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Anabolic Steroids

Post midnight shift workout probs

Bigd26

Bigd26

New Member
My daily routine consists of work midnight shift, workout for about an hour after then go home and try and sleep while the kids are in school. I have continued this routine for a few years now. In this time it seems I injure myself more during workouts and I don't seem to be making the gains (in the mirror) I would like.

Anyone else have these issues from doing shift work? I'm not sure if it's lack off sleep, age or whatever. Contemplating going to the gym prior to shift, but I don't like taking my time away from my family. Any thoughts?
 
Take time off the gym..
Take a week off, and see how you feel...

Trust me, this can't do anything but help you,
if you been on this routine steady for a while now..

What are your stats, and what are you looking for in results?
Cut.. fat loss, muscle gain, bulk... ?
 
I weigh 215 lbs / 6 ft tall late 30's.

I injured my back this past year, herniated L5-S1. I am currently receiving cortisone and has been a huge relief. Trying to avoid surgery. I took a few months off, but I'm slowly getting back to where I was strength wise. Other than this time off for the injury, the workouts have been pretty consistent. I also like to change up my workout routine every few months.

I would like to gain a few lbs of mass and lose a few of fat. I feel as though I have reached a plateau and wasn't sure if it was due to my schedule. I'm usually pretty tired all the time and don't get much time for sleep.

Anone else feel like they're running low on energy yet still able to make some decent gains?

Does the time of day affect a workout or its results?
 
I work nights so when I'm off I workout during the night btw midnight and 3 am, and when you have a two year old at home its tough to workout during the day. I personally don't notice anything different when it comes to my workouts, still make gains even off cycle.

The cortisone shots could also be affecting your ability to lose that fat since its a catabolic hormone
 
Would like to see more feedback in this thread as I have just started(3 weeks) in at working 3 days 2nd shift and 2 days 3rd shift as a linecook..holyfuck-i have taken a couple weeks off somewhat as MH suggested to not overdo or overtrain the body and CNS...and brain.
 
Thanks for the advice. I just read over the side effects of cortisone and I have been experiencing about all of them. Insomnia, sweating, shortness of breath among others. Hopefully the sides will go away and the back/nerve pain stays away as well.
I'm going to make myself get some more sleep and I have some time off during the kids Christmas break that I'll take a little r&r for myself. I'm also going to change up my cardio times to see if that helps.

@dnoyez let me know how you handle the shift changes over time. @Y2JVD how long have you been working those hours?

Anyone run any aas while on or soon after cortisone sessions?
 
Ive been working those hours for almost 5 yrs now. I havent really ballooned in wt or anything like that 28 now so maybe thats why. I wouldnt suggest just getting off cortisone shots either though especially if its for back pain. I think u have to taper off glucocorticoids which cortisol isbut ask your dr. U dont want to be in continuous pain
 
I read somewhere that one of the anabolic effects of aas was that it blunted cortisol?
 
Rest is a very close second to diet in priority. The effects of improper rest ie...(time, duration, frequency, quality) are far to numerous to go over here. If I am having issues I look at food and sleep immediately. Other than breathing and blinking these are the two things you do the most in life. I am rare fortunate in that I am good enough at what I do for a living that I can dictate to my employer what kind of schedule I keep.
I am a full on disaster when I have worked those shifts. I never compromise my sleep for anyone.
 
I am used to getting poor sleep, around 5 and half to 6 hours is not uncommon for me, although the past few weeks I have been getting great rest.

I will say though even when I had only 5-6 hours of sleep, the negative effects on localized muscle recovery were pretty much negligible. This is something that is often exaggerated, individual muscles will probably recover just fine, systemic fatigue is the real issue that is worth worrying about imo.

Chronic poor sleep can be damaging to your long term progress if you are not mindful of fatigue. Not necessarily because of reduced local muscle recovery, but because of the negative effects being so heavily fatigued will have on performance.

Getting enough rest is important because it will allow you to dissipate some of the fatigue you accumulate through your training sessions. I'm not referring specifically to individual muscle recovery, but rather your bodies systems as a whole.

The effect fatigue has on your body as a whole will negatively effect performance in the gym if you are not managing it properly, and poor sleep will certainly play a role in the accumulation of systemic fatigue. Same with stress too.

Deload more frequently to help manage systemic fatigue symptoms, although ideally the solution would be to improve sleeping habits.
 
I work rotating 12 hour shifts and have for the past 7 years. Without a doubt it effects your workouts and your health. I have read articles about circadian rythms and their disruption to normal hormone levels. When i worked rotating 8 hour shifts i didnt like working out after a midnight. My brain was pretty fried and the whole mind muscle connection wasnt working.
 
I get off work between 3 and 4 am. I hit the gym right after. Usually I can wake right up once the blood starts to flow and endorphins kick in. During my work week, often ill have to workout every other day to allow my body to recoup due to the fucked up sleep and eating schedule.

But growing aint easy. Ill do whatever I have to. Eat whatever I need. And inject whatever is necessary.
 
I have been natural thus far but am starting to consider going to the dark side. Rotating shifts suck because you are constatntly changing. Every 5 days i am switching. I worked as a mechanic for UPS 15 years ago and i finished up at 330 am, i really liked it. The shift that is, the job sucked.
 
I agree, I can be pretty tired after a shift, step into the gym start working out and wake right up. But it makes me wonder if I was already awake prior to stepping into the gym if I could push myself just a little harder.

I took a couple weeks off and started lifting before my shift starts now. It's crazy how taking a couple weeks off can put you back in your progress. Although I did eat a lot and enjoyed a few too many drinks over the holidays. First workout after time off was legs. I really killed it and I was really feeling it for the next couple days. Going to the bathroom was more like a semi-controlled fall to the toilet. Haha.

I thought about going to a different shift but it's hard giving up the extra cash. We'll see how the time off and working out before shift goes. Maybe it's the change I've been needing.
 
Graveyard shift sucks.I can not tell you how tough it is on the body.I worked it for three years straight.Been working "normal" hours again and the gains are night and day.

I tried training right after work but just could not get going.Best I found was in tge evening before work.Kind of hard to have a family life with that shift.Not sure your traing schedule but maybe keep it at 4xweek and calories up.Best of luck..
 
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