Early Morning vs Afternoon Training

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MadMaverick717

Mar 6, 2019
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Throughout this last year of really getting serious in my workouts I've noticed on other forums the big split between people who prefer to workout either am or pm.  Personally,  if I'm doing volume training,  i find doing it am seems to yeild me much better results.  When I've tried my strength building routine am,  i find myself lacking the strength i somehow have later on in the day.  Food or no food,  running a cycle or just cruising,  it doesn't seem to make a difference to me.  Anybody else like this as well?  What's your thoughts?  Reasonings? Always eager to learn

 
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I always find for myself, evening training. My body responds better with more meals in. I can definitely see improvements in strength and volume. Plus my head is alway way more focused and in the game in the evening. No rush. So it’s just more enjoyable for me personally. 

 
MadMaverick717 said:
Throughout this last year of really getting serious in my workouts I've noticed on other forums the big split between people who prefer to workout either am or pm.  Personally,  if I'm doing volume training,  i find doing it am seems to yeild me much better results.  When I've tried my strength building routine am,  i find myself lacking the strength i somehow have later on in the day.  Food or no food,  running a cycle or just cruising,  it doesn't seem to make a difference to me.  Anybody else like this as well?  What's your thoughts?  Reasonings? Always eager to learn
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Personally I use to fall into the category of PM because I had to have “x” amount of meals prior to training. 

Now I’ll train whatever time I can - just move my pre and post workout meal.

theres actually a study that compared groups in the AM and PM, I’ll have a search for it. They found no statistical difference in strength or recovering ability between either time. 

 
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I usually get up damn early and train first thing in the morning. I work a very physical job and by the end of the day I'm just beat and if I train first thing there's no excuses, I just get it done! I have noticed if I train later in the day when I'm off work that energy levels are different and the whole workout does feel different as well. I kind of attributed this to the amount of food I had eaten. I'm still trying to work out what is best to eat before I train first thing. I usually eat then start my workout within 20 minutes to half an hour.

 
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Corey5150 said:
Personally I use to fall into the category of PM because I had to have “x” amount of meals prior to training. 

Now I’ll train whatever time I can - just move my pre and post workout meal.

theres actually a study that compared groups in the AM and PM, I’ll have a search for it. They found no statistical difference in strength or recovering ability between either time. 
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I usually get up damn early and train first thing in the morning. I work a very physical job and by the end of the day I'm just beat and if I train first thing there's no excuses, I just get it done! I have noticed if I train later in the day when I'm off work that energy levels are different and the whole workout does feel different as well. I kind of attributed this to the amount of food I had eaten. I'm still trying to work out what is best to eat before I train first thing. I usually eat then start my workout within 20 minutes to half an hour.

 
I've tried it all, and prefer early a.m. training.  I find that if I don't get it done first thing, something always comes up.

 
For weight training I'm stronger pm than am, for cardio (if i do some) i rather get rid of it first thing in the morning 

 
I know I am stronger in the evening but I feel more comfortable working out in the morning. I have felt very self conscious about a few things the past while and not having 20 people around me has made things easier.  I work out from 4 am to 5 am.  Occasionally, I'll drop by in the evenings for some cardio only. 

 
Svensson said:
I usually get up damn early and train first thing in the morning. I work a very physical job and by the end of the day I'm just beat and if I train first thing there's no excuses, I just get it done! I have noticed if I train later in the day when I'm off work that energy levels are different and the whole workout does feel different as well. I kind of attributed this to the amount of food I had eaten. I'm still trying to work out what is best to eat before I train first thing. I usually eat then start my workout within 20 minutes to half an hour.
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This is my routine due to work. When i was self employed, mid day training worked at that time.

 I find if i want to cut, training in the morning fasted works damn quick!

 Also i find training in the morning lets me eat and recover all day.

 
I train early AM because I have no choice. If I could I'd train mid afternoon, way more energy and strength after getting a couple meals in. 

 
If I don’t do it in the morning I won’t later. Super long day in a physical job, it’s the lack of motivation for me though and the fact the gym is the busiest time of day when I’m done. Early morning I feel I have more energy and can still lift strong.

 
Converted to early morning training recently. An exceedingly stressful job and long commute has killed my pm routine. After a few weeks of 5am workouts, I’ve adjusted and actually feel much more energized throughout the rest of the day. It’s also great not having to wait to use podiums and racks...the gym is essentially mine for the taking.

 
I despise cardio so fasted AM training has become my regular routine, It's helped me stay lean and strength/size maintenance hasn't been an issue. 

 
First thing in the morning for me, as that’s really the only way I can fit it into my work schedule. I work 10-12 hour days and don’t typically get done with work until at least 9, sometimes much later. After that there isn’t time or energy to train. Even if I was at a 24 hour gym(which I’m not), training late makes it hard to get to sleep at a decent time. I’ve done it on occasion and it throws my sleep off cycle bigtime.

 
i read something where the bodys peak levels for performance occur between 2-4 in the afternoon.  something to do with the circadian rhythm

 
My family life dictates to me when i train with how hectic everything gets , my preference is mid afternoon around 2pm.

 
I'm an early morning person, I get up around 4:30am, do fasted cardio as a warm up followed by weight training. I occasionally lift weights in the afternoon if I have to work early.

 
For me it comes down to the gym hours.  If I am traveling for work, I am all about 5-6am workouts. At home base, my gym does not open until 10AM, so it PM workouts for me. 

I admit when my gym used to open at 5:30AM, I was the first one in the door. The morning was always easier for me to have motivation to get to the gym and I also enjoyed that it was pretty dead so I had free reign of equipment. 

In the end I think it just comes down to getting yourself there. AM or PM.

 
For me it’s the morning, my log sheets prove that if I rest well, drink water and have a good meal I can pump it out and exceed weight rep goals. Plus medically speaking ur natural test highest in the morning, hence the morning wood.  I find the gym less pack and the people that are there are hard core and don’t tie up the machines gaping because they got get to work.  

 
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