Is training before breakfast beneficial?

Hi all,

my question is Is training before breakfast beneficial? Some people oppose to this because they say the blood sugar level is low in the morning therefore the

training intensity is limited.

Any idea?

Blood sugar; don't care. I ate the night before (see Jeff Severn).

I have had good experience doing strength in the morning (circa 530) and mobility/handstand later (around 4pm). This is probably when I have been around the better overall shape of my life.

Hi @Chris Harvey, 

From experience, for the longest time I have trained without any solid meal. I only take coffee or maybe a protein shake before training. So far training intensity is good. (a minimum of 2hrs training) 

In full disclosure I have had good experience with green tea extract; slightly better than caffeine tablets (No-Doz) in their effect on training first thing. Most notably HSPU, requiring a full HS plus real str in completing the movement.

Given my choice I'd rather have a double espresso straight up to lead me in, but needs must

Certainly despite a high weekly volume I haven't encountered any issue with training on an empty stomach first thing.

The best for me. Just a protein shake or bcaas before training and I feel great. Unfortunately I have no time to train in the morning and do this but I always do it on holidays!

Training before breakfast is the only time I can train: after that, family, work and life take over. That seals it for me :-)

The best workouts are the ones you complete, and I'm FAR more likely to complete a morning workout than an afternoon or evening workout...so I see my best results working out first thing in the morning

Very interesting reading everyone's responses. I personally have tried both: Extra AM session for a cycle to put in extra work on core only elements to assure I could bust through a plateau. Something about 60s or 60r work templates being ok with less food for me. However, I train in afternoon primarily, after Thrive lunch. I have included extra sets after training session is over and I am closer towards Foundation 2 rep templates. In AM, for me, it feels like extra work, not so optimal, but I have pushed through with success. In afternoon, I have a surplus of energy, limited by time only and not fatigue, so I have not realized my full potential in those very productive, and well fed afternoon sessions. I could add the science physiology of why I feel this as it relates to food and energy systems; but I don't want it to get too boring ;-)

5 hours ago, Ryan Bailey said:

I could add the science physiology of why I feel this as it relates to food and energy systems; but I don't want it to get too boring ;-)

Please elaborate!

On 1/27/2017 at 1:59 AM, Leonhard Krahé said:

Please elaborate!

Very individualized and easy to overthink this topic. (And it seems like everyone I look up to regarding GST trains successfully in the morning so maybe I'm not doing something right by taking advantage of this time of the day)

But here are some thoughts,

At my beginner stage, for me, training in morning is compared to tuning up a car , not as high intensity, 30 up to 60 seconds/repetition ranges with previously mastered elements (early foundation1 50-70% intensity) I do okay with fat, protein or fasted in the morning but I do not prefer this.

My current training in the afternoon  is progressive foundation sliding into Foundation2, 3-10 rep of multiple sets only hands for support ect, at my stage, I view this intensity as "rebuilding a new car"; and for this type of training, I personally prefer all carbs on deck prior to workout and after. Again, very individual, and I have tried both.

 What I look for is the time of day where quality is best, fatigue is not a factor due to quick recovery with all available fueling options. This is my experience as of late and I have been making the most robust progress with this set up.

Thank you all I should try working out at morning!

I find that if I not eat any breakfast and go to have some long distance running, the first 5 minute of run is hell to me. The next 25 minute is still very hard. Normally I run after I eat dinner, and it is a lot easier. I wonder if my ability to "running before breakfast" is particularly weak and I should train for it?

1 hour ago, Chris Harvey said:

Thank you all I should try working out at morning!

I find that if I not eat any breakfast and go to have some long distance running, the first 5 minute of run is hell to me. The next 25 minute is still very hard. Normally I run after I eat dinner, and it is a lot easier. I wonder if my ability to "running before breakfast" is particularly weak and I should train for it?

Hi Chris, I would think it depends on the type of running. Long distance or slower runs for longer while burning fat should not be too hard before breakfast, but the short burst or sprints would call on different energy systems. Sounds like you run well after you eat.

Chris,

Do you train foundations before breakfast?

And others,

Do you train an intensive foundation session prior to breakfast or HS, mobility, limbering ect?

I am wondering its effects on lean body mass training before breakfast.

On 2017/1/30 at 2:39 AM, Ryan Bailey said:

 

Chris,

Do you train foundations before breakfast?

And others,

Do you train an intensive foundation session prior to breakfast or HS, mobility, limbering ect?

I am wondering its effects on lean body mass training before breakfast.

Thank you. Sorry I have no idea on its effect. Because I am naturally lean and still have not tried train before breakfast

2 hours ago, Chris Harvey said:

I am naturally lean

No fair . 

