Your 10–15 Minute Morning Total Body Routine
Move. Mobilize. Strengthen. Start Your Day.
Your body is designed to move.
After sleeping for several hours, it is normal to wake up feeling a little stiff, tight, or slow to get moving. A short morning routine can help you gently move your joints, activate your muscles, and prepare your body for the day ahead.
At Jireh Chiropractic, we recommend keeping it simple.
You don't need an hour-long workout.
Just 10–15 minutes of intentional movement each morning can help you build a consistent habit of mobility and strength.
This routine combines movements for your:
Neck • Shoulders • Upper Back • Wrists • Spine • Hips • Knees • Ankles
PART 1 — WAKE UP YOUR UPPER BODY
1. Gentle Neck Mobility
30–45 seconds
Move slowly through a comfortable range:
Look left and right
Bring one ear gently toward each shoulder
Look slightly upward and downward
Perform 5 slow repetitions in each direction.
Never force or rapidly circle your neck.
2. Shoulder CARs
30–45 seconds
Make one large, slow circle with your arm while trying to keep the rest of your body still.
Think:
Forward → Up → Back → Down
Perform 3 slow circles forward and backward on each side.
The goal is controlled shoulder movement—not speed.
3. Wall Angels
8–10 repetitions
Stand against a wall if comfortable.
Bring your arms into a comfortable "goal post" position and slowly slide them upward and downward.
Focus on relaxed shoulders, controlled movement, and a comfortable range.
4. Band Pull-Aparts or Rows
10–12 repetitions
Using a light resistance band, slowly pull your hands apart or perform a standing row.
Gently bring your shoulder blades toward one another.
This helps activate your:
Rhomboids
Middle trapezius
Rear shoulders
Upper-back muscles
No band? Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together for 2–3 seconds at a time.
5. Wrist & Forearm Mobility
30–45 seconds
Open and close your hands several times.
Then slowly move your wrists:
Up and down
Side to side
Through gentle circles
Palm up and palm down
Finish with a gentle wrist-flexor and wrist-extensor stretch.
PART 2 — GET YOUR SPINE MOVING
6. Cat-Cow
8–10 slow repetitions
Start on your hands and knees.
Slowly alternate between gently rounding and extending your spine while breathing naturally.
Move through a comfortable range and don't rush.
7. Open Books
5 repetitions per side
Lie on your side with your knees comfortably bent.
Reach your top arm across your body and slowly rotate your upper back open.
Follow your hand with your eyes if comfortable.
This helps encourage movement through your upper and middle back.
PART 3 — OPEN YOUR HIPS
8. 90/90 Hip Switches
6–10 total repetitions
Sit with your knees bent and slowly rotate them from one side to the other.
One hip moves toward internal rotation while the other moves toward external rotation.
Move slowly and do not force your knees toward the floor.
Use your hands for support if needed.
9. Hip CARs
3 slow circles each direction, each leg
Stand next to a wall, chair, or counter for balance.
Slowly:
Bring your knee upward.
Move it outward.
Rotate through your hip.
Bring the leg behind you.
Return to your starting position.
Then reverse the movement.
Try to move your hip without rotating your entire body.
10. Hip Flexor Stretch
20–30 seconds per side
Step into a comfortable split stance or half-kneeling position.
Gently shift forward until you feel a stretch through the front of your hip.
Keep your stomach gently engaged and avoid excessively arching your lower back.
11. Couch Stretch
20–30 seconds per side
Kneel with one knee near a wall, couch, or sturdy surface and bring that foot upward behind you.
Place the opposite foot in front of you for support.
Slowly bring your torso upright until you feel a comfortable stretch through the front of your thigh and hip.
Keep your core gently engaged and avoid excessively arching your lower back.
Start farther away from the wall if the stretch feels too intense.
PART 4 — MOBILIZE YOUR ANKLES & CALVES
12. Seated Ankle Inversion & Eversion
8–10 slow repetitions each direction, per foot
Sit in a chair with your foot relaxed.
