Hi all,

This is my first proper post, so below are a few points about me to start.

Age: 32
Training: 3 years (3 years Bro split. Just started PPL/PP in the last 4 weeks!)
Weight: 192 ibs
Height: 5 foot 9 inches
Chest: 44"
Waist: 34"
Arms: 15"
Thigh: 24"

I get up at 5.20am 5 days a week to get down to the gym for 6.00am. I know training this early, probably isn't the best for gains, but it fits in with my life better - nothing gets in the way and the gym isn't too busy. Only downer is I probably on average get around 6.5-7 hours sleep.

I do around 1hr 10mins weight training 5 days a week, followed by 20mins of cardio on the cross train (4 of the 5 days). Is this too much or to little cardio? Main goal is to add muscle. But I work from home and sit at a desk all day, so I want to have some form of cardio in my routine.

Does anyone else train this early? If so, when do you have your protein shakes? At the moment, I have one when I wake up with breakfast 5.20am, then again after my workout around 8.00am. I will not then have one until 9pm at night. Is this the most affective way of having it or are the gaps too close, then to long?

Lastly, I’ve not really had BCAAs, as they are in my protein shake and my thoughts are having this is my drink whist training could be an over kill, considering how close together I am currently taking me shakes. What are peoples thoughts on this?

Matt,

I will give you my perspective on your questions:

1) Training does not have an optimal period. Train at a time that you can do it consistently. That is more important than what time you train. Your body and metabolism will adapt. If early morning training works best for your situation, then give it all you have. Muscle gains are dependent on training frequency, intensity, and nutrition not time of day of training.

2) You really need to ensure you get at least 7 hours sleep minimum. The optimal amount of sleep is 7-9 hours - no less and no more. Too little, and your hormone levels, recovery abilities, and fat burning will be affected. Too much is not good for your cardio-vascular system.

3) Cardio is fine but too much interferes with muscle building. If your primary goal is to increase lean mass, it is better to focus on intense training sessions like the PPL/PP you are doing and focus on workouts no longer than 60 minutes. This provides both muscle building stimulus and increased fat burn - especially training first thing in the morning. A couple of days of either HIIT sessions (10-15 minutes max) or 20 minutes of low intensity cardio is OK but I would not do more than that. HIIT can be done after lifting but low intensity cardio is best done on off days as it interferes with the mTOR pathways that stoke muscle building. HIIT does not have this effect on mTOR.

4) A whey protein shake and an apple is fine pre-workout. If you choose not to have fruit but just a protein shake, this is where BCAAs add value. BCAAs can sacrifice themselves to provide glucose via gluconeogenesis in the liver when glucose levels are low. When you train somewhat fasted as you do, you don't want to burn protein as fuel but rather fat. BCAAs help protect muscle protein from being burned as fuel. Don't use protein supplements in excess. If you take one pre-workout then you don't need one post-workout and visa-versa. Eat a solid protein filled breakfast with easily digested protein like whole eggs (not just egg whites). Too much protein stresses the kidneys and unless you are using anabolic aids like steroids you don't need shit-loads of protein to grow muscle. 1 Gram per pound of lean body mass (actual weight minus body fat) is enough.

5) I take BCAA capsules with my post workout protein shake (whey). While it is true both whey and casein protein supplements have BCAAs, the capsules are concentrated and absorbed much quicker. Leucine, one of the 3 BCAAs along with Isoleucine and Valine, is a potent anabolic amino acid and in highest demand after muscle tissue has been damaged thru strength training. Using BCAA capsules or powders is a personal decision - as long as you eat enough quality complete proteins you will get your needed BCAAs. I choose to add these in because at my age (53) my body's ability to process and absorb nutrients is not like it was when I was lifting in my 20's. That is just a natural fact of aging. I, however, get the majority of my macros from real nutritious foods and not supplements. Too many people try to fill their protein needs with protein supplements. This not only gets expensive but also creates a lot of expensive urine as you piss the excess out. Real food is your best nutrient source. Supplements are meant to "supplement" your real food intake not replace it.

John