One Easy Hack to Get Your Fitness Going

If you have trouble getting exercise, stretching, or mobility work in each day, here's an easy way to get you going:

Upon waking up, spend five minutes or less on up to three exercises* you can easily accomplish.  So before you look at your phone, before you eat, before you get busy or distracted, do those exercises.  A few great examples of a quick five minutes of exercise would be:

• One set of side planks, planks and cobras or superman, to an 8 of 10 effort level (not until failure, but to a level where you're challenged)
• Eight gentle sun salutations

Note how both of these suggestions require no special equipment, no shoes, and no much other than a floor and a little space (which you have!).

Personal Trainer San Francisco

The key to making this work?  Do it first thing in the morning, every morning (yes, even weekends).  The goal is to do this for a month, but focus on each morning, and set you up for success the night before.  Try setting your alarm for five minutes earlier.  Just don't let anything get in the way of it.

After each five minute morning routine, you will feel better.  I guarantee it.

And be creative and have fun with it!  If you want to do pushups because strength is one of your fitness goals, that's great, do them!  Jumping jacks?  Awesome.  Just keep the specific exercises you chose consistent and do them each day.

*Exercises, not statics stretching.  Why?  Because early in the day, compared to later in the day, your muscles are very likely to be stiffer in the morning, and sensitive areas of your body like your joints spinal discs have more fluid in them, making it harder to increase your range of motion comfortably and putting you more at risk for injury.  So keep any movements/exercises you do gentle in tempo, and listen to your body and avoid pain.

Do you like this tip?  Are you practicing certain exercises first thing each morning?  Share with us what you're doing on our Facebook page.  For added accountability, share it with one of our thriveSF Fitness coaches via email or on our Facebook wall after you complete it each morning.