For many people, exercising the first thing in the morning is convenient. It may or may not be the most welcome time, but it is convenient. Some people habitually arise full of vim and vigor, ready to dash out into daily living with oomph. Many more people sidle slowly out of bed, accomplish their toiletry in a semistupor, mechanically and half-unconsciously make their way through breakfast, and become alive and alert only after a couple of cups of black coffee. Nothing can or should be done about the way we wake up.

The thought of indulging in a few exercises upon awaking is enough to discourage almost anyone. But try them a few times and perhaps you will see a difference. Setting-up exercises can be profitable.

When one sleeps and therefore is not using his muscles, blood tends to collect in the internal organs, or "splanchnic circulation." Very little blood is needed in the muscles, or "peripheral circulation." If on arising there is no noticeable muscular activity, blood very slowly leaves the splanchnic pool, resulting in sluggish circulation to the brain and muscles. The person wakes up logy, listless, and without energy.

However, three to four minutes of easy exercises while in bed can redistribute the blood, clear away the cobwebs, and bring back over-all tone. Energy comes surging in and the person feels as alert and as full of energy as he might normally experience only well into midday.

Setting-up exercises while lying on your back in bed can be done as follows:

1. Stretch hard 5 times, maintaining "stretch" for 3 seconds and relaxing for 2 seconds

2. With elbows tucked in beside body and legs together, arch back 3 times

3. Tense all leg muscles hard and relax. Do this 12 times

4. Do 2 sit-ups touching your toes.

5. Raise bent legs over your head and touch ears with knees 3 times

6. With palms pressing each other, hands close to front of chest, push hard to one side and then the other, resisting with the other arm. Do this 10 times.

7. With fingers flexed, grasp hands and pull apart, first to one side and then the other. Do 10 times.

8. Place hands on abdomen and push vigorously while resisting by tensing abdominal muscles. Do this for 3 seconds and then relax for 2 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Time required for these exercises, once you get the hang of them, should only be two to three minutes. When you really become proficient and can breeze through this series in less time, then do it twice. At most, five minutes is sufficient to get you started in the morning.

Flexibility Exercises Before entering into the fun of the unrestricted, unrestrained, and carefree activity of the practicing sportsman, you must first become loose and flexible. Avoid physical work until your muscles and joints can safely be stretched. Exercises for flexibility have two features: (1) increased range of motion for muscles and joints with (2) no added weight load—that is to say, with gravity being the only force you are working against.

Flexibility exercises, as with all other workouts, should not be attempted when you are "cold." Warm up for a few minutes. If you are doing setting-up exercises when you arise, do flexibility exercises first, but start them gradually. You have three goals: to increase range, forcefulness, and speed of motion. So start slowly, take it easy, and do not work against the clock. As mentioned earlier, one month should be devoted entirely to flexibility exercises. During the second and third months, progressive resistance can be added—but keep up the flexibility exercises, too. After about three months, flexibility exercises need only be used on occasion.