Boosting your energy is not only important to improve athletic performance and excel in sports; it is also required to carry on the day to day activities in an effective manner. Our diet and level of activity have a strong impact on energy production and utilization in the body. There are some ways in which you can get over sluggishness, lethargy, and tiredness and stay at your peak form throughout the day. Here are a few energy-boosting exercises that you can do every morning after you get out of the bed to raise your energy level.
12 Best Exercises to Boost your Energy Supply
Stretching, yoga and Yin Yang exercises are the best ways to get your energy level up when you feel tired, stressed and fatigued. It also helps to increase mental and physical alertness. Here are 12 yoga and Yin Yang inspired exercises to boost your energy levels naturally.
Seated Toe Touch
This simple exercise helps to boost your energy by tightening the muscles and pumping the heart. It also helps to calm the mind, relieve stress and provide a good stretch for the spine, shoulders, back and hamstrings.
Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front and toes pointing up. Press the back of your legs into the floor. Inhale and lift through the upper body and lean forward to touch your toes. Pull your navel in towards the spine to create a space in the abdomen. Lift and lengthen the torso with each inhalation. Hold the position for a few breaths and breath normally. Then sit up slowly as you inhale.
Qigong Exercise
Qigong is an ancient art of energizing the body that uses breath and fluid to increase the flow of energy all through the body. It is one of the easiest exercises to boost energy that can be done by almost anybody. It promotes circulation to the lower back, kidney and adrenal glands and firms up the nervous system.
Stand with your feet placed shoulder-width apart and arms and upper back relaxed. Slowly swing from left to right rotating from the hips and waist and look over your shoulders as you turn. Continue the rotations in both directions for 1 minute and then gradually unwind and bring your arms back to your sides.
Downward Facing Dog Pose
It is one of the most popular yoga poses that helps to beat stress and promote energy and good mood. It circulates blood to the head and stretches the back.
Begin on al fours with hands under the shoulders. Take a breath and press into your hands as you exhale, lifting your hips back. Keep your spine straight and hold the pose for 30 seconds and return to the starting position.
Camel Ride Pose
The camel ride pose is an important part of the Kundalini Yoga that is the ultimate answer to the question of how to boost energy naturally. This particular exercise helps to bring out the built-in supply of energy that lies dormant at the root of the spine so that you remain fired up through the rest of the day.
Sit cross-legged on the floor with your hands resting on your ankles. Arch your back by bringing your ribs and chest forward and then move the rib cage backward and round your lower spine. Keep your neck relaxed at all times and continue the movements in rhythm with your breathing.
Sufi’s Circle
This is yet another pose of the Kundalini Yoga that targets the middle spine. It allows the lungs to expand and soothes the nervous system. It also stimulates digestion and calms the mind. It is doubtlessly one of the most relaxing energy-boosting exercises.
Inhale and rotate your ribs forward and to the right and then exhale and come back to the left, drawing big circles with your rib cage and chin. Your spine will arch and round throughout the exercise. Reverse the movement after 2 minutes.
Spinal Twist
This is the final exercise in the Kundalini Yoga series that targets the upper spine and promotes detoxification. It stimulates the lymphatic system and promotes energy flow throughout the spine.
Sit with your hands placed on your shoulders and elbows parallel to the ground. Inhale and twist your torso, shoulders and head to the right, exhale and twist it to the left. Alternate between the right and left movements and gradually increasing your pace. Continue the movement for 1 minute and then come to rest.
Rolling Vinyasa
We all know that exercise boosts energy but Yin Yang exercises are the best option to correct imbalances and utilize the energy stored in the body. The Rolling Vinyasa strengthens the shoulders, core, back and triceps and aids to build stamina by stimulating your inner fire.
Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Tuck the toes under and straighten the legs to come to the Downward Facing Dog pose. From here, start to curve the spine beginning at the tailbone. Tuck the chin and roll forward with your shoulders and over your hands. Bend your elbows and lower your shoulders and arch back into the Upward Facing Dog pose. Now, do the body roll starting in a reverse direction with the base of your neck, round the back and roll back with a rounded spine coming slowly into the Downward Facing Dog pose. Repeat this exercise 3 to 5 times.
Floating Frog and Fighting Frog
This is yet another effective exercise for energy that strengthens the core and shoulder muscles. It is a combined exercise that heightens energy so that you can move forward. It also improves balance, agility, confidence, and assertiveness.
Begin in the downward facing dog pose, bend your knees and look between your hands. Keep your abs engaged and jump your feet to the outside of your hands into Frog pose. Now, pop up into a fighting stance – arms and fists up and feet spread wide apart, knees bent, left foot in front of the right as if you are about to hop up on a surfing board. Repeat this exercise 5 times at a stretch.
Fighting Buddha
This is one of the best Yang exercises for energy that moves you through the three states of being – at peace, defending and attacking without even losing he center.
Begin in a wide squatting stance with your toes positioned out and knees bent and hands in prayer. Now, transfer your body weight to the left, straighten your right leg, bend your right arm and draw the left arm over your head. Then reverse the movement shifting your weight over your right knee, chambering the left arm and punching the right fist forward. Come back to the starting position. Repeat the whole exercise 3 times.
Tuck and Extend
This is the best exercise for energy boosting that requires no equipment or preparations and can be done anywhere in the house or park. It targets the abs, lower back, butt and hamstrings and releases the energy trapped in these regions.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, elbows bent on sides and hands in front of chest with palms facing each other. Now, lift the left knee up to the hip height keeping the foot flexed and then bend forward at the waist to get into tuck position. Put your left leg down and lift up the right leg to the hip level.
Air Guitar
The Air Guitar is an easy and fun-filled exercise for boosting energy that eases the stiffness in the butt along with the inner and outer thighs.
Stand with your feet placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and arms by sides. Shift the weight to the right leg, bending the right knee to 90 degrees and come to a deep lunge while keeping the left leg straight. Come back to a starting position and shift the weight to the left leg, bending the left knee to 90 degrees and come to a deep lunge while keeping the right leg straight. Continue the alternate movements for 1 minute.
Cross the River
This is yet another easy and simple energy-boosting workout that releases the trapped energy in the core, hips and butt. It is an amazing way to kick start the day and stay perked up throughout the day.
Stand straight with feet placed hip-width apart, elbows bent by sides and hands in front of the chest. Now, leap over to the left side, pumping the arms landing on the left leg, knees slightly bent, with the right leg crossing slightly to the left behind you. Instantly, leap over to the right side. Continue the side leaps for 1 minute.
For people with a busy schedule, energy management becomes the most critical aspect of managing performance. There is little use of having free time when you don’t have the energy to do anything worthwhile with that time. Although, there are a number of artificial means to boost energy, but it is best to try the natural ways such as energy-boosting exercises that provide necessary energy without any side effects.