would performance be down in the morning?

f140

was half tempted to go for a workout this morning before work at 6 am but couldn't stomach eating breakfast at that time. Normally have breakfast at 9. Would be working out then on an empty stomach and just pre-workout. Would your performance be way down compared to going in the evening at 7 with half a days eating behind you?

JimmyCrackCorn

Yes if you just climb out of bed and go to the Gym.

All my lifts plummet in weight.

Hanley

It depends on your feeding the night before. How much of a morning person you are. They type of workout etc etc

Generally I like to do assistance work early in the morn, and prefer heavier lifting in the afternoon evening.

I've seen data that suggests you're at peak performance levels @ 4 hours and 11 hours post wake.

Zillah

There are some who advocate lifting in a fasted state. Lean Gains programme calls for it.

Blacktie.

I used to train fasted at 5:00 in the morning. About 20 minutes after I got up and had no bad effects from it. Still had good strong sessions. I've always been a morning person though so I guess it depends. I also still made sure to get a decent 7-8 hours sleep.

Sugar Free

I train fasted at 0600 occasionally (early for me). I've found no impact when doing moderate intensity (say 5+ reps) but lower rep training is impacted. Of course that is probably more due to CNS stuff rather than lack of food.

Hanley

Sugar Free wrote: »

I train fasted at 0600 occasionally (early for me). I've found no impact when doing moderate intensity (say 5+ reps) but lower rep training is impacted. Of course that is probably more due to CNS stuff rather than lack of food.

I'd say that's certainly the case.

And if you're just training for health and longevity it doesn't matter that much anyway, OP

The best time to train is the one you'll consistently show up to.

For more, that's morning time because it means they've no "long day at work / traffic / tired / TV" excuses.

whippet

due to kids and a long commute I have always trained at about 8pm .. and it suited me; felt good and strong and well fed. My sleep was far better too .. and no long evenings watching rubbish on the TV.

I have recently added a couple of early morning sessions (6:15) into my training and I have really noticed that my strength is down a lot at that time. I would say it is to do with not having the food inside me ... it has been suggested that I should eat up before going to bed .. but I find that as a chore!

Mr. CooL ICE

I've trained mostly in the morning for the last few years. I always had a big meal the evening before (meat and veg, lots of spuds) as I don't like eating early, but it wasn't until I forced some food into myself before the gym that I felt I was getting stronger.

That said, the few times I've trained in the evening, I felt at my strongest. I think I'm suited more to evening training but real life prevents that.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Beats me how people can't be strong morning, afternoon & evening ~ for me, and I always keep things simple, if you're strong you're strong.

I think most people are probably less motivated in the mornings (me), moving my arse in the mornings is like trying to get an old steam train moving & sometimes I'd need a shovel to dig for my motivation but I'm fecking strong pretty much all day.

Personally for the average Joe/Mary training I think its motivation [lack of] rather than strength to lift, cycle, jog etc.

But that's me, always going against the grain

intheclouds

I can only work out fasted so morning work outs suit me best. Im no stronger at any particular time of the day, although Im definitely a bit faster in the mornings!

Alf Veedersane

Zander Salty Infant wrote: »

Beats me how people can't be strong morning, afternoon & evening ~ for me, and I always keep things simple, if you're strong you're strong.

I think most people are probably less motivated in the mornings (me), moving my arse in the mornings is like trying to get an old steam train moving & sometimes I'd need a shovel to dig for my motivation but I'm fecking strong pretty much all day.

Personally for the average Joe/Mary training I think its motivation [lack of] rather than strength to lift, cycle, jog etc.

But that's me, always going against the grain

No one is suggesting strength falls off a cliff at certain times of day but the level of performance won't be the same across a day.

That might just be that your working sets feel twice first thing as they do when you normally train or you might be 2% off or whatever.

Your body's systems aren't always 'on' so it makes sense that there's a dip in performance, to some degree. The level of dip depends entirely on the person.

Motivation and preparation come into it as well. When I trained first thing before work it was generally only to do assistance work. Mostly because of time pressure, which translated into a lack of warm up which I don't really fancy doing too often for heavy compounds.

arybvtcw0eolkf

intheclouds wrote: »

I can only work out fasted so morning work outs suit me best. Im no stronger at any particular time of the day, although Im definitely a bit faster in the mornings!

Same here.

I've an almost 20km cycle to work in the mornings, half is downhill and the rest is flat ~ so obviously the home run in the opposite ~ yet I'm +/- ten minutes slower in the morning

Strength doesn't change at all for me once I get going.

[I'm off today & on my fourth coffee to try get some steam up lol].

arybvtcw0eolkf

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Motivation and preparation come into it as well. .

Motivation is a big thing for me [the older I get the more motivated to get to push back Father Time].

