Morning Exercises

How do you wake up in the morning? Do you head to Starbucks, take your dog for a walk or just take a shower and leave for the day? Though caffeine is a good ‘wake-up’ tactic – there is a better way to start your day. There are morning exercises and stretches that, if done habitually, cannot only improve your health, but your ability to stay awake and ready-to-go throughout the day.

There are several ways you can wake yourself in the morning: Get moving quickly, or by taking the time to wake up gradually. While some enjoy jumping out of bed and running out the door, others may prefer stretching and letting their body slowly come to an awakened state.

Get-Going Exercises

Taking a Morning Walk: Walking or running is helpful in getting your heart rate up and blood pumping.

Planks: This exercise involves standing in a ‘push-up’ position, where both hands and feet keep the body up in a table-like position. There are a variety of exercises one can do in holding a plank including running in place (mountain-climbers), or alternating the touch from hand to knee cap. 

Squats: These exercises are really good in the morning to get your blood pumping depending how fast  you do them. How you perform this activity is by bending both legs in a ‘squat’ position with your hips pushed behind you for proper balance. You further alternate standing straight and bending into a squat as many times as you can within a certain time period while still maintaining proper position. Click here for more demonstrations on how to do this exercise.

Jumping Jacks: This movement involves jumping in-between standing position and spreading your arms and legs apart at a quick pace. These exercises can wake you up in any sleepy moment whether you are just waking up or are falling asleep at your desk at work.

Lunges: The traditional way of doing lunges is to take a large step, bending the knees as one foot goes in front of the other, then returning to your original standing position and alternating between legs. These are not meant to do at a fast pace, but are more for endurance over a period of time. 

Crunches: This activity involves laying down on a mat with knees up and using the muscles in your core to push your upper body to your knees. This can also be an endurance activity and can bring more benefits if done properly over a period of time. Once comfortable with this exercise, one can do other variations to strengthen different parts of their core.

Yoga
Yoga is a great way to wake the body up in the morning. These stretching techniques can improve circulation and boost mood and metabolism. The best way to learn these exercises is by analyzing the pictures and descriptions. Click here for pictures of each of the exercises.

Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations): This exercise includes a variation of stretches and even planks to illustrate a sunrise. 

Utkatasana (Chair Pose): This is a very simple exercise that acts very similar to a squat position except it’s more of a balance technique which increases blood flow and muscle. Just stretch your hands in the air and squat to the point where it feels very similar to “sitting in a chair,” then hold the position for a period of time. Repeat a few times for a better workout.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog): This is a movement made by moving from plank position to moving the hips high in the air and pulling your upper body to your feet.

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose): This exercise is similar to the position of a “Jumping Jack,” with spreading their arms and legs apart. However, instead of jumping, an individual will let their arms guide them to one side and then to the other.

Whether you are a morning person or not, taking the time to kickstart your morning routine with key exercises will prolong your energy throughout the day.