Morning lifting

[Aqweei]

Anyone else lift early in the mornings?

What do you do to make sure you're ready to go and kick ass?

Do you train fasted or no?

 

I'm getting back into it since I'm back in school and everything. Definitely have to make sure I get there earlier so I can warm up properly. Went in this morning in a rush and was squatting 255. May as well been 400 the way it felt. Probably gonna continue to train fasted but we will have to see how my body responds to that. As long as I can continue to add some weight to the bar that's all I care about. 

 

Share any tips/tricks you may have. 

[Barbarossa]

I'm at the gym at or before7.30 am on a normal day now (schedule change moved me from 9-10pm to morning).  Generally speaking, I train semi-fasted (coffee with almond milk before) but have a protein bar of some sort for immediately after and I experience few ill-effects.  One thing that I've found is that a little mobility work is important as a sort of "pre" warmup--wake up the muscles and whatnot before hitting the warmup sets for the day.

 

I actually feel stronger training early and fasted than I did previously but with the caveat that I notice a smaller perceived rate of exertion between the light and heavy sets, all other things being equal.

 

My suggestion--give your body time to adjust, make sure to keep the muscles limber, and have a small protein/carb meal to tide you over until you can get home and eat a larger meal.

 

Also, multiple alarms, set to go off at one minute intervals, scattered about the house so that you actually have to get out of bed to turn them off--oftentimes that's that hardest part of the workout for me.

[Aqweei]

Yea, I'm getting to the gym at 6. Gonna start getting there at 5:45 I think so I can get a quick little walk in. I'm taking a protein shake for breakfast directly after working out. Waking up is definitely the worst lol. I have my phone going off at 10 min intervals starting at 5:15 and I still didnt get outta bed until 5:45 lol. Definitely need to work on that. 

[Max Power]

Definitely yes to the multiple alarms.  I have one at 4:00 and one at 4:20 to be at the gym by 5:00.  I usually only have a cup of coffee before I go in, and I'm usually not hungry, unless I've had a lot of carbs the day before.  

 

Here's an article that lists a bunch of cons towards early lifting

 

Honestly, I hate getting up early everyday. But I really like having my workouts done.  My evenings are completely free.  The gym is practically empty while I'm there.  And the few guys who are in there tend to be dedicated guys.  

 

I do have to wonder if there is a glass ceiling with early/fasted lifting and if I'm going to be able to continue on like I am now.  More rest would be better, I'm only getting about six hours a night.  As soon as I get a house and can set up a home gym, I plan on switching to lifting after work.  But for now I will stick with the early mornings.  

[Schmopey]

I am up at 4:30AM Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I try to be warming up by 5 - 5:05. I really don't have any problem getting up early, though I now find myself waking up at 4:30 even on the days I don't plan to hit the gym. Early seems to work for me especially since my weeknights are usually quite full with family stuff. I don't have anything but water until I get back home around 6:30. Then I make a smoothie with fruit 2 scoops of whey and three raw eggs.

 

I usually get up at 5:30 on Tuesday and Thursday to stretch, foam roll, and do other mobility stuff at home. Those days I eat a breakfast of Greek yogurt, Kashi crunch, and blueberries after I get to work, usually around 9AM.

 

I do end up going to bed before 9PM occasionally. I try to be in bed by 9:30 on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

 

Seems to be working for me so far.

[andygates]

Until the summer break, the morning is the only quiet time so that's where I am.

 

I have a little snack - a bit of pb toast - and my preworkout goop before heading down.  Then shake after, and a generous brunch.  

 

The first couple of sets in each warmup can feel a bit bag-of-sticks-and-woe, but it's just a feel.  The program doesn't change because of the hour, not for me at least.

 

The only problem I've had is when I'm tired, and it's squat day, I dump a lot more weight in the hole.  Seems like something says "mmm, this is the fetal position and you're all warm - it's snuggle sleep time!" and that ain't helpful.  

[Ancalagon The Black]

I am not a morning person at all. I like lifting at about 4 PM in the afternoon.

