So, you had a long Monday. Instead of throwing on your gym clothes after work, you throw on some sweatpants and zone out on the couch. The next night you’ve got a happy hour with friends, and by Wednesday, you’re starting to drag. Luckily, we’ve got a handful of morning fitness classes that are worth skipping the snooze button for. Not only will these weekday workouts help jump-start your workday, they’ll also alleviate stress, boost your mood, and help you get a better night’s sleep at day’s end.
Benefits of morning fitness classes
At this point, you might be asking yourself: if I’m already exhausted, why would I start my day even earlier? If you’re not a morning person, missing that extra hour of sleep might sound like torture. But exercising first thing in the morning sets you up for a whole host of physical and psychological benefits.
Here at Santa Barbara Athletic Club, we offer a variety of morning fitness classes to help our members start their weekdays on the right foot.
Spin
If you’re looking for a challenging cardio workout that tones and strengthens your legs, glutes, and core, then it’s time to get into the saddle. Our 45-60 minute spin classes will have you climbing hills, sprinting the straightaways, and pedaling to some high tempo beats. You’ll be so engrossed in the ride, you won’t even have time to miss your bed. And considering you’ll burn 400-600 calories per class, you’ll have earned that pastry in the morning staff meeting.
Weighted Workout
Dr. Eddie Phillips, an Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, has some good news. Studies show that weight lifting and other resistance workouts make us stronger, boost our metabolisms, and can improve our athletic performance. (You can hear him talk about it here).
If you want to rev up before a long day, a weighted workout class should be your first stop. During these total body fitness classes, you’ll work with bars, free weights, steps, and BOSU balls to improve balance and strength.
Yoga Sculpt
There’s nothing like a morning yoga class to help you greet the day. In addition to warming up your muscles and improving your flexibility, Yoga Sculpt will help you tone and strengthen with props and light weights. A morning yoga class can be especially helpful if you have a desk job. The poses will help limber up your hips, lower back, and shoulders, which take most of the damage when you sit all day.
Swell Group Training (SGT)
During this fast-paced group training session, you’ll push your body to the limit. For each SGT, our certified personal trainers create an “adult playground” where you’ll get to lift, drag, push, throw, and flip things to your heart’s content. Plus, you’ll relieve stress, boost your metabolism, and get full-body strength and mobility benefits.
This is a fee-based class. For more info or to request pricing, please contact David Kivitis at david.kivitis@swellclubs.com.
Hit the pool with Fitness Swim
Not ready to hit the ground running in the morning? Maybe you’ll hit your stride in the water. This coached, personalized group water workout will help you tune up your strength, flexibility, and cardio, without the joint strain of grounded exercises.
Start the day off right with morning fitness classes
Starting the day with physical activity will get your blood pumping, kick start your metabolism and flood your system with endorphins. These are the “feel good” chemicals that’ll help you get through even the most tedious work meeting. Plus, if your workout is the first thing you do, there’s no way you can put it off until tomorrow. It can be hard to muster the energy for an evening workout, especially after a draining day on the job. Hitting the gym in the morning could help you get out of your rut.