Lifting early in the morning

[imafuturebodybuilder]

What are your thoughts about lifting in the morning?
I'm thinking of lifting at 5:30 to 7am each workout day, its easier with my schedule..

I've never done it, nor am I a "Morning Person" but i think is Bullshit there is no such thing, its only how disciplined a person is, and I'm planing on testing myself. Now to my question, do you feel weaker or is it the same?

Thanks.

 

[miked8c]

I had the same thing with conflicting schedules, although not as early. The big thing is to eat a solid breakfast before you lift. What I did, and this worked out perfect for me, was wake up and hour before you plane to lift, eat a hefty breakfast, a caffeine supplement or PreW supp. Make sure you don't just wake up and headof straight to the gym, you need at least 45 min. for your body to get warmed up and fully functional before you try to push it hard at the gym.

So yes, lifting in the morning can be down without have a weak workout, its just a question of eating before you go and giving your muscles a chance to wake up.

 

[Tblock1]

What are your thoughts about lifting in the morning?
I'm thinking of lifting at 5:30 to 7am each workout day, its easier with my schedule..

I've never done it, nor am I a "Morning Person" but i think is Bullshit there is no such thing, its only how disciplined a person is, and I'm planing on testing myself. Now to my question, do you feel weaker or is it the same?

Thanks.

Well I am in Army ROTC so I do morning pt from 6:15-7:05 monday, wednesday and friday. I wake up at 5:45 MW but on friday it starts earlier so I wake up at 5. I personally wouldnt suggest lifting till you at least have a meal in you though

 

[SpyWizard]

the issue is glycogen stores, if you are eating late, (casein protein source) and or a shake in the middle of the night, a early meal and workout 1.5 hours after that, you should be ok.. otherwise you are risking low blood sugars, or slow progress..

 

[Tblock1]

the issue is glycogen stores, if you are eating late, (casein protein source) and or a shake in the middle of the night, a early meal and workout 1.5 hours after that, you should be ok.. otherwise you are risking low blood sugars, or slow progress..

yeah but I doubt he is getting up at 4 am to get that meal in.

 

[C0LUMB0]

i work shifts ...so every second week i lift in the morning.
definitely is a big difference for me ,not as much focus and
also when lifting in the evening i have had 3-4 meals and feel much stronger....

 

[imafuturebodybuilder]

yeah but I doubt he is getting up at 4 am to get that meal in.

You're probably right.

 

[rrluthi]

Another option is to workout very late at night. I've done that. It's not really any better though. It's a tossup. Late at night you are physically tired and perform poorly due to that problem. In the morning you are low on energy stores and perform poorly due to that.

 

[Crocodome]

I get up at 3:50am, eat (eating now), hit the road in 5 min (4:40), work out at 5-6:30. Definitely weaker than a day-sider, but this is what I must do to juggle my schedule. Been doing this for 6 years now.

 

[b fold the truth]

You get used to it. It is really important what you eat before bed as well as before you go to the gym.

 

[Tblock1]

Another option is to workout very late at night. I've done that. It's not really any better though. It's a tossup. Late at night you are physically tired and perform poorly due to that problem. In the morning you are low on energy stores and perform poorly due to that.

I actually find if I go late at night I work out really strong. When I say late though I still mean before 11, like 10-11 or something. Your body has been up, you've gotten lots of meals in it, and you're ready to go. I usually condition at from 6:15 am to 7, and lift at 8 pm or so

 

[imafuturebodybuilder]

Another option is to workout very late at night. I've done that. It's not really any better though. It's a tossup. Late at night you are physically tired and perform poorly due to that problem. In the morning you are low on energy stores and perform poorly due to that.

Hmm interesting idea.. well i want to i can workout from about 10:30-12:00 pm, hmm, but than i gotta wake up at 7am, and by the time i get home and eat a post workout it will be around 1 pm, and 6 hours is not enough... man, i gotta get this figured out, i worked out today at 5:30 i woke up at 5 and had a cup of oatmeal and 6 egg whites and i felt weaker in the gym, but i felt so happy and energetic after it.. hmm well you gotta do what you gotta do right?

