London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Nov 23, 2025

How to become an early morning workout person

How to become an early morning workout person

There are two types of workout people – those who begin with an exercise session first-thing, and those who blow off steam at the end of the day.

Of course, there are pros and cons to both – but it’s considerably harder to push yourself to get up earlier to exercise before your day starts.

After all, that extra hour in bed is always more appealing than a run when an alarm goes off at 6am.

If you’ve always dreamt of being a morning workout person, then the clocks going forward this weekend could be the perfect opportunity to get things in order.

Days will be longer and mornings will be brighter, which means getting up should be a little easier.

Experts have suggested a few simple ways to help your body adjust to an early morning exercise session and have outlined some useful tips to keep in mind.

Start slow


Jason Bone, head of strength at FLEX Chelsea, says it’s important not to set yourself up to fail straight away and a good way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to start slowly.

‘If you’re not already an early riser the key is to start slowly, get up 15 minutes earlier than you usually would and just give yourself a 10 minute workout, probably best to start with some mobility exercises or a walk,’ he tells Metro.co.uk.

Jason also recommends drinking a glass or two of water, as this will help with rehydration and to flush out the stomach and balance the lymphatic system.

He adds: ‘Each week set the alarm 15 minutes earlier and increase the intensity of the exercise until you’re at a full hour session. Workouts such as yoga and pilates are great to start with regardless of your goal, they will help with your energy levels.

‘As you start to feel more alert you can add mini body weight circuits to your routine and even add weights depending on your goals.’

Prep your clothes the night before


It might sound really simple but having your workout clothes out ready to go may encourage you to get up. It’ll also help you to form a habit.

Health coach Charlene Gisele says: ‘If you prepare in advance, you are a step closer to building a powerful habit. The hardest part (getting ready for the workout) is then done. This is a way to trick your mind with a technique called habit staking.

‘If you put your trainers in a place where you know you’ll see it before you reach for coffee, then you know you’ve got to earn that coffee with a workout first, which is a big motivator.’

Remember the end feeling

The feel-good endorphins will set you up for the day

Natalie Edwards, a trainer for home fitness and nutrition app Open Fit, says to keep the feel-good end of the workout in mind and how it will set you up nicely for the day ahead.

She says: ‘Waking up early and getting your morning sweat can feel like a big challenge – sometimes we just want to hide under the duvet, but remember exercise releases endorphins giving you that feel good high – it’ll transform your day.

‘Morning miles fill the lungs with fresh air ahead of your day. Strength sessions can empower and set the tone of your day – think about how you want to feel and how exercise can really change your mindset for a day working from home or looking after the kids.’

Have an incredible playlist


Music has the power to make you feel motivated, happy and just generally better. So take some time to create a playlist that will make you feel energised for the session you are going to complete – whether it’s slow yoga or high-intensity running.

Jericho McMatthews, a trainer at Beachbody On Demand, says: ‘Having a killer playlist is definitely a must. Music has the ability to change our mood instantly.

‘Selecting tracks that match the mood or intensity of your workout can help you push harder, lift your pace or power through fatigue and discomfort during the most challenging parts of your circuit.’

But don’t forget to mix up your playlists once in a while, to keep things fresh and exciting.

Stretch to wake yourself up


‘Stretching is a fundamental activity that is often overlooked – and something that is almost as valuable to the body as sleeping and drinking water,’ says Rachele Gilman, director of Stretch Inc.

Of course, stretching is important at any time of day, but it’s particularly great in the morning as it helps to wake your body up after a night of sleep.

Rachele adds: ‘In the morning, our natural inclination is to stretch, most people do it without thinking.

‘When we sleep, bodies are relatively still, meaning our muscles haven’t moved for a significant amount of time. The intuitive full body stretch is your brain letting your body know it’s time to move. The movement starts to realign your body. We can improve that process by adding in some additional, less intuitive movements that can be done from your bed.

‘Be gentle with yourself. Don’t make any sudden movements and don’t jerk or force your body into positions you aren’t ready for. You’re still waking up and your muscles are warming up.

‘Remember to breathe into positions to take the stretch deeper and try to relax.’

A few early morning stretches to try from bed


* ‘Lying flat, pull your knees into your chest to release the low back. For self-massage, perform a slight side-to-side motion.

* ‘Now, a supine twist, still on your back, drop your knees to one side, turning your head and extending the arm to the opposite side. Switch sides.

* ‘Bring your knees back to centre and place both feet on your bed. Cross the right leg over the left, flexing the right foot just below the left knee. Neck and back flat on the bed.

* ‘Extend both legs out and sit up, fold your body over your legs, reaching for your toes. Reach as far as you can whilst keeping a flat back. The goal is a deep stretch, not to grab your feet.

