How you start your day in the mornings can set the tone for the rest of the day and how you will spend it. In addition to eating a healthy breakfast and getting in the right headspace, morning workouts can give you a boost for the day ahead and help you prioritize movement.
Morning workouts can not only be energizing, but motivating. Moving your body releases powerful feel-good endorphins that can elevate your mood and empower you. It can also boost your creativity and improve focus.
If you’ve never exercised in the morning, give it a try! Many people find that it is easier to work out in the morning when stress and the day’s responsibilities have not yet taken a toll on their strength and mood. Here are a few simple workouts to help you start your day with positive physical and mental energy.
1 – Walking
Walked is an often underrated exercise, which is unfortunate because it offers great health benefits. Walking is a low-impact workout that can help you get your steps in for the day while minimizing joint pain and boosting energy. Depending on how much time you have, start your day with a 10-15-minute brisk paced walk and put on an energizing playlist to listen to while you move. If you walk outside instead of using a treadmill, connecting with nature can also put you in a better mood for the day ahead.
2 – Swimming
Swimming is a low-impact, full-body workout that works your cardiovascular system as well as nearly every major muscle in your body. The resistance that water adds to your workout makes it a great strength-training exercise that is especially helpful if you struggle with mobility. A dunk in the pool in the morning can also be incredibly refreshing!
3 – Stretching and Yoga
Stretching and yoga exercises are great for loosening up tense muscles after hours of being sedentary while sleeping. In addition to waking up your body, these two workouts are great for improving your flexibility, practicing mindfulness, and warming up your muscles for the work they will do later on in the day.
4 – Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are a simple cardiovascular exercise that will get your heart pumping and help tone muscles in your calves and deltoids. A small set of jumping jacks, perhaps 25 – 50 (or 2-3 minutes of jumping) can be enough to energize and motivate you in the morning.
5 – Circuit Training
Circuit training is about engaging your whole body and doing intense periods of exercise in a short amount of time, followed by a rest/recovery phase. Some examples of body weight exercises that you can use for circuit training include squats, crunches, leg lifts, lunges, mountain climbers, planks and push-ups. You can pick 3-4 of these exercises and do each for about 30 seconds, then follow it up with 90 seconds of rest before starting again.
The Bottom Line
Although these are just a few ideas, any exercise that you do in the morning can energize you and set the tone for the day ahead. Morning workouts can give you a strong sense of accomplishment and help you prioritize movement before the day gets packed with errands and responsibilities. If you are someone who thrives on routine, they are a great way to add structure to your day and help you stick to your health goals.