I think it depends on your lifestyle and goals. I do intermittent fasting so training before my first meal would be pretty hard as I would probably be forced to break my fast early. I'm also not really a morning person, so only thing I do in the morning is some breathing,mindfulness and light limbering stuff.

17 hours ago, Ryan Bailey said:

No fair . 

It happens. I think I can still be lean even I eat mcdonald 3 meals a day

you should do what works for you as long as you are able to finish your training.

I've been training for 3 weeks. F1, HS1 and Stretch series. I exclusively train in the morning at 5am. Either I have way more energy first thing naturally or I'm just not awake enough to realize how much I'm punishing my body with Coach Sommer's routines.

I will continue to monitor my energy levels as I go. If I find myself bonking out with no energy I might try something like Green Tea pre-workout. Timing is everything though and like Samin Ishtiaq, 5am is the only time I have available. If I wasted 30min waiting for a meal to digest or caffeine to kick in, that would rush my workouts and I'd be losing 30min.

So far so good though. I did 30min of warm up/core, then 30min of meditation (mind is super sharp after workout), followed by a 2 mile dog walk. 3 weeks ago I would have laughed if anyone asked me to do that at 5am. I should mention that wife is a teacher. She and my 3yr old sleep in all summer long. I'm taking advantage of the 10 weeks to get some serious training momentum in before the dark days of fall and winter. Oh and I have another baby on the way due in January. So yeah, kind of racing the clock to build up momentum before that kid comes and wrecks my routine. lol.

I train ~90 min every weekday morning, I drink ~6oz coffee prior, and during water with 20g BCAA+5g creatine (I've never found a protein powder that my digestive system is ok with).  I then eat a large breakfast immediately afterwards and drink more coffee.  It's felt pretty good so far.

The only thing I've struggled with is power related exercises - it took my body a month or two to learn to be explosive first thing in the morning.  So relating to OP's question about intensity - I think pretty much everything is trainable if you put some effort into it.  Your body can learn to wake up and provide full power shortly thereafter.

Weekends I do longer (3+ hour) training sessions, but I start a bit later and eat some peanut butter and bananas before hand, and put carbs in my water too.

I start with either green tea or coffee with cocnut oil in it and then train 06.00-08.00 and it works great. in the beginning I was scared to skip breakfast beforen training but it woorked out great!

2 hours ago, Nicholas Kuhl said:

I train ~90 min every weekday morning, I drink ~6oz coffee prior, and during water with 20g BCAA+5g creatine (I've never found a protein powder that my digestive system is ok with).  I then eat a large breakfast immediately afterwards and drink more coffee.  It's felt pretty good so far.

The only thing I've struggled with is power related exercises - it took my body a month or two to learn to be explosive first thing in the morning.  So relating to OP's question about intensity - I think pretty much everything is trainable if you put some effort into it.  Your body can learn to wake up and provide full power shortly thereafter.

Weekends I do longer (3+ hour) training sessions, but I start a bit later and eat some peanut butter and bananas before hand, and put carbs in my water too.

Mmmmmm.... Peanut butter and Bananas. I too am a fan of this. 

I just thought I would jump in here. I generally train in the morining. Start time anywhere between 7am and 11.30am. I generally will not eat before I train. The reason I do this is because it feels good to me. Alot of the time my first meal will not be until 12pm or later. However I do not have anything set in stone. If I wake up and I am feeling hungry then I can eat a bowl of oats with fruit over time I have tried to listen to what my body is telling me it needs.

I do not follow any set eating pattern or particular diet. I try and stay in tune with my body and listen to the way that it whsipers to me. The human body is such a dynaminc and complex system I work best when my approach to nutrition is as flexible and dynamic as my bodys. The more you listen the more it will tell you and this can change on a daily basis.

There are some parameters that I try and keep constant like eating whole foods, lots of vegetables and a quality protein. But within those guidelines everyhting else is quite fluid. 

The more intimate the relationship that you build with your body in regards to both your training and nutrition then the greater will be your ability to adapt to your own individual needs.

I always train on a fasted state and I only eat after I have finished my workout/training for the day. (time doesn't really play a role on this) Occasionally I will have a shake/smoothie when I wake up but most of the time it will be just a lot of coffee and a lot of water. I agree with Darin that nutritional intake can be complicated and that you have to listen to your body. 

 

Like Leo and Darin, I will almost always train on an empty stomach especially when I am training in the am. Coffee and water and I'm ready to go and never feel as though my energy levels are adversely affected by training in this way. 

Again though as has been reiterated everybody is different the best advice is to experiment and find what works best for you.

For those who workout in the morning does it take longer for you to warmup?