Mastering morning workouts

Words by Robert Birnbaum. Photography by Maria Camila Ruiz Lora.

While most of Berlin is still fast asleep, a pounding bass is already setting the tone in a dark, neon-lit studio, in the city’s Mitte quarter. The sun has yet to rise, but the bodies in the room are already glowing with energy and perspiration. Leading the call to turn up the intensity is workout instructor Emily Behler. She appreciates the challenge her class faced this morning: waking up early, leaving their warm beds and dragging their sleepy bodies to the gym. After all, she attended classes just like this before beginning her career as a trainer.

“I started going to indoor cycling classes after university, and I was just obsessed with it,” recalls the American. “The combination of music, the darkness and the vibes in the room hooked me immediately. I attended so many classes that the owner asked me if I wanted to become a coach.” After working in real estate in the US, and as a kindergarten teacher in China, Emily found a new home in Berlin. As a coach for indoor cycling, weight training, HIIT and Barre, she makes her classes break a sweat early in the morning.

“I like to work out in the morning, even though I’m not a morning person at all. I always thought people have more energy in the evening than in the morning – but I would say it’s quite the opposite. Oftentimes, people are gassed from their day and have little juice left for their workout. It might take them ten minutes in the morning to fully wake up, but after that, you can tell that people are happy and proud to be there.”

A good dose of willpower helps when it comes to voluntarily trading a warm bed for a tough workout. But Emily knows how to make it easy (or at least easier) for herself, when it comes to turning morning workouts from shock into a part of your routine.

Preparation is key 

“I once read that you need to change your environment to change your habits. It can be as simple as placing your phone in the next room. I only have a small alarm clock by my bed and five minutes later, the alarm on my phone rings in the other room. I can’t possibly stay in bed this way. 

The evening before, I’ll pack my bag and place my workout shoes right in front of the door. It’s hard to find the necessary motivation in the morning, but I learned that I’ll make it much easier for myself, when I prep well the night before. Change your environment in small steps, and your habits will follow.” 

But it’s also about preparing the body, not just the gear. After all, the body was resting for (ideally) seven to eight hours before getting up. Whether you’re getting ready for a sweaty 7 a.m. HIIT class or an evening workout – a little bit of stretching goes a long way. “I always say that you should move your body in the morning, get a quick stretch in. After that, the body is awake and ready for a workout.”

“Another reason why I love morning workouts: I have plenty of time to unwind in the evening. That means I can relax AND have enough time to prepare for the next day.”

Accountabili-Buddies

In team sports, a team needs to be able to rely on each member. This same accountability – and a sense of belonging – can also be what gets us out the door to train when we’d rather not. 

“Find a run crew, events, a community – it doesn’t have to be a single person. Tell people about your goals, that you’ll be back to the same class tomorrow. By putting it out there, you place a certain responsibility on yourself. And that’s not a bad thing, but the support you need. Others will not just expect you to show up. They also become witnesses of your progress and celebrate your successes with you.

“Just yesterday, I signed up for a morning group run. There’s no way I would have gone if I didn’t know 20 other people that were also going to be there. It was raining and I’m a fair-weather runner. I thought it was going to be canceled for sure, but it wasn’t. So that meant I had to go, and I did. In the end, I felt like Rocky Balboa working out in the rain and being a badass!”

The right community can be the secret ingredient that turns morning workouts into the perfect start to the day. To share this realization, Barry’s Bootcamp and On held a “breakfast club” event for anyone in Berlin eager to get moving. The schedule: Meet at Barry’s to go for a group run before enjoying breakfast.  

“You always feel such a cool vibe after a workout! People just got their endorphins from a workout and a run. Everybody’s excited for coffee and good food. And then you’ve got good music playing and people are dancing. It’s always a vibe. It’s so fun.”