 

[stevesmi]

I am stronger in the morning.

you just had 8 hours of rest.

drink a lot of water, and eat a solid breakfast. 2 organic waffles with some honey and 3 eggs.. eaten slowly. throw in a glass of freshly squeezed OJ. cant go wrong. dont drink caffeine that is catabolic. your body will wake up on its own once you get in your warmup at the gym, trust me.

your test levels are highest from 4-8am.

working out later in the day you just went through 5-6 hours of a stressful workday will hurt your strength.

do not workout at night, we didn't evolve to hunt or lift at night.. we slept at night and were up at sunrise ready for the day. people who work out at 11pm at night would get much better results if they worked out at 6am instead.

my 2 cents

 

[miked8c]

I am stronger in the morning.

you just had 8 hours of rest.

drink a lot of water, and eat a solid breakfast. 2 organic waffles with some honey and 3 eggs.. eaten slowly. throw in a glass of freshly squeezed OJ. cant go wrong. dont drink caffeine that is catabolic. your body will wake up on its own once you get in your warmup at the gym, trust me.

your test levels are highest from 4-8am.

working out later in the day you just went through 5-6 hours of a stressful workday will hurt your strength.

do not workout at night, we didn't evolve to hunt or lift at night.. we slept at night and were up at sunrise ready for the day. people who work out at 11pm at night would get much better results if they worked out at 6am instead.

my 2 cents

good stuff.

 

[kx250rider]

There are valid arguments either way. If you're not a "morning person", then I'd have to guess that trying to put your workout in the early AM will lend to having you skip the gym on those late, cold, rainy mornings, and also will result in less stamina and less success. There is medical evidence now, that shows that people have various natural sleep & wake cycles which are not controllable. Google "circadian rhythms". My natural wake time is around 5:00 AM, and sleep time is around 10:00 PM. I can tell you right now, that putting my workout off to after 7 or 8 at night, means I drag it, and I won't do well at all.

So therefore, if you're not a morning person, you probably will do much better at the gym after work, rather than before.

Charles

 

[Tblock1]

I am stronger in the morning.

you just had 8 hours of rest.

drink a lot of water, and eat a solid breakfast. 2 organic waffles with some honey and 3 eggs.. eaten slowly. throw in a glass of freshly squeezed OJ. cant go wrong. dont drink caffeine that is catabolic. your body will wake up on its own once you get in your warmup at the gym, trust me.

your test levels are highest from 4-8am.

working out later in the day you just went through 5-6 hours of a stressful workday will hurt your strength.

do not workout at night, we didn't evolve to hunt or lift at night.. we slept at night and were up at sunrise ready for the day. people who work out at 11pm at night would get much better results if they worked out at 6am instead.

my 2 cents

duuuuuuuude...I swear to god after army rotc morning pt those 2 glasses of orange juice I have are the best fucking thing in the world.....crave it so bad lol

 

[stevesmi]

duuuuuuuude...I swear to god after army rotc morning pt those 2 glasses of orange juice I have are the best fucking thing in the world.....crave it so bad lol

its almost orange season here in FL and i have a backyard full of them.

 

[C0LUMB0]

I am stronger in the morning.

you just had 8 hours of rest.

drink a lot of water, and eat a solid breakfast. 2 organic waffles with some honey and 3 eggs.. eaten slowly. throw in a glass of freshly squeezed OJ. cant go wrong. dont drink caffeine that is catabolic. your body will wake up on its own once you get in your warmup at the gym, trust me.

your test levels are highest from 4-8am.

working out later in the day you just went through 5-6 hours of a stressful workday will hurt your strength.

do not workout at night, we didn't evolve to hunt or lift at night.. we slept at night and were up at sunrise ready for the day. people who work out at 11pm at night would get much better results if they worked out at 6am instead.

my 2 cents

Tell me more about this ?

 

[stevesmi]

Tell me more about this ?

increases things such as adrenaline, which can be catabolic.

Basically any type of thermogenic is gonna be catabolic to a degree, caffiene also causes a release of catecholamines, thyroid h, and cortisol

i think builders should limit consumption of caffeine as much as possible.. unfortunately it isn't always easy to avoid catabolic things. for example in my job i have to deal with tons of stress, which is catabolic as well.