Roll Out-of-Bed Exercises to Stretch and Tone by Fitness Coach Caroline Deisler

Instead of waking up with an excuse to avoid your workout, now you can roll out of bed, lay on the floor, and perform these six easy moves that help you stretch and tone first thing in the morning. You can do this quick exercise routine in your pajamas or sleep in your leggings, and strengthen your core and legs even if you're still half asleep.

The Beet's fitness guru Caroline Deisler takes you through a six-minute workout that will wake up your body and relax your muscles, both. Each move includes a stretching component to loosen up your muscles and alleviate knots in your back, neck, and shoulders and a strength component to tone up your core and legs first thing in the morning.

When you're sleeping, your muscles repair themselves but because you've been lying down they can become stiff overnight. Stretching in the morning is essential to help your body loosen up and get moving in a healthy way to avoid injury. Each of the moves targets a specific muscle group so you're not overworking one area. You'll work and elongate your muscles for a toned, lengthened physique.

Once the six minutes are up, you will feel refreshed, stretched, and even get the blood flowing to the brain to have a positive outlook for the rest of your day. If you want to incorporate more stretches into our workouts, try Caroline's five-minute stretching series.

If you want to try some of Caroline's other 5-minute workouts, check out her other videos here:

The First Move: Squat & Stretch. Standing on your mat, perform a squat, and make sure you lower down into your heels instead of your toes. From there, stand slowly while reaching one arm into the air and reach across and over toward the opposite direction. As you reach be sure to be fluid (and not jerky) in your motion since you want to stretch but not tear or pull anything. You will alternate each arm after each squat. Perform this move for a total of one minute.

The Second Move: Plank Walk & Stretch. Get yourself into a plank position. From there, pull your knee into your chest and toward your elbow, but don't let your foot touch the matt or rug. Turn your body up and away from the mat on the same side of the bent leg and reach your arm into the air and up, allowing your chest to open. You will feel this stretch in your obliques (side of your abs or just inside your hip bones. Then, return to your plank and alternate each leg and side to complete this move, alternating for a total of one minute.

The Third Move: Knee to Elbow. In a downward dog position, take one leg and push your knee into your chest then straight back out and into the air as if trying to kick a wall behind you. Never let your foot touch the floor or mat. Keep moving your leg down to nearly touch the floor and then back again in your kick, for a total of 30 seconds, then switch sides. You will perform this movement for a total of one minute.

The Fourth Move: Mountain Climbers. Before you perform your mountain climbers, give your lower back a good stretch by placing your hands closest to your feet in a downward dog position. Your body will be in an upside-down U shape. Then, walk your hands forward on your mat or rug and perform one minute of mountain climbers (essentially fast-paced running with hands placed on the matt) for 30 seconds and stretch your lower back again before starting again with the other leg.

The Fifth Move: Straight Leg Movements. In a tabletop position, raise one leg into the air at a 45-degree angle, then bring it down smoothly to tap your toe on the far side of the mat or floor. Your foot should touch well outside of the mat. You will feel a stretch in your hips if your leg is wide enough. Then, you will move that same leg to cross over your anchored leg and touch down on the opposite side of the mat. Switch legs after 30 seconds and complete this movement for a total of one minute.

The Sixth Move: Sumo Squats with Arm Reach. Standing on your mat, move your legs out to the side in a sumo squat. This position will be wider than your normal squat with toes pointed slightly out. Then lower your butt down into your heels and as you raise yourself up slowly, lift your arms straight up into the air. Raise your arms as high as you can, to feel the stretch in your upper body. You will repeat the movement for a total of one minute. Breathe!

Now that you're off to a great start for the day, if your goal is to lose weight on a healthy plant-based diet, sign up for The VegStart Diet.