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codman
02-26-10, 05:47
OK I hear plenty of mixed rumors and such for working out. My Girl and I joined a local gym and we have been getting up at 4:30am and going to the gym for an hour. I do Stat. Bike for bout 15 mins getting my HR to bout 160-170 and do a 3.75 mile run on it. Ill then do strength training and for the last session of my workout run/jog a mile on the treadmill. Now i already notice a huge difference in my metabolism and how extrememly fast my body is burning up the food , and im eating right and not in excess either.

What i want to know is I hear my coworkers say a Pm workout like from 4-6 is more beneficial than a morning workout. Is it mainly preference so far im liking the morning routine just a chore getting up an hour earlier.

rob_s
02-26-10, 06:53
The fact that you're working out at all is 1000 times more important than what time of day. For most people getting to the gym is something they have to squeeze in, so squeezing it in wherever it fits is by far the more critical decision. If you try to force your time into some schedule that some guy on the internet said is best you'll stop going. And believe me when I say that as soon as you start going in the afternoon a different bunch of "experts" (usually all 25% bodyfat, stuffing a donut in their mouth) will tell you that AM is better.

AM works better for me. I get up, have a light breakfast like bacon & a hard-boiled egg, get some fluids in me, and typically within 30 minutes of breakfast I'm doing my thing. I used to drink a large glass of water and eat half a protein bar and be working out within 15 minutes of waking up, but I've changed that a little now. I tried PM for a while a few years ago when my schedule was more flexible and I found it harder to get to sleep, even if I did my workout at 6 and went to bed at 10, and harder to maintain as there was always something else to be doing in the evening (what else am I going to do at 5:30 AM?). The AM schedule is better than coffee for me, and I have a better day every time I work out in the morning. I get more done, I'm happier, I have more energy, and I sleep better that night.

WillBrink
02-26-10, 09:57
OK I hear plenty of mixed rumors and such for working out. My Girl and I joined a local gym and we have been getting up at 4:30am and going to the gym for an hour. I do Stat. Bike for bout 15 mins getting my HR to bout 160-170 and do a 3.75 mile run on it. Ill then do strength training and for the last session of my workout run/jog a mile on the treadmill. Now i already notice a huge difference in my metabolism and how extrememly fast my body is burning up the food , and im eating right and not in excess either.

What i want to know is I hear my coworkers say a Pm workout like from 4-6 is more beneficial than a morning workout. Is it mainly preference so far im liking the morning routine just a chore getting up an hour earlier.

It's a moot issue really. If it was found that 10:15 am was the optimal time to train, could you do it with work, life, etc? Probably not. Thus, the "best" time to train is that time you can, and or when you have the most energy and focus. For me, that's about mid afternoon, 3pm ish. Being self employed, I can go when I want to, and that's seems to be when I have max energy and focus. If early am works best for you, the that is the "best" time to train.

The only thing i can do at 4:30 am is get up to take piss.

WillBrink
02-26-10, 09:59
bunch of "experts" (usually all 25% bodyfat, stuffing a donut in their mouth) will tell you that AM is better.


Hey, I resemble that comment...bastad! :D

R.P.
02-26-10, 11:52
I agree with everyone else so far, workout when you can. For me, it is in the morning between 5-6am.

wes007
02-26-10, 12:39
Its really just personal preference. I always preferred to work out in the morning for some of the same reasons rob mentioned as well as giving me some flexibility in my eating schedule. But having the discipline to get up at least 4 times a week at those hours was slightly challenging, hence going at 5pm provided the perfect medium for me.

Erik 1
02-26-10, 13:00
The only thing i can do at 4:30 am is get up to take piss.

That doesn't count?

bkb0000
02-26-10, 13:57
i tend to think AM workout before breakfast is probably when it's the most beneficial, based on the idea that your body is at it's weakest right after wakeup and before chow... adding this element of suck to it seems to make the body respond quicker. my guess is that since you haven't eaten in 10-12 hours, the body needs to metabolize fat to energize the workout.

at the same time, however, from a personal discipline standpoint, this is probably the worst time to do it for a lot of people. most people dont do much before morning coffee and breakfast, and dont enjoy getting up earlier than they usually have to for work.. and since PT "sucks," you're just multiplying the suck, and setting yourself up for failure by A, getting up earlier, and B, making the workout suck worse than it would in the evening.

if this is the case, then evening PT is gonna outweigh any possible advantage to morning PT.. because you'll stick with it better.

for me, morning PT sucks really bad... its really hard, and by the time i'm done, i'm so shaky and nauseous i can barely eat breakfast. but once i've downed a protein shake, choked down some food, bathed and dressed- i feel more energized, have less stress, and almost seem "happier" for the rest of the day. so it more than balances out to PT in the morning for me.

