Are you feeling sluggish in the mornings and struggling to get out of bed? Starting your day with simple exercises can make all the difference. Exercise is an effective strategy for improving energy levels, enhancing mood, and helping to manage stress.
This article will discuss 8 simple exercises that are easy to do and can help energize your body for the day ahead. Read on to learn more about using these exercises to start feeling active every morning!
Related Article: Top 25 At-Home Exercises for Beginners
8 Simple Exercises to Make You Feel Active All Day
Scroll down to see how you can perform 8 simple exercises to make you feel active all day:
1. Go for a Walk or a Run
Walking or running is one of the easiest and most effective ways to start your day on the right foot. Just 30 minutes of exercise can energize you, improve your focus and set you up for a productive day. This doesn’t require equipment, so it’s easy to fit into even the busiest schedules.
How to Do It?
- Start by finding a safe, comfortable space to exercise.
- If you can go outdoors, that is ideal, but if you need to stay inside, take it indoors and make the most of what you have.
- Put on some comfortable clothes, lace up your shoes and start walking or jogging at your own pace for as long as you feel comfortable.
2. Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks can be great ways to get your body moving on sleepy days. The repetitive motion helps wake your brain up so you can feel more alert and energized throughout the day. Plus, it’s an effective way to get a full-body workout without leaving your bedroom.
How to Do It?
- To do jumping jacks, stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides.
- Then jump up, spreading your legs to the sides and raising your arms over your head.
- Jump back down into the starting position, bringing your arms back to the sides of your body and repeating.
3. Pushups
Another great way to start your day is by doing push ups or ab workouts. Push Ups are an efficient way to work your chest, shoulders, arms, and core muscles. If you’re looking for something more challenging, try some planks or mountain climbers for extra energy. you could set a timer for 3 or 5 minutes to get in some quick and effective exercise.
How to Do It?
- Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your toes tucked into the ground.
- Lower yourself towards the floor until your chest is an inch away from the ground, then push back up to starting position.
- Make sure to keep your core tight and your body in one straight line throughout the entire movement.
- Repeat as many times as possible for 30 seconds or 1 minute before taking a break.
4. Lunges
Lunges are one of the best exercises for improving strength and balance and increasing your heart rate. You need space to do this at home, and you’re ready to go! Try 10-15 reps on each leg for a great morning workout.
How to Do It?
- Stand up with your feet hip-width apart and your arms by your sides.
- Take a big step forward with one leg, keeping your chest upright and core engaged throughout the movement.
- Bend both knees until they form 90-degree angles, then push back up into a standing position using the front leg heel to drive you up.
- Switch legs and repeat on each side for 10-15 repetitions before taking a break.
5. Cat Camel Stretch
Stretching is essential to any fitness routine, but it’s especially beneficial in the morning. Stretching helps improve flexibility and can help reduce stiffness, so you feel more energized throughout the day. Try including some yoga poses in your morning workout or stretch every major muscle group for a few seconds each.
The cat camel stretch is an excellent way to help your body and mind wake up in the morning. This yoga-inspired move helps strengthen your spine and improve mobility.
How to Do It?
- Start in a tabletop position on the floor with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees bent in line with your hips.
- Take a deep breath, then exhale like an angry cat as you round your back towards the ceiling. Make sure to keep your head tucked in between your arms.
- Inhale again and arch your spine downwards, forming an “S” shape, pushing through the middle of your back toward the ground as if you were trying to touch it with the crown of your head.
- Hold each pose for 5-10 seconds before switching positions and repeating 3-5 times on each side.
Related Article: 6 Yoga & Exercise Poses to Warm Up Your Body Before Deadlifts
6. Squats
Another easy exercise to do from home is the squat. Squats help strengthen your lower body while also helping to improve balance and mobility. If you’re looking for an extra challenge, try doing some weighted squats or jump squats to get your heart racing.
Squats are a fantastic way to work your lower body while helping relieve stress and tension throughout the rest of your body. Squats are a great way to work your quads and glutes while improving hip mobility.
