Angry Issues: How Early Can You Workout?
We all workout at different times according to our schedules. Generally 4-7 pm is the peak period at most gyms, but many people exercise during their lunch breaks – and later in the evening. And there’s the early risers – those people who like to get their exercise out of the way first thing in the morning. That said many people find it hard to get up and work out before 9am, finding it hard to summon up motivation and energy in the early hours.
So today I’m asking, just how early can you workout productively?
Personally I prefer to work out early in the morning, around 6am, although anytime up to 11am is fine as well. I find that if I try to go to the gym in the late afternoon it’s just not as productive and I don’t ‘feel’ it as much. That’s just me. And I also realize that due to jobs, life and family, you may be forced into hitting the gym at a certain time and not necessarily one that’s your choice.
Plus I think that working out early in the morning has terrific metabolic benefits that late afternoon sessions miss out on. It really energizes me to get a great session in to start off my day. I believe that working out early helps to amp up the metabolism and may raise your resting metabolic rate throughout the day. So you burn more calories no mater what you’re doing. But when I’ve worked out at night, sometimes I’ve had trouble sleeping because I feel jacked and awake! This is in stark contrast to what I’ve heard some others say – it puts them to sleep. I wish this were true with me!
But I know that for many people working out in the morning is pure torture. They stumble into the gym half asleep clutching coffees and energy drinks and find that they just can’t seem to find their mojo. Are you in that category?
And if you do workout first thing how early can you handle a workout? 7am? 6am? 5am? At what point does your body just say ‘no way!!!!’
So tell me – what’s the earliest you think you could get an early workout in – and why? And if you do workout in the morning what are your tips for waking up and making the most out of your session? What tips have you learned to help you out that you’d like to share with your fellow Angry Trainer followers…? Comment away everyone…
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Ask Alfonso: Do I Workout Too Late?
about 9 months ago - No comments
Alfonso, I work a split shift at work and my workout time is between 9-10pm and usually for an hour. Then I go home and sleep. Is this a good idea? Or should I try and figure out how to fit in my workout at another time? I’ve been exercising this way for about a…
about 10 months ago
I’m just not a morning person – never have been – I was that kid that even on Christmas morning was growling at my parents as they desperately tried to get me up for santa’s gifts! There have been times I’ve met friends “early” – 8 to 9am – for a walk or hike, and I do feel great and the rest of the day is wide open. But I also love to slowly get up in the a.m enjoy my morning and breakfast, hang out in the yard for a bit before I have to go to work. I usually hit that “I want to workout” mode around 11ish and it will last till 3 or 4, after that it becomes more of a struggle, so afternoons work best for me!
about 10 months ago
I try to hit the gym no later than 6am. I’m the type that I want to get my day done as early as possible so I can have as much free time to myself. I love to workout and even though I like my job, no one should spend all their day in a damn office!
My tip is to condition yourself to sleep early. It’s a giant pain for a lot of people. Took me about 2 weeks of torture to get used to it. I took a break from the weights and would force myself up at 5am and just GET UP. I’d hit the gym and just do whatever cardio I could since that’s all the energy I really had. Eventually my body got used to falling asleep around 10-10:30pm. After the 2 weeks I was able to get up, have a protein shake and have enough energy to hit the gym for some weights.
To stay consistent I try to trick my body. I set my alarm to go off 30min before I really need to get up. This way I have the ‘snooze’ effect – that I’ve given myself extra time to get a few more winks. By the time my 2nd alarm goes off, I am not early as dead tired from when first rising and I feel as though I’ve gotten just that tiny bit more rest because i was able to hit ‘snooze’ on my alarm.
Make sure to get something in your stomach. If you have time to make some eggs, awesome. I have a bit of a drive and so I hit the gym close to work so the most I get is a protein shake, but I make sure to eat once I get into the office.
Even with my consistency, I’m still adjusting. I’ve tried a ATF workout in the morning – I don’t have the energy for it! Circuits kill me.. the most I can muster up is some supersets for 3-4 sets each. I tend to total around 16 sets in about 30min and then do 20-30min moderate cardio work. I’m working to push my body past this so I can have even more energy, but I’m sure that’ll take tweaking to diet and my sleeping.
it sucks to go in the morning… really all you can do is get your a** up and do it!
about 10 months ago
The earlier the better. I am an early riser (since having kids) and like to get it done and then not have to worry about it. If you put it off til the late afternoon or evening, there’s that much more likelihood that work or some other obligation will interfere with your availability, or you’ll be “too tired” or not feel like going and just blow it off. Getting up and getting it done also charges your energy for the rest of the day. I’m looking forward to the fall when both my kids will be on the bus by 6:45AM and I can be at the gym by 7AM and get my day started for real that much earlier.
about 10 months ago
I’m not a great sleeper. I have not been able to sleep for more than two hours at a time since I hit puberty. As a result it is no big deal for me to be on my 4:30AM bus to the gym. If the gym was open 24 hours I would go even earlier. Yeah I have tried various cures for the sleep problem and I seem to be imune. I don’t really worry about it as I feel fine.
