Being a college student, there seems to almost never be a good reason to wake up early. For those of you trying to find time to fit in a good workout however, the AM hours might be the best option.

But before you go on and think, “No way. I can’t even get up in time for my 11 am classes,” let me share a few tricks that have helped me get up at the wee hours of the morning for sports and early workouts in the past!

1.    Lay out your gear

Having your ratty tee shirt and running shoes waiting for you is a great incentive to get going with your morning plan. You’ll remember the motivation you had the night before when placing it beside your bed. If this doesn’t do it for you, try writing a note and setting it on top of the clothes to remind yourself of the awesome workout you envisioned the previous evening and tell yourself to get going!

2.    Keep your alarm out of arm’s reach

The snooze button. We all love it, and yet, we all hate it. Rather than listening to Marimba over and over again, place your alarm a good distance away from you so you have to get up and turn it off. Simply climbing out of bed is half the battle. If you have gotten this far, you better get out that door!

3.    Have an Exercise Plan Ready Ahead of Time

Knowing beforehand what you’re going to do will help encourage you to do the workout. You will feel more responsible for executing your workout if you already know what you want to accomplish. Many people even write out their workout plans, similar to a school planner. Simply being able to cross it off the list might be enough to get yourself moving!

4.    Unveil the Outdoors

So many of us have the habit of burying ourselves in the dark by closing the blinds and curtains that would otherwise let in the morning sun (or maybe rain, depending on the day in Berkeley). Opening the blinds or pulling back the curtain while you sleep to let in the morning light can make all the difference. Our circadian rhythm, or internal pattern of activity and inactivity, adjusts to light naturally, making it easier to rise and shine.

5.    Climb Out of Bed, Turn on the Lights

Unfortunately, sometimes mornings aren’t very sunny, especially if you’re going for a pre-sunrise grind. Thanks to modern technology, however, we are able to get around that dilemma. As mentioned above, adjusting to the light will drastically help you wake up. So, as soon as you have gotten up to turn off the alarm, your next move should be to turn on the light, telling your body it’s not bedtime anymore.

6.    Have a decent breakfast

You may be going to exercise, but if you’re anything like me, the thought of food could be more motivating to get out of bed than anything else. This part can be tricky though. If you eat too much, then you can’t pull your own weight. But, if you eat too light ,you might run out of energy halfway through. Try a cup of oatmeal and a banana, or toast with peanut butter and some berries on the side. Heathy, hearty, and not too heavy!

7.    Grab a Partner

Having a friend or coach will obligate you to execute your workout. You won’t want to cancel your workout any more than you will want to admit to the massive amount of fro-yo you ate the night before (that’s not just me, right?). Having a workout buddy will give you the competition and encouragement you need to push yourself to the limit!

 8. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Fairly obvious, but so easily neglected! You’re not going to want to wake up after 3 hours rest, let alone go exercise. If you want to wake up refreshed and ready to move, the key is in the z’s!

Of course, this all seems so simple when reading it on your computer screen. If you find yourself hitting snooze tomorrow morning however, don’t be discouraged. Try again the next day, the only thing that’s holding you back is you!

Trending Articles: