When to train?

[Blitz Comet]

So I work third shift midnight to 8:30am and I am having trouble training when I wake up at four or five in the evening. I feel drained and weak as shit. I'd like to start training at 10am after I get off work. However I've heard some people are really against training before bed compared to when you wake up. Any input on this? Will it make that big of a difference?

 

[Ironlord]

Always used to head right from midnights to the gym... Finished my shift at 6:45am, in the gym by 7:30/8....then home to eat and slept like a baby after that. Did this for 5 solid years of steady midnights. Probably the best time of sleeping in my entire life actually...

 

[Blitz Comet]

Always used to head right from midnights to the gym... Finished my shift at 6:45am, in the gym by 7:30/8....then home to eat and slept like a baby after that. Did this for 5 solid years of steady midnights. Probably the best time of sleeping in my entire life actually...

Thanks for the input man I am probably gonna start doing the same.

 

[Evom1]

Train at the end of your day. I don't understand why anyone would be against the concept of getting 90% of your food for the day in you before going to train, then train eat and sleep for 8hrs....that's pretty ideal

 

[Dw725]

I trained late at night before bed for many years. May wanna avoid stims/preworkout if u don't have a couple hours after lifting for them to wear off. I still used them and it definitely affected my sleep back then. Gotta do what you gotta do tho, workout before bed when u feel good is more productive than a shitty workout when u first wake up if that's how you're feeling.

 

[Blitz Comet]

Train at the end of your day. I don't understand why anyone would be against the concept of getting 90% of your food for the day in you before going to train, then train eat and sleep for 8hrs....that's pretty ideal

All my "gym Bros" are adamant that you should train when you wake so you can refeed the muscles throughout the day

 

[Dw725]

All my "gym Bros" are adamant that you should train when you wake so you can refeed the muscles throughout the day

If this even made a difference, it would be so miniscule to not even matter.

 

[Evom1]

All my "gym Bros" are adamant that you should train when you wake so you can refeed the muscles throughout the day

How many of them compete? If anything maybe mid day is good. But to get any substantial fuel in you right when you wake up AND digest it before training would be pretty tough. You can certainly do either way. But today's eating is fueling today's workout and recovery from yesterdays

 

[DrankSlangin]

Hmmmm I just started training a few hours before bed due to a schedule change. I trained mornings or afternoons before, and always got up early enough to eat a couple hours pre workout and just before. Haven’t noticed much of a different in performance or sleep yet, but I may have to switch to evening workouts for the long term after reading this.

 

[RowdyGrunt]

My training schedule is stupid. And it's likely that the only reason that I don't fall into overtraining and injury frequently is simply because I've kept the same training pace that I had operational/training pace from the Army.

To that end, I tend to train BJJ and Muay Thai during the day, at lunch. But when I go to the gym, it tends to be prior to bed, 9 or 10 at night. And while this is anecdotal, I sleep FAR better when I've hit the gym at night. If I don't train at night, I'll still sleep well; but that gym at night gets me so much better, deeper sleep.

I say that confidently because I do track my sleep.

Just don't take any pre-workout, or you won't get those z's brother.

Just like your boys say that it's better to train in the morning to re-feed; an opposite case could be made that you head into recovery sooner by working out prior to bed, getting post workout protein, then sleeping. I just a protein made specifically for night time usage that contains melatonin and chamomile.

Hell... you'll feel awesome in the morning, because you put in work at night.