The first thing that you do when you wake up every morning is to stretch. It feels great and it charges you with energy. So, why not make it a routine? Morning stretches help prevent muscles from being stiff during the day. It's also important to do some breathing exercises, so that you get some oxygen in and get your circulation going.
A good exercise is something you can do before you even get up.
Here are simple exercises that can help you get going in the mornings:
Side Stretches:
These stretches open up the sides of the body, limber up your spine, and just galvanize you for the day ahead.
- Stand up straight, with your legs more than hips' width apart and your toes pointed forward.
- Raise your arms overhead and clasp your hands together. Inhale deeply.
- Exhaling, slowly bend sideways from the waist
- Hold this position for 15 seconds. Breathe slowly in and out.
- Return to standing straight. Repeat the stretch on the other side of the body.
- Do another set on each side.
Total time: 1 minute
Wall Squats
This is a good exercise for your butt, thighs, and knee joints. It also helps strengthen your back as well as encourages you to have a good posture. It will be hard to do at first, but it gets easier with practice.
- Stand with your back to the wall, with your feet about one foot away from the wall, your palms on your thighs. Inhale.
- Keeping your abs tight, slowly slide down the wall until you're almost in a sitting position, or at a 90 degree angle. Exhale.
- Hold the pose for 15 seconds
- Slide up to standing position
- Hold for 5 seconds, then repeat
- Do two more sets of this exercise.
Total time: 1 minute
Leg Stretches
This stretch improves circulation in the legs and reduces fatigue. You need a low surface (not quite waist-high) for this exercise.
- Stand up straight, legs a few feet away from a table or the foot board of your bed.
- Stretch out your leg and prop the heel of your foot on the table. Bend knees slightly.
- Hold stretch for 30 seconds
- Slowly put feet back on the floor and repeat routine stretching left leg this time
Total time: 1 minute
Semi-Squat
Here's another good stretch for the thighs, butts, and to strengthen your knees.
- Place a chair about six inches behind you. Stand up straight and hold both your arms out in front of you, each hand clenched in a fist.
- Take a deep breath. Then exhale as you slowly bend down from your knees in a sitting position. Stop when your buttocks are almost touching the chair.
- Hold the position for 15 seconds, breathing slowly in and out as you do
- Slowly return to upright position, hold for 5 seconds, then repeat the exercise two more times
Total time: 1 minute
Crunches
A good abdominal crunch can energize you. End your exercise routine with this wake-upper.
- Lie on the floor near the foot of the bed, close enough so that you can rest your feet on the bed when your knees are bent at an angle.
- Place your hands behind your neck to support it. Exhale as you lift your upper body up. Remember that you should feel it in your abdominal area, not your neck.
- Inhale as you go down. Make as many crunches as you can within 60 seconds.
Total time: 1 minute
