A 15-Minute Body & Mind Energizer Workout, Perfect For The Morning
Welcome to mbg moves! We've been working out at home more than ever lately—and we know our readers are, too. To help keep your fitness routine feeling fresh, we're releasing a new at-home workout every Monday to start your week off strong. Each month will feature routines from a different incredible trainer we adore. Now, let's get moving with our spotlight trainer: Suki Clements.
Who doesn't love starting the day with an extra boost of energy? Exercise has the incredible ability to elevate your physical and mental vitality (thanks, endorphins)—especially when there's some aerobic activity in the mix.
With these wonderful benefits in mind, I put together this body and mind energizer that's perfect to do in the morning. The routine will activate and engage your whole body, with a mix of strength exercises and cardio-focused moves. By the end of the 15 minutes, you'll feel awake, vibrant, and ready to take on your day.
All you need to get started is a mat and a light set of weights (which are totally optional). Now, let's get moving!
Your 4-week challenge: For the next month, I'll be sharing some fantastic strength-focused routines you can do from home. Each workout is the culmination of my experience as a movement artist, yoga teacher, and fitness professional—consider these sculpting workouts your 2.0 yoga flows. I encourage you to make these routines part of your weekly workout schedule two to three times per week to feel all the mind and body benefits.
Workout Summary
- Time: 15 minutes
- Equipment: Light set of dumbbells and a yoga mat.
- Instructions: Move from one exercise to the next, and complete for the indicated amount of time.
Roll Down
- Start in a standing position on your mat. Take a couple of deep breaths here.
- Tuck your chin into your chest, and slowly lower down into a forward fold.
- Take a couple of breaths at the bottom, then slowly rise back up to start, rolling up vertebra by vertebra.
Good Mornings
- Start in a standing position.
- Interlace your hands behind your head, and spread your elbows wide.
- Inhale and lift your heart up. As you exhale, flatten your back and lower down until your chest is parallel with the ground. Pause here.
- Then, fold forward toward your legs, bring your elbows in, and allow your knees to bend as needed.
- Spread the elbows, lift your heart, and rise back up to your flat-back position. Take a breath and come back to standing.
- Repeat this full sequence 3 times in total.
Plank Jacks
- Come into a high-plank position, with your shoulders stacked over your wrists.
- Jump your feet out so they're wider than your mat. Then quickly jump them back to start.
- Continue for 30 seconds, then move through a downward dog.
Side Angle + Lawn Mower
- From a downward dog, lift your left leg into the air, then step your foot in between your hands.
- Grab a weight with your right hand (this is optional).
- Come into a side angle position, with your left leg bent at a 90-degree angle and your foot facing away from your body. Keep your right leg extended long, with your foot pressed into the ground, facing forward. Press your left arm into your left thigh, and bring your right arm overhead.
- Drop your right arm down, twisting your torso so it's parallel with the ground and reaching toward your foot. Reverse the movement, and press your arm back overhead.
- Continue for 30 seconds, then move through downward dog and repeat on the opposite side.
Chair Pose Tricep Kickbacks
- Start in a standing position. Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands, and bring them in front of your chest, palms facing in.
- Sit your hips back, bend your knees, and lower down into chair pose.
- Engage your triceps as you press the weights behind your body, until your arms are fully extended.
- With control, return back to start.
- Continue for 30 seconds.
Star Taps
- Come into a wide stance.
- Inhale as you lift up onto your toes and reach arms overhead.
- As you exhale, bend your knees, bend down, and press your fingertips into the mat.
- Continue for 30 seconds.
Squat + Rope Pulls
- Hinge at your hips, and sit back into a squat position.
- As you inhale, stand up and reach your arms overhead.
- Quickly lower back into a squat, and pull your hands to your sides, as if you're pulling a rope down.
- Continue quickly repeating this movement for 10 seconds.
Wide Jumping Jacks
- Stand with your feet together, with arms at your sides.
- Raise your arms out to the sides and over your head. At the same time, jump your feet out wide.
- Quickly reverse the movement and return to start.
- Continue for 30 seconds.
To cool down, move through lizard pose, pigeon pose, and then lie down on your mat and stretch into a star pose.
Suki Clements is a New York City based dancer, movement artist, yoga teacher & fitness professional with a passion for inclusion and accessibility. With a BFA in dance from UC Santa Barbara, Clements has been professionally dancing, creating, and performing works around the nation and globe. She has experience as a concert contemporary dancer, commercial work, site specific, and dance theater among other mediums. Her yoga and fitness certifications range from 500 hour RYT, trauma-sensitive trainings, Prison Yoga Project Teacher Certification, NASM certified personal trainer, myofascial release,and more.