AM or PM workous??

[WILL_I_AM]

Ok, so most of my life I have had the schedule for lifting around 1 or 2pm at the latest because that was my available time slot where I was not rushed. However, this is my final year in college and my classes along with work consume most of my day past 9am. So my schedule has came down to lifting either around 7am or hitting a late night session around 8pm which only gives me time for maybe 1 meal and a shake. So my question really comes to whether I should lift early (Can I use pre workout upon waking with no food? Should I not lift without eating breakfast first?) Or should I lift late (Will that mess with my depth in which I sleep? Will 1 meal be enough to refeed my muscles after a workout before making them go all night with no more fuel?) Anything helps!!! I'm just not sure what's best for the body in this situation... thanks!

 

[OnionKnight]

If my options were those times, I'd do morning. I lift fasted all the time, and preworkouts hit you harder on an empty stomach

If you went at night, a preworkout might murder your sleep cycle and you'll have to deal with all the bros hogging up the benches and squat racks

 

[frankz2]

Definitely morning imo. Try and use an amino laden pre such as amino lift or the new stimino if working out fasted.

 

[WILL_I_AM]

Definitely morning imo. Try and use an amino laden pre such as amino lift or the new stimino if working out fasted.

Yeah I just read a good review on Stimino and it seemed like a solid choice. But let me pose a quick question, if I workout fasted will that cause me to burn fat? I don't want my body thriving for energy with no caloric intake and end up a victim to catabolism.

 

[OnionKnight]

Yeah I just read a good review on Stimino and it seemed like a solid choice. But let me pose a quick question, if I workout fasted will that cause me to burn fat? I don't want my body thriving for energy with no caloric intake and end up a victim to catabolism.

Overthinking it broski. Unless you're training for a marathon or somethin

 

[WILL_I_AM]

Just working to build some mass and didn't want morning workouts shedding weight/muscle. I have seen a few times that you lose more weight on an empty stomach workout in the mornings, that's not my goal.

 

[frankz2]

Overthinking it broski. Unless you're training for a marathon or somethin

This. Fasted training isnt really too much of a concern. Some kind of amino supp is nice for increasing proton synthesis and muscle glycogen sparing qualities. A quick google search of leucine and muscle sparing should tell you all your need. Just relax and lift heavy.

 

[WILL_I_AM]

Right on! Thanks for the help and I'll look into it all. I'm familiar with leucine helping protein synthesis, just not sure with its effects on a fasted system. Time to google!

 

[KrisL]

I prefer working out at night - safer for the joints/spine, plus in the mornings I have "baby hands" so deadlifts hurt. I sleep better after a workout, despite fistfulls of preworkout.
1 meal before bed is plenty - there's studies out there showing that you just need food within 24 hours.

 

[Rocket3015]

This is a page from my log - I have been lifting in the AM for close to 20 Years !!

Saturday 8/16/14
Day 6 weight 187
Wake Up 4:15am Take 1 scoop VPX Shotgun 5X & 1 Scoop Precursor go back to bed, Get up 4:45 and lift. One of the weak points of my physique is biceps, so today is biceps and forearms.
Machine Preacher Curls superset with Wrist Curls
Rope Hammer Curls
Planks for core
Got a good pump muscles felt full still can not get over the vascularity !!!! Love It !!

PM 25 Minutes of Cardio Heart rate 136 bpm, Abs

 

[Young Gotti]

Best Time Of Day To Train: Evening

Instead of watching the evening news, go lift. University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg) researchers had 16 males train for 10 weeks either before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Workouts consisted of 45 minutes of weight training followed by 45 minutes of cardio. The evening group increased muscle mass by about 3% more than the morning group and lost about 9% more bodyfat.

 

[Rocket3015]

Best Time Of Day To Train: Evening

Instead of watching the evening news, go lift. University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg) researchers had 16 males train for 10 weeks either before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Workouts consisted of 45 minutes of weight training followed by 45 minutes of cardio. The evening group increased muscle mass by about 3% more than the morning group and lost about 9% more bodyfat.

