The last thing most people want to do before breakfast is exercise, especially the kind that gets you on the floor where you might have a hard time standing up again. But waking up your muscles with a daily stretching and strength routine not only increases blood flow and wakes you up even before your coffee does. It also wakes up many of your core body functions, including your metabolism. It’s also a great way to stir up hunger, if you are one of those who tend to skip breakfast.
Try these quick exercises right after getting out of bed to boost your morning energy and feel great all day:
Full Body Stretch: Ease into the morning routine by waking up your muscles first. Stretch every part of your body, from top to bottom, to get your heart pumping little by little and blood circulating to your limbs. Focus on stretching your shoulders, neck, hips, hamstrings, and quads. If you don’t feel energized after that, try doing a few jumping jacks to activate your lungs and really get the blood flowing.
Plank: The plank is a great move for energizing your core. A couple 60-second planks before breakfast can help strengthen the muscles that support your spine and hips throughout the day. This is fantastic for all of the remote workers sitting in their home office chairs all day. And if you struggle with keeping your posture, the plank is a surefire way to improve it naturally.
Deadbug: Another great back pain prevention move is the deadbug. Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Raise your arms straight up so your hands are parallel with your shoulders, and lift your knees up so they make a 90 degree angle. Extend your left arm above your head and right leg stretched out parallel to the ground without resting either on the floor. Repeat this on both sides for two sets of five rep, and you’ll start to feel your core stabilize in no time.
Glute Bridge: The posterior chain includes the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. The glute bridge engages all three of these to help alleviate common strains that occur throughout the day from poor posture or other strains. Simply lay flat on your back with palms and feet face down. Drive your heels into the ground and raise your hips, engaging your core and hips. Do this about 20 times to start.