Ah, the morning workout. Those “morning people” are such overachievers, aren’t they? Chances are, if you’re a night owl, you can barely fathom the thought of getting out of your bed in the morning, let alone dragging your butt to the gym to exercise.
As someone who has dabbled in the super-early morning workout (5–7 a.m.), as well as the normal-early morning workout (8–10 a.m.), I will say that neither is an easy feat, especially in college, where rehearsals, events and study groups last until the wee hours of the morning. It’s hard to imagine that the real world is even awake that early. However, there is a reason why hard-core morning gym goers swear by their routine. There is a certain bliss that accompanies the feeling of having checked something off your to-do list first thing — not to mention the endorphins!
While most of your friends won’t actually tune into the 10 a.m. lecture until the caffeine from their latte has kicked in and the lecture is nearly over, your mental acuity will be at its peak. You might even feel motivated to learn, rather than watching the clock tick in slow motion.
So, if you are looking to approach spring with a fresh jolt of energy, check out these eight tips to make your morning workout a success!
1. Don’t do a late workout the night before (for example, after dinner). Your body won’t have had enough time to recover, and you’ll feel like you never took a break, especially if you’re heading back to the same gym or running route.
2. Eat something small before to motivate you. A lot of the time when I plan on working out first thing and I don’t, it’s not because I’m too tired, but because I’ve woken up hungry. Most of the time, if I eat even just a couple bites of a banana or a granola bar, I’ll feel a lot better and have a better workout too.
3. Don’t make it too hard, but don’t make it too easy.For most workouts, it often takes me about 10 minutes to get into the groove. This is mostly because I need to physically and mentally surpass the “barrier” where my cardio and mind kick in. Therefore, a morning workout ofcasual walking, biking or doing the elliptical usually doesn’t cut it. I have to actually force myself to work hard. That being said,a brutally hard interval workout is not always the best option either. Going all-out first thing in the morning is hard both mentally and physically, especially without having eaten a proper meal yet. Your body might not have the energy to push 100%, and this could leave you feeling depressed and unaccomplished.
4. Make sure you get a good warm up in.Roughly 15 minutes before the beginning of your workout, your heart rate is at its lowest point. Bringing it up too quickly will not only make your workout seem harder, you could actually injure yourself trying to compensate for this extra tiredness.
5. Schedule something engaging that motivates you. Whether that’s a spin class, running with a friend or a familiar favorite interval workout, do something you know you can do and that you’d be excited to do at another point in the day. By scheduling early something you would normally dread, you’re just lowering your chances of success.
6. Set out everything you need (or at least your clothes) the night before. It’ll be easier to get out of bed when you see what you have to put on, rather than picking it out of a closet. Plus, think of the guilt you’ll feel if you sleep in and upon waking up, see your poor unworn gym clothes hanging on the chair. Then you'll have to go to the gym to avoid the guilt!
7. Don’t go too hard on yourself mentally. If you’re setting out to run a 5k that you would usually run at a 9 minute per mile pace but can’t quite keep it up on a given morning, don’t beat yourself up about it. It will take your body some time to get used to this new routine. Be prepared to lower your standards the tiniest bit, and have a positive outlook. If nothing else, you can always tell yourself: “At least I made it to the gym!”
8. Remind yourself: “I’ll feel so much more awake after!” Okay, I admit it’s hard to imagine that workout high when you can barely keep your eyes open, but try it! (Justmake sure not to close your eyes when trying to picture it!)
I’d be lying if I said that I have mastered the art of the morning workout. However, I must say that I am genuinely looking forward to the time in my life when I consistently start my day off with a hard, satisfying workout. Every single time I leave a spin class or finish a run in the morning, I am reminded of how lucky I am to be able to exercise and start the day on such a positive note. Plus, you can’t beat that post-workout breakfast — am I right?!
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