better to work out before or after work?

[Lithium381]

i work retail, which involves lifting lots of boxes, climbing ladders, etc.... in terms of letting my muscles rest, should i work out before going to work and just deal with the fatigue?

 

[brikis98]

Some people feel more energized all day after a workout, so going before work is a good idea for them. This may also be advantageous so that you're not tired at the gym after a long day of work. On the other hand, some people are far too exhausted after a workout and would probably be unable to give 100% at work if they went to the gym before hand. Also, depending on your job hours, committing to waking up extra early to work out can also be very difficult.

In short, unless one choice or the other negatively affects your job performance, just go whenever you'd most consistently be able to make it according to your personality type, preferences, schedule, etc.

 

[Deeko]

I personally can't lift in the morning...I have no energy and my lifts suffer big time. However, since your job is also very physical, basically whichever you do second is going to suffer to some extent.

 

[Mikey]

It really depends on the quality of sleep I get that night. If I sleep well, then I can have all the energy of working out in the morning. I tend to like working out in the morning because I usually leave the gym with the "feel good" and accomplished feeling. The only thing keeping me from waking up early is being able to sleep in all summer, haha. Try working out before work for a week and see how that fares for you. Personally, I'm just happy to be home after work because I'm just too over to do anything else except relax and/or go out.

 

[edcarman]

I am really not a morning person and have serious problems waking up to train - especially in winter when it's still dark.
Training after work also gives me a good way of de-stressing and winding down after a day in the office. If I don't train, I'm still thinking about work long after I get home.
The downside about training after work is disruption. I've had to miss sessions because of late meetings, deadlines, after-work functions and even just because I've felt too drained after a long day.
On the other hand, I've probably missed a similar proportion of morning sessions simply because my bed was so warm and comfortable.

 

[Ksyder]

I like to workout at night after dinner because on workout days you can eat properly and get mentally prepared all day for your workout, rather than wake up first thing and then have to go lift. If you are training for strength or muscle size I doubt you'd want to train on an empty stomach and if you did do it 1st thing in the morning you'd probably want to get some food an hour before or whatever.

 

[skace]

I use work stress as a motivator in my work outs. Basically when I get home I take out all the shit from the day on the weights. And I've found I have half the energy if I try the same exercises during a weekend when I'm relaxed. I don't really have time to even attempt a morning workout since I get up at 4:10am already but I doubt I'd be as motivated.

However, I do suffer from the energy sometimes. Some nights I'm just exhausted and pass out, sometimes I get home late. It's a battle.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

I work out in the mornings prior to going to work because I don't have "set" hours and can often work from 7am until 7 or 8pm. I used to try to work out after work but I'd be to mentally drained (and physically tired) from working all day that I'd skip it. To make sure I'm awake and focused for going to the gym I wake up at 4:15a and hit the gym at 5:30a.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I mostly work out after work because my body seems to feel physically weak and fumble-fingered for a few hours after waking in the morning. I feel crappier mentally after work, but my grip is surer on the weights and I feel as though I have better control.

 

[Scarpozzi]

If you are wanting to get more out of your workouts, some claim you will burn calories up to 300% more if you workout in the morning because your body goes into a fasting mode while you sleep and you burn more fat by working on an empty stomach. So if you do workout in the morning, don't eat anything. Just take a few sips of water before you start your workout.

Of course, others will disagree with this: http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1821.html There are a lot of theories out there. I kind of agree with Alice. Any time is a good time to work out. Do it when it's convenient for you. If that means you're getting up earlier, that's good. Early risers usually end up having more fullfilled days because they're less likely to get too much sleep. When you get too much sleep, you're more likely to require even more to feel rested.

I personally, workout after work because I've been going in at 7am and don't want to workout at 5am anymore. (I used to get up at 4:30am and do a 45 minute run before 6am when I would hit the river and row for 2 hours before I started my day)