Gym before or after work

[chellie]

Which is more beneficial and if before work when/what do you eat? Am going to be using the gym for cardio and weights work instead of spinning. As I usually wake up fairly early I'm thinking going before work would be better time wise but will it still be as effective?

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I prefer a early morning gym session and will eat my breakfast (usually porridge) afterwards. If I go in the evening after work I will have a substantial dinner but a lighter tea as I’ve stopped eating after 7:30pm

I think the specific workout is more important than when you workout.

Best of luck though Chellie 👍🏻

 

[SugarPenguin]

Has to be the morning so long as you can get a breakfast in.

There’s been a few studies on training time and I do not think there was massive differences.

When I used to train I just could not go after work. Literally zero motivation to go.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Neither. Toruture chambers to be avoided at all costs (which explains the man you see before you at forum meets). However back in a former life when I was fitter and training for footie etc, we had a gym at one of my workplaces along with a pool and I'd get there for 6.00am do 45 minutes in the gym and then a leisurely swim, shower, change, brekkie in the staff restaurant and get to my desk. Actually felt quite invigorated for the working day ahead. I have always found trying do anything after a working day far more of an effort to get myself motivated and would usually find I felt less benefit from the sessions

 

[Lord Tyrion]

He is away at the moment but it may be worth messaging Wolf. This is his forte and his answer is likely to be worth listening to.

 

[Wolf]

He is away at the moment but it may be worth messaging Wolf. This is his forte and his answer is likely to be worth listening to.

I'm back 😎

Wish I was still in Italy but alas back to the cold wet of Lincolnshire 😂

As to the OP give me a few minutes and I'll have the technical answers of benefits etc and then give my actual professional opinion 👍

 

[Rooter]

My unprofessional opinion is that morning is better than evening if you can. But only if it works for you and is not a strain to do that. Also doing it fasted may hold further benefits.

 

[chrisd]

My view is to drive past the gym at high speed and never be tempted to stop

 

[Foxholer]

Which is more beneficial and if before work when/what do you eat? Am going to be using the gym for cardio and weights work instead of spinning. As I usually wake up fairly early I'm thinking going before work would be better time wise but will it still be as effective?

For me, morning suited best so that's when I did it. Evenings were for Golf (or, occasionally, Tennis).

The repetitive nature of Gym work is quite a disincentive to overcome in the evening, while, as Homer posted, the subsequent 'high' is invigorating for the morning's work.

 

[Wolf]

OK so to the OP this maybe lengthy purely because of the pros, cons, and the personal choice - The science bit first :

Hormones
Morning workout: Testosterone, which fuels energy and muscle gains, soars in the morning: levels are a third higher.

Evening workout: Cortisol, the muscle-eating hormone, climbs by upto 75% depending on how your day's been, but normalises again at night.

Sleep
Morning workout: A recent US Uni Study showed those who lift at 7am power down faster at night – and produce more human growth hormone – than evening trainers.

Evening workout: The same study found evening gym time raises body heat like a warm bath and promotes sound sleep.

Benefits
Morning workout: Extra energy, extra testosterone, increased metabolism, super sleep, more family time in evening.

Evening workout: Longer lie-in, max strength, post work stress relief.

Strength v Fat Burn
Morning workout: Do your cardio at the crack of dawn and you'll burn 20% more fat, reports from British Journal of Nutrition Study.

Evening workout: Go for a strength PB. After work, your anaerobic capacity is around 7% higher.

So to summarise that in my extensive professional opinion, you can see there advantages to both types of training if your goal is purely to be in the best shape you can be whilst getting fitter then I would recommend to my clients AM sessions are more beneficial due to higher levels of testosterone and growth hormone being at its peak both essential in helping carve out lean tissue and mass whilst burning fat. If you're lifting weights I would recommend do this before the cardio because if your doing cardio first glycogen levels will drop and you'll lose significant strength gains. Also wouldn't recommend fasted when using weights because its not the lack of calories that increases the burn its actually the increase levels of testosterone plus lifting weight with no fuel is likely to cause more harm than benefit, hydrogen builds up in the muscle which can cause damage(if your doing cardio only then fasted is no problem as long as its steady state and not HIIT)

Right so that's the long winded all very valid and professional opinion out the way, my own preference for my training usually is to do it early so as not to impact on life else where in the day, also feel more energised and start the day better, the mornings mean I could get it done with no impact on family life and be home in evening with the kids. That being said from tomorrow my training will have to be in the afternoon due to change in work patterns, but keeping a balanced diet I'll still get good results. Nobody can tell you what is best for you it's purely about how you balance your own life, but many of my clients also feel they get more out of their days when they've trained early.

