I start leg days with bulgarian split squats because, no matter how agonizing the rest of the workout is, it can't possibly get any worse than it started.
Been working out in my mornings for most of my lifting lifetime, love it. One extra point is that if you miss your morning workout for whatever reason, you have all of the day left to squeeze it in if possible, pm workouts become my backup. If you plan and miss your afternoon workout, well now you only have so many hours left to fit it in.
I’ve always been a late riser, always late for everything in life - from school to meeting friends to rushing to work, always stressed during my day and used exercise as a means to decompress after a long day. Finally now in my 30s I’ve switched to the AM club and it’s done wonders for my mental health. I no longer feel anxious about getting to the gym after work, I don’t stress about the little time I’ll have after to workout, cook, enjoy an evening hobby and seeking the weekend. Shits been a game changer for me
This video has literally changed my life.. I never thought it was possible to hit the gym 6 days a week until I started waking up at 5:15 am everyday and hitting the gym by 5:30 am. Being a husband, father, and very busy professional made it very easy for me to make excuses why I couldn’t workout in the evenings. Now it is entirely in my control to get it done and the best part is I have no time constraint allowing me to just focus on what I need to do. Thanks Alan for this life changing advice!
@@michaelsofineI was. It’s a gradual transition. First i started training, at any time you can (because training is better than no training). Then once I got that down consistently I changed the time to the morning.
@@jafarjuneidi7585 Once I got into the groove of consistent morning routines, I never missed a gym session (unless I was ill or stupidly busy with other stuff).
After coming out of the office at 9PM once again for some absolute bs and missing my workout again, this is exactly what i needed. Uni is over, work demands new schedules. Let’s go
100% agree- I have to get up at 5:30 because of my kids school, figured I might as well work out in the morning because I’m usually dead by the time work ends 12 hours later. Working out early means I get it done, my body has the energy for it, and I sleep like the dead that night.
Love it. On sleep- am workouts are a self correcting problem. If you are low on sleep, go workout early anyways. It will be a lot easier to go to bed early that night and be back on schedule.
I used to avoid morning workouts cause I fell under the belief that I had to have a few meals in my system to have the best performance and workout possible and regardless if that's real, its through your videos that made me realise that the body isnt as weak as we it to be. Now the only thing fuelling me in the morning rush to the gym is oatmeal, a ton of fruits, and coffee.
Me too man. I workout straight fasted, and yes I don’t feel quite as energized or my muscles feel a little bit weaker… but I’m way more consistent and once you get used to it, I don’t even notice it really
As a father who works full time to support a family and start work at 7:30 and work long hours, mornings are the only time I can ever train. Its not dedication, its desperation for me because I can't do it at any other time 😂
I switched from 6pm workouts to 6am workouts back in 2020 during the shutdown and never turned back. Never felt fatigued to do evening activities since I work a restful deskjob through the day. No distractions at all either.
I tried working out in the mornings because I used to hate how full the gym was in the evening, but I just couldn't do it. I'm not a morning person, and I don't like training in the morning. In the end I actually got used to full gyms and even started liking it. I feel like watching other people work out at the same time actually gives me a little extra boost.
Switching from evening to morning could take some weeks to adapt. For me its perfect. Waking up at 5am, then some EAAs, magnesium, creatine, 40gr whey shake, cup of coffee and at 5:45 starting the strength training. 45 mins later finished. Then a whey / casein shake, shower and I‘m ready for the day 😊
I love getting up early and working out in my basement with the dogs and cats keeping me company. It really puts me in a good mood for the day and ready to take on work.
This helped so much, motivation was low to do a full session after work. I’ve started splitting sessions in half and getting into the gym for 45 minutes before work has made a big difference!
I train before bed now, but it's a matter of circumstance. I used to be an auto body tech and various jobs before that, always sleeping in my own bed at night on a consistent schedule, and I always used to wake up at 5 am to train. Now I'm an over the road truck driver, and my schedule is all over the map. When I'm picking up, when I'm delivering, where I'm going to sleep, what time I'm going to bed, and what time I'm waking up changes every day, and any of those can occupy any time around the clock. It didn't take me long to realize that I was too tired and too often snoozing until I absolutely had to start the work day for me to keep training in the morning, so now I do it before bed no matter what. My routine on the road is far from ideal, but at least I'm back to never missing a workout.
Agreed! When I started working from home, I tried doing my workout session first thing in the morning and I fell in love with it pretty much instantly. Now I really don't want to change it back
I think working out in the morning sets the day up better. My diet tends to be better. Also I always try to find excuses not to workout as the day progresses.
The gym being less busy is such a huge advantage. No one was bothered by me taking up a rack for over an hour doing eleven sets across three exercises this morning.
If you're on the fence about if you can even do this, think about it this way… if you went on vacation and you had to change time zones, you would adjust, right? Same deal for waking up a couple hours earlier in your normal life. About half a year ago I started waking up at ~5am to go to 6am gym classes 3x / week, and without a doubt it's one of the best changes I've ever made in my life.
This is one of my favourite videos of yours, and I say this as a regular viewer! I’ve been training at 10am each day since I got laid off, just because I could, but I’m really looking forward to getting back to 5am workouts when I start my new job soon!
Been working part time (and currently between jobs). Working out at 10am is the best! I have the most energy then and can have an enjoyable chill out afterwards.
Facts: competitive/professional lifters, athletes, rugby or NFL players train mid morning at the earliest. If you want the science Sika Strength did a good video on it. Very busy people get up and start working. Yes early but they prioritise their work not the gym. Training later at night (7pm on) is a good way to decompress from the day and chances are you will be pushing out less productive activities (TV etc) from your day Recovery is better training in the evening Never had a problem going to sleep after a workout I was a professional international lifter and rugby player
Could you share more about pre workout meal and routines for morning workout? I have tried morning workouts, feel they are superior but sometime I cannot finish the workouts on time
This is the video I needed. I have a home gym, but started going to the public gym again about six months ago. My garage is unfinished and I live in the Tahoe area. Garage gets pretty hot in the summer, and really cold in the winter. I started the public gym again so I didn't have that excuse. I'm mostly consistent, but I do struggle with some of the issues presented here because I go any time between 1400 and 2000. Sometimes the energy isn't there, sometimes I get busy at home with the to-do list. I wake up early already on my weekends, (3/4 day alternating weekends), so it's time to kick in the military discipline and go in the morning. Thank you.