Like today, I'm off work and I know the gym is mostly empty and I'd have my pick of equipment ~ right now I'm necking my fourth coffee, and I'll probably drop into Costa Coffee again before I go in

But once I'm switched onto training I'm grand

I wasn't suggesting strength falls off for people, I just don't get that some people feel it does.

From reading I think you're an old hand at this, and we're both training a very long time ~ so maybe sometime in the far distant past it was an issue but I really can't remember a time when I'd have peaks.

Once I'm warmed up I'm pretty much good to go.

intheclouds

If I get a drop off in strength its usually an indication Im coming down with something.

Sure I get days where it feels a bit easier than others but generally Im working to my limit.

asteroids over berlin

Its all in the mind. Sleep is key, if you sleep well, you will train well, go to bed earler and train, maybe have some oats and a banana and hit the gym. All good

Zillah

asteroids over berlin wrote: »

Its all in the mind. Sleep is key, if you sleep well, you will train well, go to bed earler and train, maybe have some oats and a banana and hit the gym. All good

Sleep and its effects on health and fitness are absolutely not in the mind.

I don't think I ever really noticed a difference. Main thing would be in the morning I've to watch the clock but in the evening I can take my time so I imagine that has an effect with rest periods etc

Mellor

Completely depends on the person tbh. I've trained a lot in the morning and find it grand, others could be different.
That said I would add, for anyone thinking they have to eat for energy before training. That even when you eat breakfast you aren't instantly using the for energy

asteroids over berlin

Zillah wrote: »

Sleep and its effects on health and fitness are absolutely not in the mind.

What exactly are you getting at here?

I am saying, sleep well and go for it, it shouldnt matter when you train. If you can't train in the morning, sorry but it's your mindset and if people suggest its lack of energy due to food intake - your diet is not working for you or probably your not on a good diet!

daRobot

Zillah wrote: »

Sleep and its effects on health and fitness are absolutely not in the mind.

Read his post again, nowhere did he say lack of sleep didn't affect the mind.

Personally, if I train fasted soon after getting up, and have had as much sleep as I needed I don't lose strength and it sets me up nicely for the day.

But if I've had less than I need - which for me is 9 hours - I'll be weak, and it drains me for the rest of the day.

Bcaa's also really help with fasted training. Don't know why as such, but tried them based on leangains protocol and they work well.

Hazydays123

I always go for a run fasting at 5.30am. I actually find evening workouts much harder because my blood sugars are all over the place depending on what I've eaten during the day.

Blacktie.

daRobot wrote:

Bcaa's also really help with fasted training. Don't know why as such, but tried them based on leangains protocol and they work well.

I done the same and didn't notice any difference. Think it depends on the person

arybvtcw0eolkf

With all my training, whether that be martial arts, cycling or the gym I keep the words of my signature (below) in my thoughts;

"Now if you want to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is strong." - Gen.Patton

I'm 50 years old and still competitive and fighting lads half (and less) my age, I simply won't let my body tell my mind what to do.

Cake Man

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Motivation and preparation come into it as well.

I'd never be a fan of the word "motivation" being used in the context of relying on it to get you to go to the gym/training. Motivation won't always be there.
My alarm went off at 4.40 this morning, I then had to walk the 15min journey to the gym in the cold, dark, wind and p!ssing rain. Knowing that that wasn't even the hard part, the hard part being actually lifting in the gym.
Not trying to make myself out to be some kind of hero or anything, I'm just making the point that in that scenario, it wasn't motivation that got me up but just habit, consistency and persistency.

Mellor

Cake Man wrote: »

I'd never be a fan of the word "motivation" being used in the context of relying on it to get you to go to the gym/training. Motivation won't always be there.
My alarm went off at 4.40 this morning, I then had to walk the 15min journey to the gym in the cold, dark, wind and p!ssing rain. Knowing that that wasn't even the hard part, the hard part being actually lifting in the gym.
Not trying to make myself out to be some kind of hero or anything, I'm just making the point that in that scenario, it wasn't motivation that got me up but just habit, consistency and persistency.

Your location says Sydney, it's not that cold. :P

Alf Veedersane

Cake Man wrote: »

I'd never be a fan of the word "motivation" being used in the context of relying on it to get you to go to the gym/training. Motivation won't always be there.
My alarm went off at 4.40 this morning, I then had to walk the 15min journey to the gym in the cold, dark, wind and p!ssing rain. Knowing that that wasn't even the hard part, the hard part being actually lifting in the gym.
Not trying to make myself out to be some kind of hero or anything, I'm just making the point that in that scenario, it wasn't motivation that got me up but just habit, consistency and persistency.

I know what you're saying but you need a degree of motivation to build that habit and maintain it. There's always a degree of motivation underpinning a habit that you keep going. You won't always feel motivated to go when you wake up and it's dark/cold/wet but if you're not motivated to maintain the habit, you won't.

Snarky Puppy

Cake Man wrote: »

it wasn't motivation that got me up but just habit, consistency and persistency.

Sounds like motivation.