What part of the day do you lift?

[Dan Hefta]

I work out at the dinner table, usually 15-20 fork or spoon reps, I do alternate between my right and left hand, I don't want to look freakish. Left handed reps get a little messy, I go through a lot of napkins. I eat left handed about the same as I shoot left handed (slow and sloppy)

[s_gorilla45]

Thanks for the responses.

From a mental perspective I like the morning workouts. My brain is not yet filled with issues and I can concentrate on working out. I guess perhaps I need to do more stretching before I start pushing hard. I do some cardio before I hit the weights, but I think that's not a true warm up, because all that does is get some blood pumping and doesn't get the muscles/ligaments ready to work. I guess it's like getting in the car in winter and revving the engine. The engine warms up, but the tranny, bearings and suspension are still cold.

I lift weights in the evenings 3 days per week and do cardio 2-4 days per week first thing in the morning. I have found that if I lift hard in the mornings I'm useless for a couple hours afterward. I lift in the evenings so that I can clear my mind of all the issues and concerns from my day and just focus on the iron. I don't have to worry about needing energy to focus on work afterwards either. Nothing like one all out set of deadlifts or squats to clear your worries away.

[PINMAN44]

Every morning when I take a pee I lift.

5lbs single arm curl.

Edited August 19, 2009 by PINMAN44

[dcarter]

I have had problems in the past with this mostly because I work 3rd shift and I have 3 kids to take care of. I found what works best for me was working out just after work. The gym opens early, the kids are still sleeping and (once you get used to it) it becomes easy to keep the energy level up for the workout. I haven't been to the gym in a while but I plan on starting up again very soon.

I will be doing cardio 5 days a week and alternate upper and lower body workouts every day. I will take Sunday off. I will be using lighter wieghts with more reps to help keep my cardio up even as I lift. I'm not looking to get "HULK Like" but I want to burn off the fat and the best and fastest way to do that is to gain muscle. My plan is to make sure that these new Techwear shirts I just ordered don't fit by next season.

[JimmyZip]

I usually do weight/dryfire/cycling in the evenings after 8pm. Running/trailrunning-hiking in the mornings about 4:30-5:00 AM. I have to do this when the kids are asleep so I have no choice. Sometimes I am tired, but then I can nap with the toddler on Sat-Sun at noon if I'm lucky.

[Field]

well i work swing 230pm to 11pm and i do most of my stuff in the morning before work. i wasnt a big fan of this when i started the job but im more or less used to it.

it aint so bad during the winter when its a bit colder but i was having trouble motivating myself to go out and do sprints when it was like 90-100 degrees out around noon time

[gunracer38]

Lifting weights since I was 14 years of age. I am now 58,lift heavy weights and run two miles. No my stomach does not go over my belt. I worked the street for 25 years and tried to stay in shape and not get injured. I work out three days a week for about three hours. I would rather work out than say I cant do that. It is like a religion. In this sport you must be able to bend ,run and get up from the ground. Staying in shape is a must. Sorry smoking is the worst thing a person can do to his health. I have bored most of you guys. Maybe its because I am getting old. For you men on the street I know it is difficult to stay in shape with the hours we get. But you will find if you do work out you will feel much better.

[ausshooter]

I work a swing shift, from 3P-11P, and despite 7 years in the army, am not, and never have been, a morning person. I lift at midnight. I get off, and get to the house five minutes later, chow down on something, get changed, and I'm off for an hour or so of lifting, and twenty minutes of HIIT for cardio, then home to read for an hour or so before bed.

I've tried switching it around, and going to bed within an hour of getting off work, but I still don't want to get up and get to the gym before 11AM.

I work 1500-0100 so I feel ya. I usually go to sleep an hour after I get home, but I work out at noon. I wake up around 1000 every day and I have enough time to get some chow in and let my brain warm up. After my workouts I come home, shower, eat, and then head to work. Works great and keeps me consistent.

[Leozinho]

I strength train in the afternoon after work.

I train BJJ in the evening – usually 7:30 to 9:00, which makes going to sleep at an early hour difficult because it takes me a bit to unwind and relax.

In the Army I trained in the mornings, of course. I don't like to do that anymore because I find it very difficult to train when I haven't eaten in 10 or so hours. Something to think about.

