Here’s Why You Should Start Your Mornings With A Muay Thai Class
If you ask most people if they like waking up at the crack of dawn to work out, they’ll probably tell you no. After all, apart from crazy work schedules or being a parent to young children, there’s no good reason to be up and at ‘em when nobody else is.
But what if we told you that one of the best ways to start a day is to start it with an awesome, endorphin rush giving Muay Thai class? Not only will you burn up to a thousand calories per session, but you’ll also be motivated to become the best version of yourself every single time. It’s a win-win situation! All you need to do is set that alarm earlier and get yourself moving before everyone else.
Wondering how to start? Here are a few helpful tips:
If you aren’t a morning person, slowly adjust your sleeping schedule. Instead of staying up all night watching movies or scrolling through social media, prioritise your goals and sleep earlier. One way to do this is to keep your phone away or switch off the TV early on in the evening. As simple as it may seem, this trick helps a lot! This way, waking up early wouldn’t be such a pain.
Recruit a group of workout buddies with similar goals. If you look out there, or even within your group of friends, you’re sure to find someone who wants the same things as you! With cool benefits such as weight loss and self-improvement, it would be hard not to. Finding people who feel the same way would help you stay motivated and give you another reason to get up early — it’s like having several alarm clocks!
Still not convinced that catching the early worm isn’t for you? Read on for 5 reasons you should start your mornings with Muay Thai.
1. It’s an easy way to get your workout done for the day
Once you’ve got yourself into a regular rhythm of getting up early, you’ll realise that it gets easier. And once you’re up, all you need to do is get that gym bag ready (or better yet, get it all set up the night before) and head out to hit some pads. Trust us, once you step into the Muay Thai gym and get started on your warm-up, you’ll forget about feeling sleepy or thinking about your bed. You’ll be focused on getting your game face on and being ready to burn all those calories! Gone are the excuses you’d usually make about being too tired come afternoon or after work. This way, you’ll have smashed your workout goals for the day without having to think about it!
2. It makes you more productive throughout the day
Nothing brings more focus and clarity to your productivity goals than knowing that you’ve just smashed a workout. It sets you up for success because you already know what you’re capable of. And when you’re working a high-pressure job or feeling unsure about your career, perhaps this is the confidence boost you’ve always needed. Imagine, you just sparred with your biggest nemesis and fared better than you thought you did — what’s better motivation than that? Or you breezed through a complicated combination without having to think twice about it. It’s a pretty awesome feeling, knowing that you’re able to do something that you never thought you could!
3. You’ll lose more weight
Studies show that working out before breakfast means better fat oxidation. Fat oxidation is when large lipid molecules break down, which is known to aid weight loss and even reduce type 2 diabetes! By doing Muay Thai early in the morning, you would have burned almost a thousand calories before even eating breakfast — it’s almost the same as a fasted workout— only it isn’t on purpose. The best part, though? Knowing that you can have a hearty breakfast without having to think twice. Talk about starting your day right!
4. It helps you stay motivated
Try working out in the morning, and you’ll find that the endorphins you’ve received from your workout give you an all-day high. You’ll come into work feeling great, pumped and absolutely happy to be there. And after getting all your tasks done, you’ll probably feel the same way come going home time. Working out and doing Muay Thai in the morning also helps reduce your stress and anxiety levels, which is a pretty great feeling to have. After all, who doesn’t want to be happier and healthier? We know we do!
5. It makes you want to be the best version of yourself
Whether it’s because you did an extra round, went extra hard during the warm-ups, or did better than normal during sparring — doing well in class is a great motivator. But making mistakes and failing every once in a while is great too — it gives us new goals to set and accomplish and encourages us to try harder each time until we’re able to get it done. It’s a lesson you can only learn from doing martial arts and a lesson you can apply to your work and personal life.
This article, "Here’s Why You Should Start Your Mornings With A Muay Thai Class", originally appeared on Evolve MMA, Asia’s No. 1 martial arts organisation.
