← The whole morning

The Body phase · guided morning movement

A morning workout that starts lying down.

Loosen Up wakes the joints from the floor to standing. Build Strength works back down with six quiet moves. Fifteen minutes for both, no equipment, nothing to look up.

Loosen Up8 moves · ~9 min Build Strength6 moves · ~6 min
The Build Strength session in progress.

How a session runs

Press start once. The phone does the counting.

  1. GET READY5 s

    One line tells you how to get into position, before the clock starts.

  2. GO40–81 s

    A three-second count-in, a chime, and the move. Easier and Harder are one tap away.

  3. SWITCH SIDES3 s

    One-sided moves pause for the change. It never eats into your time.

  4. DONEyour pace

    A closing breath, then Continue ticks the step in your morning.

Session one · mobility

Loosen Up

Guided mobility and stretching, one move at a time. Gentle on a waking body. Lying → sitting → all fours → kneeling → standing. About 9 minutes.

  1. Breathing on your back.

    01Breathing on your back

    1:21

    Lie on your back, one hand on your belly. A short breath in through your nose, a long breath out through your mouth. Repeat 6×.

    EASIER Bend your knees and let them rest together. HARDER In for two, out for eight.

  2. Glute bridge.

    02Glute bridge

    0:45

    Feet hip-width apart. Roll your hips up, squeeze at the top, roll slowly down.

    EASIER Just tilt your pelvis. HARDER Hold the top for three breaths.

  3. 90/90 hip switches.

    0390/90 hip switches

    1:00

    Knees bent at right angles, hands behind you. Tip both knees slowly from side to side.

    EASIER Lean back more on your hands. HARDER Let go and sit tall.

  4. Cat–cow.

    04Cat–cow

    1:00

    Breathe in: let your back sink, look ahead. Breathe out: round your back, chin to chest.

    EASIER Rest on fists or forearms. HARDER Pause a breath at each end.

  5. Thread the needle.

    05Thread the needle

    2 × 0:30

    Reach one arm to the ceiling. Breathing out, slide it under your body, shoulder to the floor. Eyes follow the hand.

    EASIER Only turn upwards. HARDER Hold the lowest point for three breaths.

  6. Kneeling lunge with reach.

    06Kneeling lunge with reach

    2 × 0:30

    Squeeze the glute on the back-knee side, ease your hips forward, reach that arm up. Feel the front of the hip, not the lower back.

    EASIER Cushion under the knee, hold a chair. HARDER Lean away from the raised arm.

  7. Ragdoll and roll up.

    07Ragdoll and roll up

    0:45

    Soft knees. Let your head and arms hang and sway. For the last 15 s, roll up slowly, head last.

    EASIER Hands on thighs, fold halfway. HARDER Hold your elbows and hang deeper.

  8. Arm circles and reach.

    08Arm circles and reach

    0:45

    Big, slow arm circles, forwards, then backwards. To finish, reach up and lower your arms on a long breath out.

    EASIER Just roll your shoulders. HARDER Small, fast circles, arms held out.

“Done. You are on your feet and the day can start.”

Session two · bodyweight strength

Build Strength

Guided strength, one move at a time. Quiet, with no jumping and no equipment. Standing → floor, one round: 40 s of work, 20 s to set up the next move.

  1. Squats.

    01Squats

    0:40

    Feet shoulder-width apart. Sit back as onto a chair: heels down, chest up, knees over your toes.

    EASIER Touch a chair and stand back up. HARDER Three seconds down, pause at the bottom.

  2. Calf raises.

    02Calf raises

    0:40

    Rise onto your toes, hold a second, lower slowly.

    EASIER Hold on to a wall or a chair. HARDER Take three seconds to lower.

  3. Reverse lunges.

    03Reverse lunges

    0:40

    Step back and lower the back knee towards the floor, front knee over the ankle. Come back, switch legs.

    EASIER Hold a chair, keep it shallow. HARDER Pause at the bottom.

  4. Push-ups.

    04Push-ups

    0:40

    Hands a little wider than your shoulders, body in one line. Chest to the floor. Out of strength? Hold the position, then carry on.

    EASIER On your knees. HARDER Take three seconds to go down.

  5. Superman.

    05Superman

    0:40

    Lift your arms, chest and legs a little off the floor. Hold 2–3 s, then lower. Eyes on the floor.

    EASIER Opposite arm and leg, alternating. HARDER Stay up the whole time.

  6. Forearm plank.

    06Forearm plank

    0:40

    Elbows under your shoulders, glutes tight, hips level. Breathe normally.

    EASIER On your knees. HARDER Lift one foot at a time.

“Knees down, sit back on your heels and take three slow breaths. Done.”

Your order, your moves

Add, remove and reorder moves within each session. Each move keeps the time it was designed for.

New moves, in updates NEW

The library grows with the app. A new move shows up marked NEW, ready to add to your session.

On paper, too

On Android, the printed day sheet lists each session’s moves with their times, so the phone can stay in another room.

Questions before the first morning

Do I need anything?

Floor space the size of a mat. A mat or rug is kinder on the knees; a chair helps with the easier versions.

Do I have to do both sessions?

No. Each one is a single step in your routine. Keep one, both, or mark only Loosen Up for SHORT mornings.

Is there video?

No. Illustrated figures and soft chimes keep it light, quiet and fully offline.

Is it safe for me?

Move within your own limits, and if something hurts, stop. With an injury or a condition, ask your doctor or physiotherapist first. Better Morning is not medical advice.

Tomorrow, start on the floor.

Both sessions are part of Better Morning. Try the whole morning free for 7 days.

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