Wake-up routine
Five more minutes in bed
You heard me right, take an extra few minutes in bed but it is not to sleep in, it is to start oiling the joints. With a series of contractions and hold poses, working your way down from your shoulder to your feet. Flex, stretch and then relax. For example, shrug your shoulder all the way up to your ears, squeeze at the top and then push down and hold for a few seconds. Drop your right shoulder while tilting your head to the left and then change sides. Repeat this with your hips, all the way down to your calves. I can’t tell you how great you how feel getting out of bed after doing these simple bed routines before you take your first step. It’s is a game changer.
Roll off the bed onto the floor
Okay so I am telling you my routine. Years of sport has taken its toll on my body, so this is what I do most mornings when there are no urgent early morning meetings. You progress to the floor. The blood is flowing but now it is time for mobility exercises and to take my range of motion further. You can couple this time with breathing techniques or meditation while going through the poses. Think of this as a mixture of yoga, pilates, mobility and mediations all coupled into one session. I like to start off with opening up the hips and range of motion in the hip, hip flexor, hamstrings and lower back, all while warming up and activating the buttock muscles. Proceed to foam rolling, back bends on the swiss balls and PNF stretching. Once my range of motion improves here, the tension on all connecting muscles reduces and I feel like a teenager again.
Focus on core and abs
Without fail you need to follow a sequence of core, abdominals and lower back strengthening exercises each day. These fall part of your daily core essentials and at the same time it helps build the supporting muscles that are causing you aches and pains from weaknesses. It is a relatively slow process but as the weeks go buy and get stronger, the pain and stressors will be less, and you will be ready to tackle more vigorous exercise.
Keep up this essential’s routine five-days-a-week and if you have time exercises, plan for the afternoon sessions. Don’t neglect your essentials session, this is your “got to” or “bread and butter” to becoming stronger.