Morning workout. Ten tips on how to do it.

Key takeaways

• The article focuses on one common problem with morning training: good intentions the night before often disappear when the alarm goes off.
• One way to make getting out of bed easier is to imagine how good you will feel after completing the workout.
• Thinking about something pleasant after training, such as coffee and a good breakfast, can also make the morning routine more appealing.
• The article recommends avoiding coffee in the evening because caffeine consumed within roughly six hours of bedtime may reduce sleep quality and make waking up harder.
• Wake-up apps can be used to support the morning routine by tracking sleep phases or simulating daylight.
• The article strongly recommends avoiding the snooze button because repeatedly postponing the alarm makes it easier to abandon the planned session.
• Getting up immediately after the alarm also helps turn the decision to train into a consistent habit.
• Leaving the windows uncovered can make waking easier because natural morning light can support a more gradual wake-up process.
• Placing the phone or alarm clock away from the bed forces you to physically get up to switch it off.
• Arranging a morning workout with another person creates accountability and makes cancelling the session less likely.
• Training with someone can also make early workouts more enjoyable and social.
• The article presents sufficient sleep as one of the foundations of successful morning training and suggests at least around 7 hours for active athletes.
• It also describes 9–10 hours as an optimal amount for some athletes and recommends avoiding nights below the minimum more than once or twice per week.
• Insufficient sleep is presented as a problem not only for waking up, but also for recovery and training performance.
• Preparing clothes, food, the bike, power meter, and other equipment the evening before reduces the number of decisions and small barriers between waking up and starting the workout.
• The article recommends limiting electronics before bedtime because screen light may interfere with melatonin secretion and make sleep more difficult.
• Reading a book, talking with family, or using software that adjusts screen parameters to the time of day are presented as alternatives to normal evening screen use.
• The central message is that morning training becomes easier when preparation, sleep, accountability, environmental cues, and consistent routines turn the process from a one-off effort into a habit.

10:46 PM

“I will wake up for a workout tomorrow early morning. This way I will have all day off and I will feel great. I cannot wait”

5:30 AM

Snooze 15min

5:45 AM

Snooze 30min

6:15 AM

“It’s raining today; I will practice it in the evening today.”

Repeat

If you know this and similar scenarios, then this text is for you. What to do to get up in the morning motivated and ready for training *?

• • Imagine how well you will feel after training
    For many people, such a thought makes it easier to make this difficult decision to get out of bed and go for a workout. Such a small visualization can work wonders
  • Think about your morning coffee and a good breakfastFor me personally, such a thought often makes it easier to get together for morning exercises – starting the day with a cycling espresso (or two), and a nutritious breakfast most probably will effectively put us on our feet.
• • Quit coffee in the evening before going to bedCaffeine consumption less than 6 hours before bedtime disturbs the quality and effectiveness of nighttime rest. The result is that in the morning we can get up tired and without energy.
• • Use an appMany applications  help you wake up effectively, measuring the body’s activity during sleep (shallow/ deep phases) or even imitating daylight.
• • Do not press “snooze.”
    If we have decided to get up earlier, and yet we press “snooze,” we give our mind a signal about the failure of our undertaking. It’s a bad start to the day – sticking to your decisions provides us with a feeling of satisfaction and allows us to change them into a habit.
  • Do not cover the windows
    Waking up naturally with the sunrise has been the proven way to wake up to life for centuries. Of course, this does not apply when you need to get up at 4 am.
  • Put the phone in a different room
    The alarm clock will start ringing a few meters away from you so you will have to get up to turn it off.
  • Set an appointment with someone for the workout
    If we have someone with whom we can regularly train in the morning, making an appointment for training is one of the strongest motivations. We do not want to disappoint anyone, so we usually go out for training. Besides, the company allows you to spend an enjoyable morning.
  • Get some sleep
    We can not go below certain limits. I think that for active athletes, a reasonable minimum is 7 hours of sleep per day, the optimum is 9-10. Let’s not go below the minimum more than 1-2x a week. Not only will it make it difficult to get up earlier in the next few days, but it will also impair the regeneration and the results achieved during training.
  • Prepare for a morning workout in the evening
    Removing small barriers on the way from bed to full training readiness often helps. Preparing clothing, food, bike or meter can help you decide to get up early.
  • Avoid electronics before going to sleepThe screen light disturbs the melatonin secretion process that regulates our sleep. You’d better read a book or talk to your loved ones.

If you still want to do something on electronic devices, then you can use the application that adjusts the screen parameters to the time of the day:

https://justgetflux.com/

* Note: all tips apply only when their status changes from “one time only” to “habit.” 🙂

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