Denise Austin, 66, Shares Quick ‘5-Minute Workout’ for ‘Heart Health’

Denise Austin, 66, Shares Quick ‘5-Minute Workout’ for ‘Heart Health’
  • Denise Austin shared a quick, “five-minute workout” in honor of heart health month.

  • The 66-year-old demonstrated her go-to “wake-up workout” to “promote circulation” and improve “overall health.”

  • Austin said that the workout “sets your day off right.”


After decades in the fitness industry, Denise Austin continues to share her top wellness tips with her fans and followers on social media. Whether it’s a head-to-toe toning workout video or her favorite stretches to relieve back pain, we can always learn something from the star. Recently, the 66-year-old shared an Instagram video featuring her favorite quick (five-minute!) “wake-up workout” in honor of “heart health month.”

In the video, Austin wishes fans a “happy February” while standing in front of the camera in a festive red and pink workout outfit. “A great month. It’s all about love—love your body,” she says, before getting right into the routine.

“A new month means a fresh start, the beginning of a new chapter! Start today with my Good Morning Stretch Workout!” Austin continues in the caption of the video. “This five-minute workout will get your blood moving and your body stretched from head to toe, to promote circulation and overall health—including the health of your heart! Perfect timing since February is Heart Health Month!”

Austin explains that she loves to do this routine every morning, calling it her “five-minute wake-up workout,” because it helps her “feel good.” She says that the workout “sets your day off right” and helps her to “wake up happy [and] to be grateful.” Plus, the moves that Austin demonstrates in the clip are gentle and low-impact, making them a great option for women of all ages and fitness levels.

The first dynamic stretch Austin performs is a simple “side to side” movement. She begins with her feet wide and arms outstretched to the side, reaching from side to side. “Take some deep breaths. Move your hips, move your body,” she says.

The next move flows out of that “side-to-side” stretch, with the same technique for the lower body and a different approach for the upper body. For this exercise, which Austin says incorporates “a little Tai Chi,” she moves her arms in a circular motion in front of her.

Next, Austin brings her feet together, bends her knees, and dives forward while sending her arms back before standing up tall and repeating the move. “Work the arms, work the legs. Stretch and tone,” she says in the video. “Really feel the body reach [and] breathe. It’s like a moving meditation.”

Along with staying active, relaxation and meditation techniques are excellent for improving your heart health, making Austin’s workout a great way to take care of your heart. “Not only does physical activity help prevent weight gain, but it also independently helps protect against cardiovascular disease,” Andrew Weil, M.D., founder and director of the Andrew Weil Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, previously explained. Plus, over time chronic stress “can lead to high blood pressure and, in turn, cardiovascular disease,” he added.

If you’re looking for even more ways to keep your heart healthy this February and beyond, try checking out the heart health checklist from the American Heart Association (AHA), which lists the eight essential elements for cardiovascular health.

We can’t wait to see what powerful workout Austin shares next. But for now, we’ll be focusing on this morning routine to boost heart health.

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