I recently switched hours at work and now don't get off until around 5:30. I used to get off at 3:30 and get my workout in. Howerver, with the new schedule I don't want to workout that late. So today I did my first morning workout. My muscles were not ready for this. I am 51 years old so it takes me a little bit longer to get going in the morning. Anyone else work out in the morning. Any prep ideas. How do you just wake up and start working out and a cold body?
Anyone work out in the morning
- Thread starter Drew0311
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I did it for the first time 12 years ago, and haven't looked back.
You'll need to change your expectations a bit. Am I stronger & more flexible in the afternoon? Yes. Was I more likely to skip because of late meetings, family commitments, etc.? Also yes.
The ability to dictate my own consistency is a big deal to me. And after about a month... the groggy weirdness of working out in the morning was gone.
You'll need to change your expectations a bit. Am I stronger & more flexible in the afternoon? Yes. Was I more likely to skip because of late meetings, family commitments, etc.? Also yes.
The ability to dictate my own consistency is a big deal to me. And after about a month... the groggy weirdness of working out in the morning was gone.
Good luck, my body told me to **** off when I tried to be a before work workout person.
it will take a couple weeks, but your body will adjust. The most important part is that you consistently get your exercise in.
I liked to work out early in the morning because I could get it in before the kids woke up. My workouts usually started at 5:30am.
I liked to work out early in the morning because I could get it in before the kids woke up. My workouts usually started at 5:30am.
I have the first shift with @CoachHines3 mom so you could say so.
I didn’t become a morning person until I started early workouts about 6 years ago. What really got me going was a class-based workout. Knowing I had signed up to be at the 6am class is the level of commitment I needed to make me do it. I get up at 5am and am out the door by 5:30 to make a 6am class. I do a crossfit style workout that’s a combo of cardio and weightlifting.
Here are a few other tips/ideas that can be helpful to get you going.
The big thing is to remove all barriers. Don’t leave anything that will give you an excuse to not do it.
Like others have said, you need to do it for a couple weeks and then your body will adjust. I can't sleep later than about 6am anymore even if I try. My body's clock is adjusted to wake up at 5am every day now. I don't always get up at 5 on my off days, but my eyes always open at that time without me trying.
Good luck!
Here are a few other tips/ideas that can be helpful to get you going.
The big thing is to remove all barriers. Don’t leave anything that will give you an excuse to not do it.
- Set out your workout clothes the night before. Since I go to a class and shower there, I pack all my stuff the night before: shower stuff, clothes, lunchbox, etc. I also set my workout clothes out.
- Set your alarm on your phone and set it across the room from your bed. That way you have to get out of bed to shut it off. This is especially helpful in cold months when that warm bed is awfully constraining.
- Make it fun. Get a podcast, audiobook, music, or other media that is something you can look forward to during the workout.
- Set up a (healthy) reward system. Ex: Put $5 in a jar every time you do a workout. Or if you do X workouts in a row, you get Y reward. Something to give you the motivation.
- Set up a commitment system. Tell your spouse, friend, etc, “I’m getting up early to work out tomorrow.”
- Make a small commitment just to get moving like doing one set of curls or 10 pushups. Often once you start, then you’ll want to keep going. Starting is the hardest part.
Like others have said, you need to do it for a couple weeks and then your body will adjust. I can't sleep later than about 6am anymore even if I try. My body's clock is adjusted to wake up at 5am every day now. I don't always get up at 5 on my off days, but my eyes always open at that time without me trying.
Good luck!
you beat me to my own joke you sum bish
I can’t do it and I’m a bit younger than you. And even when I do manage to make it early, I’m not getting as much out of it. I can’t slam enough carbs that early to make my body go the way it needs to go to maximize any kind of lifts. That stuff is for HS kids.
**** morning workouts. I swam in high school and we did two-a-days all season. I will never work out in the morning ever again if it's up to me.
Same here, wife would work out in the morning when kids were younger and I would try to squeeze in an evening one which was difficult with helping with homework and time with kids. With youngest now HS I need to just start getting up and putting in some here and there. Put in a 10-15 minute walk and then jog and get pushed where I'm up an hour earlier.
I do a class based HIT session at 5:15am M-F and Saturday at 8am if my kids' sports schedules allow. For me, I've never been able to have a good workout after 1pm (excluding HS and college sports). I love an AM workout.
This also ensures I go to bed on a consistent schedule (usually 9:30 +/- 15min), drink plenty of water after dinner and it has positively impacted (reduced) my alcohol consumption.
This also ensures I go to bed on a consistent schedule (usually 9:30 +/- 15min), drink plenty of water after dinner and it has positively impacted (reduced) my alcohol consumption.
Workout vs Bed
The bed has one heck of a winning percentage
The bed has one heck of a winning percentage
Morning workouts don't feel as effective to me for getting the max physical results. But every other aspect of it seems to be better. The energy level through the day, sleeping at night when not coming off the exercise boost. Making sure it gets done. All those fall in line more consistently with the morning workouts. I'm not exercising to compete in the Olympics so I'm pretty okay trading off some "performance" for the other benefits.
My muscles this morning were like "Bro what are you doing". I started with pushups and was down about 10 pushups compared to my normal 50 to start. Then it snowballed and every other thing was harder. Until the second half of my workout was a little more normal. I feel good at work now though. I will say I am not as sluggish to start the day out at work. Not sure if that is because of more sleep or because I actually put the work out in the morning.
I work out with @CoachHines3 mom in the evenings..... don't have enough energy in the mornings after that.
It takes a hot minute to adjust to the schedule but consistency helps as the other posters pointed out. Also a long view, this is for health. There is no finish line it is just part of what needs to be done for longevity.
Now if I get up and workout for all these years and get hit by a car I'm going to be pissed.
