Early morning exercise with a twist – get body and mind going!

Morning stiffness

A lot of people experience stiff joints in the morning. This is often characterized by limited mobility and aching muscles. Obviously this doesn´t help to get going in the morning. Counteract these aches and paines with the below five exercise and help your body have a gentle start to the day:

Backswing

·         Starting position: Lie on your back.
·         Pull your knees to your chin.
·         Put your arms around your knees.
·         Gently rock back and forth, left and right.

Air bicycle

·         Starting position: Lie on your back.
·         Raise your legs and pretend you´re sitting on a bike, peddling in the air.
·         First slowly, then a bit faster, 5 seconds really fast. Repeat.

Apple picking

·         Starting position: Stand on tiptoes.
·         Take turns streching your hand in the air, pretending you are reaching for an apple on a tree.
·         Repeat at least five times per hand.

Cat´s back

·         Starting position: Kneel on all fours.
·         When exhaling, arch your back upwards. Press your chin against your chest.
·         Relax when inhaling.
·         Repeat about 10 times.

Cobra

·         Starting position: Lie on your stomach.
·         Place your hands next to your shoulders.
·         Push yourself up as you would do when you do a push-up.
·         Don´t raise your legs.
·         Relax your back muscles.
·         Repeat about 10 times.

These exercises can eliminate blockages, enabling better mobility. Regular training strengthens and activates the muscles and improves the ability to move and prevents muscle pain. Other beneficial types of exercise would be yoga, gymnastics or fascias training.  

Medical advice

Morning stiffness could be a sign of rheumatism or arthritis. Therefore, if your limited mobility persists over a longer period of time, seek medical help and consult your doctor.

Additional tip for the morning

People often resort to a cup of coffee in the morning, hoping it will wake them up. However, try drinking a glass of water first. This will help your body balance out the fluids that were lost at night through breathing, sweating and bathroom visits. This lack of fluid can also be the cause of feeling tired and unfocused or even a headache