The morning workout you can do from your BED

It’s little wonder few of us make it to the end of January without our new year’s fitness resolutions flying out of the window. Cold, dark rainy mornings are hardly conducive with leaping out of bed and heading off to the gym for a dawn workout.

But does getting fit really have to involve braving the elements? In fact, does it really have to involve getting out of bed, at all? We challenged USA Pro Personal Trainer, Lucy Wyndham Read to come up with an effective exercise regime that can be done from the comfort of your own bed.

More effective than a shot of espresso, Lucy’s top-to-toe tone-up is the perfect way to feel energised when you wake up.

Wonder Bust
Targets: Arms and bust

“Lie face down on your bed with your bust, arms and head hanging over the edge. Move your arms in a circular motion as though you were swimming breaststroke with your head looking down at the ground. Build up to doing 20 repetitions.”

Heavenly Thighs
Targets: Bottom and thighs

“Lie face up on your bed with your knees bent and both feet flat on the bed. Grab a pillow and place it between your knees with your arms by your sides on the mattress. Lift your bottom off the bed and hold then squeeze your knees as tightly together as you can. Pressing into the pillow, hold this position for a second then lower and repeat 20 times.”

[Fitness on Trial: The new weights class you'll actually LOVE]
[Fitness on Trial: Speedflex lets you burn the MOST calories]

Hourglass Abs
Targets: The deepest abdominal muscles and pulls in the waist.

“Using two pillows, place one on each side of your body, in line with – and about six inches away from – your hips. Lying face up with your knees bent, feet flat on the bed, place your finger tips by the side of your head and lift your head and shoulders off the bed by doing a basic abdominal lift. Hold at about 45 degrees then bend from your waist so you aim to get your left elbow towards the pillow on your left then come back up to the centre. Repeat on the right side, aiming to get your right elbow to the right pillow. Hold then lower then lift to the centre and repeat either side. Repeat 20 times.”

Fat Burner
Targets: All over body toner and calorie buster

“Sit on the edge of your bed and reaching your arms up as if you are stretching, stand up, hold, then place your hands on your hips and sit back down. Repeat 20 times.”

If you’re pear shaped…
Targets: Inside and outside of the thighs, bottom and hips

“Lie on your left side in the middle of the bed with your body in a straight line, your hips parallel and your tummy pulled in tight. Bend your bottom arm and rest your top arm out in front with your head resting on your pillow.

“Raise your top leg about 10 inches, hold then rotate your ankle as though you were drawing a circle with your foot. Repeat 30 times in one direction then 30 times in the opposite direction.

“Next roll onto your back, bend your knees and have your feet flat on the mattress, hip width apart. Lift your bottom as high as you can and place a pillow underneath. Keeping your head and shoulders on the bed, aim to lift your bottom and hips a little higher so you are not touching the pillow and squeeze you bottom tight for 30 counts.

“Now repeat the first part of the exercise but lying on your right side. Build up to repeating this entire exercise twice.”

If you’re apple shaped…
Targets: Tightens the waist muscles

Lie flat on your back on the bed. Holding onto a pillow, sit up and aim to place the pillow by your feet. Hold for a second then slowly lower back down. Repeat this 20 times. (NOTE TO SELF: As you sit up and lower down, keep your belly button drawn in towards your spine.)

Next, sit upright in bed and while holding onto your pillow, twist round and place the pillow behind you. Hold for a second then bring it back to the centre. Now twist it round to the opposite side. Repeat this 20 times, alternating from side to side. (NOTE TO SELF: To really work the waist, make sure you take the pillow as far behind as you can.)

Build up to repeating the ‘apple’ workout two to three times.