* ‘Finally, sit on the edge of your bed with your feet on the floor and fold again, this time rounding the back, relaxing the neck and letting the arms hang towards the floor.

* ‘Give more time and thought to stretching and it’ll keep your body and mind mobile and resilient. It’ll aid posture, injury proof your body and improve general wellbeing.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” Extends U.K. No. 1 Run to Five Weeks
UK VPN Sign-Ups Surge by Over 1,400 % as Age-Verification Law Takes Effect
Former MEP Nathan Gill Jailed for Over Ten Years After Taking Pro-Russia Bribes
Majority of UK Entrepreneurs Regard Government as ‘Anti-Business’, Survey Shows
UK’s Starmer and US President Trump Align as Geneva Talks Probe Ukraine Peace Plan
UK Prime Minister Signals Former Prince Andrew Should Testify to US Epstein Inquiry
Royal Navy Deploys HMS Severn to Shadow Russian Corvette and Tanker Off UK Coast
China’s Wedding Boom: Nightclubs, Mountains and a Demographic Reset
Fugees Founding Member Pras Michel Sentenced to 14 Years in High-Profile US Foreign Influence Case
WhatsApp’s Unexpected Rise Reshapes American Messaging Habits
United States: Judge Dressed Up as Elvis During Hearings – and Was Forced to Resign
Johnson Blasts ‘Incoherent’ Covid Inquiry Findings Amid Report’s Harsh Critique of His Government
Lord Rothermere Secures £500 Million Deal to Acquire Telegraph Titles
Maduro Tightens Security Measures as U.S. Strike Threat Intensifies
U.S. Envoys Deliver Ultimatum to Ukraine: Sign Peace Deal by Thursday or Risk Losing American Support
Zelenskyy Signals Progress Toward Ending the War: ‘One of the Hardest Moments in History’ (end of his business model?)
U.S. Issues Alert Declaring Venezuelan Airspace a Hazard Due to Escalating Security Conditions
The U.S. State Department Announces That Mass Migration Constitutes an Existential Threat to Western Civilization and Undermines the Stability of Key American Allies
Students Challenge AI-Driven Teaching at University of Staffordshire
Pikeville Medical Center Partners with UK’s Golisano Children’s Network to Expand Pediatric Care
Germany, France and UK Confirm Full Support for Ukraine in US-Backed Security Plan
UK Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods Face Rising Backlash as Pandemic Schemes Unravel
UK Records Coldest Night of Autumn as Sub-Zero Conditions Sweep the Country
UK at Risk of Losing International Doctors as Workforce Exodus Grows, Regulator Warns
ASU Launches ASU London, Extending Its Innovation Brand to the UK Education Market
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Visit China in January as Diplomatic Reset Accelerates
Google Launches Voluntary Buyouts for UK Staff Amid AI-Driven Company Realignment
UK braces for freezing snap as snow and ice warnings escalate
Majority of UK Novelists Fear AI Could Displace Their Work, Cambridge Study Finds
UK's Carrier Strike Group Achieves Full Operational Capability During NATO Drill in Mediterranean
Trump and Mamdani to Meet at the White House: “The Communist Asked”
Nvidia Again Beats Forecasts, Shares Jump in After-Hours Trading
Wintry Conditions Persist Along UK Coasts After Up to Seven Centimetres of Snow
UK Inflation Eases to 3.6 % in October, Opening Door for Rate Cut
UK Accelerates Munitions Factory Build-Out to Reinforce Warfighting Readiness
UK Consumer Optimism Plunges Ahead of November Budget
A Decade of Innovation Stagnation at Apple: The Cook Era Critique
Caribbean Reparations Commission Seeks ‘Mutually Beneficial’ Justice from UK
EU Insists UK Must Contribute Financially for Access to Electricity Market and Broader Ties
UK to Outlaw Live-Event Ticket Resales Above Face Value
President Donald Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at White House to Seal Major Defence and Investment Deals
German Entertainment Icons Alice and Ellen Kessler Die Together at Age 89
UK Unveils Sweeping Asylum Reforms with 20-Year Settlement Wait and Conditional Status
UK Orders Twitter Hacker to Repay £4.1 Million Following 2020 High-Profile Breach
Popeyes UK Eyes Century Mark as Fried-Chicken Chain Accelerates Roll-out
Two-thirds of UK nurses report working while unwell amid staffing crisis
Britain to Reform Human-Rights Laws in Sweeping Asylum Policy Overhaul
Nearly Half of Job Losses Under Labour Government Affect UK Youth
UK Chancellor Reeves Eyes High-Value Home Levy in Budget to Raise Tens of Billions
UK Urges Poland to Choose Swedish Submarines in Multi-Billion € Defence Bid
×