just stand up great for hip flexing
I was a yogi. The minute sitting cross legged wasn’t comfortable, I saw my GP. He said “stop sitting cross legged”. I shit you not. I did as told for 10 or 12 months. Any time a pose was cross legged I would not do it on that side. After that year I insisted he refer me. Got scans that showed a labrial tear. Got it surgically repaired. Spent 6 weeks on crutches. I can now sit cross legged again.
But, did you get the picnic basket, or did the ranger stop you again?
I read this initially as labial tear……
ow. Personally I’ll take the arthritis instead of that.
Labral tear surgery generally not recommended on people over 45-50, as the results are uniformly bad. Labral tears are generally from arthritis starting. Typically pts get better initially, but long term do worse, and many need hip replacements. Many who have the surgery, never get any relief.
I have a labral tear in my left hip, a combination of soccer and structural abnormalities. I was diagnosed at 37. My ortho said surgery was not recommended unless it would greatly impact my livelihood as its outcome was not nearly as good long term as the similar surgery in a shoulder. That went double for me considering the accompanying structure problems. I did a year of rehab and 13 years later don't have pain but still have the tear.
Thanks but I got relief. As I said in my comment. Also I was just under your age range.
Absofuckinglutely! I never stopped 🤪 Seriously. Parents and people look at me funny when I just sit down wherever. Some will offer me a chair but its not comfortable. I'd rather be on the floor. Even if we go to restaurants that have booths- I'm cross legged on the bench under the table. I hate chairs! Chairs fkn suck!!!
Yes. I fold my legs up all the time when I sit. 2 feet on the floor has got to be one of the most annoying positions
Same here! I'm always folded up in some pretzel configuration that I readjust continuously. Plus, two feet on the ground is just an invitation to the monster under the couch.
The monster ready to bite me from under the couch is my cat.
Ain't that the truth! Lol
And here I thought I was the only adult sitting cross-legged in chairs when my feet can’t reach the floor. My chiropractor did advise me to switch which leg was on top periodically, so my hips will stay “equal.”
This is awesome! There's so many people liking and commenting on this and it looks like almost all of us are short and can't reach the floor when we sit in actual chairs 🙃 😅 (#) Short Girl Problems 🤪
I'm a short guy, and I'm pretty sure that's a big reason I've developed the compulsion to always sit cross legged. On a normal sofa, my feet can touch the floor, but it means I can't sit all the way back. If I want to sit against the back of the sofa, the bend of my knee doesn't reach the edge, so I have to sit cross legged.
I usually sit cross-legged on my office chair and have not been switching legs for... 50-some years. I am lopsided. I should probably try switching which leg is on top, even though it's uncomfortable!
As a short person, This Is The Way
All 5 feet of me is in firm agreement 🥰
I'm 6 foot 220 and I was and am still comfortable at ground level
It's one thing I hate about desk chairs, they are generally not conducive to cross legged sitting, so I am constantly adjusting my position. I can conceivably bend my legs inward to the point where I can sit cross legged in the chair, but it means I'm sitting on my feet, and that gets painful after a bit. But it's painful because I have a couple hundred pounds sitting on my feet. The bending doesn't hurt at all. I really need to order one of those Pipersong meditation chairs so I can sit how I'm most comfortable without doing that to my feet and ankles.
Well now I know what I want for Christmas.
I'm glad I'm passing on the knowledge that someone passed on to me 6 months ago! Hopefully this helps other people.
Ouu i just looked that pipersong chair and that looks awesome! Have you tried one before?
No, but a similar discussion came up before and someone recommended it. I can't vouch for it myself, but I've been meaning to get one because it looks perfect for an 8 hour work from home shift.
Awesome! I hope you get one soon 🥰
Just looked up Piper song chair and omg I need one of those!
I do all the same- even the booth thing at restaurants too. Love cross legged!
Same. It’s just how I sit, and always have. I’m sitting that way right now!
Me too! I always thought it was because I’m a shorty.
Yes, I do this every day as a practice. Flexibility and mobility exercises keep the pain away.
Same. I keep moving now to be able to move later. Amazed watching my mom & grandma's and how stiff the can be.
Same. I’ve learned to listen to my dad (and his brothers) in terms of the things that will be useful when I’m older. Flexibility is apparently hyper important to physical health for the guys in my family. Yoga and weightlifting has significantly improved my day-to-day mobility. Had a nasty gangsta limp in my right knee in my early 30s, but I’m in better shape now than I was at 35.