Training in the morning is my personal hell. But i have no problem with working out at night, its just the best for me. You could do the same video for late workouts tbh lmao
You're right. I'd been kidding myself that I should do daytime workouts because it's too cold in my garage in the winter. I was watching your video at 10pm last night, the second it finished I went and set up a smart plug on my garage heater, then I woke up at 6:30am and lifted. Now it's just coming up to 9am and I feel amazing. Everything you say is true. When I worked out later in the day I'd spend all day letting stress accumulate (with the added stress of knowing I still needed to work out), and then even when I started working out then the stress wouldn't disappear, so I'd be anxious and would often give less than 100%/stop working out early. Thanks so much Alan!
I was also in the same position until I had to do it on the morning or there was no way that it would happen later in the day. (work 10hr shifts that end at 11pm)
No way in hell. I'm a evening person, best time to be "me" is after 6PM. I used to do shift work and had to wake up at 5 AM every other week, they were my personal hell weeks. Everyone has their own rhythm (and the world already revolves around morning people anyway).
Okay, knee jerk reaction time lol. I do completely agree that morning workouts just work better for scheduling in most cases overall. Energy wise I think it just depends. Anecdotally Ive never noticed much of a difference when doing any resistance training with regards to working out earlier or later. But I definitely do with cardio. Running, rucking or any other form of cardio is much weaker for me that early. I need time to be moving around already before my body decides it’s good to go move at speed. I still work out in the mornings and run early though, just because of that time management aspect. I’ve always been a huge night owl though and my favorite scheduling ever was on my first deployment. We had a gym in the back of our TOC. At the end of the day I’d go in and work out from 2200-2300. Then spend an hour or so with the joes on night shift. Go back to my room and shower, watch videos for a few hours then catch a little bit of snooze time and get up for work.
I 10000% agree with you Alan, I used to workout at 7pm or later in my early 20s ( before getting married and having kids) now I am 27 years old, work 40-50 hours at my day job per week, have a wife and 2 young kids, I just literally don't have any other time to workout besides the hours of 4am and 7am. But since changing to the early morning workouts, I can say for sure I love it way more than my late night ones, but if I so happen to miss a morning workout I definitely try and get it in later in the day.
I have the option to work out in the mornings, but chose to work out during my lunch hour. Since I work from home I have that flexibility. I find the 1 hour time-line forces me to get in a short 30-40 minute workout focusing only on the essential aspects. I also tend to feel more awake by noon and ready to push myself harder.
Most studies suggest that mid morning to mid afternoon is the sweet spot for performance, so you are good. Main issue is that most people can't consistently train during those hours. Good idea to take advantage of a usual dead spot in the schedule.
The questin is: how do you muster up the strength to do it. I have noticed that whenever i train in the morning (8-9am) i feel sluggish and weak during the workout. Can t imagine waking up before work or uni and have a productive workout. Does it get better with time?
Yeah and that’s normal. Most people are actually stronger a little later in the day, but if you keep training early you will kind of adapt to it. You still may be slightly weaker but as long as you’re progressing then if you were to train later your strength would scale up. Basically raising your bottom strength rather than your top strength.
@@Soccasteve This. I also noticed that I am slightly weaker, but don't look at absolute numbers and focus on progressively overloading during your morning workouts. You can also try morning workouts for a while and then test to see if you have gained strength by working out during your initial time (before the switch) to see if your strength has gone up. Morning workouts definitely does get some getting used to.
Unless you are training for a competition, it really doesn’t matter that much. Just do it because it makes you mentally stronger. Consistency is much more important than how you feel. You will eventually get used to it. Your bodies circadian rhythms will likely adjust themselves.
I've been working out starting at 5:45 every week day for the last 2.5 years. If I dont go in the morning, it's hard for me to go at all. In the morning my mind is clear, I'm fresh, I dont need any food to train, everyone in the gym is someone I recognize because the morning crowd is consistent, there is no traffic getting to/leaving the gym.
My favourite time to train is late morning from about 11am-1pm. I don't like training either fasted or straight after eating, so this gives me time to digest my breakfast first. Then after I finish I can have lunch straight away to refuel. Gym is usually pretty quiet around then, certainly much quieter than the peak after-work slot.
I switched to morning and found that I made it to many more of my gym sessions. I woke up with a purpose and did it. Issues: I at times rushed through my workouts if I got to the gym late I so,stokes preferred the energy of the gym in the evening when people are there and will talk/hype you up, I’m not there to socialize but sometimes it’s nice.
I've been training for 1.5 years where I was always going to the gym first thing in the morning, however I recently made the shift to usually going in the late afternoon / evening. It's a highly personal preference, everyone should give each different time a try for a while if possible and see what works better. I'm also a night owl so work tends to get done late in the day, back then I was sacrificing sleep to get to the gym early before class, which is moreso my own problem but I prefer it now that working out is a 'break' from my usual work in the day and my sleep is in check. Again, highly personal depending on how working out fits into one's schedule.
I love the fact that I can get it out of the way in the morning so that in case something comes up later in the day, I don't look pissed off or rushed. I always felt that I had to move things around my workout schedule when it was in the middle of the day, and now I don't need to move anything around my workout, since it happens first thing in the morning, while most of my family is asleep. It definitely took a little getting used to at first, but now it has become a habit. By getting used to I mean that I wasn't hitting the same numbers as I did before when my workouts happened in the evenings, but they are now very, vey close. It definitely becomes challenging during the winter as you leave the warmth of your bed and step into the cold garage gym.
