4 Strength Exercises You Should Do Every Morning

You deserve to start your day strong. Here’s a workout to help you wake up with a boost.

Mornings set the tone for every hour that follows. So, it makes sense that starting your day with an activity that makes you feel good—physically, mentally, and emotionally—can set you up for a great day.

Squat with Rotation

Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-distance apart and shift your weight to your heels. Then, bend your knees and sink back and down from your hips. As you return to standing, squeeze your shoulder blades together. This is a standard squat. Perform the squat a few times, then try adding a rotation. Perform your squat, then as you come back up to standing, bring your right arm across your body to push toward the left side of the room. Repeat the squats, alternating your arm rotation each time you stand up.

Dead Lift & Row Combo

Time to bust out your hand weights! If you don’t have weights, no problem, you can still build strength with your body weight.

Stand tall with weights in each hand. Hold your weights in front of your thighs, then hinge forward from the hips and gently bend the knees to lower the weights to knee-level. Then, press up to return to standing, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you rise.

Now, let’s add the row. Stand tall with weights in each hand. Hold your weights in front of your thighs, then hinge forward from the hips and gently bend the knees to lower the weights to knee-level. Stay in this hinged posture, then squeeze your shoulder blades together to pull your weights up to your waist. Then, release the weights back down to knee-level before you press up to a standing position.

Repeat this dead lift and row combo 10-15 times.

Reverse Flye

Hold onto your weights and move into a split-stance with one foot in front of the other. Keep your front knee gently bent and your back leg straight with your heel lifted off the ground. Shift your weight forward toward your front leg and hold your weights together near your front knee. Roll your shoulders back down and try to keep your back straight.

Inhale and open your arms out wide to the sides, bringing your weights up and squeezing your shoulder blades together. As you exhale, bring your weights down and together above your bent knee. For an added challenge: As you open your arms, you can raise your back foot off the ground.

Alternate your split-stance and repeat this move 10-15 times per set. We recommend 1-3 sets, but only do what feels comfortable.

Neck Retraction

You can do this while standing or seated, and you don’t need weights for this simple move. Place two fingers on your chin. Use your fingers to gently push your head straight back so you feel engagement in the front of your neck and a stretch in the back. Hold for three to four seconds and release. That’s one rep. Do 10 reps total.

Don’t wait another day. Set your alarm clock and experience the boundless benefits of a fresh morning sweat session. Here are four reasons why you should try exercising in the morning.

Try adding these moves to your current exercise routine, or use this routine as your morning workout, and see how you feel for the rest of the day. Chances are, you will feel more energized!

Check Your SilverSneakers Eligibility Instantly

SilverSneakers members can get hundreds of On-Demand workouts, wellness videos, nutrition tips and more. If you have a Medicare Plan, it may include SilverSneakers—at no additional cost. Check your eligibility instantly here.

Already a member? Get exclusive fitness content by logging in to or creating your online account here.