Early morning exercise

[Elizabeth]

I'm a morning exercise person. I love that I get it done before the day gets crazy with work and family, and it helps tremendously with heat in the summer - my erg is in a garage without climate control, and I run on the side.

It didn't occur to me until reading some of the other replies that this may be why I need a fairly long warm-up for speed work. I'm stiff for the first five minutes or so, and am fine after I really get going.

The key with any new routine is to give it time, likely a few weeks, before it starts to feel good and natural. There's also a lot of food that I just can't stomach before exercise, and so figuring out nutrition is pretty important if your goal is exercise first thing in the morning. My typical is just a glass of water and then a black coffee. Sleep is also important. I think most "morning people" probably go to bed at 10pm, if not earlier.

[Dangerscouse]

My typical is just a glass of water and then a black coffee. Sleep is also important. I think most "morning people" probably go to bed at 10pm, if not earlier.

Yep. I usually have a banana, or two kiwis, a strong black coffee and some water.

I'm usually getting ready for bed by 21:30, so I can read for a bit too. I couldn't get up at 05:00 if I didn't.

I find I need about 45-50 mins to 'wake up' and feel prepared for the session. I suspect it's also linked to a drop in cortisol as you ease yourself into the day.

[Sakly]

Long time ago - ~5 years at least - I was used to do some bodyweight stuff in the morning. Wake up, glass of water, then timer set to 20min and went straight into exercises with lower to mid intensity, but high reps typically without break for the 20mins.
But I like to train in the evening as I am more "ready", so I relax in the morning and do no sports anymore.

[Cant Climb]

When I drove to the office everyday I often would do my first workout early. Was usually rowing. I had specific workouts for the morning that I programmed into the PM5. So I could start slow and my rowing times were always slower than the afternoon. But wierdly thought the training effect was more positive.

Kind of miss the early morning workouts. May try to replicate starting this fall.

[pagomichaelh]

Define 'early morning'.

I start one job around 0445, work until 0700-0800, work out until about 0930 while it's still 'cool' (84*F, 29*C), have a snack, shower, 20 minute nap, then back to my other job.

Mid-day until past sundown, the temp/humidity is a killer here, 'comfort factor' >104*F, 40*C = Mad dogs and Englishmen

[aussie nick]

I think the main advantage of early morning training is that there are far fewer opportunities for life to conspire to stop you from training.

pre pandemic, for 15 years I would wake up at 5.15, get in the car and do my commute before the traffic. train 6.15 to 7.30 and then be at work by 8. I didn't even question it. Although I did always find that my strength numbers were better when I trained on the weekends. I did also used to find that after a particularly intense workout, I couldn't focus at work for a few hours

I'm out of the habit now and mainly train in the late afternoon on weekdays...although occasionally at lunchtime and I find it easier physically. And I guess I'm lucky in that it's my own business and it's easier for me to turn off the phone for an hour or to never schedule calls or meetings post 5pm

[Dangerscouse]

I think the main advantage of early morning training is that there are far fewer opportunities for life to conspire to stop you from training.

pre pandemic, for 15 years I would wake up at 5.15, get in the car and do my commute before the traffic. train 6.15 to 7.30 and then be at work by 8. I didn't even question it. Although I did always find that my strength numbers were better when I trained on the weekends. I did also used to find that after a particularly intense workout, I couldn't focus at work for a few hours

I'm out of the habit now and mainly train in the late afternoon on weekdays...although occasionally at lunchtime and I find it easier physically. And I guess I'm lucky in that it's my own business and it's easier for me to turn off the phone for an hour or to never schedule calls or meetings post 5pm

Yeah. Cortisol is peaking early morning, as an aid to wake you up, and then testosterone is taking over as the day progresses. Later is at least theoretically better, but there are many athletes, and very fit people who train early in the morning e.g The Rock, Mark Wahlberg.

It's quite subjective to make sure you're at your most efficient, regardless of the hormonal soup that is going on.