Bennett Richardson, DPT, PT, CSCSLet’s face it – mornings can be tough, especially when the comfort of your bed competes with the notion of working up a sweat. But what if we told you the key to an energetic day lies not in hitting snooze but in a quick morning workout?
Imagine a workout so energizing it outranks your strongest cup of coffee. These fast yet effective exercises promise not only to wake up your muscles but also to kickstart a productive day.
It’s time to redefine your mornings, embrace the burn, and sculpt a version of yourself that charges through each day with energy. Join us on an invigorating fitness journey to fight the morning blues and get you closer to a healthier you.
Benefits of Working Out In The Morning
You’ll also like:
Maximize Your Workout Results: Find Your Perfect Exercise Time Now
Enhanced Concentration
Engaging in physical activity enhances focus and concentration, regardless of the time of day. For those experiencing difficulty concentrating during the day, incorporating a morning workout could be the solution.
A study from 2019, featured in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, revealed that morning exercise contributes to improved attention, visual learning, and decision-making.
Participants in the study navigated 8-hour sessions of prolonged sitting, both with and without a 30-minute morning treadmill walk. Additionally, they took 3-minute walking breaks every 30 minutes on some days.
The days that began with morning exercise showed enhanced cognitive abilities throughout, particularly when combined with regular breaks.
Aid Weight Loss
Opting for early morning workouts could be optimal for weight loss, as suggested by a concise 2015 study published in EBioMedicine.
The study involved 10 young men exercising during morning, afternoon, and evening sessions. The results indicated that the highest 24-hour fat burn occurred when they exercised in the morning before breakfast.
Incorporating morning exercise might benefit those seeking effective weight loss strategies.
For this routine, you’ll only perform each exercise once for the number of reps indicated. That’s it! As you start to get stronger and fitter, you may decide to increase your reps and sets, allowing you to make even greater gains.
Let’s take a look!
10-Minute Morning Workout Routine
1. Bodyweight Squats
Squats primarily emphasize the glutes, quads, and calves. This move is fundamental, and people who can effectively squat may be able to be more independent throughout their entire lives, as squats are an integral part of our daily routine (sitting, standing, using the bathroom, etc).
How to Perform
- Start standing with your feet about hip-width apart.
- Bend your knees and push your hips backward as you lower down toward the ground.
- Stand back up to complete the rep.
- Perform 25 repetitions.
2. Push-ups
Much like squats are for the lower body, push-ups are a terrific, fundamental move for the upper body. This exercise emphasizes the chest, triceps, and shoulders.
How to Perform
- Start with your hands and toes on the ground.
- Slowly lower your chest toward the ground by bending your elbows and allowing your shoulders to extend backward.
- Once you’ve reached the bottom of your range, push yourself back to the starting position.
- Complete 20 reps.
3. Lunges
Lunges work all of the same muscles as squats, and then some. By performing the move on one leg, you can identify any asymmetries and ensure that you are strengthening both of your legs equally.
How to Perform
- Start standing, with your right leg slightly in front of your left.
- Slowly bend your right knee, allowing your left knee to come very close to the ground.
- Stand back up to complete the rep, then switch sides.
- Perform 25 reps on each side.
4. Wall Squat
Wall squats are an isometric form of the squat. Isometrics are good for building endurance and stability in a particular range of motion.
How to Perform
- Space your legs about hip-width apart, standing facing away from the wall.
- Slide down the wall into a half squat.
- Hold this position for 45 seconds to one minute.
5. Jumping Jacks
You might not have performed jumping jacks since grade school, but they are just as effective now as they were back then! These can really get your heart pumping if you put some serious effort into them.
How to Perform
- In standing, jump your legs out wide as you simultaneously bring your hands up overhead.
- Return to standing in a narrow stance with your hands by your sides to complete the rep.
- Perform 75 reps.
6. Crunches
Crunches are another very simple, yet effective exercise. By isolating the core muscles with crunches, you can improve the health of your back and your whole body in general.
How to Perform
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Lift your shoulders off of the ground, then lower them back down slowly to complete the rep.
- Perform 25 reps.
7. Planks
Planks are another isometric exercise that can help improve back and core health. Plus, there are tons of variations on the plank to make it harder or easier as needed.
How to Perform
- Start with your forearms and toes on the ground.
- Tighten your abdominal muscles and hold this position, with a flat back for 45 seconds.
Conclusion
Once you’ve completed this whole circuit, you’re all done! Now you can hit the shower, grab some breakfast, and start your day. As was mentioned earlier, it may be hard to get started, but after a few weeks, this workout will become part of your routine and you’ll wonder why you never started working out in the morning before now!
Works Cited
- Seo DY, Lee S, Kim N, Ko KS, Rhee BD, Park BJ, Han J. Morning and evening exercise. Integr Med Res. 2013 Dec;2(4):139-144. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2013.10.003. Epub 2013 Oct 14. PMID: 28664065; PMCID: PMC5481716.
- Schumacher LM, Thomas JG, Raynor HA, Rhodes RE, Bond DS. Consistent Morning Exercise May Be Beneficial for Individuals With Obesity. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2020 Oct;48(4):201-208. doi: 10.1249/JES.0000000000000226. PMID: 32658039; PMCID: PMC7492403.
