Working out first thing in the Morning; Spinal Compression?
I've heard, from sources both dubious and credible, that working out first thing in the morning could pose some risks for your spinal health. The idea is that water pools around your vertebrae at night while you sleep. I suppose that this means there is extra pressure on the joints? And supposedly you should wait an hour before doing anything that places a load on the spine such as squats, and deadlifts.
Right now I'm working out in the evenings. But, a buddy of mine and I are going to start working out together at 5am. It will be at my house, so I"ll be rolling out of bed at about 4:50am. My programming largely revolves around squats, and deadlift variations. It's impractical to save those exercises and do them later, thus creating two sessions on certain days. And frankly I don't think I can get up at 4am.
Is this risk real, or imagined. Should I be worried?
It is definitely true that fluid (not water) collects in your discs overnight. You're actually taller in the morning than in the evening because of this. This means that you don't want to do any heavy spinal loading early in the morning. If you wait about an hour, it should be fine.
I forget exactly which sources I've heard this from. Stuart McGill comes to mind, and Bill Hartmann as well. Julie, who helps out in the injuries forum, probably knows the studies behind this as well.
I'm not sure about the exact amount of danger this poses with respect to injury rates. You may have to do a little Google-fu.
Mahler works out every morning early (about the same time as you). He hasn't shied away from squats and deadlifts in his routines. Additionally I went to the gym around the same time and never had any trouble (Mahler and I are a couple of old guys). Warm up properly and there shouldn't be any problems.
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Time of day is also significant with respect to injury risk potential, as there's a diurnal variation in spine length due to the in- and outflow of the fluid within the intervertebral discs. At night, while you’re lying horizontally and the spine isn’t loaded, fluid enters the disc; when you wake up and start moving around, fluid begins to leave the disc. By the end of the day, you’re actually shorter!
Oddly enough, you’re safer in the "short" scenario. The increased fluid content present when you first wake up is associated with increased stiffness of the spine when you bend (because the discs have expanded). Because the muscles can’t just adapt to compensate for this alteration to spine length, the discs and ligaments take on more of the stress.
Body temperature is also lower upon rising, so range of motion (ROM) is compromised even further. As the day goes on and you move around more, body temperature increases and the fluid flows out of the disc, improving ROM and reducing ligament stress. McGill (2004) noted that in the morning, disc-bending and ligament stresses during forward flexion were 300% and 80% greater than when performed later in the day. Moreover, lumbar flexion ROM increases by 5-6° during this same time period (2).
Basically, you need to give your spine at least thirty minutes in the morning to "wake up," and I’d prefer that you wait at least three hours to train. This recommendation is largely based on the increase in body temperature that you experience in this time. The data from Armstrong presented above actually shows that maximal grip strength and body temperature peak at approximately the same time of day (~4PM). Speaking anecdotally, this is the time of day at which I seem to have my best training sessions. This would obviously be influenced by how early in the day you arise, though. If you’re up earlier, this time would likely be shifted forward a bit.
I guess I'll try to wake up a little earlier (ugh!) and spend a little more time warming up before doing any heavy compound movements.
My question (there's always another question with me isn't there?) is whether these studies took into account how doing a warmup protocol effected ROM, spinal length, risk, etc. I'm betting they didn't. Which goes more to OldGuy's point, that a proper warm up should help to minimize any risk.
I am talking about putting something in the stomach. Its not very good to workout with an empty stomach. I have tried that before and I did not have as much energy than I would if I ate something. We want as much energy as we can get to workout at our best.
Do you know what time of the day you are most flexible in and gain flexibility? I am trying to figure that out, so that I can get more flexible and also feel a better stretch. I heard its like around the afternoon time or something when we are most flexible?
Do you know what time of the day you are most flexible in and gain flexibility? I am trying to figure that out, so that I can get more flexible and also feel a better stretch. I heard its like around the afternoon time or something when we are most flexible?
For me I find it at like 4:22 in the aftrernoon that I have wicked high energy intense levels amd mabey that i have most the energy then but Im sometime on the job workin then so I do the working out a little latre.
Dont make fun of the spelings nijna you know I have a bit of the dyslexic
And that's why your quoted post of Mon's has an extra "o" added to the name -- or is it just because you seem to go out of your way to post after Mon and take the piss wickedly?
Dont make fun of the spelings nijna you know I have a bit of the dyslexic
I thought thats what you had, so I never said anything about your spelling. It is obvious you have it. no big deal, I can still read what you write. all that matters is we can still understand what you are writing even if the spelling is all over the place.
I've found the late morning to be the ideal workout time. This only works for people who can decide upon their own hours and work later in the day.
In the late afternoon or evening I tend to be tired from other activities.
As for ROM etc.. do a general warm-up and if you're doing more difficult stuff, a specific warm-up too.. for squats & DLs that would be just lighter stuff.
For Oly exercises requiring flexibility, lots of preparatory 'stuff' with an empty bar or even broomstick. Especially when you like me have only half the ROM upon waking than when properly warmed up.
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Mahler works out every morning early (about the same time as you). He hasn't shied away from squats and deadlifts in his routines. Additionally I went to the gym around the same time and never had any trouble (Mahler and I are a couple of old guys). Warm up properly and there shouldn't be any problems.
Old Guy is right. I am up at 4:15 and in the gym lifting by 4:30. Currently doing heavy deads on Tuesdays and heavy squats on Fridays. Since I have been doing this for just about eight years consistently, let's just say that I am somewhat skeptical of what some of the experts have to say on this issue. Nevertheless, weigh on the side of caution, if you think it may do you harm.
__________________ In Fitness & Friendship, MAHLER
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Working out first thing in the Morning; Spinal Compression?
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