Need Workout Suggestions

Italian_Bella82 · 12-23-2007, 12:46 AM

Hey all, I am pretty new to this site and I really want to get started on my journey. I have some questions on what is best. I had a plan to initially do my weights in the morning and then cardio in the evening. Is this a good idea?

Mindi911 · 12-23-2007, 12:54 AM

honestly it's whatever works for you - everyone is different and our bodies all react differently

I used to mornings only before work and after a while I realised this isn't working for me so I switched to after work

don't be afraid to experiment with your work outs it's the only way to find out what makes it work for you personally

Welcome

Italian_Bella82 · 12-24-2007, 09:35 AM

I will try weights in the morning before work and cardio evenings to see how it works for a couple weeks. I am such a night owl and not a morning person but sometimes you need to do what you don't want to do to get somewhere. Thanks for the help.

chriskav · 12-24-2007, 10:46 AM

I read somewhere doing cardio after weights would enhance your chances of burning fat, or something along those lines

.

Well depends if you still have enough left after your weights, go for a run.

Italian_Bella82 · 12-26-2007, 10:13 PM

hmmm, that is a good idea too, I guess I just need to experiment and see what works best for me, I kinda am hating the fact of waking up early, I am not a morning person, I value my sleep, haha.

Thanks for the suggestion

twinnett · 12-27-2007, 05:43 AM

At your height and weight, how much cardio are you doing? At 110#, you might want to cut down the cardio and focus on lifting heavy. Then you could sleep in more!

terracotta · 12-27-2007, 03:27 PM

Yes, you have to determine what works best for you. I agree with Twinnett though, as you are small, you don't need to do a lot of cardio. Personally, not being a morning person myself, I find evening weight training to work better.

Amanda76 · 12-27-2007, 06:18 PM

I agree that you will need to experiment to find out what is best for you, but generally speaking, it's better to lift weights later in the day. In the morning, cortisol (a hormone that encourages breaking down muscle for energy) levels are at their highest. You could also argue that testosterone is at it's highest in the morning (before that comes up), but the ratio of cortisol to testosterone is more favorable later in the day. In the morning, you are at greater risk for injury (or at least unable to lift as heavy) because of the relaxation of your joints over night (your back is especially vulnerable in the morning), and most people simply do better with a few meals under their belt when it comes to weight training. From what I've read (most) people perform best in the late afternoon - early evening. This also seems to hold true for me, personally, as well...when I had jobs that allowed me to get to the gym at 3 pm, I really felt at my best around that time. Unfortunately, now I'm at work and taking care of post-work errands around my peak times and I like to sleep in on the weekends so I don't get as much food by 3, then.

I personally DO think it's best to break up cardio and weights as much as possible, so I would do what you are doing so far as doing one in the morning and one later in the day. If it were me, I'd do cardio in the morning and weights later in the day, though. If you have reasons to feel that YOU will do better doing weights in the morning, just be sure that you've eaten a good meal prior to your workout and warm up thoroughly before doing anything heavy...it's important to do that always, but especially so in the morning.

Defiant1 · 12-27-2007, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italian_Bella82

Hey all, I am pretty new to this site and I really want to get started on my journey. I have some questions on what is best. I had a plan to initially do my weights in the morning and then cardio in the evening. Is this a good idea?

Please do yourself a service and buy a basic book on bodybuilding.

I like "Bodybuilding 101" by Robert Wolff, but there are many.

If you rely on the internet for info you will make yourself crazy. There is so much bad information given out via the 'net it makes me want to punch a kitten.

Italian_Bella82 · 12-29-2007, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Defiant1

Please do yourself a service and buy a basic book on bodybuilding.

I like "Bodybuilding 101" by Robert Wolff, but there are many.

If you rely on the internet for info you will make yourself crazy. There is so much bad information given out via the 'net it makes me want to punch a kitten.

Alrighty then, thanks for the kind words.

akates · 12-30-2007, 08:53 AM

Cardio in the morning kick starts the metabolism, though Twinnett is right, you don't need much cardio. Focus more on heavy weight training and you will burn just as many calories, if not more, depending on your intensity plus you can then enjoy your sleep. And don't spend money on any books, I buy them all. Shoot me a message and I'll keep you posted on the latest findings....lol.