Why an early-morning class is easier to stick to
A 7.30am class sounds like hard work. In practice it is often the easiest habit to keep. Here is why, and how to make the early start feel easy.
2 min read
When people see a class at 7.30 in the morning, the first reaction is often a wince. Before work? In the dark, in winter? But ask anyone who has kept up a morning class for a few months and you tend to hear the same thing: it is the easiest habit they have.
Nothing gets in the way
Evening plans have a habit of falling apart. Work runs late, someone needs a lift, tea needs making, and by seven o'clock the sofa is winning. A morning class happens before any of that. The day has not had a chance to fill up yet, so there is far less to talk you out of going.
It sets the tone for the day
An hour of moving and breathing slowly before work changes how the rest of the day feels. You arrive at your desk, or the school gate, having already done something for yourself. Most people find they are calmer, stand a little taller and have more patience by mid-morning. The stiffness from sleeping is gone, too.
Your body is ready for it
You might feel stiff first thing, but that is exactly why gentle morning movement works. A good morning class warms you up slowly rather than asking for big stretches straight away. And because you have not eaten much, twists and forward folds feel more comfortable than they do after a big lunch.
Making the early start easy
A few small things make all the difference:
- Get everything ready the night before. Mat, water bottle and clothes by the door. In the morning there is nothing to decide.
- Book ahead. A place booked online is a promise to yourself, and much harder to ignore than a vague plan to go.
- Sleep a little earlier. Fifteen minutes makes more difference than you would think, especially in the first couple of weeks.
- Eat light, or later. A glass of water and perhaps a banana is plenty. Have breakfast afterwards, when you will enjoy it more.
- Give it a month. The first two or three early starts are the hardest. After that, your body starts to expect it.
When mornings really are not possible
Shifts, school runs and small children do not always allow a morning out. That is where an online class helps: the same kind of practice, at a different time, in your own front room. Our timetable has both.
Whichever time you choose, the best class is the one you keep going to. For a lot of people, it turns out that is the early one.
Start your day on the mat
Pilates and yoga at 7.30am at GameFace on Russell Street, Wakefield.
See the timetable