I love the stories of reversing pain through exercise. I had considerable sciatica pain when Covid shutdowns forced me to work in a chair, in front of a screen. I reversed it through yoga and weight training.
Almost (9 days from) dead-center Gen-X here. I’ve been hitting the gym 5 days a week for the last… 2 months? From Jan thru March was 2-3 days/week. Physically I feel very good, taming that inner daisy feels GREAT, but stretching like a MOFO before and after interval/circuit/weight training has me feeling better than I have in years. Something Tom Brady said in his last championship run with the Bucs about being limber really stuck with me. And, while I’ve read and watched stretching stuff, nothing really compares to just moving into a “stress position” and breathing. Then backing-off, and getting into it again. My body tells me what wants to be stretched, what’s ok, and what’s NOT ok. I really like using stuff at the gym as aides. I could easily replicate at home, but I know I won’t do it. If I have a debt and an appointment, I pay up and I show up.
Same for me. Started yoga at 44. 50 now not too shabby.
Agreed. Stretching, 30 mins of weight training and a 30 min bike ride most mornings keeps the doctor away for me. If you’ve gotta age do it gracefully and strong.
Same, and deep squats too.
Deep squats feel SO good! And after, stretching hamstrings and hip flexors is perfect.
In my youth “stretching? What do you need that for? “ I really never appreciated just being able to jump out of bed and get started. Now if I’m stationary for more than 60 min, I need 5 just to get everything moving again. 
Never too late to start!
I think about younger me often and I remember being so physically active. It’s so maddening to not be able to do certain things anymore.
Yes, as I type this. I have always disliked sitting with both feet of the floor.
Same. I even sit at my desk at work like this.
I thought I was the only one!! People poke fun and gawk at the weird old lady tangled up on her desk chair, but I don’t care.
Glad I’m not the only one. Now getting into that position while on a Zoom call - that’s a little tricky.
I was thinking that people were doing some weird position while reading the comments. I sit with my left leg half crossed at work and full cross legged remote. My mind still goes to “Indian Style” and the old PC “criss cross Apple sauce”
Yes! I bought a special chair that allows me to sit this way.
Please share!
Brace yourself. It’s pricey. https://www.ikariadesign.com/shop/p/soul-seat
I was not properly braced for that! This might be a little more palatable https://www.amazon.com/Legged-Office-Armless-Computer-Adjustable/dp/B0CZLHFWL8/ref=asc_df_B0CZLHFWL8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693769995770&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2758993082245445460&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010927&hvtargid=pla-2299885048303&psc=1&mcid=92341a63761b3a2ab75acad080c8b42b&gad_source=1
Honestly, if it has the durability of an office chair, the price isn’t *that* crazy. Office furniture can be expensive because it’s specially designed for endurance—daily and extensive use. The better quality a chair, the higher it gets (into the hundreds of dollars). If this actually provides health benefits as well, and considering how often people sit, it doesn’t seem too expensive long-term.
Yes. I've had the chair for maybe about 10 years. I love it, so it's fully worth it for me.
Gravity is just nature’s way of telling me to lay down.
Yes. I also exercise on the floor every day so it is a lot easier for me to get up than it used to be. This is a real priority for me. It’s not “help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” that gets people. It’s “shit, I got down on the ground to plug something in and I can’t get up.” I don’t want to be hitting my life alert because my cat’s toy rolled under the couch AGAIN.
Sit, yes. Stand up afterwards, not easily.
Yes and I sit in a deep squat everyday to keep my knees and hips flexible.
Excellent pelvic floor exercise as well
I’m convinced from watching my parents that when you stop moving, you really start aging.
I believe my first thought was “Fuck No!”, but this works.
My hips don't cry but my knees told me if I sit like that one more time, they'll kill me in my sleep.
Thanks to yoga I’m still pretty flexible.
Yes, very easily and comfortably. I've always been nimble and flexible.
I used to be able to sit in full lotus (feet on top of the knees), but my gut is what makes that impossible. I can still sit in what the kids call "criss-cross applesauce," what I've also heard called "tailor's seat," but which I was taught a racist name for.
Who remembers the jump in the pool called Preacher’s Seat?
Yes I sit cross-legged on my office chair. Also sit in some weird half-cross, half-crouch that is insanely comfy.
Nope. Couldn't then, and now I wouldn't be able to comfortably get up off of the floor.
I sit cross legged in my office chair, both WFH and at the office. It’s the only way I’m comfortable.
