It’s been well documented and proven that a decent amount of exercise in the morning equals a better overall mood for the rest of the day. Even if the workout tires you out in the short term, you’ll find you have more energy, a higher mood, and increased brain power for the long term. And the best part? Most of the exercises that do this do not require the assistance of a gym or coach in order to achieve this better mood. There are dozens of these kinds of exercises, and this article will go over the 6 best. So, if you’re a man in your mid 20’s, you likely feel as if you should be in better shape. Well, here are some good morning exercise routines to help with just that, as well as put you in a better mood the rest of the day.

Morning walk/jog

Starting off with a classic, we have the morning walk/jog. It doesn’t really matter which you do, for as long as you keep a good pace and distance, both will net you the same basic effect. While you can walk or run on a treadmill if you don’t feel comfortable walking outside for an hour while it’s still dark out, going outside is the best way to get the most out of a morning walk. For one, it’ll wake you up better than any cold shower, and feel better besides. If you live in a sleepy suburb just outside of town, then there will be few feelings as lovely as walking down a nearly deserted sidewalk while the sun is peeking over the horizon, the morning dew wafting across your face, and the sounds of wind blowing through the grass and trees around you.

Jumping jacks

Yes, you learned this basic exercise in grade school, but there’s good reason behind that: it works. Jumping jacks are a great way to get the blood pumping and help the heart start thumping. They also work wonders for your muscles, helping to tone them, particularly around the deltoids and calves. Start with just under one minute of jumping jacks, then, as your stamina increases, add more and more time to your workouts. This will help you steadily building up your muscles and stamina, without burning you out too badly. Always stick to a set time, so you don’t burn out.

Push ups

If you went to a public school and attended gym class, then you know what a push up is. You lay face down on the ground, with your hands in line with your shoulders (proper form is important for the exercise to work to its fullest extent). Then you lower your body, breathing in gently as you do. Then, whilst exhaling, push yourself back up. Repeat until your body won’t allow you to anymore. If you’re having trouble with this, you can bend your legs forward so you won’t have to lift your entire body. Set a number of push-ups to do each morning, like with jumping jacks. Then as your stamina increases, add a few numbers to that count (however many is up to you, but it should be no more than ten to keep it steady). If it’s taking you a while to increase your number of push-ups, do not be discouraged. It takes around a month if you’re diligent to reach 100, but with patience, you can give your triceps and feet the workout they so desperately need.

Cat camel stretch

A great way to help yourself wake up in the morning, as well as help to prevent arthritis later in your life, is to perform some kind of stretching exercise every single morning. One preferred method, as you can tell by the title, is the cat camel stretch, which should also be performed after long hours of sedentary work. You first kneel down on all fours, making sure to point straight ahead. You then begin the exercise by rounding your back, like you’re trying to put your head against your pelvis. You then lift and lower your head until your back is arched. Do these movements 4-5 times slowly every morning. Quick and healthy, what’s not to love?

Balancing table pose

If you’ve seen any TV show with a scene involving a yoga class, you’ve likely seen this pose somewhere. Well lucky for you, it’s an easy enough pose that you don’t need a professional yoga teacher to perform. This pose is performed by kneeling down on your hands and knees. Make sure to take a good breath before each movement. Upon each exhale, raise up your left leg until it’s parallel to the floor, while at the same time raising your right arm. Upon breathing in again, lower your arm and leg, then repeat the process for the other side. A good starting point is 10 repetitions every morning, slowly increasing the number over time.

Bicep curls

If you’re the type to have busy mornings before you even leave the house, this is a great exercise to do while walking around the house or sitting down during a phone call. You can do this with a specially made dumbbell, or any other similarly shaped, reasonably heavy object in your home. You’ll have to sit forward just a hair, because your triceps need to lean on your thighs for support. Remember to breathe evenly as you lift the weighted object up to your shoulder then down again. Do this for around 1-2 sets of ten repetitions before switching to a different arm. If you have somewhere to go that morning, try to keep working until you have to leave. That should be enough time to get the most out of the exercise.

As was said in the opening, there are dozens upon dozens of good exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home bright and early in the morning. But the above 6 are among the best and most productive of those workouts. You can do just one, or multiple at once, the choice is yours.