[Pat Miles]

I like to hit the gym in the morning. It's too easy for me to get involved in a project later in the day and not have the time to workout. I don't like the evenings as the little neighborhood gym I go to is packed then.

CYa,

Pat

[TISCHLJ]

I've been on mornings for the last few years.

Mostly I'm doing excercises only with my body weight- pushups, pull ups, planks, some bowflex use for pec deck,flys, and some free-weights off the big ball but those are mostly hammer curls . . .I went to these type workouts due to being hurt . .

Give yourself some time to wake up and warm up and enjoy!

[Fishin6061]

Afternoon between classes. Homework and dry fire in the evening.

[Paul Santiago]

Evening about 830.

Dinner is done, wife is ready for bed, dog is settled down, and all the 'gotta get to the gym right after work' people are gone.

The gym is pretty empty and I don't have to wait for machines.

[bdo]

I usually try to lift early afternoon because that is when I feel strongest, but it usually ends up being in the evening due school obligations.

[khb7972]

technically the morning is best because among other things your hormone levels are highest. its harder to wake up but I usually drink coffee right before. Injuries, more often than not, you are not warming up adequately, which is easy to do when you are at your least warmed up state of the day. 5 minutes of cardio will generally do it, anything that gets your blood flowing and your body temperature and heart rate elevated is the key.

[xsniper]

After joining the over 55 "club" I am lifting only 3 times a week, with a split that has me doing each body part only once a week. The long recovery is working really well. I ride my bike twice during the week (approx. 16 miles each) and once on the weekend (approx. 50 miles). Now if I could just be as regular with my dry fire I'm sure I would see better results on match weekends. Afternoons work best for me.

Edited May 6, 2010 by xsniper

[entropic]

I need at least a small meal worth of balanced real food in me then an hour or so to digest....so working out at 7am doesn't fly with me. Working out later in the day/early evening is easier for me although it can make falling asleep early tough. I get the feeling that my inability to get up and exercise strenuously early in the AM stems from my addiction to carbohydrates...something to do with insulin levels, but I'm no biochemist.

[Racindemon]

morning would be the best time to exercise

[Pezco]

I lift during my lunch hour 3x per week and treadmill in the evening 3x per week on odd evening from lifting. This works out great when I'm in town, not traveling.

[Mbauer67]

I prefer to do cardio in the morning, I am not totally awake, but I just get in the zone and go. Then lift in the early evening, like after work, lifting at this time of day gives me the best results and allows me to release the days stress's.

Here are a couple tips for lifting in the am;

1. You need to eat something prior to working out, to raise your blood sugar slightly. I recommend a scoop of whey protein mixed into a glass of milk, the milk has the carbs for fast energy, and the protein gives you long term calorie source.

2. Also it takes me about 10 minutes of light jogging to warm up enough to lift, like someone else said you have to break a sweat to be properly warmed up. Don't cut any corners here, it looks like you have already paid for it a little.

[Jesse Tischauser]

I always used to work out after work but I recently started going on lunch break and I love it. Lunch is now a source of nutrition to supplement my workout rather than something fattening to make me feel better about an otherwise boring or crappy day. Plus from 1-3 I'm still riding the pump and the afternoon flies by.

Edited September 11, 2010 by jtischauser

[Bsbllrooster]

For me morning workouts always lead to a sub par workout. Generally I'll work out after I have had at LEAST 3-4 meals in me. For me that usually around 4pm. Granted I'm eating around 6 meals a day but most people eat 3 so I would recommend working out about an hour and a half after lunch. If this is not possible then make sure you have a good sized snack 1.5 hours before to give u the extra boost before a workout. Meal and supplement timing is key.

Cheers.

[CJDOUBLETAP]

Meal and supplement timing is key.

Cheers.

Yep, and don't forget the most important meal of the day... post work out.

[dravz]

Soon as I get home from work (~5pm).

[Chrome308]

Early morning (6am). My body isn't awake for the first 20 minutes, so its sort of brutal. I do it mainly for the 1) schedule and 2) discipline.

However, my body and mind are more energetic and willing in the early evening.

I have not found any higher rate of injury between people who train in the morning or in the evening, but then we usually warm up for 10-20 minutes before getting into anything serious.