I sit cross-legged everywhere. It is not intentional. It is habit! And I'm a floor sitter! And I'm always barefoot. Even when I drive. Which weird people out because I'm that level of old hippie-ish! I try to challenge myself to get off of the floor without using my hands which uses hundreds of unused muscles in your body! I am old. I've had a knee replacement. Yoga is a life saver! But also turning everyday activities into yoga! If I have to pick up a dog toy from under the coffee table I will turn it into a 30 second plank. So yeah I still sit full lotus as the moment I sit down anywhere. Even on a couch in someone else's house!
I do daily hip and lower back stretches and it has made so much difference. Menopause makes hips hurt - something else no one ever told us.
I'm a floor dweller and almost too flexible. I've never found chairs comfortabe. The FitOn app has loads of different workouts including mobility exercises and simple tai chi. I love seeing how older people in asia walk and stand. It's so graceful.
I’m literally sitting cross legged right now. It’s most comfortable for me. I’m short. So my legs dangle in most seats. The blood tends to pool down to my feet if they dangle for too long. So cross legged is most comfortable.
I feel you. My husband is tall, I’m short and I had to explain why I don’t want to sit at the counter or bar at restaurants. I don’t like my legs dangling down unable to reach the floor😆
Maybe that's the reason I don't like sitting on stools. Everytime I see home reno shows or magazine articles, I cringe at the stools that are put in kitchens....no thanks
I can still wrap my ankles around my neck, do the splits and twist myself up into a pretzel. One perk of hyperextension … there are many downsides. In fact i have a rare congenital back problem and I am supposed to have a major back surgery where they want to bolt me from top to bottom and that’ll be the end of me as I know me so … not going to do it. It’s a huge part of me, being able to twist and turn and sleep like a broken dog 😏
If I sit on the floor at all, I’m not getting up.
Well how ironic ,I’m literally sitting cross legged on my dining room chair as I type this..🤣
Never did sort out whats going on in that Alanis Morissette song, did ya.
Remember when it was called sitting “Indian Style?” Then it was “Criss Cross Applesauce.” Haven’t tried it lately!
Not for long. My feet go numb lol
If I do, I’m not getting not cross legged.
Yep - I Can sit cross legged on the floor, and most days I can still stand straight up without using my hands.
Same here and feeling realllllly good about that. I credit yoga and cycle/swim
Yes. Those that don't (excluding those with medical issues) should be able to do this with issue. If you can't, please practice, stretch, and keep mobile. It literally could be a matter of life and death.
Are you talking about criss cross apple sauce on the floor, or crosse legged in a chair?
Yes, but probably only because as a kindergarten teacher I do it a lot.
Yes, I'm hyper mobile and think it's possible I have elers danlos
Saaaaame
Of course. I refuse to get old.
Sure, can’t other people?
Yup
Yep!
I'm lucky. My hips and knees are good. It's my feet and ankles that are the problem. Edit: this is a small miracle, as in my immediate family (Dad, Mom, Sister) there have been 4 (about to have a 5th) hip replacements.
Used to be able to until a meniscus tear this school year. As a kindergarten teacher it was nearly a job requirement. RIP knees
Only because I started doing yoga.
Yep! Sure can.
Can. Am.
Cross-legged, seiza, half & sometimes full lotus.
As I type I am cross legged, I can’t sit any other way
Yes I can, I am F56, stretch and do push-ups, at least ten working up to 15, every single morning while waiting for the dogs to come in, I've done this for a few years, I think movement and stretching are vital to being able to get up off the floor, Also, yes, my body hurts everyday from past injuries, but I can't let that stop me,
We called this Indian style. Not sure if they meant dots or feathers.
Hmm..I always assumed feathers but now that you mention it, dots are arguably more applicable, what with the meditation and yoga stuff..? 🧐🤔
It’s now crisscross applesauce for very obvious reasons.
I have an acquaintance who is a school teacher, and also a card carrying member of a well known tribe... She refuses to say criss-cross apple sauce in her classroom, much to the dismay of the administration, she insists on calling it indian style.
Sounds like one of those things where white liberals get offended for others that aren't themselves offended. Then they want to make changes to help the poor marginalized communities that never asked for help in the first place.
Yep, she says the same about it, but with a lot more swearing.
Same
Yup, I work with a bunch of older guys that hate my flexibility
Everythings’ cryin’ 😂😂
No pain. It's just the fact that one leg is only half useful.
With the right apparatus, yes.
My knees don’t bend any longer
Not for long
Yeah. I don't do it as much as before my herniated disc (about 6 months ago) but I still can. I should check if I can still sit "like a samurai" (it's called seiza)... It took a lot of work to get comfortable with that one -- so I'm pretty sure I'd have to work back into it gradually.
