{"id":70824,"date":"2019-03-03T18:53:32","date_gmt":"2019-03-03T18:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/\/\/uncategorized\/the-chief-habit-your-ten-minute-morning-fitness-plan"},"modified":"2022-12-06T13:18:42","modified_gmt":"2022-12-06T18:18:42","slug":"the-chief-habit-your-ten-minute-morning-fitness-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/the-chief-habit-your-ten-minute-morning-fitness-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"The Chief Habit: Your Ten-Minute Morning Fitness Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Becoming the person we want to be is typically a case of taking action<\/strong>\u2014not once, but over and over again. This is hard to do, particularly within a world that ingeniously inserts technology meant to pull us from those actions<\/a> that we decided we wanted to adopt. Logically, it makes perfect sense to add a workout five days per week, but life is busy and our emotions will often disagree with these plans.<\/p>\n

Becoming the person we want to be is typically a case of taking action<\/strong>\u2014not once, but over and over again. This is hard to do, particularly within a world that ingeniously inserts technology meant to pull us from those actions<\/a> that we decided we wanted to adopt. Logically, it makes perfect sense to add a workout five days per week, but life is busy and our emotions will often disagree with these plans.<\/p>\n

This is unfortunate because working out is a keystone habit\u2014the type of daily action that tends to reverberate in better decision and actions throughout every arena of life. In fact, it is the most important of the three core habits<\/a>, that Justin Lind and I advocate everyone adopting in our free e-book, The Essential Guide to Self-Mastery<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s remarkable how the mind follows the body. Honestly, I think a lack of understanding or desire to understand that simple evolutionary reality is what inhibits so many people from rapidly improving their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josh Waitzkin<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

If you had to choose one thing you could do to enhance your work, your relationships, your attitude, your confidence, and certainly your health, it would be exercise.<\/strong> It not only gives you more time alive on this planet but allows you to do far more in a given time. That is why when you look around at the most successful people they all have a lifelong fitness habit.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re a lifestyle guru like Tony Robbins, a neuroscientist and ethical philosophers like Sam Harris, a CEO of multiple companies like Mark Cuban, or you are manipulating the thoughts of the entire universe like Mark Zuckerburg, your level of energy and productivity are dependent on habitual exercise.<\/p>\n

We hear this and still rationalize how we are too busy. We\u2019ve tried and tried and yet over and over our plans are sabotaged by the unforeseen complications that define modern life. After all, we tell ourselves, “None of those guys have to do the heavy lifting when it comes to raising their children.” Or we conclude, “It would be easy if I was already successful.<\/p>\n

Then I\u2019d have control of my schedule.” Yet deep down we know these excuses are just distracting from the reality that the most important thing we can do for ourselves<\/a>, and thus our children, is to find time for exercise.<\/p>\n

We are busy and yet there is always a way if we are creative and clear about what is the priority. Habits consist of a cue, a routine, and a reward. As we explain in detail in The Essential Guide to Self-Mastery,<\/em> building a habit is best done by preying on daily cues. There is no more consistent or controllable cue than waking up each day.<\/p>\n

If exercise is the most important habit, then it stands to reason that it should be the first thing you do every morning.<\/strong> In fact, by making it a quick daily habit, rather than an hour long routine you add onto your schedule a few days per week, we reduce the time that we need to spend training and can actually see major improvements. All you need is a plan and you can achieve tremendous fitness and kick-start a daily trajectory towards impact in only 10-minutes each day.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are all mere bundles of habits.\u201d<\/p>\n

William James<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Waking to movement is something we can all do. Set the alarm ten minutes early if you have to. As much as I want you to get good sleep, ten minutes will not make a difference in your rest but will change the course of your day. As with every habit, the most important part is to keep it simple and never allow yourself an excuse.<\/strong> You can do ten minutes at 100%\u201499% is a wimp.<\/p>\n

The Daily Wake Up-Warm Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Start each day the same, recognizing that your body will not feel like moving right upon waking. This is why you move it. The body just lied dormant for hours. Your psychology follows your physiology.<\/strong> If you want a life of action and results, move your body and the mind and emotion will follow. Still, we can\u2019t go from zero to 100. The first couple of minutes are more of a process.<\/p>\n

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  • Child\u2019s Pose – x3 diaphragmatic breaths<\/li>\n
  • Neck Nods – x3<\/li>\n
  • Neck Infinities – x3 per side<\/li>\n
  • Gorilla Rocking – x3<\/li>\n
  • Down Dog Hold and Explore – x20 seconds<\/li>\n
  • World\u2019s Greatest Lunge – x3 per side<\/li>\n
  • Straddle Stance Thoracic Rotation – x3 per side<\/li>\n
  • Thoracic Hip Bridge – x3 per side<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n