30 Minute Morning Workout www.fytso.com /magazine/30-minute-morning-workout/

A lack of time is always one of the top excuses for not exercising, but it doesn’t have to be. Many peoplethink that getting a decent workout in consists of driving to the gym and pounding it out for an hour, but thatcouldn’t be further from the truth. The real truth is that you can get a killer workout in right after you get outof bed; it only takes half an hour and will start your day off on a good note.

1. The Forward Fold

The forward fold is not as much of an exercise as it is a stretch, but it is the perfect addition to the morningworkout. It lengthens out your muscles and gets the blood moving through your entire body.

How To Do Forward Folds

1. Start in a standing position with your hands at your sides.

2. Place your hands in front of you and reach for the ground, bending at your hips.

3. For a deeper stretch walk your hands behind your body and place your head between your legs.

4. Do this stretch 3 times holding for 30 seconds or until the stretch starts to hurt.

2. Bicycles

Bicycles are widely thought to be the best abdominal exercise out there. They engage the entire core aswell as adding an element of cardio to the workout. Starting with 3 sets of bicycles at 20 repetitions a piece

is the perfect way to wake up your core for the remainder of the workout.

How To Do Bicycles

1. Start by laying on your back with your fingertips behind your ears and your legs at 90 degrees withyour knees pointing toward your head.

2. Keeping your fingertips behind your ear bring your right elbow across your body and do the samewith your left knee until the two meet in the middle; doing the same with the left elbow and rightknee will complete on rep.

3. Perform this exercise at a rapid pace, but be sure that you are not going so fast that you lose form.

3. Side Crunch

The side crunch is an awesome way to target the oblique muscles for a stronger core. The best part is thatit is a simple body weight exercise that elicits great results.

How To Do Side Crunches

1. Start by laying on your side with the fingertips of your top hand placed behind your ear and youknees together.

2. Using only your abdominal muscles (not your bottom arm) pull your body up attempting to touchyour elbow to your hip.

3. As you progress you can increase the difficult of the movement by lifting your leg at the same timeas you crunch up.

4. Perform this exercise in three sets of 20 reps on each side.

4. Plank

Show me someone who enjoys planks and I will show you a masochist. The truth is that planks suck, butthat is how you know they are working. It doesn’t look like and ab exercise, but it will feel like one soonerthan later.

How To Do Planks

1. Start at the top of a push up position with your arms fully extended, your back and butt straight, andyour toes holding you up.

2. Hold that position for at least 30 seconds and repeat it 2 more times.

3. As your core gets stronger you can increase your time in 5 second increments for a biggerchallenge.

5. Knee Touch Crunch

The crunch is the most recognizable ab exercise out there and this movement is a more challengingadaptation of that exercise. By having your knees up your abs are already engaged, and having a cleartarget of touching your elbows to your knees prevents you from doing the excerise half-heartedly.

How To Do Knee Touch Crunches

1. Start with your fingertips behind your ears and your legs off the ground at a 90 degree angle andpointed toward your head.

2. Bring your elbows in so they are pointed at your knees.

3. Without moving your knees, crunch up until your elbows touch your legs then return to the startingposition.

4. Do this in 3 sets of 20 reps

6. Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend

This is another exercise that is perfect for the morning because it offers a nice release of the lower bodywhile strengthening the spine. This stretch will make you feel more limber and invigorated for the wholeday.

How To Do Wide Angle Seated Forward Bends

1. Sit in a wide V with your ham strings pressed firmly to the ground.

2. Bend forward at the hips getting your chest a near to the ground as possible.

3. Hands can be outstretched, or for a slightly bigger challenge and deeper stretch, you can hold on toyour toes.

4. Do this for 3 sets of 30 seconds or until it starts to hurt.

7. Boat Pose

The boat pose is nowhere near as pleasurable as it sounds, but it is a kick-butt exercise that will whip yourcore into shape.

How To Do Boat Poses

1. Place your body in a V-shape will your legs fully extended in air and your arms outreached towardyour toes.

2. You do not need to touch your toes and doing so can even cause over extension, simply reach farenough where you feel a burn in your core, but no a pain in your back.

3. Try not to rock, even though the exercise is meant to describe the rocking motion that happens inthis position.

4. Start by doing 3 sets at 30 seconds a piece and increase time by 5 second increments as you getstronger.

8. Chair Pose

This exercise really brings the whole workout together with a lower body blast. The chair post burnsthrough the hamstrings, quads, and calves for a significant lower body workout. Even with just body weightthis is an excellent exercise to build muscle and burn calories

How To Do Chair Poses

1. Start in a standing position with your arms outstretched in front of you.

2. Next move into a squat position with your legs a 90 degree angle.

3. Finally lift up on your toes like you are performing a calf lift.

4. Do this in 3 sets of 30 seconds a piece and increase time by 5 second increments as your lowerbody gets stronger.

It only takes half an hour out of your morning to blast through this calorie burning workout. Not only will ithelp to burn calories, but it will help you to feel better and make healthier decisions all day long. Within onlya few weeks you will find that you are losing inches from your waste a well as feeling stronger and morebalanced.