preferred training time

[teperry46]

Just wondering the times people here prefer/like to train

Usually I like to workout in the evening after Im done with classes for the day, but beginning tomorrow, Im switching to early mornings like 6am to lift. Main reason is Im getting too busy during the day with classes,work, and homework to spend 2 hours in the gym everyday. Plus its not crowded at all, so that makes my workouts way quicker so I can get in, workout, and get out.

also curious to hear how other people fit workouts into their day while attending college. It can be tough to find time some days with everything that goes on during a typical day

[Swolepez]

I think a great training time would be right in the middle of the day...1-3pm..that way you have time to get half of your meals in before your workout and the other half after your workout...

Obviously bc of work, most of us have to choose either mornings or evenings...so I currently work out at 4:40-4:45am in the morning....

Workouts while in college really depend on your class schedule..I never had the same/consistent workout time during college..

[sgerwel1985]

Just wondering the times people here prefer/like to train

Usually I like to workout in the evening after Im done with classes for the day, but beginning tomorrow, Im switching to early mornings like 6am to lift. Main reason is Im getting too busy during the day with classes,work, and homework to spend 2 hours in the gym everyday. Plus its not crowded at all, so that makes my workouts way quicker so I can get in, workout, and get out.

also curious to hear how other people fit workouts into their day while attending college. It can be tough to find time some days with everything that goes on during a typical day

I currently hit the gym after my wife and i get our son to bed, so roughly getting to the gym around 8/815pm and finishign my workout (cardio after) around 10/1015. In fact, i just started doing this and the first few weeks of switching it up were just brutal. Now after a few weeks, it's not too bad. The greatest thing about my new time is the gym is clearing out around then. With the new years resolution crowd in there, by the time i get there the weight section is clear and that is a very good thing.

Now as for what i prefer/like, if i had it my way i'd be at the gym around noon. However, seeing as i have to work and be an "adult"and work, i cannot do that! When i was in college, i remember with my class schedule i was able to go lifting with my buddy around 10am every single day. At that time in my life though lifting was all i did, nutrition was shit and had no self control what so ever. I guess i let the college life get the best of me. I feel much better at 29 than i did at 24.

Good luck lifting in the mornings. I tried switching to a 5am start a few times, that was just god awful. I cannot function at that time, no matter how much pre-workout i take.

[Lottawheels]

I like training between like noon and 5 or so. Any later and I'm too tired but late enough it allows me to eat a big meal and digest and maybe another snack before getting into the gym

[GunRock]

In college, I always trained during a break between classes, sometime in the afternoon. Early on when my class load was jam packed, I did two a days so I'd do my main lift in the morning then come back to hit the same bodypart with the dumbbell and cable work. So I might bench in the morning, flat, incline, decline and leave. Then come back and do flyes, pec deck, nosecrushers etc. Ditto for back, I'd do some sort of barbell row and pullups then come back to do bentover laterals, cable laterals, db rows, pullovers and bicep work. Since I never squatted back then, it was easy to fit my training into a couple of days a week.

Now, I have a home gym so I prefer to train when I first wake up but that varies according to whether or not I worked the previous night. I still break up my training if I don't have a lot of time. There have been many times when I've squatted then taken a kettlebell or some dumbbells to work with me (I work at a desk at night for 12 hours) and I do my lunges, goblet squats, kb swings, weight ab work whatever right there at my desk. Since there aren't many people around, I don't have to worry about getting funny looks when I bear crawl past somebody's desk but early on I did get some comments when they saw what I was doing on the security cameras!

[amar655]

I lift at around 12-1 in between classes. Workout at my school gym, and while it is fairly crowded, most people there are to intimidated of the free-weights section, so i can easily get a workout done.

[G Diesel]

I've done it all and I like it all for various reasons.

But I really dig AM training. Sets the tone for the whole day. And it feels like your nutrition for that whole day is then directly contributing to growth and recovery from the morning session.