As for food complex carbs like Porridge are great for energy before a workout, if your working out early perhaps an intra workout BCAA drink like Optimum Nutrition Amino energy, helps keep hydrated and energy levels up. Then post workout people go on about getting shakes in etc in the magic window of 1hr (trust me muscle doesn't know its 1hr they don't have watches) the actual anabolic window is scientifically proven be 24hrs so long as your eating right though the day after working out you won't have any issues. Though if you want a cheeky professional tip, buy a bag of the fun size haribo packs then have 1 of those with your favourite protein shake after training you get the exact 2:1 ratio of glycogen and protein mix the body needs and it deeps like a cheeky little treat to.

Hopefully that wasn't to much to take it but you did ask 😉

 

[AmandaJR]

Personally I can only do steady-state stuff in the morning and invariably do that in a fasted state as it's out of bed and get going. For high intensity stuff then I work better late afternoon/early evening. I have tried to push hard in the morning and perhaps need another go at it having had a small breakfast and couple of coffees but again high intensity stuff with anything in my stomach is never a good thing for me.

 

[Parsaregood]

What time can you be bothered going

 

[Grant85]

I got into a great routine in 2014 and was going to the gym 2 to 3 times every midweek and the odd weekend as well.

I was in a position where;
* I could leave my office at 5pm on the dot
* a colleague was also going and we would train together at least once a week
* I had no kids
* wife was working 12 hour shifts and wouldn't get in till 8pm

Basically I would go to the gym every day she was working, as well as every Monday regardless if she was working or not.

I tried to go some mornings but I have never enjoyed doing this. From a physical point of view, I wouldn't feel at my best.
It was also extra hassle taking work clothes in with you and having to get showered, changed in a busy and warm changing rooms. I'd still be sweating when I sat down at my desk.

2015... 1st kid born and job changed to a more flexible / self-employed role where I manage my own diary. I can't justify training in the evenings now as that is kid time and have tried a few times going in the mornings or even during the day, but time pressures inevitably have meant I've never stuck at it for more than a few weeks. Even with the extra flexibility of being able to go mid morning or in the afternoons most days I've never gotten into a routine again. I don't have a valid excuse and really did enjoy 2014 where I had almost no time pressures and could be on the gym floor at 1715 2 or 3 nights a week and still be home eating dinner at Champions League o'clock.

Kids are the biggest one - they really utilise so much of your time and energy but given my job I've no real excuses. I have usually found plenty of time for the off game of golf but I guess I just don't enjoy the gym as much so avoid it.

 

[GB72]

I find that I cannot motivate myself to work as hard if I go to the gym I the morning but do feel that a workout in the evening means that I get rid of the stress of the day and sleep much better if I have been to the gym. That said, if I am not golfing at the weekend, I do like (ok, not line but prefer) to get up early, be there when the gym opens. The place is quiet and I can get things done without waiting for weights and equipment and motivate myself with the promise of a nice breakfast after.

The evening thing only works if the gym is on my way home. Once I am home my energy drains and I have no chance of going out for a productive gym session.

Bear in mind that this is coming from no expert but rather a severely overweight bloke approaching his 50s who is trying to do something to rectify that.

 

[hovis]

I agree with alot of wolfs comments apart from eating complex carbohydrates before hand. your body has all the energy it needs in the morning to sustain a workout thanks to something called the "dawn effect" which is not limited to diabetics and by the way your body restores energy whilst your asleep. by eating before you are also missing out on the benefits from "fasted state training"

if your goal is to shread fat then morning training is definitely an advantage. however, if it's just for fitness and conditioning then only you know what time is better for you. Reading this most gym goers already have a "feeling" on what time they prefer to train. personally I love my usual 8.00am slot.. my strength is down significantly if I train later on. the gym I worked at was 24 hour. I found it bizarre how folk could train at midnight.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I struggle sleeping if I’ve had a late workout.

 

[Orikoru]

There is nothing that could make me get out of bed at ridiculous o'clock to go to the gym before work. When I go it's straight after work on my way home.

 

[Kellfire]

Bed before work, KFC after

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Sorry but what is a gym, and what is this thing called work?

 

[hovis]

There is nothing that could make me get out of bed at ridiculous o'clock to go to the gym before work. When I go it's straight after work on my way home.

i used to be the same. but for many year I could only train before work at 5.30 am. it sounds crazy but you just go to bed at 9pm. its remarkable how fast you adapt. it actually picks you up for the day too