5 Guys Who Wake up at 4 a.m. To Work out Tell You How They Do It

Squeezing in a run before the rest of the world is even awake takes an extreme amount of willpower and dedication, and maybe a bit of insanity. But if you work at it, anyone can become an early riser, says Men’s Health sleep advisor W. Christopher Winter, M.D.

So learn from the masters. These six guys get up every morning at 4 a.m. to break a sweat. Here’s how they do it.

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Make It As Easy As Possible

Name: Richard Rees
Location: Fort Langley, British Columbia
Occupation: Executive director of Rees Family Services, a company that provides assistance for foster children and personal trainer at Rees Personal Training

Rees’ alarm clock goes off at 3:50 a.m., and he’s out the door on a run just minutes later.

His quick turnaround is due to the fact that his gear, coffee, and breakfast are all ready when he wakes up. Even his socks and the coffee equipment are laid out waiting for him. He doesn’t need to think about anything.

The longer your to-do list in the morning, the easier it is to stay in bed, Rees says. So prepping every last detail the night before eliminates excuses.

Remember How Crappy You Feel When You Miss a Workout

Name: Tom Carpenter
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Occupation: Executive at Waste Management and Ironman

There are a million excuses to not get out of bed—you’re tired, it looks like rain, you’resore. But Carpenter says to ask yourself one question: Have you ever regretted a workout?

The answer is probably no.   You’ll definitely be sorry you skipped aworkout, though. “If I miss a workout, I’m in a bad mood,” says Carpenter. Thinking about that may just be enough to outweigh the pros of sleeping for an extra hour.   

Think about Tomorrow

Name: Joseph Eazor
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Occupation: CEO of EarthLink, a managed services provider; and Ironman

When Eazor wakes up early to train for 140.6-mile Ironman races, he thinks about the long-term benefits. Sure, devoting early mornings to training will make him faster and stronger. But they’ll also make race day more bearable—maybe even enjoyable, he says. It’s the difference between crossing the finish line with a smile or a grimace on his face.

So remind yourself of the end result—the whole reason you’re doing this. Whether it’s keeping up with your kids in the backyard, going shirtless at the beach, or running your first 5K without getting winded, imagine exactly how you’ll feel in the moment that you conquer your goal.

Have a Bedtime Routine

Name: Craig Ballantyne
Location: Denver, Colorado; and Toronto, Ontario
Occupation: Certified Turbulence Trainer and author of Turbulence Training

Sleep is crucial, so getting up early starts the night before. Ballantyne recommends setting an alarm to go off an hour before the time you want to hit the hay.   Use those 60 minutes to wind down. Stop looking at electronics. Make tomorrow’s lunch, or read a book. The goal: Get your mind to shut up so you can go down for a full night’s sleep.   If you’re still buzzing with ideas or to-do lists, dump it all onto a pad of paper, Ballantyne says. Writing out what’s on your mind will help clear your head.

Picture Your Rivals

Name: John Burk
Location: Fort Stewart, Georgia
Occupation: Instructor at the Fort Stewart Noncommissioned Officer Academy and veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Burk’s a former drill sergeant, but that doesn’t mean a 4 a.m. wakeup call comes easy. So he remembers an old military mantra to drag himself out of bed: “You may be tired or hurting, but there is someone somewhere training harder to kill you.’”

He then applies that saying to his current goals. Right now, the vet is training for a bodybuilding competition. “All I can see is this blank figure, this silhouette, and he’s training even harder than me to beat me on that stage,” he says.

The article 5 Guys Who Wake Up at 4 a.m. to Work Out Tell You How They Do It originally appeared on Men’s Health.