Peace, G

[rainman]

I usually get up at 6am to walk my dog for an hour, before having my first meal, getting ready, then driving to the gym. I prefer early morning training as I am quite alert from the walk and can get a decent amount of food in me for the rest of the day. It's not ideal walking the dog through the woods in darkness and having to negotiate the 4x4 school runs, but I just can't be arsed in the evenings due to the mirror boy crowd.


I've done it all and I like it all for various reasons.

But I really dig AM training. Sets the tone for the whole day. And it feels like your nutrition for that whole day is then directly contributing to growth and recovery from the morning session.

Peace, G

I've noticed in your Journey that you are very precise with your training times. Enforcer is another one who does this. Do you notice much of a difference in numbers depending on the time of day that you train?

[Aggression]

I've done it all and I like it all for various reasons.

But I really dig AM training. Sets the tone for the whole day. And it feels like your nutrition for that whole day is then directly contributing to growth and recovery from the morning session.

Peace, G

Same with me. I've trained in the AM, afternoon, and evening. With my current work schedule, I can only workout on days off. In my mind, I'd much rather hit it early. Get in, smash shit, get out. On one hand, I agree that it sets the tone for the day. On the other hand, I often feel like I put maximal effort into the workout and then have a tough time getting shit done for the remainder of the day.

[GunRock]

I've done it all and I like it all for various reasons.

But I really dig AM training. Sets the tone for the whole day. And it feels like your nutrition for that whole day is then directly contributing to growth and recovery from the morning session.

Peace, G
There's something primal about "earning your food" like our ancestors did and wild predators do now. I think too many modern people eat like prey animals.

[John Grey]

I work 6am-2:30pm so I train after work. It's perfect as I am in there before the rush starts!

[insatiableOne]

Same with me. I'd much rather hit it early. Get in, smash shit, get out. On one hand, I agree that it sets the tone for the day. On the other hand, I often feel like I put maximal effort into the workout and then have a tough time getting shit done for the remainder of the day.

Pretty much sums up my routine.
Although some days drag or just have a hard time getting out of bed with back to back brutal workouts.

But let the job be tougher, save my energy for the lift.

[Goliathus]

I did am workouts for a while. It went well, until my schedule (as a PT) didn't allow due to clients.
But as a couple people said, I've found my body responds best when I can get up, have a couple meals, train, and finish my meals. I start training at 1-115, depending on how long my warmup takes (rolling & mobility.)
I'm strongest and have the best energy levels here, and have built my entire nutrition foundation for that. I guess that's most of my training time.

But here's what I've found...whatever fits you and your daily life, do it. If it doesn't fit your schedule to train mid day, why try to do it, ya know?

[sgerwel1985]

Honestly, i think the biggest takeaway here is... No matter what time of the day, just make sure you're getting in quality lifts. So very few of us are able to really have an "ideal" training time/situation; job, work, family all kind of make that hard.

[Cellardweller]

Out of necessity I'm usually in the gym at 11:00 am. I used to go in at 0900. I'm liking the 1100 time as most of the morning people are finishing up when I get in and half way through my workout the place clears out. Not having to wait for anything or having someone hovering around while I'm on something is huge for staying focused.

[JHOORNSTRA]

I prefer middle of the day, 1, 2, 3ish, that way I'm not tired being first thing in the morning or late at night, don't need as much energy drink, and have a few meals in me by then...however work, family, schedules don't always allow and I end up OD'ing on rage but would rather be up a few extra hours laying in bed wide awake then half-assing a workout...waste of time.

[P Diesel]

when its game time its pain time. u stay until the job is done
P

[Derek Kendall]

It really depends on the lift. Squat and pulls gotta be in the AM otherwise it takes too long. Bench is something I always do at night after work and coaching. The key is not sacrificing the lift because of a time restraint

[skibasgym]

My ideal time to train is around 10 in the morning but that doesn't work during the work week. You also have to factor in what time works for your training partners as well. When training is important to you, you find time. But keep in mind that time can change every week. Keep it going