Favorite "as soon as you wake up routines?"

[beyond.omega]

Currently it's meditation, but I take my shower first.

20 minutes of walking (or "cardio machine steady-state cardio") is a good one too for me, although I'm not doing it right now. If I do this, I usually do it before my shower and stretch for 10-15 min after my shower.

I used to be a "do my workout first thing in the morning" type of person, but that hasn't happened in a while.

[Tugger31]

The step portion from Cathe's Step Jump and Pump because the first song, Abracadabra, gets me pumped up!

[Debbie S.]

Feeding and taking care of, Fatso. Seriously, he has a set routine and I can not sway from his schedule.

[bjammin13]

I typically start everyday with Ballet Beautiful and or if I am doing a long Tonique like Royale sometimes I will instead start with that.

[bubbles76]

Originally Posted by desie

I feel best if I lie in bed for 20 minutes, not rushing myself to get up.

This! I am NOT a morning person. Even if I am running late, I give myself 30 minutes to ease out of bed. I need those 30 minutes. To quote marya "I'm a total slug when I wake up. I was never one of those people who just bounds out of bed and leaps into action."

[eam531]

If you have DDP Yoga, there is a 10 minute 'Wake Up" routine that is quite nice--nothing crazy, just gentle movement to get you going.

[FirmDancer]

Quite some time ago, I started doing ~20 minutes of activity 1st thing in the morning. It varied from yoga, to easy cardio, or a Joyce Vedral strength sequence. It definitely gave me more energy, but also brightened my mood. Then I found a Fitness for Free Yoga and Pilates book, with very gentle almost-calisthenics movements which I loved. After the thread on the Royal Canadian Air Force workout, which is similar to the Fitness for Free book, I've been following that sequence daily, adding in some other favorite moves too, and doing mobility work. Not only does it give me more energy, but it also makes me feel more limber and relaxed.

[BamaTanya]

Originally Posted by Lucky Star

I'm partial to Classical Stretch, but my absolute favorite *short* morning routine is Erin O'Brien's Postnatal Rescue, program #3 (15 mins; they're all 15 mins).

I'd forgotten about those. I love Erin's series, too!

[smith938]

I have to rush usually when I'm on my day shift rotation (nights not so much since I usually wake up earlier then) but days I often hit snooze and have to rush I sometimes vary the workout but I go by how I feel and how much time I have

I pick either

1 mile Leslie like 1 mile super challenge, 1-2 of her walk blaster walks (3 if I have time) and they vary from the warmup walk, warmup plus dance, one of the faster ones (like brisk or sweaty), occasionally one of the walks from one of the 1 mile walk dvds, if I have 30 min I like leslie's a closer 2 mile walk

jessica smith 15 minute or 30 minute if I have time (sometimes the 20 minute cardio ballet if I'm in the mood for balance and want a bit more than 15 min but not in the mood for leslie's walk blasters)

yoga zone sunrise

ellen barrett 30 minute super fast body sculpt, barefoot cardio if I have time so this isn't a usual before work morning routine

a classical stretch episode (have to be sorta moving well and not too stiff for this otherwise I spend half the workout just trying to bend over)


lee holden's 7 min of magic - health - sometimes honest to God this is all I can manage crawling out of bed the am routine is too tough LOL

[cowfishpro]

I'm another who starts my 4:30 AM work week with Ballet Beautiful.