[Amazon Grimm]

I am not a morning person.  I lift as soon as I wakeup on my day off.  Throw on workout clothes, Drink a very small whey shake.  Drink a can of diet soda.  weight 15 minutes then go outside and lift.

[Aqweei]

It's definitely not something I "enjoy". I use the term lightly because I love lifting but waking up and going to deadlift is like waking up and telling me to jump in a pond full of ice water lol. I dread it so much. Naturally I enjoy lifting more at 3-4pm. So this is all very new to me. 

 

Max- I read a similar article and that's what made me decide on warming up and what not to make sure I'm not so tight etc. I was horrendously tight today. 

 

Everyone else- Great suggestions and I enjoy seeing what your routines are! Looks like I'll be basing mine off of a combination of several of yours  

[HoldFast]

My least favorite time to lift is the afternoon.

 

What has historically worked best for me is lifting at lunch, and eating immediately afterward.

 

But, my alarm is set for 0400, and I always (95%) get up immediately, and get to the gym by 0430 and lift fasted.

 

Both of those situations work out fine for me, but I prefer to get a little food processing in me and a some liquids, so the lunch lifts work best.

Unfortunately, I cant get this situation to work out for me very often anymore, so I've mostly been doing the early work.

[wildross]

I usually lift before 6AM.  I like to have some fruit on the way to the gym or as I'm checking email, etc.

[FyreFlies]

Lift from 6:45 am for an hour. Fasted. I feel much stronger that way because of the glycogen reserves from the meal the night before. Immediately afterwards I have actual protein like chicken and veggies or something. Been doing it for almost a year now. Never had any issues.

 

Don't feel the same when I lift later in the afternoon.

[chairohkey]

I lift in the mornings usually around 6am. I've done the after work route but mornings just feel better. I get some coffee in me and drink the below during.

 

80's LumberJack3d During Workout Drink

• 32 oz water
• 1 Crystal Light On The Go - Pink Lemonade
• 2 tsp Unflavored BCAAs
• 1 tsp Unflavored Creatine
• 400 mg Caffeine

Keep at it and your body will eventually adjust.

[lucidzfl]

I don't know if its good or bad, but I work out at 7:30 am, completely fasted, for about 30-45 minutes. (It depends on what I switch or if I have enough strength to do some circuits in between)

 

Immediately following, I have 6 egg whites, 2 strips of bacon, 1 slice whole grain toast, and maybe some fruit. (today was cantaloupe)

 

I can only hope its a good regimen

[TerraNik]

I lift at 530am or 6am most mornings. If I know I'm doing an extra heavy or extra long session, I'll eat something small before I go (apple and almond butter) but otherwise I train fasted. 

 

I'm definitely a morning person though! I usually give myself 20 minutes or so of mobility and then another 10 minutes of warming up my lifts before I actually start lifting heavy. 

[KAllen]

I work out in the mornings.  If I'm working nightshifts, like now, I work out right after work ( 6am).  When I'm working dayshift, I usually work out on my off days, usually after taking my son to school.  Less people in my gym in the mornings is the main reason.  I hate waiting on a power rack and I won't use machines, so workout in the mornings it is. 

[pantinaprovina]

I used to think I wasn't a morning person, but it's obvious to me now that it was the fault of too little sleep and not having a regular sleep schedule. Now that I no longer work in retail and my husband gets up at 5am for his job, I've slowly started going to bed earlier and earlier. Now I get up 2-3x a week at 5 and get to the gym by 5:40. It's a lot more convenient for me than trying to fit it in before dinner while still leaving myself enough time to digest a bit before bed. I also really like having quiet time in the morning where I can make lunch for work or do the dishes while I'm feeling rested instead of after work when I feel beat. 

 

We have the coffee pot set to brew at 5, so I usually have half a cup of coffee with almond milk before my workout and then when I come back have more coffee and inhale breakfast. I really like this set up because it's a lot easier to throw together breakfast quickly after a workout than dinner, lol. 

[jediokie]

I wish I could lift in the mornings, it would leave me free to throw all evening while my wife and daughter ride. But I have to be at work at 0730 and my local gym doesn't open until 0630. Maybe one day I'll talk the wife into a home gym....right after I talk her into a bigger house