Ten magical morning exercises to help you get healthy and energized
Exercise is a great way to get energized in the morning. But if you don’t have time for a full workout, there are still some specially selected exercises you can do to wake up your body and get pumped for the day. Called magical, this training routine includes yoga poses and elements of Qigong practice that will help you to both awaken your body in the morning and get healthier.
Before starting the exercises, it’s vital to ventilate your room and warm up your muscles. The next thing you should do is just follow the instructions.
With permission of the method’s author Sergey Borodin, the Bright Side team is happy to share his amazing 10-minute routine with you. Let’s start!
1. Post with ropes
What it is meant for? Relaxation of hands and shoulder girdle.
How is it done? Imagine that your body is a post and your hands are the ropes tied to it. If someone turns the post sharply, the ropes will wiggle from side to side. This is what you should do. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, relax your hands completely and start rotating your body around the axis of your spine with full weight transfer, gradually increasing exercise intensity.
Duration. Do this exercise for as long as you feel comfortable, but be sure to count the number of breathing cycles (inhale-exhale). Remember, they should be divisible by six. For example, 6, 12, 18, 36 etc.
2. Heron
What it is meant for? Developing agility, balance and coordination and improving blood flow in the legs.
How is it done? Stand on the left leg, lift the right leg so that the thigh is parallel to the ground or even higher. Or you can just bring your leg up as high as you can. Pull your toes towards you. Pull the right arm forward but don’t straighten it fully. Keep the left arm down. The palms should be rounded and relaxed as if holding two balls. Then close your eyes and try to keep your balance. Finally, get up on your toes. Repeat 3-5 times.
Duration. Do this exercise for as long as you feel comfortable, but no less than 10 seconds.
3. Roll
What it is meant for? Strengthening your spine, improving spinal cord blood flow, relieving stress and fatigue.
How is it done? Sit on the floor. Pull your legs towards yourself, clasping them with both hands. Round your back as much as possible. Lean backwards, roll on your back and return to the starting position.
Duration. Do this exercise for several breathing cycles but not less than 12 times.
4. Hummer
What it is meant for? Relaxation of the spine, particularly between the shoulder blades. The exercise should be done together with the "Roll" exercise.
How is it done? Lie down on your back. Put your right hand on your left shoulder and put your left hand on your right shoulder. Round your back as much as possible. Lift your torso and start tapping your back on the floor.
Duration. Do this exercise for several breathing cycles but not less than 12 times.
5. Stretching
What it is meant for? Relief and relaxation. This is a compensation posture which should be performed right after the “Roll“ and ”Hummer" exercises.
How is it done? Lying on your back, cross your fingers and pull your hands up as far away from your shoulders as possible. The toes are pointed.
Duration. Do this exercise for as long as you feel comfortable.
6. Candle
What it is meant for? This exercise helps to improve cerebral blood flow, producing a beneficial effect on your whole body. Regular exercising improves your memory, mental performance and efficiency, reduces the number of hours you sleep and slows your breathing down.
How is it done? Lie down on the floor with your legs extended towards the ceiling. Once in this pose, put your hands on your hips or lower back for support (in the latter case you will be able to lift your legs higher). Point your toes up toward the ceiling. Important: neck muscles should not be tensed.
Duration. Do this exercise for several breathing cycles.
7. Sphinx + Cobra
What it is meant for? The exercise strengthens your back and makes your spine more flexible.
How is it done? Lie down on your stomach. Leaning on your forearms, lift your torso and hold. Keep your forearms parallel to each other. Look forward, lower your shoulders and point your toes. This is “Sphinx.“ Now you need to lift your torso with your hands, arching your back even more and looking forward and upward. This is ”Cobra." Then, come back up to “Sphinx” pose.
Duration. Do this exercise for several breathing cycles.
8. Embryo
What it is meant for? This is a compensation posture; after arching your back, it is necessary to let your spine relax by rounding it as much as you can. This exercise stimulates the digestive organs and prevents the deposition of calcium in the joints.
How is it done? Lower your hips to the heels, keeping the knees together. Lean forward and round your back as far as you can. Wrap your arms around your knees or just stretch forward.
Duration. Do this exercise for several breathing cycles until full relaxation is achieved.
9. Twisting
What it is meant for? This exercise improves your spine’s mobility and flexibility, stretches your muscles and reduces the size of your waist. It’s also a great way to prevent back pain.
How is it done? Sit on the floor with your right leg straight out in front of you. Place your left foot on the ground outside of your right thigh. Turn your torso to the opposite side with your right hand pressed against the floor and your left hand pressed against the knee. Repeat the exercise on the other side. Just remember: the head should be turned in the direction opposite to the twist. This enhances the effect of exercise.
Duration. Do this exercise for as long as you feel comfortable, but don’t forget about breathing cycles.
10. Bends
What it is meant for? The exercise helps to strengthen your spine and lower back muscles and to stretch the tendons.
How is it done? Stand with your feet about double shoulder-width apart. Hold your arms straight out from your sides. Without changing the position of your arms, side-bend to the left. Hold the pose for several breaths and then return to the starting position. Side-bend to the right and hold the pose for the same number of breaths. Now bend forward with your right hand touching your left ankle. Extend your left arm upward and turn your head to look toward it. Hold the pose for several breaths and return to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg. Once finished, you can do a back bend which makes a great compensation for forward and lateral bends.
Duration. Do this exercise for as long as you feel comfortable.
Not only can you do these exercises in the morning, but you can do them during the day as well. This will help you relax and relieve stress. Simple and very useful, this training program deserves to be called magical!
Based on materials from Code Phoenix-2. Health. Energy. Thinking