The above post is almost correct..........
The best time to train is when is convenient for you or when you will do it!! No Excuses !!

 

[frankz2]

Best Time Of Day To Train: Evening Instead of watching the evening news, go lift. University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg) researchers had 16 males train for 10 weeks either before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Workouts consisted of 45 minutes of weight training followed by 45 minutes of cardio. The evening group increased muscle mass by about 3% more than the morning group and lost about 9% more bodyfat.

What about right around 10 AM? If work schedule allows that is the perfect time for me. I feel significantly stronger during sessions in the morning as opposed to when I have to lift at night.

 

[KrisL]

Rocket's got it on convenience, I'm stupid lazy right now and the point is merely academic, which is why I won't look up whatever studies listed it, but I think the best time of day to work out is supposed to be 4pm in terms of alertness, joint flexibility and fluidity, hydration levels, hormones, etc.

 

[Driven2lift]

Lots of factors, honestly too many.
I would simply suggest trying it both ways and gauging it for yourself, really at the end of the day it will be an absurdly small difference so go for convenience.

Do it when your energy levels are highest

If you train better in a fed state PM may be better

If training intensely effects your sleep AM may be better

Testosterone will be higher in the AM but then so will cortisol, so whether your goal is fat-loss or mass gain is a factor. Aerobic or anaerobic.

A physical job may prevent you from hitting legs before it.
It may also cut into recovery

Joint mobility is better PM

Etc etc etc
Lol

I have done both for long periods based on work schedule and never noticed a difference.

 

[Young Gotti]

What about right around 10 AM? If work schedule allows that is the perfect time for me. I feel significantly stronger during sessions in the morning as opposed to when I have to lift at night.

my perosnal theory is get to the gym when you can....one may be better than the next but getting there is always better than not going at all, i copy and pasted that response for people who have the option to go at either morning or night...night is the better of the two but get to the gym when you can

 

[WILL_I_AM]

I will get to the gym no matter what, motivation isn't an issue for me. I was just curious as to whether timing really made a noticeable difference on the body and how it effects it's growth.

 

[asooneyeonig]

let's keep this simple.

workout when you can consistently workout. time of day can maybe help the world's elite get that slight edge over the competition. the other 99+% it just doesnt matter.

as for food intake, just get enough. worrying about the minutiae of nutrient timing when you dont get enough over the span of a day or a week is a great way to fail.

our bodies are amazingly adaptable. i remember an article years ago from dos remedios, a college athletic trainer. he constantly sees athletes get bigger, faster, and stronger while surviving on koolaid and ramen noodles. now that is not optimal, but the point is you can gain if you work hard enough, work long enough, and sleep well enough, with enough calories at anytime.

 

[Rocket3015]

let's keep this simple.

workout when you can consistently workout. time of day can maybe help the world's elite get that slight edge over the competition. the other 99+% it just doesnt matter.

as for food intake, just get enough. worrying about the minutiae of nutrient timing when you dont get enough over the span of a day or a week is a great way to fail.

our bodies are amazingly adaptable. i remember an article years ago from dos remedios, a college athletic trainer. he constantly sees athletes get bigger, faster, and stronger while surviving on koolaid and ramen noodles. now that is not optimal, but the point is you can gain if you work hard enough, work long enough, and sleep well enough, with enough calories at anytime.

KISS------------Well Put !

 

[WILL_I_AM]

let's keep this simple.

workout when you can consistently workout. time of day can maybe help the world's elite get that slight edge over the competition. the other 99+% it just doesnt matter.

as for food intake, just get enough. worrying about the minutiae of nutrient timing when you dont get enough over the span of a day or a week is a great way to fail.

our bodies are amazingly adaptable. i remember an article years ago from dos remedios, a college athletic trainer. he constantly sees athletes get bigger, faster, and stronger while surviving on koolaid and ramen noodles. now that is not optimal, but the point is you can gain if you work hard enough, work long enough, and sleep well enough, with enough calories at anytime.

