It used to be my habit to jump right into a workout in the morning as soon as I got up, whether it be a run or a workout at the gym However, the recent long, cold winter has changed my workout routine 180 degrees Until the temperature outside starts to rise above 10 degrees again, I'd rather spend more time in bed and do my workouts during the day or in the evening

That said, I'd like to ease back into my morning exercise routine However, I would prefer something a little more gentle than running intense intervals on the track or getting in my best barbell exercises at the gym Thus I stumbled upon a short mobility routine devised by fitness trainer James Sterling, also known as the London Fitness Guy

I liked the fact that even though this mobility session only took six minutes, I could expect the movements to wake up my body and help me better prepare for the day ahead Here's what I found

Sterling pieced together six exercises to form a short, simple stretch and mobility flow Four of them are unilateral and require repeating the movement on both sides of the body In this case, they are performed for 30 seconds on each side The other exercises, on the other hand, are performed continuously for 60 seconds

See below for Sterling's demonstration of each exercise and the complete routine

Although this exercise is very low intensity and only takes 6 minutes of my time, I still made sure to change into the best leggings and top at the gym before starting the routine This way, I was able to separate my sleep time from the exercise and fully engage in it I also laid out one of the best yoga mats to ensure joint support throughout the various movements Here are my results

I don't have great posture, like many others who hunch over their laptop screens from 9 to 5 all week long

As you can imagine, when I got out of bed, put on my exercise clothes, and started stretching on my mat, I wasn't feeling very flexible However, I was surprised at how much my body opened up with each stretch and rotation, and how much I wanted to let the routine take over I felt my flexibility improve as the movement gradually released tension As a result, when I rode the subway to work, I no longer felt like a zombie and became more aware of my surroundings

Although I had only been moving for six minutes, I could feel my muscles contracting and relaxing, and the movement seemed to help pump blood more efficiently throughout my body

When I notice that my body is cold, I often ask myself when was the last time I moved my body Sometimes stretching and movement are necessary to stimulate the circulatory system I don't limit this mobility routine to just what I do upon waking up, but also after sitting for long periods of time This is especially important because improved blood flow affects overall energy levels

I'd like to think I'm good at remembering to warm up before a workout, but not so much when it comes to the cool down process Especially with my current marathon training block, all I want to do after a 19-mile session is shower, eat some carbs, and lounge around on the couch Failing to stretch after a run often results in tense and sore muscles the next day

Feeling the tension and release in my muscles during the mobility routine highlighted how much of a difference just 6 minutes of stretching can make DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) did not completely disappear after doing this routine, but I felt like I could move more easily than usual I felt as if I could move more easily than usual

According to The American Council on Exercises, exercise or general movement is about multiple muscles working together to move joints through their full range of motion Therefore, when it comes to exercises that involve repetitive linear movements, such as running, low-intensity mobility exercises can help promote recovery