How to Do It?
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your side.
- Bend your knees while simultaneously pushing your hips back, keeping your chest up throughout the entire movement.
- Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then push through the heels to stand back up into starting position.
- Repeat for 10-15 repetitions before taking a break and repeating for 1-3 sets total.
7. Abductor Side Lifts
Strengthening your glutes and hip muscles is essential for avoiding injuries and improving overall balance, stability, and mobility. You can easily do this at home with simple exercises like abductor side lifts.
How to Do It?
- Start by lying on one side with both legs extended in front of you and supporting your head with the arm closest to the ground.
- Keeping your core engaged, lift the top leg off the ground until it’s perpendicular with the floor and hold for a few seconds before returning it down to starting position.
- Repeat for 10-15 repetitions on each side before taking a break and repeating for 1-3 sets total.
8. Bird Dog
The Bird Dog helps improve stability and balance, two critical components of any fitness routine. This move also helps to strengthen the core and lengthen the spine, leaving you feeling energized and refreshed.
How to Do It?
- Start in a tabletop position on the floor mat with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees bent in line with your hips.
- Slowly extend opposite limbs (right arm, left leg).
- Hold this position for 10-15 seconds before slowly lowering it to the ground in a tabletop position.
- Switch sides and repeat for 8-10 reps per side.
FAQs
1. What are the Best Morning Exercises for knees?
Exercises that help strengthen the muscles around the knee are essential for maintaining healthy and strong joints. Some of the best morning knee exercises include squats, lunges, step-ups, side steps, and leg presses.
Squats help build quadriceps strength, which supports proper knee joint alignment. Lunges focus on the muscles that provide stability around the knee, while step-ups work all lower body muscles, including the hip extensors and quadriceps. Side steps can help improve balance and stability, while leg presses target the hips and knees to reduce wear and tear on these joints.
In addition to exercises targeted explicitly for the knee joint, cardio activities such as jogging or walking can be beneficial for strengthening and improving the range of motion in the knee. However, starting with low-impact exercises is essential for knee pain or injury.
2. What are the Best Morning Exercises for back pain relief?
Exercises to improve mobility and strengthen the back muscles are essential for reducing pain and improving overall spinal health. Some of the best morning exercises for back pain relief include bridges, planks, bird dogs, pelvic tilts, and cat-camel stretches.
Bridges help strengthen the lower back muscles, stretching out tight hip flexors. Planks target the core muscles, giving the spine extra stability and support for everyday activities. Bird dogs focus on maintaining spinal alignment, while pelvic tilts can reduce tightness in the lower back. Cat-camel stretches are great for increasing flexibility and promoting overall body awareness.
3. How to lose belly fat in the morning?
Losing belly fat requires a combination of a proper diet and exercise. In the morning, some of the best exercises for reducing fat include high-intensity interval training (HIIT), circuit training, core strengthening exercises, and aerobic activities such as walking or jogging.
High-intensity interval training combines short bursts of intense activity with rest periods, which helps to maximize fat burning. Circuit training is a great way to get a full-body workout and burn more calories in a shorter amount of time. Core strengthening exercises such as crunches and planks are also crucial for losing fat. Lastly, incorporating 45 minutes of aerobic activity into your daily routine can help you reach your weight loss goals.
It’s important to remember that in order to lose belly fat, you must create a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you consume each day. A balanced diet and regular exercise are critical components for maintaining a healthy weight and reducing abdominal fat.
The Bottom Line
These simple exercises are sure to get your heart rate up and help you stay fit from the comfort of your home. Simple morning exercises can help you get energized and ready for the day. As with any exercise routine, listen to your body and take breaks. With a bit of practice, you’ll feel better than ever!
Don’t forget to warm up with dynamic stretching before starting; always listen to your body and take breaks when necessary.
You can combine these exercises mentioned above into a quick and effective cardio workout for an added challenge. This routine is designed to help increase endurance, stamina, balance, and coordination while burning calories fast!