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Thread: Change in training time, how to adjust?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
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    Default Change in training time, how to adjust?

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    Mr. Santana,

    Due to schedule changes with class/work, I've found ~9PM on Monday/Tuesday/Thursday to be the only times I can get a proper few workouts in. I am worried that my back-to-back days at the beginning of the week will stagnate my lifts and that late-night training will keep me awake, meaning I won't be getting enough quality sleep.

    Here are the steps I think I should take to mitigate the negative effects of back-to-back, late-night training:
    1. Increase rest times between sets.
    2. Eat more calories, particularly high to moderately glycemic carbs closer to training.
    3. Cut the pre-workout beforehand.


    I want to train. But in all honesty if I have to lower intensity and remain somewhat stagnate for awhile until I can start training on the optimal schedule again, is that really a bad thing? After a few weeks I should be able to go back to 2:00 PM workouts.

    Thank you.

  2. #2
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    Aug 2013
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    I'm not sure how training at 9 pm is necessarily a bad thing. I have been on an evening schedule since I opened my gym and am stronger than I've ever been. Can you elaborate a bit?

  3. #3
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    For my part, I often end up training around 9-930, finishing up at about 1030 and have found that this leaves me unable to sleep at 11. I have found a melatonin supplement to be effective, most of the time.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Santana View Post
    I'm not sure how training at 9 pm is necessarily a bad thing. I have been on an evening schedule since I opened my gym and am stronger than I've ever been. Can you elaborate a bit?
    I am concerned moving my training time later into the evening will make it more difficult for me to go to sleep and or I will have less qualitative sleep because I'm awake from having just trained. Perhaps that's a stupid thing to think, but it is a concern.

    Quote Originally Posted by Reddy View Post
    For my part, I often end up training around 9-930, finishing up at about 1030 and have found that this leaves me unable to sleep at 11. I have found a melatonin supplement to be effective, most of the time.
    Thank you for the advice, can I ask how much melatonin you take? I used to take 5mg a night (or 20... 25...) but found I would wake up very drowsy or miss my alarm and I can't be doing that.

    Perhaps I can try melatonin on the weekend and if it works, take it on just training nights.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Devin Morrison View Post
    I am concerned moving my training time later into the evening will make it more difficult for me to go to sleep and or I will have less qualitative sleep because I'm awake from having just trained. Perhaps that's a stupid thing to think, but it is a concern.
    Why don't you see what happens instead of borrowing trouble? Some people have problems sleeping after training or after eating or after coffee or for no apparent reason, but none of these are remotely universal.

  6. #6
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    Sep 2017
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    Quote Originally Posted by Devin Morrison View Post
    I am concerned moving my training time later into the evening will make it more difficult for me to go to sleep and or I will have less qualitative sleep because I'm awake from having just trained. Perhaps that's a stupid thing to think, but it is a concern.



    Thank you for the advice, can I ask how much melatonin you take? I used to take 5mg a night (or 20... 25...) but found I would wake up very drowsy or miss my alarm and I can't be doing that.

    Perhaps I can try melatonin on the weekend and if it works, take it on just training nights.
    I’ve used melatonin for years to deal with delayed sleep phase disorder and the best advice I ever got was not to use it like a sleeping pill. It doesn’t work by making you drowsy like ambien, it works by readjusting your body clock. Take a much smaller dose than 5mg (after years of spinning my wheels I found success with 300 micrograms) a couple of hours before bed rather than right before bed. If you take it right before bedtime you need to take much more to speed up the effects and that’s how you get the early morning drowsiness. Depending on your sleep schedule maybe take the dose right after training, then spend the next chunk of time winding down before you actually go to bed. Experiment with dosage and timing but less is more with melatonin if you’re worried about next morning drowsiness. Hope this helps!

  7. #7
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    Feb 2019
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    Quote Originally Posted by Devin Morrison View Post
    I am concerned moving my training time later into the evening will make it more difficult for me to go to sleep and or I will have less qualitative sleep because I'm awake from having just trained. Perhaps that's a stupid thing to think, but it is a concern.



    Thank you for the advice, can I ask how much melatonin you take? I used to take 5mg a night (or 20... 25...) but found I would wake up very drowsy or miss my alarm and I can't be doing that.

    Perhaps I can try melatonin on the weekend and if it works, take it on just training nights.

    10mg is what I have been using, if memory serves. Didn't usually have trouble with drowsiness though. I would typically only take it on training nights, particularly if my session didn't end until about 1030. Bedtime for me is usually about 11, but would find myself awake still until about 1230-1, if I didn't take any.

  8. #8
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    I posted a comment but it looks like it didn't go up. My comment was to listen to Stef. I'll add in a checklist i've compiled from my own journey with sleep.

    1) Type of bed? Age of Bed?

    2) Black out curtains? Floor-to-ceiling? Wrap-around Curtain Rod?

    3) Weighted Blanket? Down Comforter?

    4) Type of sheets?

    5) Temperature of your home in the evening?

    6) Hours before bed without blue light?

  9. #9
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    I listened to Stef. Felt great after working out at 9 and slept better than I have in 7-8 weeks. Thanks for the check-list.

  10. #10
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    Aug 2013
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    starting strength coach development program
    Excellent. Glad to hear it. I optimized every item on that checklist and have zero issues sleeping other than having a small pup I'm now caring for.

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