Archer78
02-26-10, 14:30
I actually did a test with this on myself, with school which has nothing to do with my major.

I was a soldier about 5-6 years ago and morning workouts were the thing to do. After getting out and my divorce I let myself go and could hardly run 2 mins with my children.

Well in class we had to run a test on ANYTHING, so I ran one on myself. At first I started working out in the afternoons (after work, before school) Though I felt alive while I was sitting there in class (normally falling asleep) I could not get to sleep when I needed to. (get up early in the morning for work.
So I tried the early morning thing. For the first 15 mins I was a zombie and really didnt want to do it. But after 1.5hrs of hard training my work day seemed to go quicker due to having the energy to do so. I was thirsty more, hungry more, alert and my fiance liked it too... (before class). Then I stopped. no more training. that was the test, how would I feel before, during and after... well I gained about 15lbs, my back slouches, and I again can not keep up with my kids. Im dead again. lol

So to answer your question after the ramble, It depends on the person and their schedule. yeah it sucks getting up in the morning, but can you sleep at night with your body being energized? "I Can't". Which reminds me, I need to start working out again. lol

codman
02-27-10, 08:46
Ok i figured it was a personal preference. We get up at 4:30 and get to the gym at 5. Yesterday was a sleep in day and i went when i got home from work. My legs felt better from daily use and i spent bout an 1.5 hrs there last night.

Figure i will just go to what i can work around , plus i work a hour away so usually by the time i get home i will be quite tired unless it was a slow day.

For my morning routines before i work out i do a Protein shake with blended berries and milk. I burn it during the workout and then ill get home and shower for work and have a small bowl of wheaties. I feel so much better since working out, last night was a good workout i biked for 5 miles. Then did mainly leg strength exercises . Leg press ,sit down leg curls, calf raises , then thorugh in chest press and rowing. After all that i jogged a mile and did the stair climbing machine.

I really just need to make a m-f routine for strength training like . legs one day , back next, and so on. I really do love it though you truly do feel better about yourself!

Dan

BrigandTwoFour
03-01-10, 17:46
Throw me in with the personnel preference crowd. I like to get my workouts done earlier (preferably a couples hours after breakfast, though). But my schedule rarely allows it. I'm usually able to get a workout in around 3:00 PM, and it seems to work just fine for me.

I really dislike working out in the evening (after 7 or so) since it tends to make me wired before hitting bed.

JHC
03-06-10, 22:19
i tend to think AM workout before breakfast is probably when it's the most beneficial, based on the idea that your body is at it's weakest right after wakeup and before chow... adding this element of suck to it seems to make the body respond quicker. my guess is that since you haven't eaten in 10-12 hours, the body needs to metabolize fat to energize the workout.


I believe there is science to back this up but it's been years since I read it somewhere. I have found this to be true in practice.

Don Robison
03-06-10, 22:24
A lot of the "experts" say AM, but I do much better with a PM workout. My workout time used to be 1800-1900 over the last 8-10 years I've gradually moved it up to 1430-1530.
Who knows, by the time I die of old age I may have it changed to the AM.:D

bkb0000
03-06-10, 22:40
I believe there is science to back this up but it's been years since I read it somewhere. I have found this to be true in practice.

makes sense to me. in fact, i remember, from my HPE295 "Health and Fitness for Life" class (most important class i ever took in 4 years of college, BTW), that evening workouts dont generally burn much fat because of all the carbohydrates already circulating in the system from eating all day, ready for immediate expenditure. you'll still build muscle in the evening, but you're not gonna burn nearly as much fat. this is why my instructor recommended evening workouts for HIT/bulking up.

so if you want to bulk up- work out at night. if you want to tone up- work out in the morning.

Magsz
03-07-10, 10:07
Will,

Any additional info in regards to that 10:15 time window?

Physiologically what differs?

