7 REASONS TO BECOME A MORNING ROWER

If you’ve got an exercise routine that works for you, by all means, stick with that as long as you can. But if you’ve been searching for a solution and nothing seems to stick, read on. We’ve got good news for morning people and “interesting” news for non-morning people. Read below to discover why becoming a morning rower just might be right for you.

MORNING EXERCISE: THE BENEFITS

Research today touts many benefits to early morning exercise, from better cognitive functioning to improved physical and mental health to better time-management.

1. Enhanced Mood & Mental Clarity
   When we exercise, our brains produce endorphins, hormones that can alleviate pain, lower stress, improve mood, and enhance our sense of well-being. By exercising in the morning, we’re starting off our day with more of these “feel good” hormones, setting ourselves up for the day ahead. Exercise also stimulates the production of endocannabinoids (you read that right), which are the neurotransmitters believed to be behind the infamous “runner’s high.”
    

2. Improved Metabolism
   Morning exercise can elevate your metabolic rate, which is important for weight management and overall energy levels. You can burn more calories throughout the day by kickstarting your metabolism early.
    

3. Sleep Quality
   Physical activity in the early hours isn’t just useful to shake off morning drowsiness—it can also help you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper sleep at night, which leads to a more refreshed feeling each morning.
    

4. Reduce Caffeine Dependence
   Exercise increases blood flow, which boosts oxygen circulation throughout our bodies and reduces the fatigue.
    

5. Greater Productivity
   The sense of accomplishment from a morning workout can boost your confidence and productivity. Tackling your fitness goals first thing can motivate you to approach the rest of your tasks with a similar vigor.
    

6. Increased Consistency
   Exercising in the morning helps establish a routine. Life's unpredictability often throws off evening plans, but mornings are typically more controllable. By prioritizing your workout early, you're less likely to skip it.
    

7. Less Resistance Due to Natural Hormonal Fluctuations
   In the mornings, the body produces a hormone called cortisol, which serves to shake off the morning drowsiness and help us get awake for the day. Scheduling workouts for times when we have higher cortisol levels in our bodies means that we’re more likely to be alert for our workout, thereby leading to a better workout and a more positive association with working out.

MORNING EXERCISE: THE HOW-TO

Exercising in the morning has loads of benefits, but let’s face it, it’s still challenging! So, how do you make that goal a reality? Our advice: plan and prep. Like anything in life, a little planning and preparation go a long way.

PLAN

First, decide how many times per week you’d like to row, ideally. Our goal setting tool is a great resource for that. Next, get out your calendar—whether that’s on your phone, paper and pencil, or in your head—and fill in the events throughout a single week that are non-negotiable. Think work, meal times, putting the kids to bed, walking the dog, etc. On which mornings could you realistically slot in 30 minutes for a workout? Is it very clearly Wednesdays and Thursdays? Great, pencil it in! If you don’t see any realistic time slots, try re-structuring your evenings if possible so you can get to bed sooner and wake up 30 minutes earlier on the days you want to row.

PREPARE

The Scottish poet Robert Burns taught us that even the best laid plans of mice and men go awry. Planning to do something is half the battle; actually doing it when you’re faced with life’s obstacles is a different challenge. But we can stack the odds in our favor by anticipating these different challenges and planning ways to get around them.

For instance, maybe mornings aren’t your thing, and your biggest challenge is actually getting up when your alarm goes off. The solution: put your phone or alarm clock across the room so you have to get out of bed in order to shut it off. Putting together small hacks like that will help you stack the odds in your favor.

Here are some other ideas:

• Set out exercise clothes the night before to remove the morning decision fatigue and streamline the window from waking up to beginning your workout. (Better yet, sleep in your exercise clothes!)
   
• Prepare a light, healthy breakfast the night before so you’re not scrambling to find something to eat after you wake up.
   
• Choose your workout in advance, either on your rower or on the Ergatta mobile app. You can “favorite” a workout by tapping the heart icon on the workout card. Then, it’ll be saved in Your Library for quick access in the morning.
   
• Have a back-up plan. If you’re not feeling your best, but you’re still up and want to take advantage of the morning, try meditation, mobility exercises, or a walk around the neighborhood.
   
• Create a reward system for yourself. “If and only if I complete your morning workout, I’ll get X special thing.” By training your brain to expect that reward after completing a workout, any resistance that you normally feel around exercising will begin to fade and be replaced by a positive association.

TO SUM IT UP

It’s important to remember that behavior change isn’t the result of one massive effort that brings results overnight. Rather, it’s the product of small efforts repeated consistently over time. At first, you might feel some resistance to a change like exercising in the morning. But sooner than you think, you’ll fall into a completely new rhythm. One where morning exercise isn't a chore--it's something that you look forward to.