Before you get the impression I only sleep two hours total, let me correct that. I usually sleep 6 hours total in three two hour naps.
about 10 months ago
i do my workout first thing in the morning, and i mean 15 minutes after waking up! I usually wake up at 6am, but i had to get up at 5.30 a couple of times just to be sure i could make it. i think once you start working out in the a.m., you just can’t imagine doing it in the afternoon, when you’re completely worn out after the whole day.
about 10 months ago
My alarm goes off at 3:50 and I try to get to the gym by 4:30. I can’t say I LIKE getting up in the morning but it’s the ONLY time to get it done and if I miss it my day is just not the same! So, morning is best…late afternoon or evening I just have too many excuses and obligations!
about 10 months ago
I can workout at 3am if that’s the time I’m getting up and starting my day. But I need breakfast and coffee first. I love finishing my workout before the sun comes up. That’s the best!
about 10 months ago
It never occurred to me that time of day would have anything to do with working out. I think I work out at all hours. I run to meet my running group at 5:00AM and then run with them at 6:00AM and then I run home around 6:45AM. Or sometimes I do a full body boot camp or tabata class at 6:00AM at the gym. Then I work out when I get home from work, between 4:00PM – 5:00PM. I go running when I get home and then I often go to the gym at 6:00PM or 7:00PM for a full body strength training class or a core class. Sometimes I go running late at night. And I have been known to workout at noon. I guess I workout whenever I find the time to of it. And I happen to find a lot of time to do it. It has never mattered when.
about 10 months ago
Going to bed at 12 am is early for me. I regularly may be out past 10 pm on work nights doing classes/ performances/ socializing. I also work 9-5. Can you tell I’m probably not a morning person?
However, several mornings most weeks I fit in a 10-30 min kettlebell/ HIIT circuit at home before going to work. I may even do a similarly brutal second workout in the evening. I may also do my workout in the evening. My workouts are not long. I tried going to the gym for 6:30-7 am. Hated it. I like being a night owl and my body prefers exercise later in the day.
about 10 months ago
I prefer working out in the morning, as it makes me feel ready for my day. It gives me the energy I need to get through my day! Also, I find that doing it in the morning stops me from making up excuses not to work out. Going to bed early helps, but I forced myself to go in the beginning. 4 months later, I feel off if I don’t get to the gym.
about 10 months ago
I get to the gym at 6.45am on weekdays so I can get a good workout done before work. It means when I’ve finished work I can just relax and chill out all evening, or I’m recovered enough for a short run if wanted.
I just prefer mornings. I hate going to the gym when it’s busy. I also like to run early morning at weekends because it means there’s less people around.
When I used to do exercise after work I’d spend the whole day convincing myself to go and often I’d be too tired, or lazy to go.
My gym’s also near where I work, so if I’m out early to get there I miss all the rush hour traffic, another little incentive.
about 10 months ago
Funny, we are on the same brain train right now, I just started writing a draft about “when to work out” for my site. You know, I think about this a lot. As a very busy working woman, mom, runner, traveler … whatever the heck I am, I cannot figure out how everyone else does what they say they do. There are 24 hrs in a day, 8 of which we should be sleeping. That leaves 16 hours. 8 of that are spent by many in a job. So now we are down to a precious 8 hours. 1 of that is spent doing bathroom stuff (shower, #2, shave, etc). Now we’re at 7 hours. We have to eat, then some of us have to parent which really takes up another 12+ hours … well, now I’m back in the negative numbers.
I prefer running between 7AM-9AM if I have my way. I can’t muster up much energy before that and believe me, I try. I don’t always get the day to go on my schedule and this week I’ve had to regroup to running/workouts at 6PM-8PM timeframe which to me is possibly even harder than a 5AM workout. Sucking it up though
about 10 months ago
Ugh, I envy you morning people. My ideal work out time is between 5 and 9 pm, although like the Angry trainer I have to be careful that I get at least an hour rest before I sleep.
about 10 months ago
I’m a night shift RN, so when I wake up between 3:30-4:30 pm that is my “morning.”
I like to work out within 1-2 hours after I wake up. I hydrate with a couple glasses of water, a protein shake, and then a scoop of NOextreme in 8oz water.
I bike 2 miles to the gym, lift weights & do power yoga, then bike home.
I feel that that time frame is most productive for me & I feel plenty of energy, even though it isn’t a typical person’s morning.
about 9 months ago
Hi, Alfonso!
I’m working out in the morning at 4:45 am, so I’m done when the kids wake up. And I agree with you regarding the good feeling you’ll get for the rest of the day.
Best regards from Germany, Joerg