All very valid points I needed to hear. I already work out at 5:30am on the days I have to go to work but do late night workouts on my non-work days. I had been thinking of making the switch to morning workouts and this encouraged me to try it.
watching this video even tho i currently check almost all the boxes, i generally do except after therapy... but after new years i am starting school again along with job and other things, then i might do morning work
I was a hardcore prime time only lifter throughout my mid 20s due to job life responsibilities and cringe social life late night shenanigans. it was borderline impossible to get up before 6am at any point in my life because I just could not go to bed before 2am "for some mystical reason" mhm I wonder what that could've been. still do not like how strength training in the morning feels but I like a lot what I feel like afterwards. I never understood why people get up before sunrise and take a run but honestly if you manage to do that stuff then literally nothing else in life can scare you. it's bonkers to try and change all weird habits that form a habit overnight but if you take good incremental steps towards it you can definitely get to bed earlier, sleep better and feel awake enough in the mornings to go train. this is a very good video! I finally manage to go to bed before 00:00 and rise at 07:00 and be a functioning adult studying and functioning properly. just like strength gains it just takes a while but it is worth it :p
I used to have a terrible sleep schedule, but I've mostly fixed it now. It's not quite right at the moment, but I do plan on getting up in the morning, not in the afternoon, evening, or as I have done two or three times... a little before midnight. I don't think you need to do your workout super early, but I feel like I make better gains this way despite all else being equal.
You know what is most inspiring about this video? That you wear those cutoff jean shorts and are willing to even prove it on TH-cam. I thought I don't give a F but you take it next level. Well done.
Great reasons for early morning workouts. I have always been a morning person so morning workouts are no problem plus my daily schedule doesn’t permit afternoon workouts. So the stars aligned for me so to speak. Love the channel keep the videos coming and your transition to hypertrophy training has been inspiring
The first point about the silent gym really resonates with me. The annoying thing is, my gym often plays music very loud. I think's that redicolous with how inexpensive airphones are and now, everyone has a smart phone. If they want to listen to music, they can.
For 20 years I trained early in the morning first thing. Hardest part was always getting some quick nutrition in before but was always productive. For the last two years I've been working with clients in a different timezone requiring me to start my day at 5:00 so I switched to an evening workout and it is unsatisfying, difficult for me to stick with, inconsistent and hard for me to maintain. I've kept it up but I plan to switch back to a morning routine first opportunity I get.
I've always worked out from home and use to work out after work in the afternoons, often in 35C+ heat. I've recently switched to mornings and damn is it better on all fronts. My day just goes smoother after a workout.
I wholeheartedly agree that training before work leads to a much better day overall. On duty weeks I have to leave at 0430 instead of 0530, I still try to train in the morning M/W/F but will cut all accessory work for time savings. Having a home gym helps, but I save the coffee for a post workout reward.
I'm one of the lucky people who don't have trouble sleeping and am happy with my after work workouts in the office gym which isn't crowded. But you're totally right about the "if i cut this short i'll have more time for xxx" aspect. I don't like that part
I work late nights so I'm up later. I do miss getting up early and banging out sets before my 8am classes though. Nothing better than having worked out and had a nice breakfast before your day actually begins.
Lunch time is my time for weights! I'm in the group that has to get up at 5:00 AM to get ready for work. I will do 30-45 minute jogs at 4:15/30 AM twice weekly though.
I loved working out in the morning. Wake up, workout fasted (worked for me), and go to work in the afternoon. Now I have a job that I need to wake up at 430 am for and 2 kids. Sometimes I have no energy to workout and that’s that I only do 3 days now. But I still try to get in as much as I can.
This is an excellent video. The best thing I ever did was to start waking up at 2:45am (in bed at 8pm) and hitting the gym at 4am every morning before work. I have much more energy in the morning and a 2.5 hour workout puts me in a great mood throughout the day. Not to mention you're all warmed up and wide awake for work whilst most people are still groggy and tired. It also leaves plenty of time for the afternoon for cardio or relaxation. I also notice I am far more productive in the early mornings. It's a win-win.
I’ve been in a funk since my last strongman competition, it’s like working out at 6:30 pm has been the opposite effect of energy I’ll be doing the opposite tomorrow & go to workout at 6:30 am to fix this funk
Morning workouts are the best. Several times a week, I get up at 3:15am a hit the gym. Tus helps me avoid the crowds and distractions the day throws at me.
I feel the weakest and least energy in the morning. I feel better with more food.Everyone is different. Compromise when you feel the best and you have availability. I train about 1pm.
I've been working out in the early morning for decades. Occasionally I work out in the afternoon or in the evening and I always realise why I like to work out in the no busy mornings.
It's definitely a placebo effect because caffeine doesn't kick in for at least 30 minutes, sometimes 40 minutes depending on the person so I tried to spend the first hour of my morning drinking water sometimes with a little bit of salt
Hi Alan, quality, peer-reviewed research has shown that, if you can hold off that coffee for the first 90 minutes, the post-lunch slump doesn't happen. TRAIN UNTAAAMED!
I get up at 4 am and do my cardio session and then get the kids up and off to school. I then do my 2nd cardio session for another 45 minutes and get that out of the way. I do my workout session later on around 5pm, however I own my own gym which is all of my 3 car garage. (took 2 years to construct). So, I have the benefit/luxury to just walk downstairs to my gym as well all my cardio equipment is in my downstairs bedroom. Now, if I had to train at a commercial Gym and did not work/ and workout from home things would most likely be much different. As an ex competitive national level bodybuilder cardio is important to me. However if I was not in a cutting phase and doing 2 hours of cardio a day I would most likely train with weights in the morning. Structure and routine are a must in making any kind of gains or improvement with any goals you may set forth for yourself.
I love working out in the morning when I dont work shifts. Right now I workout when I can depending on the shift. When I worked as a lifeguard I had to workout before work because after all day at the beach I didnt have the energy.
