So you've just woken up, bleary-eyed and groggy. What's the first thing you do? No, don't grab a coffee, grab a hip circle band, lay down an exercise mat, and start your morning workout routine!
Maybe it doesn't sound so appealing at first, but the benefits of working out in the morning are fantastic. Your body and mind will feel great, you'll have started the day early, and you'll be pumped-up and ready to take on the world.
Yes, it's difficult, to begin with, but you'll soon be wondering why you never worked out at the crack of dawn before!
Is working out in the morning good for you?
Morning people are always claiming that you're better off working out at the start of the day. They aren't wrong either, although non-morning people will be very much inclined to disagree with them!
Working out in the morning has some significant benefits that you can stand to learn (and benefits worthy of waking up early, too!)
Morning workouts are proven to leave you with extra energy for the rest of the day. You might sacrifice a little sleep, but once your body becomes used to the new routine, it can start to adjust. The endorphins you'll be releasing will remain for the entire day, and you'll feel happier and more motivated to get more things done!
On top of this, you'll be waking up those tired muscles with stretches and then following it up with a beneficial workout. You'll unleash your metabolism's full potential, burning more calories throughout the day, even while you're not exercising.
But of course, you might be wondering: is it better to workout in the morning or night?
There are some disadvantages; we won't lie to you. If you workout in the morning, rather than at night, you're going to have more time to put on extra calories at the bar or going out for dinner - which you then have to work off the next morning.
Full-body morning exercise routine
The following full-body morning workout routine will wake your body up with a mixture of arm, leg, and core exercises. Remember to stretch before you start this workout, and once you've finished, too. Muscles can be a lot less loose in the morning, so get relaxed and enjoy training your body!
For this workout, the goal is to complete between 10 and 15 reps for each exercise in 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds between each exercise. Complete 3 sets with a 90-second rest between each set. As your fitness improves, crank up the number of repetitions, or move onto the resistance band workout we've detailed below this one!
Here's our full-body morning workout routine:
- Plank hold for 30 seconds.
- Sit-ups for 30 seconds.
- 15 x squats
- 15 x lunges on each leg
- Side plank hold for 15 seconds on each side
- 15 x glute bridges
- Mountain climber finish (as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, or one minute if you're feeling strong!)
Full body morning workout routine with resistance bands
If the above exercise routine is a little too tame for your liking, you can still ramp up the intensity at home with resistance bands.
Resistance bands allow you to increase the resistance that your body is working out against, to build more muscle and burn more fat. The benefits are fantastic, and as your fitness level increases and you become stronger, you can switch from light resistance bands to more resistive bands.
Perform the following resistance band workout should in 3 sets, with a 90-second break between each set. The goal is to perform 10 to 15 reps for each exercise or as many as you can in 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds between each exercise.
Again, remember to loosen up first thing in the morning with a few simple stretches to get your heart pumping and to warm up your muscles (you've just woken up, after all!)
Here's our full-body resistance band workout routine to start your morning:
- 15 x banded push-ups
- Sit-ups for 30 seconds.
- 15 x banded squats
- 15 x banded lunges on each leg
- 15 x banded push-ups
- 15 x banded glute bridges
- Mountain climber finish (as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, or one minute if you're feeling strong!)
The final say on good morning exercises
A good morning workout at home is the best way to start your day, and we think you'll soon agree with us! Yes, the first few times will seem difficult, as you force yourself out of bed and onto the exercise mat, but trust us, it gets easier, and it could even become fun!
Make a quick morning workout part of your daily routine, and you'll soon start to see the benefits!
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