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Morning of Champions: How to start the day like Laura Philipp and Sebastian Kienle

Routines are the prerequisite for achieving goals – no matter how big or small. Have you ever wondered what these routines look like for a multiple IRONMAN winner? Or someone who has won the toughest triathlon in the world with a best time of 8:14:18? So have we. That's why we spend the waking hours with pro athletes Laura Philipp and Sebastian Kienle.

AG1: How do you wake up in the morning?

Laura Philipp: "If possible, I try to get enough sleep so that I can wake up without an alarm clock. Of course, I sometimes succeed better, sometimes worse, and it largely depends on whether I have my routine in the evening."

What does such an evening look like?

"Last session until around 6 p.m., then dinner, then time for family, dog and reading. Before going to sleep, I like to do a NeuroBodyGym session, which helps me relax at night. For me as a competitive athlete, getting enough sleep is the most important aspect of my recovery from up to 35 hours of training per week."

What is sufficient sleep for you?

"That depends on many factors: How good is the quality of sleep, how much effort was put in during the day? Subjectively, what counts is the feeling of being well-rested. In numbers, the process must be constructive."

What do you do first thing in the morning?

"After waking up, I measure my basal body temperature every morning, because as a woman, this gives me information about my cycle. Then I head straight to the kitchen for my AG1, which I quickly prepare and drink before I even go to the bathroom."

What does your breakfast look like?

"Breakfast is perhaps the most important meal for me – I take my time to make my porridge with some fruit and protein and take my time to eat.”

And what about movement?

"Afterwards, I always go to my yoga mat and do my mobility and activation routine, which helps me get my day off to a good start. After 15-20 minutes, I'm ready for my first training session.

The routine looks like this: I start with a few mobilizations of the spine and extremities. Here I can already feel whether everything is okay or whether I want to pay more attention to one part of my body during the short session. The activations are exercises from the KickassSports Athletics program – here the nerve-muscle interaction is trained and strengthened on the basis of the PNF technique. I feel strong and alert after the exercises.

The first session of the day is often an intensive workout, e.g. running, cycling or swimming intervals. There is no rule for the first session. My trainer and I go by the goals in training. I start this session about 90 minutes after waking up, which is a good time slot for me."

Thank you, Laura!

How do you wake up in the morning?

“I wake up at 7:20 am. Yes, it is a luxury to sleep that long. If I’m in my usual routine I get to bed at 10 pm and try to sleep by 10:30 to 10:45 pm. We have a son who’s 2.5 years old and he sleeps in our bed. But usually, he sleeps pretty well.”

What do you do first thing in the morning?

“First thing in the morning: Hydrate. I used to start to „hydrate“ with coffee. I think it is very beneficial to start your day by drinking 2–3 big glasses of water. Next is a cappuccino. I love my coffee machine and even if I know that it would be better to wait with coffee I just can’t.”

What’s next?

“At 7:30 am: Work. Usually, my son stays in bed until 8 am, so I have some time to answer some emails or just read the newspaper and plan the day ahead.”

What’s for breakfast?

“Depending on my training schedule I either choose more or less carbs: oats, banana, peanut butter, or Greek yogurt with nuts & apples. For my wife, it’s always oats with oat & soymilk and some Omega3-rich oil. While I prepare breakfast, I have my AG1. I think having a good morning routine when it comes to food helps a lot to stay fit and healthy. When chaos hits later in the day you have a good foundation.”

How about movement?

“9 am is my first training session. I might be retired from professional triathlon but I’m not retired from sports on a high level. My goal is to do some gravel races this year as well as some hyrox competitions. Therefore I do a lot more of high-intensive training. I alternate between zone 2 indoor bike rides, gravel rides outside or very intensive hybrid training.”

Thank you, Sebastian!

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