If I trained in the morning I'd be hospitalized within a week, lol! A lifelong Nightowl, my best work, thinking, writing? Late late night, early morning. When I was a teenager I was running for the schoolbus every day. In college I was running to morning classes and barely getting there. As a Grad Student I was able to schedule mostly afternoon classes. And as a Prof I eventually had a schedule that mandated NO CLASSES before 11AM! My normal sleeping hours are definitely an hour or two past midnight. I sleep a full 8 hours. And am not really functional much before 10 AM. I lift weights around 12:30 or 1 PM. And I lift for about 90 minutes. Biking and treadmill work almost everyday, in the late afternoon and even evening. I rarely miss a workout. So I'm not in that group that misses workouts. I firmly BELIEVE that there are TWO kinds of people. The Morning boys and girls and the Nightowls. There ARE real physiological differences between these two. And those of us who are not Early Birds spend a lifetime trying to accommodate or suffering in a world that has been structured for EARLINESS! Night Boys be DAMNED! That's one reason why I entered the Academy, where I could say F-U to the economic rhythms of the MARKET, LABOR, and PROFIT! lol! I don't begrudge those who workout in the morning, but that IS NOT for me! And, BTW, I'm almost 70 now and still pretty much on the same schedule. Most recent physical, EVERYTHING IN THE ABSOLUTELY NORMAL RANGE. So much for the early to bed early to rise wisdom, lol! TRAIN UNBLAMED!
Fellow night owl here. If I only have the option to work out late or workout shortly after waking up (usually wake up around 9-10) then I prefer working out shortly after waking up. I feel so dead when trying to work out after a busy day at work. If given the option I prefer working out about 1.5 hours after waking up that way I haven’t spent any of my energy for the day.
Very inspiring! 😅 I just can't with mornings. Now that I am on study leave I've been going to bed around 2AM and waking up at 10AM. It's quiet at night.
11 AM (early lunch hour) has been my go-to for the past year (or two). Get to work pretty damn hard since it's been a little while since my last meal, and have a nice solid lunch afterward. Plus if things go awry with my schedule, I can lift in the afternoon. 💪 Now I think my 'optimal time' would probably be starting at 9 or 10am. But, that hasn't really been a thing since my school days. I do miss having all the freedom with my schedule, we just make do with what works. I've tried late evening workouts and I think the workouts themselves can be great, but I have a hard time sleeping afterward and... sleep is king 😁
Recently I've started working out in my home gym after my little girl goes to sleep a couple hours before I go to bed. I'm not in the mood until I start training and then I feel really good. I think it's because I've been eating all day and also know I'll be going to sleep soon after so I don't worry about saving energy for the rest of the day. I also am calmer(which is a good thing for me, I'm one of the few people out there who probably get too aggressive and hyped up when I train normally and take too many sets to and past failure because I just love the intensity.
i have tried working out early multiple times and every single time my strenght is lower and my pumps are WAY worst. It does feel good to get it done early in the morning but that comes at the cost of my workout quality. Usually takes me multiple hours to wake-up fully, i am not a morning person in the slightest, and i usually tend to not be able to eat anything early in the morning and when i do, everything wants to leave my stomach when i workout. so that also is something to consider, i'd like to be able to workout early but it is not a great choice for me personally
I’m work the grave yard shift but I still follow this routine. I have to be at work by 11 pm so I wake up at 5 pm to get my workout in. It’s also the only time I drink caffeine. Long live the grind
Started training in the morning before work after I got married and I will NEVER go back. Everything you said in the video is exactly my experience. Recently my schedule was off so I decided to go the gym in the afternoon. I was so confused by all the college aged guys trying to start a conversation with me 🤣
An added benefit I’ve found is that you still probably can find one day to train later in the day. Program your most intense training then and you’ll be way more alert and engaged than if you just rolled out of bed. Get some friends to do the same and you’ve got a Big Friday/Saturday cooking.
I run in the morning to make sure nothing worse is going to happen to me that day.
😂 that made me laugh more than it should have.
I start leg days with bulgarian split squats because, no matter how agonizing the rest of the workout is, it can't possibly get any worse than it started.
@@HeIsVeryMinkasha. If you're not wobbling out the gym you're not lifting
True alpha males wake up and do 2500 pushups and then immediately hop into an ice cold shower
Lmao I like the logic
Been working out in my mornings for most of my lifting lifetime, love it. One extra point is that if you miss your morning workout for whatever reason, you have all of the day left to squeeze it in if possible, pm workouts become my backup. If you plan and miss your afternoon workout, well now you only have so many hours left to fit it in.
Or, since you should be incredibly consistent anyway, you can miss it without it ruining your life
I’ve always been a late riser, always late for everything in life - from school to meeting friends to rushing to work, always stressed during my day and used exercise as a means to decompress after a long day. Finally now in my 30s I’ve switched to the AM club and it’s done wonders for my mental health. I no longer feel anxious about getting to the gym after work, I don’t stress about the little time I’ll have after to workout, cook, enjoy an evening hobby and seeking the weekend. Shits been a game changer for me
This video has literally changed my life.. I never thought it was possible to hit the gym 6 days a week until I started waking up at 5:15 am everyday and hitting the gym by 5:30 am. Being a husband, father, and very busy professional made it very easy for me to make excuses why I couldn’t workout in the evenings. Now it is entirely in my control to get it done and the best part is I have no time constraint allowing me to just focus on what I need to do. Thanks Alan for this life changing advice!
Amen God bless you. Your story motivates me sir💪🏾
Life always gets in the way, but not in the morning.
Amen.
One of the best decisions in my life. Was building the habit of waking up early and training.
Yeah because before that you probably weren’t training at all. At least I wasn’t.
@@michaelsofineI was. It’s a gradual transition. First i started training, at any time you can (because training is better than no training). Then once I got that down consistently I changed the time to the morning.
@@jafarjuneidi7585 Once I got into the groove of consistent morning routines, I never missed a gym session (unless I was ill or stupidly busy with other stuff).
