Getting down to the floor and back up takes less strength than you’d think. What usually makes it hard is a braced neck and shoulders, and too much weight landing on the knees.

You’ll learn to share the load, either leaning on a sturdy chair or couch, or folding from your hips until your hands find the floor. Your legs carry most of the weight, so your knees take very little on the way to kneeling and side sitting. Practice starts on your bed, and every step looks the same going down as coming up

Picnic blanket, garden bed, yoga mat. Pick your floor. Had hip, knee, or ankle surgery, or been told not to kneel? Check with your doctor first.