Hybrid Athlete’s Productive Morning Routine

6:45am. Lucy peels her eyes open to shut off the sound of her alarm. The snooze button isn’t even an option — it’s straight out of bed. And what’s more, she makes her bed straight away — that way she knows she won’t get back into it.

Then it’s straight to the cafeteria for some liquid energy. Lucy has a big cup of coffee every morning, but it’s the only one she has all day.

By 7:00am Lucy is taking on her morning “non-negotiables” — the things she does every morning without fail. The first of the day’s three non-negotiables is filling out a questionnaire on an app to track her mood, general health and sleep. As an athlete, recovery is huge, and sleep is a vital part of this.

Next, Lucy fills in her wellness journal, again noting down how she’s feeling and what activities she has planned for the day. And while she’s in the same cosy spot on her sofa, she picks up a book and reads for 15 to 20 minutes.

With the non-negotiables out of the way by 7:20am, it’s time to get to work. For Lucy, this includes checking over her emails as well as client and app work. This normally keeps her occupied for about an hour, and then she heads to the gym with a clear mind.

As the clock ticks towards 8:45am, it’s time for Lucy to slip into some trainers and head to the gym for a workout. She always makes sure to start with some mobility work. On this occasion, she uses a band and then gets into the weights.

Incline press-ups on a bench

• Place your palms on the edge of the bench
• Rest on the balls of your feet, making sure your body is straight
• Your arms should be bent at the elbows with your chest resting against the bench
• Push your chest away from the bench until your arms are straight
• Then bend your arms at the elbows to return to the original position

Bench press

• Lie back against a flat bench
• The barbell should be set up so that it’s just above your eyes
• Grab the barbell with both hands — your grip should be wider than shoulder width apart
• Lower the bar until it reaches your chest
• Then push the bar back up until your arms are straight

Shoulder press

• Set up the bench so it’s in a very slight decline position
• Take a seat making sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor
• Grab a dumbbell in both hands and begin with the dumbbells resting at shoulder height with your elbows out to your sides
• Drive the dumbbells up above your head until your arms are straight
• Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position

Lateral raises

• Grab a dumbbell in each hand and rest them by your sides with your palms facing your legs
• With a slight bend in the knee, raise your arms out to your sides until they’re in line with your shoulders
• Your palms should be facing downwards
• Then return your arms to your sides

Hyrox circuit:

Lucy is currently training for a Hyrox competition she’ll compete in with her sister. If you’re not familiar with Hyrox, the events take shape in the form of grueling circuits of functional movements. In preparation, Lucy is taking on some of her exercise demons — the ones she is weakest at and likes the least.

Quite functional

• 3km run
• 80kg sled push (5 mins)
• Burpee broad jump (4 mins)
• Ski erg (500m)
• Row (500m)

Take home message

By 11:30am, Lucy is back home to shower, eat and tackle the second half of the day. I guess having a morning routine does help to make you more productive. In just five hours she completes more than many people do in a day. We might have to give it a try for ourselves.