After coming out of the office at 9PM once again for some absolute bs and missing my workout again, this is exactly what i needed. Uni is over, work demands new schedules. Let’s go
Started waking @ 520 for workout/cardio a few years ago and havent looked back. So nice to come home from work and not have to worry about the gym.
I always do my morning mobility routine and a workout! In the end I'm usually full of energy and my mood and productivity are stable!
100% agree- I have to get up at 5:30 because of my kids school, figured I might as well work out in the morning because I’m usually dead by the time work ends 12 hours later. Working out early means I get it done, my body has the energy for it, and I sleep like the dead that night.
So that means waking up, doing breakfast and stuff, taking the kids to school, and then going and working out, then going to work?
@@TheBcoolGuybeats doing all that, going to work for 8-10 hours, then trying to work out 🤣
Love it.
On sleep- am workouts are a self correcting problem. If you are low on sleep, go workout early anyways. It will be a lot easier to go to bed early that night and be back on schedule.
I used to avoid morning workouts cause I fell under the belief that I had to have a few meals in my system to have the best performance and workout possible and regardless if that's real, its through your videos that made me realise that the body isnt as weak as we it to be.
Now the only thing fuelling me in the morning rush to the gym is oatmeal, a ton of fruits, and coffee.
Me too man. I workout straight fasted, and yes I don’t feel quite as energized or my muscles feel a little bit weaker… but I’m way more consistent and once you get used to it, I don’t even notice it really
As a father who works full time to support a family and start work at 7:30 and work long hours, mornings are the only time I can ever train. Its not dedication, its desperation for me because I can't do it at any other time 😂
I switched from 6pm workouts to 6am workouts back in 2020 during the shutdown and never turned back. Never felt fatigued to do evening activities since I work a restful deskjob through the day. No distractions at all either.
I tried working out in the mornings because I used to hate how full the gym was in the evening, but I just couldn't do it. I'm not a morning person, and I don't like training in the morning. In the end I actually got used to full gyms and even started liking it. I feel like watching other people work out at the same time actually gives me a little extra boost.
Switching from evening to morning could take some weeks to adapt. For me its perfect. Waking up at 5am, then some EAAs, magnesium, creatine, 40gr whey shake, cup of coffee and at 5:45 starting the strength training. 45 mins later finished. Then a whey / casein shake, shower and I‘m ready for the day 😊
I love getting up early and working out in my basement with the dogs and cats keeping me company. It really puts me in a good mood for the day and ready to take on work.
This helped so much, motivation was low to do a full session after work. I’ve started splitting sessions in half and getting into the gym for 45 minutes before work has made a big difference!
I train before bed now, but it's a matter of circumstance. I used to be an auto body tech and various jobs before that, always sleeping in my own bed at night on a consistent schedule, and I always used to wake up at 5 am to train. Now I'm an over the road truck driver, and my schedule is all over the map. When I'm picking up, when I'm delivering, where I'm going to sleep, what time I'm going to bed, and what time I'm waking up changes every day, and any of those can occupy any time around the clock. It didn't take me long to realize that I was too tired and too often snoozing until I absolutely had to start the work day for me to keep training in the morning, so now I do it before bed no matter what. My routine on the road is far from ideal, but at least I'm back to never missing a workout.
Agreed! When I started working from home, I tried doing my workout session first thing in the morning and I fell in love with it pretty much instantly. Now I really don't want to change it back
I think working out in the morning sets the day up better. My diet tends to be better. Also I always try to find excuses not to workout as the day progresses.
The gym being less busy is such a huge advantage. No one was bothered by me taking up a rack for over an hour doing eleven sets across three exercises this morning.
If you're on the fence about if you can even do this, think about it this way… if you went on vacation and you had to change time zones, you would adjust, right? Same deal for waking up a couple hours earlier in your normal life.
About half a year ago I started waking up at ~5am to go to 6am gym classes 3x / week, and without a doubt it's one of the best changes I've ever made in my life.
100% Agreed, been preaching this to family and friends for years!
Unlike others I like it when there's people in the gym as I feed off of the energy in the gym.
That's interesting. When I workout at a public gym, I don't even notice other people there. It's just me, my headphones, and the weights.
This is one of my favourite videos of yours, and I say this as a regular viewer!
I’ve been training at 10am each day since I got laid off, just because I could, but I’m really looking forward to getting back to 5am workouts when I start my new job soon!
Been working part time (and currently between jobs). Working out at 10am is the best! I have the most energy then and can have an enjoyable chill out afterwards.
Congrats buddy good luck w/the new job and the gaiiins 💪
Facts: competitive/professional lifters, athletes, rugby or NFL players train mid morning at the earliest. If you want the science Sika Strength did a good video on it.
Very busy people get up and start working. Yes early but they prioritise their work not the gym.
Training later at night (7pm on) is a good way to decompress from the day and chances are you will be pushing out less productive activities (TV etc) from your day
Recovery is better training in the evening
Never had a problem going to sleep after a workout
I was a professional international lifter and rugby player
Do you just workout with caffeine or do you eat breakfast prior to working out early? If you do eat, what do you recommend prior to workout? THANKS!
Been going back and forth on this for awhile and maybe it’s time to give this an honest shot again. Thanks Alan.
And here I am absolutely HATING morning workouts. But let's see where this goes I'm gonna listen to YOKED beard man.
morning takes the fun out of it for me and turns it into a drag
I've been training in the AM for ten years now. This video is 100% on point.
This gave the motivation to start working out in the morning. So far so good
Could you share more about pre workout meal and routines for morning workout? I have tried morning workouts, feel they are superior but sometime I cannot finish the workouts on time
This is gold…I train more Untamed in the morning than evening.
This is the video I needed. I have a home gym, but started going to the public gym again about six months ago. My garage is unfinished and I live in the Tahoe area. Garage gets pretty hot in the summer, and really cold in the winter. I started the public gym again so I didn't have that excuse. I'm mostly consistent, but I do struggle with some of the issues presented here because I go any time between 1400 and 2000. Sometimes the energy isn't there, sometimes I get busy at home with the to-do list. I wake up early already on my weekends, (3/4 day alternating weekends), so it's time to kick in the military discipline and go in the morning.
