I'm curious as to wheather people believe that the 5:30 A.M. practice is what makes swimming such a tough sport. For those of you that religiously attend early morning practices, what's your secret to sticking with it?
Parents
Former Member
I was never a "morning person" until I got a shift at work that required me to show up at 5:00 am. I found that I could be a morning person if I just went to bed really early. Back then I would swim in the afternoons after work. I thought I would have a problem getting to sleep early, but after a couple of 3:30 am alarms I had no trouble at all.
I'm back to a more "normal" work schedule, but the pool is ridiculously crowded at night (especially since the idiots at the Y schedule swimming lessons and water aerobics at the pool's busiest times). So I started swimming in the mornings before work. It means I have to get in bed early again, but I've done it before.
One thing that really helped me get to bed earlier is that I killed my television. I don't have cable, and I threw away the antenna so that all it can do now is display DVDs. When I have television, I'll watch it instead of going to bed. I think I'll go to bed after this show is over, but I end up watching the next. Then the news. And hey, I'll just watch Letterman's monologue... But wait, I want to see that interview, too.
With no television, it's a lot easier to get to bed on time. That makes it easier to get up on time and get to the pool. Ironically, I work in television, but I can say with all sincerity that you won't really miss much if you kill your teevee.
Another thing that helps me wake up is hunger. I find that if I eat less (or nothing) in the evenings, it's easier to moving in the morning. If I wake up hungry, there's something more enjoyable than sleep calling to me. If I eat a big meal in the evening, I don't think I sleep as well, and I don't want to get out of bed in the morning.
Just try going to bed early, and you can be a "morning person" too.
I was never a "morning person" until I got a shift at work that required me to show up at 5:00 am. I found that I could be a morning person if I just went to bed really early. Back then I would swim in the afternoons after work. I thought I would have a problem getting to sleep early, but after a couple of 3:30 am alarms I had no trouble at all.
I'm back to a more "normal" work schedule, but the pool is ridiculously crowded at night (especially since the idiots at the Y schedule swimming lessons and water aerobics at the pool's busiest times). So I started swimming in the mornings before work. It means I have to get in bed early again, but I've done it before.
One thing that really helped me get to bed earlier is that I killed my television. I don't have cable, and I threw away the antenna so that all it can do now is display DVDs. When I have television, I'll watch it instead of going to bed. I think I'll go to bed after this show is over, but I end up watching the next. Then the news. And hey, I'll just watch Letterman's monologue... But wait, I want to see that interview, too.
With no television, it's a lot easier to get to bed on time. That makes it easier to get up on time and get to the pool. Ironically, I work in television, but I can say with all sincerity that you won't really miss much if you kill your teevee.
Another thing that helps me wake up is hunger. I find that if I eat less (or nothing) in the evenings, it's easier to moving in the morning. If I wake up hungry, there's something more enjoyable than sleep calling to me. If I eat a big meal in the evening, I don't think I sleep as well, and I don't want to get out of bed in the morning.
Just try going to bed early, and you can be a "morning person" too.
