My Updated Morning Workout
I originally posted this workout a year ago, and since have upped some of the reps and added some new exercises. My arms are getting strong! Especially with all the bone broth, butter, and lentils that I’m eating :)
10 Minutes a Day, Five Days a Week
What single activity do you spend ten minutes a day doing, five days a week? It would have to be something pretty inconsequential, right? That’s not very long to get much accomplished, is it? Actually, I’m surprised at how much progress I’ve made in just a few months of a 10-minute yoga/exercise workout that I created to target various areas of my body that needed strengthening. I got the exercises from a variety of places over the years (aerobics classes, yoga, sports, etc.), and have included an informative link or explanation with each exercise if you’re not familiar with it.
All the equipment you’ll need (seriously):
You can skip to the end if you just want to see my workout, or read on for…
The Background Story
My husband always says that doing five or 10 push-ups a day for forty years can lead to great things, arm-wise. I usually pooh-pooh the idea. Five push-ups a day? That’s not going to do anything, even if I stick to it for years. Plus, my morning routine is so busy already between making my lunch, eating breakfast, picking out my clothes, etc. etc., that the last thing I want to do is add a component. That was until I took a good look at my arms a few months ago and immediately flashed back to seventh grade English class. We girls would sit and snicker as Mrs. ___’s arms flapped around while she wrote on the chalkboard everyday. Wait, I’m an English teacher, I thought. I write on the whiteboard. Thank god I don’t teach seventh grade (you all are saints), but what if my ninth graders are snickering!?? Horrible thought. I will NOT let that happen. My arms will not be flappy.
Another area I realized I wanted to work on is the always talked-about “core”. ChiRunning has a lot of great suggestions on how to improve core strength, because lower abdominal muscles are so crucial in keeping the pelvis level and achieving the optimal posture stance. I learned a few that I feel are best for me and included them in my routine.
Then there’s the legs and feet. Yes, I’m a runner, but I still lack the strength in my quads that could help me run faster and maintain my form better. Also, barefoot running puts its own strain on the foot muscles, and in developing a comprehensive routine, I wanted to make sure to stretch and strengthen them, too. So, here we go!
My 10-Minute Morning Workout
When: 10 minutes each morning, Mon-Fri. I wake up at 6:00 am to get ready for school. First I go for a 30 min. speed walk with my husband, then I unroll my yoga mat on the carpet and get started.
What: (This is the routine I’ve worked up to after one year, from start to finish. You can modify the times/reps listed here based on your current fitness level. I count all seconds 1-1000, 2-1000, etc. in my head)
20 sec. plantar stretch (sit on your heels with your toes on the ground and your feet dorsiflexed)
20 sec. ankle stretch (sit on your calves with your knees on the ground and your toes pointed)
20 fist push-ups (on my knees, but with toes on the ground like a real push-up. My thumbs in the fist point in towards each other in a narrow hand position for 10, then I do 10 wide hand position push-ups)
10 sec. modified Child’s Pose with arms outstretched to stretch arms, back, and tops of feet
60 sec. Plank exercise
30 sec. Cobra
40 sec. Side plank L arm (shown)
25 lying side leg lifts on each leg
40 glute kickbacks on each leg
30 sec. calf squat (I made this one up to stretch calves and Achilles tendon. Squat with the backs of your thighs resting on your calves, and lean from your ankles until you feel the stretch in calves and Achilles)
30 sec. Extended Standing Forward Bend (the “extended” part comes from moving your hands about 2 feet forward from what is shown in the picture)
Two spine rolls (Click the link and scroll to minute 2:30 of my video to see the demo. Go slower than I show on the roll up.)
40 thumbs up, SMALL arm circles
40 thumbs up, BIG arm circles.
40 thumbs down, SMALL arm circles.
40 thumbs down, BIG arm circles. ( I alternate clockwise/counter clockwise daily)
30 shoulder presses (no free weights, just my hands)
Lastly, I go over to my couch and do 30 Triceps dips.
And then I’m done! After the routine, I take a shower and finish getting ready. It feels great knowing that every weekday I start out with something productive.
Does this all make sense? Would you want to do this too? Comments?
**Note: I updated this post 10/1/11 to reflect my current workout.
I call it “Life Conscious”
Hey! Someone else has the same philosophy as I do! And he’s actually making a living at it. Well, I still like teaching high school English.
“Really, my health philosophy is surprisingly simple. I follow a diet based on an understanding of evolutionary science. I think it’s more important to eat, move, and live according to how humans are designed and not according to society’s artificial developments of the last 100 years. Fortunately, this regimen is not only incredibly healthy, it’s quite simple.
In a nutshell:
- fresh, organic, unprocessed food – no junk!
- daily activity – whether it’s the gym or a walk along the beach, it all counts
- plenty of quality sleep
- plenty of water, no soda or sweetened drinks
- antioxidants galore – the key to limiting stress
- a good fish-oil supplement
- lots of essential fats, reckless amounts of vegetables, and clean protein
- time for fun – don’t take anything too seriously – ethical behavior – because what goes around comes around
- taking responsibility for yourself and your life – openness to new things and ideas”
Well said!
