Is taking a nap before workout good idea?
When I come home from work (as a programmer) I am mentally very tired, and thus not able to concentrate on my exercises fully, yawning at the gym even.
Is it a good idea to take a nap for an hour before I go to the gym, or should I go straight from work while my mind is still working? Or should I drink an energy drink with high caffeïne levels to give me an extra boost at the gym?
I don't want to go to the gym too late, because then I get back home too late, and am not able to have a proper pause between eating and going to bed.
At the gym, I do a little cardio, but mostly bodybuilding.
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Why not go to the gym before work. That is what I have almost always done. I have a high energy level first thing in the morning. It's not for everyone and requires you go to bed earlier.
Have a rest and go around 7pm? Per workout I have a whey shake 30 mins before gym, another as soon as I've finished, followed by food an hour later.
I personally train at about 8pm, eat and then sleep. There will be about an hour between eating and bed, if this is the case I'd have a cup of cottage cheese before bed to help prevent your body going catabolic during sleep.
I tried training early morning before but I found I could not lift the same that early.
I think a short nap might be a good idea if you are very tired. You want to be well-rested when lifting weights in order to be able to fully work your muscles, not to mention alertness and safety. However, I think you'll want to keep your nap to 20-30 minutes or else you'll go into a deeper sleep (see When I wake up after a two hour nap I feel like I was hit by a truck.).
I wouldn't resort to sugary high-caffeine energy drinks for general health purposes and because they can wear off (and may prevent you from sleeping at night if you take them after work).
What might help your energy level is eating a healthy snack with some fiber, protein, and complex carbs an hour or so before you go.
And of course make sure you're getting enough sleep at night!
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