NIGHT WORKOUTS

Hi Everyone,

If I could get your opinion on this (good, bad, or indifferent) I would greatly appreciate.

I have been discouraged from family and my doctor regarding exercising at night. Their defense of this stance is that my body will be too energized and my is being flooded with adrenaline that will prevent me from going to sleep once I'm home.

Here is my take on it. One, I have always had problems sleeping, I'm a night person. Two, I find that going to the gym at night is better for me and my schedule. If I go at night, I'm there starting at 8:00pm and stay for at least an hour. There was one instance where I really wanted to workout and promised myself that I would, but I didn't make it there untill 11:00pm, and still had a quality workout.

With the gym being smaller in size (about half the size of a LA Fitness or Gold's) it feels cozy. By that time, there is still a crowd there but it doesn't feel overcrowded and I'm able to focus on my workout and be less distracted. Plus, when I'm back to work, later workouts will fit in my schedule better than going at 4:00am.

The comments I'm getting really has been discouraging for me. Please let me know if I'm overreacting or if I should take the advise.

Thanks.

I think if you like working out in the evening and it doesn't interfere with your "normal" sleep pattern, then go for it. One benefit of working out in the evening is that your body will continue to burn calories at an elevated rate during the night which will help burn more body fat. For me, I have found that working out in the evening does interfere with my ability to fall asleep so I prefer to work out earlier in the day. It's always beneficial to listen to suggestions from others, but then make your own decision based on what you like and what works best for you. (Sometimes you need to experiment to figure out what that is though.)

This is my 2 cents, it would be good to hear from some of the more experienced folks here to get their take on this.

Thanks Steve for your thoughts.

I workout at night all the time when im not in school ( so over summer, breaks, ect...) I would work till the wee hours of the morning and have some of my best workouts and then be so drained id sleep like a baby. You just want to make sure you get enough sleep.

The simple answer is that the best time to workout is when you have the time and energy to devote to it. I can hardly believe that a doctor would recommend not exercising at all versus exercising at night. Reminds me of the old joke...what do they call the guy that finishes last in is medical school class? Answer: Doctor.

Do some reading on circadian rythyms. We all have our own internal clocks and function better at different times of the day. This is a very individual thing.

i've had a doctor tell me the same thing indigo. i'm a night person like you tho and have found my best workouts to be at around 8-9 pm. Like Jerry said, if you feel energized enough to do it then i dont see why not.

Ervin,

I am a primarily night time guy at the gym...I wait until I have put my kids down for the evening before I head out. I really like that by 9:00 pm most of the crowd has thinned out and I have almost immediate access to all of the machines I use in my workout. So, by going later at night, I am able to get into a "groove" with my lifting and cardio and can really block everything and everybody out. As far as being too "pumped" and not being able to fall asleep...it has never been a problem. I go to bed within 20 minutes to a half an hour after I get home and fall fast asleep. I've been working out at night now for a year and a few months...and I sleep more soundly now than I did before I started my late night workouts.


As far as family not wanting you to workout late, they are just looking out for you. You know what works best for you, and if that includes late night workouts...


That's my take on the topic...hope it helps.

scott (zero)

compliments of optimumnutrition.com...


Your development into a morning or an evening person occurs during adolescence and early adulthood. This predisposition toward favoring either time frame is a biological as well as social phenomenon. Now what happens when a morning person only has time for evening workouts, or vice versa?

As it turns out, NSCA scientists were also curious. So they examined the performance of 8 male and 8 female college-level rowers who engaged in almost daily early morning and late afternoon training. First, these students were classified into types: morning, evening or neutral. While the night crawlers rowed no better during morning or evening sessions, the early risers rowed significantly faster in the morning. Researchers theorized that the absence of an evening performance boost among those predisposed to favor late afternoon training was negated by regularly scheduled morning training.

The Bigger Picture: This study suggests that if you can’t get to the gym at the time of day you’d prefer, you can force your body clock to adapt by establishing a regular time for training. It also shows that you can get more out of your workout if you’re able to train when you’re mentally and physically on top of your game. Whatever position you find yourself in, this science provides a roadmap for making it work to your advantage.

All people are different, if you have more energy at night and its it more convient then go for it. I think its better anyway because after that workout your going to be going to sleep and your muscles will be able to heal more efficently after an intense training session.

Thanks everyone for their responses. One adjustment I will need to make when I workout at night is to go directly to bed when I get home and not involve myself in overly mental activities (ie. TV).

I really appreciate the input. You are right Scott regarding how family is just concerned for my saftey. The gym is a 20 minute drive away each way and anything can happen. Jerry, you are right as well. The doctor has been wanting me to get in at least an hour of exercise each day. If I my best chance to make it to the gym is in the evening, he is not going to say don't exercise at all. And if he did, I would change doctors.

I have to keep in mind that I have goals for my health and body. I probably will hear other comments from the same or different sources about other things (I constantly get grief about my supplements). But I don't workout and get in shape for them. This is all for me.

Thanks again guys, I feel much better.

no problem...just keep doin' what you gotta do! :)

when you work out doesnt matter as long as you get it in and can still get 7-8 hours minimum a night.

Hey Ervin, something you should be thinking about is what you do after you get home from your workout. Granted, working out will get you pumped and it might take a little while to fall asleep, but if you've been suffering from insomnia, take a look at the other things you do in the evenings that might be keeping you up. I've heard it said that watching TV or looking at a computer screen late at night can stimulate your brain in certain ways that keep your mind active and make it more difficult to fall asleep.

What are you eating after your workout? Perhaps your food intake is stimulating your body as well. Also, another note for your workout time. A lot of people find it easier to work out at night because they've had all day for their bodies to have blood flowing through them and to stretch their muscles and see some activity. When you exercise in the morning, you need a really solid warm up with quality stretching. If you workout at the end of the day, it's easier for your body to warm up. Maybe that does have an influence on your choice of workout time.

Thanks Allan and Static. Food wise, Static, after my workout I have two scoops of NitroCore 24 and that's it. My main problem has been coming home to the TV or computer and I know I will need to make that adjustment.

Thanks again guys.

Workout around your schedule that best fits your lifestyle and routine...I say what works for you may not work for others... So you improvise / adapt / & overcome!!!

I think if you workout at the evening, then after finish workout the best rest for our body and muscle is get into sleep.
do you mean, you start workout at 11.00pm at night? I think it's a too late, probably you can have workout at 7.00 or 8.00 pm till 9.00 or 10.00pm. The reason is that our body and soul need to get rest at night sleep about 7-8 hours
Indigo, just adjust your time and you will be just fine.

Regards
Sandi

Thanks guys. I will make sure that any night workouts I do don't start past 8:00pm so I can be home by 10pm and going to bed.

Les, "improvise / adapt / and overcome." I'm going to use that advise daily, especially with my diet. Thanks bro.