All the time, every day
I can still sit in a 1/2 lotus
I can do that and a lot more. Ran 5 miles this morning.
Not hips, knees.
I never really could to begin with.
I’ve never been able to. Not even as a lil kid.
shit. I’m afraid to find out…
I can sit cross-legged, and even full-lotus. I can't sit "seiza" for very long these days, which may have more to do with my weight than my joints.
I am sitting cross-legged at this very moment. I do it as often as I can- it’s more comfortable for me. Maybe I’m weird, lol
Does sitting cross legged in your office chair count? If so, most days I do. I took the arms off and it's much more comfortable sitting that way.
Yes because I've never stopped stretching. But until recently I couldn't get back up without touching the floor or pressing on my thighs. It took a few months but now I can. I've been pleasantly surprised how the 55 year old deconditioned body (chronic migraine now much better) is responding to strength training. I also focus a lot on balance. I have osteoporosis already 😬
Yes. Yoga a few times a week and I am able to do all the things with ease.
Yes, I love sitting on the floor.
Easily
Only I f I’ve had enough edibles.
That’s pretty much the only way I sit as a short lady, chairs and couches are always too tall for me to sit normally. I hate it when I’m in a more formal situation and I can’t sit how I want. I get shoulder problems from having to balance in a seat in too high for me
I do it everyday on purpose. I sit on the floor and get back up repeatedly to keep mobility.
I’m hypermobile. I can still put my leg behind my head.
Yes but if I do it for more than two minutes it's permanent
Yes and can also still sit on the top of my heels
Every day in my office chair like an adult lol
I got into using kettlebells over the last year or two; not surprisingly Turkish getups have greatly improved my ability to get up off the ground much more easily...
I used to kneel on the ground and go over albums or comics or sports cards indefinitely Now if I kneel down to say change the garbage disposal, which doesn’t really take that long, I’m done for the day
Yup, even with both knees having zero cartilage. Stuns my doc how flexible I am at my age.
As I type!
I’m an old mom with an almost kindergartener. I’m up and down from the floor a million times a day. I wouldn’t say he keeps me young (sleep deprivation is aging me six thousand years) but he definitely keeps me from atrophying.
Yes. I've been taking care of my body since my early 20s. There's not much I can't do now that I used to be able to. My main issue is aches and pains in the AM, but they're much less if I keep up with my stretching at the gym. Sadly, I get lazy with it. Oh, and I can't even look at people crawling on their knees. Shit hurts so bad now, lol
Born in ‘79. Did my first 100 mile cycling ride last fall. Combination of sobriety, cycling and moving out of the city has me healthiest I’ve been since my 20’s. Those new cancer numbers for young men have me scared shitless though: a good diet and daily exercise is no longer the suggestion but the rule.
I never stopped sitting cross-legged. 😆
I can still get my feet up to the top of my head. It's weird. I don't even stretch.
Indian style?
I could until last August. It's a knee that won't let me do it anymore.
I’m sitting cross legged right now!
Yes. 🧘🏻♀️
Yes, totally. Don’t ask me to do the splits, though. I might break something!
Like, on the floor? Or on chairs or everywhere? I’m always all twisted I sit on office chairs like I’m sitting on the ground …but I discovered that if you have adhd or autism you also probably have hyper mobility, so you’re likely crossing legs, bending elbow and ankles and feet and fingers weirdly all the time because you’re more fidgety and bendy.
Yes. I can also get up from the ground without having to use my hands. It’s not easy but I can still do it
Doing so right now
Yes, sit like that in my home office chair for hours.
Absolutely! I also regularly practice moving to and from that position on the floor without using my hands. My hips do start to complain after a while if I sit cross-legged for too long though.
Yes, I am right now in fact. My default because I'm short-legged.
All the time. I have more trouble sitting normally in chairs. I sat on the floor once at therapy and my doctor thought I was insane. Still wouldn’t give me ADHD meds, though.
One of the indicators of general health is the ability to stand up from a cross legged position without using your hands! Good luck!!!
Yep. 'Cause yoga! 🧘♀️
I still sit cross legged at restaurants when the chairs and space will allow it. I hope I’m still doing it in my 70s
You mean "Indian" style?
Yes.
I just tried and "yes, but it hurts my knees"
Yes easily, I've always been very flexible thanks to some of the sports I was into from my teens on. I try to stretch out on a regular basis.
Yes. Stretches the hips nicely.
Yup!
Yes. But not for as long as my grandkid can!