While strict diets and hours of hard workouts may not necessarily be on the top of everyone’s things-that-thrill-us list, it is hard to deny that an active and cheerful morning routine can mean the difference between feeling on top of your game or at the bottom of it!

As a successful professional athlete our April speaker, Canadian Olympian, Sekou Kaba knows a thing or two about that. So he gave us a glimpse of his “zero-to-hero” morning routine! We were glad to hear that coffee does play a significant role in it…

What is your morning routine?

I get out of bed at 7:00 AM and pick up my headphones. I play some of my favourite groovy tunes and think of the day’s agenda. From there, I head out for a morning walk to clear my mind and loosen up. This is followed by a great breakfast and more eclectic music.

How long have you been following this routine for and why is it important to you?

I’ve been doing this for as long as I’ve been committed to becoming an elite athlete. I realized I needed to wake up every day with a burning desire to pursue my goal. My routine is what gets me in that state of mind.

What time do you typically wake up and go to bed?

I make it to bed around 11:30 PM and I rise at 7:00 AM - that’s what works for me!

We have to ask: Do you hit snooze? How often?

No snoozing for me. I sometimes wake before my alarm, if it does beat me, I usually get up after the third ring.

Would you say it is important to you to get a certain amount of sleep in a night?

Not necessarily. It depends on how taxed my body is from the day and what activities lie ahead. I’ve had some of my best performances on less than 4 hours of sleep.  

What is the first thing you do when you wake up?

While still in bed, I examine my muscles for soreness from the previous night’s training. I proceed to stretch and activate the sore areas, followed by a back adjustment. It’s a great way to start the morning.

Do you answer emails first thing in the morning or leave it until later in the day?

I respond to short emails during breakfast and sometimes throughout the day. Long emails are for the evening.

Does your morning routine change on weekends? How?

My routine does change. Saturdays are my hardest training days so I spend most Fridays mentally preparing for the strenuous training session. I eat smarter and I spend a lot of time reading, listening to inspirational talks. I also get to bed earlier than usual.

What do you do in the morning that makes you feel the most prepared to start your day?

I listen to my favourite tunes with my good friend, coffee.

What do you do if you fail to follow your morning routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?

I simply adjust. Those are old cars days. It may take a while to get my engine started, but I dig deep and do some positive self-talk. soon after the engine gets going.

Don’t miss Sekou’s talk on this month’s theme “Beyond” happening on Friday, April 28 at 8:30 a.m. with some good morning tunes and even better 

Free tickets will be released HERE on Friday, April 21s at 11 a.m. Stay tuned and be sure to RSVP!