Thank you.
Training in the morning is my personal hell. But i have no problem with working out at night, its just the best for me. You could do the same video for late workouts tbh lmao
You're right. I'd been kidding myself that I should do daytime workouts because it's too cold in my garage in the winter. I was watching your video at 10pm last night, the second it finished I went and set up a smart plug on my garage heater, then I woke up at 6:30am and lifted. Now it's just coming up to 9am and I feel amazing.
Everything you say is true. When I worked out later in the day I'd spend all day letting stress accumulate (with the added stress of knowing I still needed to work out), and then even when I started working out then the stress wouldn't disappear, so I'd be anxious and would often give less than 100%/stop working out early.
Thanks so much Alan!
Alan looking like Ebenezer HUGE.
Getting absolutely HAUNTED by the Ghost of Christmas JACKED
Kudos to all the morning people, I am in the group this video is not for, tried once, don't think i'll do it again :D
I was also in the same position until I had to do it on the morning or there was no way that it would happen later in the day. (work 10hr shifts that end at 11pm)
No way in hell. I'm a evening person, best time to be "me" is after 6PM. I used to do shift work and had to wake up at 5 AM every other week, they were my personal hell weeks. Everyone has their own rhythm (and the world already revolves around morning people anyway).
Yes... I think that for some people it's very clear that it sucks too much and that it won't get any better.
Okay, knee jerk reaction time lol.
I do completely agree that morning workouts just work better for scheduling in most cases overall. Energy wise I think it just depends. Anecdotally Ive never noticed much of a difference when doing any resistance training with regards to working out earlier or later. But I definitely do with cardio. Running, rucking or any other form of cardio is much weaker for me that early. I need time to be moving around already before my body decides it’s good to go move at speed.
I still work out in the mornings and run early though, just because of that time management aspect. I’ve always been a huge night owl though and my favorite scheduling ever was on my first deployment. We had a gym in the back of our TOC. At the end of the day I’d go in and work out from 2200-2300. Then spend an hour or so with the joes on night shift. Go back to my room and shower, watch videos for a few hours then catch a little bit of snooze time and get up for work.
I 10000% agree with you Alan, I used to workout at 7pm or later in my early 20s ( before getting married and having kids) now I am 27 years old, work 40-50 hours at my day job per week, have a wife and 2 young kids, I just literally don't have any other time to workout besides the hours of 4am and 7am. But since changing to the early morning workouts, I can say for sure I love it way more than my late night ones, but if I so happen to miss a morning workout I definitely try and get it in later in the day.
I have the option to work out in the mornings, but chose to work out during my lunch hour. Since I work from home I have that flexibility. I find the 1 hour time-line forces me to get in a short 30-40 minute workout focusing only on the essential aspects. I also tend to feel more awake by noon and ready to push myself harder.
Most studies suggest that mid morning to mid afternoon is the sweet spot for performance, so you are good. Main issue is that most people can't consistently train during those hours. Good idea to take advantage of a usual dead spot in the schedule.
I love when a video starts out with historical quotes! I love my early morning training sessions. Starts my day right and helps me stay consistent
The questin is: how do you muster up the strength to do it. I have noticed that whenever i train in the morning (8-9am) i feel sluggish and weak during the workout. Can t imagine waking up before work or uni and have a productive workout. Does it get better with time?
Yeah and that’s normal. Most people are actually stronger a little later in the day, but if you keep training early you will kind of adapt to it. You still may be slightly weaker but as long as you’re progressing then if you were to train later your strength would scale up. Basically raising your bottom strength rather than your top strength.
@@Soccasteve This. I also noticed that I am slightly weaker, but don't look at absolute numbers and focus on progressively overloading during your morning workouts. You can also try morning workouts for a while and then test to see if you have gained strength by working out during your initial time (before the switch) to see if your strength has gone up. Morning workouts definitely does get some getting used to.
@@satinderjit4 Yes sir
Unless you are training for a competition, it really doesn’t matter that much. Just do it because it makes you mentally stronger. Consistency is much more important than how you feel. You will eventually get used to it. Your bodies circadian rhythms will likely adjust themselves.
00:00-00:36 Intro
00:37-01:18 Who this video is NOT for
01:19-01:54 Who this video IS for
01:55-02:58 gym less busy
02:59-04:03 less distrations
04:04-04:53 there is no escape
04:54-06:20 more productive during the day
06:21-08:26 less stress & anxiety
08:27-12:08 more energy
Hated working out in the morning when I first started but I’ve grown to love it. Very accomplished feeling!
Agreed
I check all the boxes you listed at the start, but I still feel better with a morning session
I've been working out starting at 5:45 every week day for the last 2.5 years. If I dont go in the morning, it's hard for me to go at all. In the morning my mind is clear, I'm fresh, I dont need any food to train, everyone in the gym is someone I recognize because the morning crowd is consistent, there is no traffic getting to/leaving the gym.
My favourite time to train is late morning from about 11am-1pm. I don't like training either fasted or straight after eating, so this gives me time to digest my breakfast first. Then after I finish I can have lunch straight away to refuel. Gym is usually pretty quiet around then, certainly much quieter than the peak after-work slot.
I switched to morning and found that I made it to many more of my gym sessions. I woke up with a purpose and did it.
Issues: I at times rushed through my workouts if I got to the gym late
I so,stokes preferred the energy of the gym in the evening when people are there and will talk/hype you up, I’m not there to socialize but sometimes it’s nice.
I've been training for 1.5 years where I was always going to the gym first thing in the morning, however I recently made the shift to usually going in the late afternoon / evening. It's a highly personal preference, everyone should give each different time a try for a while if possible and see what works better. I'm also a night owl so work tends to get done late in the day, back then I was sacrificing sleep to get to the gym early before class, which is moreso my own problem but I prefer it now that working out is a 'break' from my usual work in the day and my sleep is in check. Again, highly personal depending on how working out fits into one's schedule.