WillBrink
03-07-10, 11:46
Will,

Any additional info in regards to that 10:15 time window?

Physiologically what differs?


Been a while since I looked at that info, but I recall T is peaked in most men around that time and cortisol is low, and a few other variables I recall, but that's minus looking into it. I'm sitting in an airport coming back from the Arnold Classic (http://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/), which was fun as usual this year. Excessive libations were had, so I'm fuzzy at best at the moment. Although there's data to suggest there might be "optimal" times to workout, I honestly think there's probably no 'net effect of doing it as far as what you would actually see over say a years time.

JonnyVain
03-09-10, 10:19
My view on the issue is this:

If you're trying to lose weight, and AM workout is good. You're burning calories on a fast, so you will be using fat for energy.

If you're trying to build muscle, AM workouts are bad because you'll be burning muscle to fuel your workout.

Now there are things you can do to mitigate these issues, such as a low carb diet for those losing weight, and casein before bed with a small breakfast for those gaining muscle.

I never had energy to workout in the morning. I have a very high metabolism, so I get dizzy if I workout in the morning. That said, I plan on starting a small running routine in the mornings. We'll see if my metabolism slowed down enough to handle it. A little cardio in the AM will help people who have trouble falling asleep at the desk at work.


Will brings up a good point about T. Your T is highest in the mornings, so if you can get calories and your blood sugar can handle it, it's a good time to work out. Takes a lot of discipline and scheduling though. Looked for the chart but can't find it. I believe peak is around 7am.

strambo
03-12-10, 05:53
I've read studies in line w/ what Jonnyvain is saying. Am workouts best for cardio. It isn't really a big deal except there is one safety consideration. You DO NOT want to do heavy lifting soon after waking up. Esp. anything back. Your spine is very relaxed and loose after being horizontal all night.

I don't remember all the technical details why from the MD/back specialist, fitness guru who I read that from, but it makes perfect sense to me.

So, I feel free to do anything am up to/including high intensity weight circuit training, just nothing involving real heavy loads or high volume weights.

Derek_Connor
03-12-10, 08:16
That goes against physiology. If your back is relaxed/loose, thats the state it will perform better.

Your back is like any other joint in your body (knees, shoulder, etc). Its all cushioned by water and jelly like material.

While I am no MD, I'll chalk that doc's opinion right up there with it being a sample of N=1.

VooDoo6Actual
03-12-10, 12:56
There are some that feel training in the morning is best due to some people believing their testosterone levels are higher after they have had a night's rest.

I prefer mornings and so did my professional training partners, Dennis Tinerino, Bertil Fox etc.


again YMMV....

GermanSynergy
03-12-10, 18:04
I prefer mornings. I tried the evening/night workout thing for a while while deployed, but more often than not after working 12+ hrs the last thing you want to do is go work out. Going prior to work was the better option. YMMV.

NCPatrolAR
03-12-10, 23:01
I work out when I get the chance. On Mondays its an evening session starting around 1930 (crowd is smaller at the fitness center then), Tuesday and Wed are mornings around 1030. No workout on Thursday. Friday and Saturday are back to 1030.

jasonhgross
04-07-10, 14:11
Your body will adapt around any workout schedule you decide is the easiest for you. Easiest being most likely to actually go as per your schedule or easiest for your own personal rhythm.

INMIline
04-07-10, 14:59
Cardio in the morning on an empty stomach is best for weight loss. As far as your ideal HR for fat burning, well that depends on your weigh and age. But for muscle building the later in the day the better. You need carbs, fuel for the body. By doing your cardio first in the morning you are burning carbs needed for your body to be productive with weight training. But if you have to do both in the morning. Switch it around and do the workout routine before the cardio. Look into carb loading when you wake up. Mix between simple and complex carbs. Simple being something fruit related like grape juice. Complex being oatmeal, brown rice, etc.

Post workout within 20 minutes look for protein. Shake, egg whites, bar etc.

The 2 hour sessions in the gym that your co workers are doing is over training. Keep in mind you're not there to chit chat, you're there to work. Rest periods longer than 2 minutes inbetween sets allows your muscles to recover. You don't want that, you want to further tear your muscle fibers. Try to set up a routine that allows you to work both slow and fast twich fibers if you're looking to be an all around fit healthy athletic type.