Your alarm goes off, and a voice in your head shouts, “Just five more minutes!” No matter how set you were on a killer morning workout last night, you may find yourself snoozing until you no longer have time to sweat before work. The story doesn’t end there, however. If you’re trying to recommit to a.m. training, Tier X coach Jakub Szylak has the tips you need to not only best your alarm but find real affection for starting your day with exercise.
While nighttime workouts can deliver just as much in the way of mood-boosting, results-driven workouts, morning workouts are their own special sauce.
The 3 major benefits of working out in the morning
To stick with your morning workouts, you’ll first need to find your why. Do you want to start off your day knowing that you’ve already clocked a three-mile run? Do you want to use a strength training session to start the momentum of your day?
If you’re not sure just yet, that’s okay. Use the morning workout benefits as your inspiration—and make sure you’re clear on your why before you set that alarm.
Morning workouts offer mood-boosting dopamine and serotonin
“With morning workouts, your body releases dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins that fill you up after a workout,” says Szylak. These three neurotransmitters promote happiness and energy and are responsible for that runner’s high you’ve felt if you’ve logged some longer mileage.
To be clear, working out releases these feel-good hormones no matter the time of day. But Szylak points out that accomplishing a run, HIIT session, or strength class early in the morning means that you’ll have that happiness edge for the rest of the day—and who wouldn’t want that?
Morning workouts promote all-day alertness
A 2019 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that exercising in the morning improved attention and decision-making (thanks, in part, to those happiness chemicals we just spoke about). So if you have a long day of Zoom meetings and emails ahead of you, sweating in the morning will set you up for all-day focus.
Sweating first thing gives you the momentum to make other good-for-you choices
Some research suggests that morning workouts have a positive ripple effect throughout the rest of your day. One study found that those who worked out in the morning moved their bodies more overall as well, and another found that sweating in the morning may help you be more aware of your hunger cues as your workday stretches on.
Szylak’s top 5 tips for making your morning workouts happen
1. Prepare your gym bag and clothes the night before
If you wait until the morning to choose your workout fit, you may just lose your momentum. “Put both things right in front of your door,” says Szylak. “Also grab your Apple Watch or Whoop if you wear one of those.”
2. Set a calendar alert or alarm with an inspirational quote or video
As your second reminder to get out the door and to your local Equinox, set a thoughtful alarm that features your favorite song, quote, or an inspirational workout video you love.
3. Make a plan to meet your workout buddy
If someone else is relying on you, you’re way less likely to bail at the last minute. So ask your friend if they want to meet you for a morning spin class and grab a coffee afterward. That way, you have a whole morning to look forward to—and you can carry your endorphin rush into a catch-up with someone you care about.
4. Make a training plan ahead of time
So everything goes according to plan: You wake up, gear up, and head out the door… only to realize you don’t have a plan. The last thing you want to do is content with decision fatigue first thing in the morning, so Szylak recommends writing out your workout plan ahead of time. “Having that workout set for yourself the night before could be a really good way of showing up to a morning workout,” says Szylak.
If you want to go on a run, for example, don’t just write “run” on your calendar. Make it specific: Jot down “40-minute, steady state-run” or “25-minute speed run with 30-second hard intervals.”
5. Work with a personal trainer, if it makes sense for your budget
If working with a trainer is financially feasible for you, Szylak recommends doing so. That way, you have someone holding you accountable to those morning workouts and designing your plans so you have zero need to plan, plan, plan. All you have to worry about is showing up.
Downloading a fitness app like the Equinox+ app can also minimize the amount of planning you have to do on a daily basis, so that’s a great opportunity if working with a trainer doesn’t feel possible at the moment.
A note about caring for yourself post-morning workout
Your cooldown isn’t the final thing you need to do before cashing in on the benefits of your morning workout. Make sure you’re taking a moment to refuel with a breakfast that includes protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. And don’t forget to replenish your electrolytes.
“Especially after a morning workout, finding ways of getting some electrolytes in your body will replenish your muscles and help you recover,” says Szylak. Drop an electrolyte tablet into your water bottle and drink up so that your morning workouts continue to get easier.