I love the fact that I can get it out of the way in the morning so that in case something comes up later in the day, I don't look pissed off or rushed. I always felt that I had to move things around my workout schedule when it was in the middle of the day, and now I don't need to move anything around my workout, since it happens first thing in the morning, while most of my family is asleep. It definitely took a little getting used to at first, but now it has become a habit. By getting used to I mean that I wasn't hitting the same numbers as I did before when my workouts happened in the evenings, but they are now very, vey close. It definitely becomes challenging during the winter as you leave the warmth of your bed and step into the cold garage gym.
Best "train untamed" I've seen in a long while great job Alan
All very valid points I needed to hear. I already work out at 5:30am on the days I have to go to work but do late night workouts on my non-work days. I had been thinking of making the switch to morning workouts and this encouraged me to try it.
watching this video even tho i currently check almost all the boxes, i generally do except after therapy...
but after new years i am starting school again along with job and other things, then i might do morning work
I was a hardcore prime time only lifter throughout my mid 20s due to job life responsibilities and cringe social life late night shenanigans. it was borderline impossible to get up before 6am at any point in my life because I just could not go to bed before 2am "for some mystical reason" mhm I wonder what that could've been. still do not like how strength training in the morning feels but I like a lot what I feel like afterwards. I never understood why people get up before sunrise and take a run but honestly if you manage to do that stuff then literally nothing else in life can scare you. it's bonkers to try and change all weird habits that form a habit overnight but if you take good incremental steps towards it you can definitely get to bed earlier, sleep better and feel awake enough in the mornings to go train. this is a very good video! I finally manage to go to bed before 00:00 and rise at 07:00 and be a functioning adult studying and functioning properly. just like strength gains it just takes a while but it is worth it :p
Two best things about this video: #1) great advice. #2) that Slayer poster on the wall displayed so proudly!
I used to have a terrible sleep schedule, but I've mostly fixed it now. It's not quite right at the moment, but I do plan on getting up in the morning, not in the afternoon, evening, or as I have done two or three times... a little before midnight. I don't think you need to do your workout super early, but I feel like I make better gains this way despite all else being equal.
You know what is most inspiring about this video? That you wear those cutoff jean shorts and are willing to even prove it on TH-cam. I thought I don't give a F but you take it next level. Well done.
Great reasons for early morning workouts. I have always been a morning person so morning workouts are no problem plus my daily schedule doesn’t permit afternoon workouts. So the stars aligned for me so to speak. Love the channel keep the videos coming and your transition to hypertrophy training has been inspiring
Thanks for dropping the honesty
The first point about the silent gym really resonates with me. The annoying thing is, my gym often plays music very loud. I think's that redicolous with how inexpensive airphones are and now, everyone has a smart phone. If they want to listen to music, they can.
For 20 years I trained early in the morning first thing. Hardest part was always getting some quick nutrition in before but was always productive. For the last two years I've been working with clients in a different timezone requiring me to start my day at 5:00 so I switched to an evening workout and it is unsatisfying, difficult for me to stick with, inconsistent and hard for me to maintain. I've kept it up but I plan to switch back to a morning routine first opportunity I get.
I love that you did the whole video in your nightcap 🌙
So well done Alan. This is one of my favorite videos you've shared and I'm an untamed watching OG
I've always worked out from home and use to work out after work in the afternoons, often in 35C+ heat. I've recently switched to mornings and damn is it better on all fronts. My day just goes smoother after a workout.
This is 💯 true for me. Morning workouts have improved my sleep significantly.
Mornings are best for me for many reasons. Thank you
I wholeheartedly agree that training before work leads to a much better day overall. On duty weeks I have to leave at 0430 instead of 0530, I still try to train in the morning M/W/F but will cut all accessory work for time savings. Having a home gym helps, but I save the coffee for a post workout reward.
I'm one of the lucky people who don't have trouble sleeping and am happy with my after work workouts in the office gym which isn't crowded. But you're totally right about the "if i cut this short i'll have more time for xxx" aspect. I don't like that part
I work late nights so I'm up later. I do miss getting up early and banging out sets before my 8am classes though. Nothing better than having worked out and had a nice breakfast before your day actually begins.
Lunch time is my time for weights! I'm in the group that has to get up at 5:00 AM to get ready for work. I will do 30-45 minute jogs at 4:15/30 AM twice weekly though.
I loved working out in the morning. Wake up, workout fasted (worked for me), and go to work in the afternoon. Now I have a job that I need to wake up at 430 am for and 2 kids. Sometimes I have no energy to workout and that’s that I only do 3 days now. But I still try to get in as much as I can.
This is an excellent video. The best thing I ever did was to start waking up at 2:45am (in bed at 8pm) and hitting the gym at 4am every morning before work. I have much more energy in the morning and a 2.5 hour workout puts me in a great mood throughout the day. Not to mention you're all warmed up and wide awake for work whilst most people are still groggy and tired. It also leaves plenty of time for the afternoon for cardio or relaxation. I also notice I am far more productive in the early mornings. It's a win-win.
Lollll no tnx 😂
I’ve been in a funk since my last strongman competition, it’s like working out at 6:30 pm has been the opposite effect of energy
I’ll be doing the opposite tomorrow & go to workout at 6:30 am to fix this funk
Morning workouts are the best. Several times a week, I get up at 3:15am a hit the gym. Tus helps me avoid the crowds and distractions the day throws at me.
How’s your sleeps? When do you go to bed at night.
I feel the weakest and least energy in the morning. I feel better with more food.Everyone is different. Compromise when you feel the best and you have availability. I train about 1pm.
I've been working out in the early morning for decades. Occasionally I work out in the afternoon or in the evening and I always realise why I like to work out in the no busy mornings.
