What's a realistic morning workout for someone who isn't a morning person?

Ten minutes of gentle movement — something like cat-cow, hip hinges, and a wall press — done consistently beats any ambitious routine you abandon by Thursday. Start with what you'll actually repeat, not what sounds impressive.

Is ten minutes of exercise in the morning actually worth it?

Yes, if you do it regularly. A short daily routine builds a habit that compounds over weeks; an occasional long session doesn't. Consistency is the variable that matters most.

Can I find a personal trainer in South Kensington (SW7) who works around a school-run schedule?

Barone Fitness is a one-to-one personal training and Pilates studio based in South Kensington (SW7), and sessions are designed to fit around exactly that kind of schedule — early mornings and post-drop-off slots included.

The Reset · Edition 14 · 27 August 2026

The Morning That Actually Sticks

Why a ten-minute morning beats an hour you'll never repeat — and how to build one that survives a real week.

Photo: Ash Edmonds / Unsplash

A ten-minute morning routine you'll do every day is worth more than a forty-five-minute session you'll do once. That's it. That's the whole idea. If you take nothing else from this edition, let it be that: the workout that changes anything is the one you repeat, not the one that destroys you.

The reason most morning routines collapse by Wednesday isn't motivation — it's friction. Too many steps, kit you have to find, a sequence that requires you to be fully awake before you've started. The move below is designed around the version of you who exists at 7am: slightly stiff, slightly tired, and with approximately twelve minutes before someone needs something.

The goal this week is just to do it three times. Not seven. Three. Notice how you feel by Friday — not in a dramatic way, just whether your back feels a little less grumpy and your mornings a little less chaotic. That's enough.

And if you're in and around Kensington & Chelsea and you've been telling yourself you'll book a proper session "when things calm down" — they won't. Three times a week, ten minutes. Start there.

The move — 10 minutes, no kit

The Morning That Actually Sticks — the move — Photo: Zyanya BMO / Unsplash

This sequence moves the whole body through its natural ranges — no jumping, no equipment, nothing that requires you to be warmed up before you begin.

01Cat-cow: on all fours, 8 slow breaths — inhale to drop the belly, exhale to round the spine. Go at half the speed you think you should.
02Hip hinges: stand, feet hip-width, hinge forward from the hips with a soft bend in the knee, feeling the back of your legs lengthen. 10 reps, unhurried.
03Wall press: hands on the wall at shoulder height, lower your chest slowly toward it, then push back. 10 reps. Think chest and back of the arms, not speed.
04Calf raises: stand tall, rise onto your toes, lower slowly. 15 reps. Hold the wall if you need to — that's not cheating, that's good form.
05Repeat the full sequence once more. Done.

The plate

Overnight Oats Three Ways

Make a big jar on Sunday night and the breakfast question is answered for the whole week — for you and, handily, for the children too. No cooking in the morning. No decisions. Just open the fridge.

·Rolled oats
·Milk of your choice
·A pinch of salt
·For version one: sliced banana and a spoonful of peanut butter
·For version two: frozen berries (left on top overnight, they thaw perfectly) and a drizzle of honey
·For version three: grated apple, a little cinnamon, and a handful of chopped walnuts

The shortcut: Make the base in bulk on Sunday — one big bowl of soaked oats stored in the fridge — then spoon into individual jars each evening with that night's toppings. Thirty seconds of effort per breakfast.

Where we eat

Cleanse Juice Bar & Kitchen, Portobello Road

Cleanse Juice Bar & Kitchen sits off Portobello Road and earns its place on a Notting Hill morning when you need something that actually does what it says. It's the kind of place worth factoring into your route if you're already that way — simple, straightforward, and a genuine alternative to eating whatever's closest and fastest. A good detour on a Saturday morning when the market is already buzzing and you'd rather not queue somewhere obvious.

275 Portobello Rd, London W11 1LR, UK · View on map →

The note

The night before, lay out everything you need for the morning: kit, trainers, the jar from the fridge moved to the front shelf. It sounds almost comically small, but friction is the enemy of early mornings. When the decision is already made before you wake up, you're not fighting yourself — you're just following a path someone thoughtful laid out for you. That someone was you, yesterday.

Train with Barone

Sessions are 60 minutes, one-to-one, at home or in-studio — no gym membership required. The 20-session block works out at £110 a session and is where most clients land.

Book a session →

Good to know

What's a realistic morning workout for someone who isn't a morning person?: Ten minutes of gentle movement — something like cat-cow, hip hinges, and a wall press — done consistently beats any ambitious routine you abandon by Thursday. Start with what you'll actually repeat, not what sounds impressive.
Is ten minutes of exercise in the morning actually worth it?: Yes, if you do it regularly. A short daily routine builds a habit that compounds over weeks; an occasional long session doesn't. Consistency is the variable that matters most.
Can I find a personal trainer in South Kensington (SW7) who works around a school-run schedule?: Barone Fitness is a one-to-one personal training and Pilates studio based in South Kensington (SW7), and sessions are designed to fit around exactly that kind of schedule — early mornings and post-drop-off slots included.

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