Very helpful! Thanks

 

[FireRescue]

Having done both, almost the exact same times you suggested, I think both have there advantages but I don't think either is optimal, well at least optimal for me. But as mentioned, you just have to do what works.

Try both, see what you like better and then just put the time in.

 

[kisaj]

Agree with most the above and KISS. I hear all the time from people that missed a workout because they couldn't get it in when they expected, so I'll ask, "can you do it any other time today?" Inevitably, the answer is yes, but they are so programmed that they need to do it at a certain time.

 

[harte.tony]

I wwoukd choose when you have the most energy. We are all different and for me it is hard to train after a long day. For morning training I like to hit some coconut butter, coconut oil or mct oil to give my body some good fats to fire on and the some coffee to top it off. I have more productive sessions this way than training in a fasting state.

 

[love2liftkat]

I personally prefer am's. I train @ 5 am. I have 1/2 a protein shake a pwo and some bcaas. But like others said- try them both out and see how you feel! If you feel drained at one time or another, it will make it an easy choice!

 

[turff49]

I opted for both a long time ago. I do most training in the mornings. But a couple exercises I do in the evening, like dead lifts and squats. And I don't do those on the same day as back or legs. But this is really just what I opted for and found works best for me.

So the jest of this is there is no correct answer. Find what works for you.

 

[AntM1564]

Out of those two times you posted, I would go in the morning. I prefer morning anyways. Student teaching and classes has prohibited me from going in the morning, except for Thursday's

 

[Oscar]

Work starts at six and little man gets dropped off at daycare at 5 so afternoon/early evening workouts for me

 

[01tj]

This. Fasted training isnt really too much of a concern. Some kind of amino supp is nice for increasing proton synthesis and muscle glycogen sparing qualities. A quick google search of leucine and muscle sparing should tell you all your need. Just relax and lift heavy.

This^ a lot of pre-workouts have at least leucine in them now for peace of mind but if your not doing cardio fasted it shouldn't be a concern. Fasted workouts are supposed to be better for GH boosts though and preworkouts work better on an empty stomach.

 

[Abe Lincoln]

I'm fine with am workouts have BCAA/SAA by finaflex now that I'm using as I usually go fasted. But, if I'm looking for a good pump I like to go with bulk sns agmatine.

 

[Mrbolt84]

I'm fine with am workouts have BCAA/SAA by finaflex now that I'm using as I usually go fasted. But, if I'm looking for a good pump I like to go with bulk sns agmatine.

I pretty much always workout in the am. I can't do fasted! I wake up starving!! So hungry to the point of being hypoglycemic. I always have pre bed meal/shake too. If i was to workout fasted I'd pass out

 

[01tj]

I pretty much always workout in the am. I can't do fasted! I wake up starving!! So hungry to the point of being hypoglycemic. I always have pre bed meal/shake too. If i was to workout fasted I'd pass out

Google intermittent fasting, try to spread your meals out and become less dependant on food. I used to have to eat every 2 hours or I couldn't function but now I can go hours without food and be fine

 

[Abe Lincoln]

IF is the best! Barely think about food anymore even in dramatic reduction of calories

 

[slayer01994]

I literately roll out of bed and go to my garage and hit a quick workout before work and then hit up my gym after work some days during the week. Two short workouts really work for me.

 

[bioboy88]

I think you may try both options to check which time better suits you personally. It all depends on your individual biorhythms. I think only you know the answer to your question. If it's not obvious to your right now, simply try workouts in different time and listen to your body.

 

[Billy R]

Personally, morning workouts are best for me, but thats just because of my schedule....I think the best schedule for lifting is whenever you have enough free time to do it. There are times I'm too busy in the morning so I workout at night. Other times I exercise with my daughter, and that has to happen in the afternoon after school.

 

[NurseGray]

I started out with evenings at around 8 or so for about a year. Since I have moved to the other side at 7am. I feel my strength numbers are up. My sups respond better on an empty stomach and I don't have food keeping me down. Plus I get an added benefit of feeling accomplished during the day.