Days with morning workouts are fulfilling. Why I continue strength training as a morning activity

When people hear the term "morning activity," many might think of reading, studying, or working toward a certification.

For me, my morning activity is strength training.

Of course, I don't always wake up easily every morning.
In fact, I'm the type who isn't a morning person.

There are days when the alarm goes off and I just want to stay in bed a little longer, and days when I'm tired from work and think, "Maybe I'll skip it today."

Even so, on days when I do strength training in the morning, my day feels strangely fulfilling.

Today, I'd like to write about this "strength training as a morning activity."

My own "TOUGH." that fits into daily life.
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The reason I chose strength training as a morning activity

I used to go to the gym after work quite often.

However, once you become a working adult, work schedules don't always go as planned.

There are days with overtime.
There are days when I'm tired and just want to go straight home.

"I worked hard today, so I'll take a break."
"I'll just do it tomorrow."

Such days would continue, and before I knew it, the number of times I trained would decrease.

That's when I adopted strength training as a morning activity.

In the morning, no one contacts me.
No sudden plans come up.
It's easy to secure time just for myself.
I can still go out for drinks at night.

By just waking up a little earlier, I can have time for myself.

Especially since I'm not a morning person, working out wakes me up, which helps me be more productive at work.

This was a bigger benefit than I had expected.
I don't always manage to do my morning activity.

That said, I don't mean that I am able to do my morning activity without fail every single day.

If anything, it might be the opposite.

There are times when morning workouts are a habit, and times when I get busy with work or stay up late and can't do them at all.

Once I stop, it's strange how I can end up away from it for days or even weeks.

"I couldn't do it again." "I have such weak willpower."

I sometimes think that.

But lately, I've stopped blaming myself for it.

It's okay to have periods where morning activities don't continue.
It's okay to have weeks where I can't go to the gym.

Perhaps what's important isn't never stopping, but being able to come back to it.

The day I woke up and moved my body for the first time in a while.

The air feels refreshing when I leave the gym.

"Ah, morning workouts really are great."

I remember that feeling.
I feel a bit better. That's enough.

When I do morning workouts, the day feels longer

I finish my chest or shoulder workout in the morning and take a shower.

Even though it's still morning, I feel like I've accomplished something big.

"I've already done my best today."

I can feel that way.
In reality, there are only 24 hours in a day.

That's the same for everyone.

But on days when I do strength training as a morning activity, the day feels longer.

By the time I finish work and head home,

"Today, I didn't just work, I also got my workout in."

There is such a proud sense of fulfillment.

Perhaps I have simply reduced the time I spend idly looking at my smartphone at night and shifted that time to the morning.

However, I feel that this small difference significantly changes the satisfaction of my day.

Morning strength training boosts self-esteem

When I do strength training in the morning, I feel like not only my body but also my mind is being put in order.

Even on days when something unpleasant happens at work,
“But I did my morning workout.”
There are days when I can think that way.

Of course, my muscles don't suddenly get bigger.
My body fat doesn't drop dramatically either.

But the fact remains that I woke up when I was sleepy and moved my body.

That small experience of success leads to confidence.
I am not a particularly positive person.

I sometimes get depressed when I fail, and I sometimes compare myself to others.

But as I continue strength training as a morning activity,
“Well, I'm doing my best in my own way.”

The moments when I can think that way have increased.

The benefit that the gym is empty during morning workout time

Also, there is another benefit I have felt since I started doing strength training as a morning activity.

That is that the gym is relatively empty.
The gym at night is often crowded with people who have finished work.

Sometimes the machines I want to use are occupied, or I have to wait for a bench to become free.

In that respect, there are few people in the morning.
I can train at my own pace.
There is little waiting time, and it is easy to concentrate.

When I move my body in a quiet space, I feel like I am spending “my own time” before a busy day begins.

Of course, waking up early in the morning is not easy.
There are days when I lose to the temptation of the futon.

Even so, on days when I was able to sweat comfortably in an empty gym,

"It feels like I've gained a little something."

Perhaps such small rewards are one of the reasons I want to keep up my morning routine.

TOUGH. means being able to start again

When I was younger, I thought a tough person was someone who never complained and could grit their teeth and push through anything.

But my way of thinking has changed a little now.

Waking up on a sleepy morning to move my body.
Don't overdo it.
Don't aim for perfection.

And even if there are periods when I can't do it, I start again.
Perhaps the person who can build up those moments is actually the tough one.

Morning strength training isn't flashy.
It's not like anyone is going to praise me for it.

But the feeling of having kept a promise to myself remains.

Days with morning workouts feel more fulfilling.
And it's not just because I'm building muscle.

I was able to make time for myself again today.

And even if there were times I couldn't do it, I was able to come back to it.

I think that is what "TOUGH." means to me now.

Live loosely, and become quietly TOUGH.

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