Having commitment issues with that 6AM gym session?
We all want to be the kind of person who jumps out of bed at the 5AM alarm, sips coffee with purpose, and crushes a workout before the rest of the world is even awake. But….getting to the gym for 6am, especially in the winter can be toughhhhh.
It’s going to take more than motivation and good intentions. It takes routine, planning, and a few consistent weeks stacked together.
Now, I am a morning person through and through. I am up at 4:30am or 5am and in bed by 8pm every day. But... this doesn’t mean I am always motivated and jumping out of bed at 5am with energy. Especially if I’m tired, or when it’s cold, dark, and rainy.
So, here are a few things I do, and recommend you implement, to build a morning routine that actually gets you to the gym consistently:
Start the Night Before
Your morning actually begins the evening before. If you’re staying up scrolling or watching TV until midnight, no amount of motivation will save you when the alarm goes off at 5am. Instead:
Create a wind-down routine: Use salt lamps, dim the lights, take a hot shower, stretch, breathe, or read before bed.
Lights out, phone down: Turn off the TV and laptop at least 8-9 hours prior to the time you need to be awake.
Keep your bedtime consistent: Try to keep the time you go to bed as consistent as possible.
Stay Consistent, Even on Non-Training Days & Weekends
THIS IS KEY, and my #1 piece of advice. Our bodies love routine. If you are waking up at 8am some days and 9am on weekends, getting up at 5am on training days is going to be near impossible.
You need to make your sleep and wake routines consistent:
Complete your nightly routine every night, at the same time.
Wake up within 20-30 minutes of 5am every morning.
Don’t allow yourself to hit snooze (this is just going to make it harder and harder to get up).
Prep for Your Morning
Make your mornings as frictionless as possible. Having everything prepared for pre, intra, and post-training will make your morning schedule that little bit easier:
Get your gym outfit ready and pack your bag the night before.
Prep your coffee or pre-workout so it's ready to go.
Make your breakfast portable, or at least easy to heat and eat post-workout.
Track the Habit, Not the Motivation
Give it a few weeks to focus on building the habit. Use a calendar, habit app, or even a whiteboard at home to track:
Days you showed up (even if it wasn’t your best session).
Streaks you’re proud of.
How you felt after each session.
Building a solid morning routine is not about motivation, but about planning ahead and doing the thing consistently.
See you at 6am?
-Coach Brooke