Inversion
Gently turn the bottom of your foot inward.
Focus on moving through the ankle itself. Do not drive the foot outward to create the movement.
Eversion
Gently move the bottom of your foot outward in the opposite direction.
Keep both movements slow, isolated, and controlled.
13. Standing Gastrocnemius Stretch
20–30 seconds per side
Stand facing a wall or sturdy surface.
Step one foot behind you and keep the back knee straight and heel on the floor.
Gently shift your body forward until you feel a stretch through the back of your calf.
Keep the rear foot comfortably pointing forward.
Hold, then switch sides.
14. Standing Soleus Stretch
20–30 seconds per side
Start in a staggered stance with one foot behind the other.
This time, gently bend both knees while keeping the heel of your rear foot on the floor.
Slowly drive the rear knee forward over the rear foot until you feel a deeper stretch lower in the calf.
Keep the rear heel down throughout the movement.
Hold, then switch sides.
PART 5 — FINISH WITH STRENGTH
Now that you've moved through your upper body, spine, hips, calves, and ankles, finish by activating some of the muscles that help support those movements throughout your day.
15. Glute Bridges
10–15 repetitions
Lie on your back with your knees bent.
Gently tighten your stomach and squeeze your glutes as you lift your hips.
Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower.
Think:
Squeeze → Lift → Pause → Lower
16. Bodyweight Squats or Sit-to-Stands
10–12 repetitions
Stand with your feet in a comfortable position.
Slowly sit your hips backward and bend your knees. Then push through your feet to stand.
Focus on keeping your:
Hip → Knee → Ankle → Foot
working together in a comfortable, controlled position.
If squatting is difficult, practice standing up and sitting down from a chair.
17. Calf Raises + Toe Raises
10–15 of each
Calf Raises
Slowly rise onto your toes.
Pause briefly at the top, then lower with control.
Toe Raises
Keep your heels on the floor and lift your toes upward.
Together, these movements help strengthen and activate muscles around your lower leg and ankle.
Hold onto a wall or chair if you need additional balance.
The Goal Is Consistency, Not Perfection
You don't need an intense workout every morning.
You also don't need to perform every exercise perfectly on Day 1.
Start where you are.
Move slowly. Stay consistent. Gradually build strength.
Five or ten minutes of movement that you actually do is more useful than a complicated routine you never start.
Try attaching this routine to something you already do every morning:
Wake Up → Drink Water → Morning Movement → Start Your Day
The easier you make the habit, the easier it becomes to stay consistent.
How This Complements Your Chiropractic Care
At Jireh Chiropractic, our goal is not simply to help you feel better temporarily.
We want to help you move well, become stronger, and take an active role in your health.
When appropriate, chiropractic care may help support joint mobility and function, while daily mobility and strengthening exercises help your muscles control and support that movement.
Mobility + Strength + Stability + Consistency = Better Movement
Your body was designed to move.
A few intentional minutes every morning can be a simple way to start taking care of it.
Already a Jireh Chiropractic Client?
This routine is a general total-body movement guide.
You do not need to perform every exercise if we have given you more specific recommendations based on your examination.
If an exercise is difficult, uncomfortable, or you aren't sure whether you should be doing it, ask us at your next visit.
We can help you modify the routine based on your current mobility, strength, and goals.
Important Exercise Disclaimer
This information is provided by Jireh Chiropractic for general educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat a medical condition or replace individualized medical advice.
Not every exercise is appropriate for every person or condition. Consult your chiropractor or another qualified healthcare professional before beginning a new exercise program, particularly if you have an existing injury, significant pain, numbness, weakness, dizziness, balance problems, or another medical condition.
Perform all movements slowly and within a comfortable range. Never force a stretch or joint movement. Stop if an exercise causes significant pain, dizziness, new neurological symptoms, or worsening symptoms. Individual recommendations may vary based on your examination and health history.