Workout in Bed With These Exercises

Whether you’re recovering from a surgery or just have a difficult time getting up in the morning, bed exercises can help you get back on your feet by increasing your strength and flexibility.

Sports medicine specialist Michael Dakkak, DO, shares the benefits of bed exercises and how to get started without causing injury.

What are exercises that you can do in bed?

Exercises and dynamic movements can help you get stronger, even if you’re spending a ton of time in bed.

“You’ll want to start off with pretty basic exercises,” says Dr. Dakkak. “You can add resistance or try more advanced positions as you gain strength.”

Here are eight bed exercises Dr. Dakkak recommends.

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1. Glute squeezes

Start your workout routine by activating your gluteal muscles with this slow and controlled exercise. These can be done while lying down or seated at the edge of your mattress.

1. In a seated position, place your hands on your hips to help engage your core and maintain a good posture. If you’re lying on your back in a supine position, you can rest your arms at your sides.
2. Slowly squeeze your butt cheeks together until you feel them tighten underneath you.
3. Hold for three to five seconds, then release. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps. As you get stronger, consider increasing how long you hold the position.

2. Quadricep sets

Next, work your way down to strengthen your thigh muscles with this deep stretch.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and the bottoms of your feet flat on the bed.
2. Keeping your left leg bent, straighten your right leg out on the bed.
3. Place a rolled towel underneath your right knee.
4. Press the back of your right knee down on the towel, engaging your thigh muscles in the process.
5. Hold this stretch for five to 10 seconds. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg.

3. Reverse crunches

“This is a great core stability exercise to do in bed,” says Dr. Dakkak. “Unlike traditional crunches, where your back is coming off the mattress, you’re bringing your knees up toward your chest.”

1. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, palms down.
2. Lift your legs off the bed until your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Keep your legs together and your knees touching. It should almost look like you’re sitting in a chair that’s been pushed over.
3. Activate your core and tighten your abdominal muscles by pulling your belly button up and in.
4. Slowly lift your hips and drive your knees back toward your chest.
5. Slowly lower your hips, pushing your knees back to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps.

4. Supine leg march

This exercise offers more dynamic movement by exercising one leg at a time.

1. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and knees bent, feet flat on the bed.
2. Activate your core and stabilize your back by tightening your stomach and pulling your belly button up and in.
3. Slowly lift your right leg off the bed, bringing your knee up toward your chest.
4. Hold for one or two seconds, then slowly lower your leg to the floor.
5. Repeat with your left leg, then alternate for 10 to 15 reps on each side.

5. Supine hamstring stretch

“Hamstring flexibility is often overlooked, and this exercise helps address that,” says Dr. Dakkak.

To do this exercise in bed, all you need is a towel, a t-shirt or a resistance band to wrap around your hamstrings.

1. Lie on your back with your legs fully extended.
2. Activate your core and raise one leg toward the ceiling, keeping it straight.
3. Wrap a towel, t-shirt or resistance band around the ball of your raised foot.
4. Holding onto both ends, gently pull your leg toward your head until you feel a stretch along the back of your thigh. (Keep your other leg flat on the bed during the stretch).
5. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds before slowly lowering your leg back down to the bed. Repeat with the other leg. Alternate between both legs for three to four times on each side.

6. Heel slides

These exercises are commonly used during recovery from knee surgery, helping to strengthen both your hips and knees.

1. Lie on your bed with both legs fully extended, arms at your sides.
2. Keeping your foot on the bed at all times, slowly bend your right knee and slide your right heel back toward your buttocks.
3. Bring your heel as close to your butt as you can. Hold for a few seconds.
4. Slowly slide your heel back down to the starting position.
5. Repeat with your other leg. Alternate for 10 to 15 reps on both sides.

7. Bridge

Use this exercise to continue building your core strength as you prepare to transition from lower to upper body exercises.

1. Lie on your back, arms at your sides and hands pressed into the bed.
2. Bend your knees, bringing your heels as close to your butt as you feel comfortable. Firmly plant your feet.
3. Squeeze your butt and activate your core. Then, push into your palms and upper back to lift your butt and lower back off the bed.
4. Hold for three to five seconds before slowly lowering back down.
5. Rest for two seconds. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps.

8. Supine dumbbell pullover

This exercise brings a workout bench activity to the bed so you can work upper body muscles in your arms, shoulders, back and chest.

“Start this exercise without any weight. As you feel more comfortable, you can work your way up to holding a rolled towel or a light dumbbell,” advises Dr. Dakkak. “You can even combine this with other upper body exercises, too, like bench presses or bicep curls.”

1. Lie flat on your back with your head near the edge of the bed. Make sure you have enough room to stretch your arms back behind your head. Keep your knees bent and your feet flat on the bed.
2. Inhale as you bring your hands together and hold your arms directly above your chest, like you’re reaching for the ceiling. If you’re lifting a dumbbell or a towel, hold onto it tight with both hands.
3. With a slight bend in your elbows, exhale as you slowly lower both arms back behind your head toward the floor, moving them as far as comfortable.
4. Inhale as you slowly raise your arms back over your chest to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps.

Tips to get started

Now that you’ve got a rough draft for your next in-bed workout, Dr. Dakkak recommends the following tips and strategies to avoid injury and stay motivated.

• Ask for help. If you’re recovering from an injury or surgery, look to your care team for guidance. Physical therapists are primed and ready to offer support on exercises you can do while you’re healing.
• Listen to your body. “If something feels painful or unnatural in a certain range of motion, stop what you’re doing,” emphasizes Dr. Dakkak. “We don’t want to make things worse, so we don’t want you to push through severe pain.”
• Support your movement. If your bed has wheels, make sure they’re locked. Some materials, like sheets or adhesive pads, could be slippery, too. So, get some extra pillows and blankets to help keep you stable.
• Keep moving. Make exercise part of your daily routine. “Any movement is good movement if it’s pain-free, keeps you motivated and helps you continually improve,” says Dr. Dakkak. “Just take it one day at a time, and do what you can.”