It's definitely a placebo effect because caffeine doesn't kick in for at least 30 minutes, sometimes 40 minutes depending on the person so I tried to spend the first hour of my morning drinking water sometimes with a little bit of salt
Placebo is one hell of a drug
I work shift work, on my days off my favourite time to workout is 11:00, right before lunch
The preamble is a good idea
Hi Alan, quality, peer-reviewed research has shown that, if you can hold off that coffee for the first 90 minutes, the post-lunch slump doesn't happen.
TRAIN UNTAAAMED!
I get up at 4 am and do my cardio session and then get the kids up and off to school. I then do my 2nd cardio session for another 45 minutes and get that out of the way. I do my workout session later on around 5pm, however I own my own gym which is all of my 3 car garage. (took 2 years to construct). So, I have the benefit/luxury to just walk downstairs to my gym as well all my cardio equipment is in my downstairs bedroom. Now, if I had to train at a commercial Gym and did not work/ and workout from home things would most likely be much different. As an ex competitive national level bodybuilder cardio is important to me. However if I was not in a cutting phase and doing 2 hours of cardio a day I would most likely train with weights in the morning. Structure and routine are a must in making any kind of gains or improvement with any goals you may set forth for yourself.
As a recon marine myself is have always prioritised morning workouts,so did my squad
I love working out in the morning when I dont work shifts. Right now I workout when I can depending on the shift. When I worked as a lifeguard I had to workout before work because after all day at the beach I didnt have the energy.
Agree 100%. I used to get up at 330 in the navy on the ship to guarantee an empty gym and no interruptions. I liked it better than afternoon workouts.
Interesting to listen to, might help me work in cardio. Really happy with my evening lifting routine.
If I trained in the morning I'd be hospitalized within a week, lol!
A lifelong Nightowl, my best work, thinking, writing? Late late night, early morning.
When I was a teenager I was running for the schoolbus every day.
In college I was running to morning classes and barely getting there.
As a Grad Student I was able to schedule mostly afternoon classes.
And as a Prof I eventually had a schedule that mandated NO CLASSES before 11AM!
My normal sleeping hours are definitely an hour or two past midnight.
I sleep a full 8 hours. And am not really functional much before 10 AM.
I lift weights around 12:30 or 1 PM. And I lift for about 90 minutes.
Biking and treadmill work almost everyday, in the late afternoon and even evening.
I rarely miss a workout. So I'm not in that group that misses workouts.
I firmly BELIEVE that there are TWO kinds of people. The Morning boys and girls and the Nightowls.
There ARE real physiological differences between these two. And those of us who are not
Early Birds spend a lifetime trying to accommodate or suffering in a world that has been
structured for EARLINESS! Night Boys be DAMNED!
That's one reason why I entered the Academy, where I could say F-U to the economic rhythms of the
MARKET, LABOR, and PROFIT! lol! I don't begrudge those who workout in the morning, but that IS
NOT for me! And, BTW, I'm almost 70 now and still pretty much on the same schedule.
Most recent physical, EVERYTHING IN THE ABSOLUTELY NORMAL RANGE. So much for the
early to bed early to rise wisdom, lol!
TRAIN UNBLAMED!
Fellow night owl here. If I only have the option to work out late or workout shortly after waking up (usually wake up around 9-10) then I prefer working out shortly after waking up. I feel so dead when trying to work out after a busy day at work. If given the option I prefer working out about 1.5 hours after waking up that way I haven’t spent any of my energy for the day.
Very inspiring! 😅 I just can't with mornings. Now that I am on study leave I've been going to bed around 2AM and waking up at 10AM. It's quiet at night.
Nothing better than showing up to work full of energy and ready to go, while everyone is still on their first cup of coffee😈
Morning workout are great indeed!
Loved the video! 🙌
11 AM (early lunch hour) has been my go-to for the past year (or two). Get to work pretty damn hard since it's been a little while since my last meal, and have a nice solid lunch afterward. Plus if things go awry with my schedule, I can lift in the afternoon. 💪
Now I think my 'optimal time' would probably be starting at 9 or 10am. But, that hasn't really been a thing since my school days. I do miss having all the freedom with my schedule, we just make do with what works. I've tried late evening workouts and I think the workouts themselves can be great, but I have a hard time sleeping afterward and... sleep is king 😁
This is the best time management strategy advice ever!!!! GWD instead GTD.
Recently I've started working out in my home gym after my little girl goes to sleep a couple hours before I go to bed. I'm not in the mood until I start training and then I feel really good. I think it's because I've been eating all day and also know I'll be going to sleep soon after so I don't worry about saving energy for the rest of the day. I also am calmer(which is a good thing for me, I'm one of the few people out there who probably get too aggressive and hyped up when I train normally and take too many sets to and past failure because I just love the intensity.
i have tried working out early multiple times and every single time my strenght is lower and my pumps are WAY worst. It does feel good to get it done early in the morning but that comes at the cost of my workout quality.
Usually takes me multiple hours to wake-up fully, i am not a morning person in the slightest, and i usually tend to not be able to eat anything early in the morning and when i do, everything wants to leave my stomach when i workout.
so that also is something to consider, i'd like to be able to workout early but it is not a great choice for me personally
I’m work the grave yard shift but I still follow this routine. I have to be at work by 11 pm so I wake up at 5 pm to get my workout in. It’s also the only time I drink caffeine.
Long live the grind
Been contemplating the change!! Does everyone train fasted in the AM? What about Alan, does he?
First morning gym today in ages. Ty, man
Started training in the morning before work after I got married and I will NEVER go back. Everything you said in the video is exactly my experience. Recently my schedule was off so I decided to go the gym in the afternoon. I was so confused by all the college aged guys trying to start a conversation with me 🤣
Man I love a peaceful gym in the morning. But on days I train after work it really gives me something to look forward to.
An added benefit I’ve found is that you still probably can find one day to train later in the day. Program your most intense training then and you’ll be way more alert and engaged than if you just rolled out of bed. Get some friends to do the same and you’ve got a Big Friday/Saturday cooking.