Morning workouts

**theatrain** · May 14th, 2008, 11:01 PM

Right now I do my workout routine after work (4:30pm) usually takes about 45minutes to an hour, plus I do some cardio anywhere between 25minutes - 45minutes.

I was thinking about doing my workout BEFORE work, wake up at about 6am go for a quick jog, then do a little jump-roping and maybe some heavy bag work for about 15minutes or so. Then going to the gym.

If I do decide to do this, should I eat my breakfast before I go to the gym, or should I try to pack it up and eat it at work?

I was thinking I should eat when I get to work because if I eat it before I go to the gym the only thing I'm burning is my breakfast and no stored fat.

Also, are jump rope and heavy bag good forms of fat burning cardio?

**Insex** · May 15th, 2008, 01:59 AM

Never workout on a completely empty stomach. If you're going to workout in the morning, have a small breakfast; even if it's as small as a slice of toast, it's better than nothing.

Yes, jump rope and heavy bag (I'm assuming this is a punching bag?) are excellent forms of cardio.

**TommuGuns** · May 15th, 2008, 02:39 AM

bump! have a small breakfast, if u eat alot then train u will probably vomit.

Also if u are training very early in the morning, make sure u do a good 20 minute warm up or u can cop some pretty nasty injuries. They say the best time to train is in the afternoon cos that is when the body is most flexible.

Do a good warm up m8 and u will be fine.

**gYmgIrL** · May 15th, 2008, 06:42 AM

Will the small breakfast make your metabolism think it's ok to be slow for the day?

**torofuerte** · May 15th, 2008, 07:57 AM

If a person wants to accelerate weight loss, it's ok to do some jogging and rope skipping on an empty stomach. I would stop and have a small snack, like yogurt or something before going to the heavy bag, though (and certainly more so if I'm going to hit the gym after all that.)

If the goal is to increase mass (or at least retain what you have), I'd say working out without eating something is not the way to (and in fact, I'd recommend hit the iron first - with a proper warm up mind you, and then do the jogging, skipping and heavy bag after.)

Skipping and heavy bag are better options than jogging for fat loss (depending on how you use them). You do not need a long 20-30 minute jog. A 5 minute run (or 5 minutes of calisthenics such as jumping jacks) do the trick for warming up.

Then, doing rope work AND the heavy bag in 2-3 minute rounds (3-4 of each), strictly separated by no more than 1 minute of rest will do the trick.

BTW, are you hitting the bags with proper instruction????? I hope you are using hand wraps.

**wil** · May 15th, 2008, 08:25 AM

When I workout in the mornings all I do is cardio stuff and I do that on an empty stomach. When I lift, it is always after work (excellent after a stressful day at the office).

And I love love love the heavy bag. Like Torofuerte said... alternate between the bag and jumprope and after 8 rounds (4 of each) you'll be sweating and breathing pretty heavy (at least I usually am

). And if you're just starting out on the rope, don't get frustrated if you aren't very good at it. Since I started last summer I can now usually jump for the entire 2-3 min round without getting tripped up (at first I could only manage 5-10 skips - kids would laugh at me

).

**SAINT_X** · May 15th, 2008, 09:22 AM

...so you alternate between the bag and the jumprope like 1 round heavy bag and 1 round of jump rope and so on? If I understand you correctly that sounds very interesting.

**wil** · May 15th, 2008, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAINT_X

...so you alternate between the bag and the jumprope like 1 round heavy bag and 1 round of jump rope and so on? If I understand you correctly that sounds very interesting.

Yes. I got a round timer at Dick's Sporting Goods. You set it for either 2 or 3 minute rounds and either 30 sec or 1 min rest in between.

Another echo of torofuerte... make sure you wrap your hands and maybe even get some bag gloves.

Just a tip... don't try to do heavy bag work on the same day as any upper-body lifting. Your shoulders will be toast and you'll barely be able to keep your hands up. And that will lead to bad form.

**SAINT_X** · May 15th, 2008, 10:20 AM

I have some really great bag gloves ( actually they are getting abit worn - i guess Everlast doesn't mean LAST FOREVER ) and wraps. All the years I've been training with a heavy bag and I never thought to alternate jump rope and bag work. Thanks man...this is going to be very helpful !!!
I bought a new speed bag recently...going to try and mount it this weekend. I'll add that into the mix hopefully next week.

Do you ever do speed bag work?

**wil** · May 15th, 2008, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAINT_X

Do you ever do speed bag work?

Never did speed bag work. I actually only got my heavy bag last summer. I got a 100 lb bag with all the chains and a mounting bracket at a yard sale for $20.

**torofuerte** · May 15th, 2008, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wil

Never did speed bag work. I actually only got my heavy bag last summer. I got a 100 lb bag with all the chains and a mounting bracket at a yard sale for $20.

*** I'm looking you with envy right now ***

**SAINT_X** · May 15th, 2008, 10:52 AM

...

...you cannot beat that! 100lbs? Man...you are gonna be punching like Marciano. Oh hey...and when you start really wearing it out duct tape will keep it going for a months. My brother and I had one that must have had two rolls of duct tape on it before it finally disentegrated.

Yeah... definitely not low impact...ha. With trying to stay on top of lifting as well, I seldom get to work the heavy bag more than twice a week.
I concur about loving that workout though.

**theatrain** · May 15th, 2008, 11:06 AM

Thanks for al the advice.

I love boxing and have been saying for years how I'm gonna take clases but I never do because of work and saving for a car. I figure for now I'm gonna just perfect my technique and improve hat I already know on my heavy bag.

Atleast ill have a headstart when I finally do take a boxing class...or more for my instructor to fix lol, but I am pretty sure I hit properly. Everyone who's seen me hit compliments how well I work the bag for never taking a class.

**SAINT_X** · May 15th, 2008, 11:11 AM

...has some pretty good tips.

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**wildstang** · May 15th, 2008, 04:19 PM

i would at the very least use bag gloves with the insert for hand safety in the palm area. keep you from accidently busting your hands if hitting the bag wrong once at a extremely hard hit. i will echo everyone else one eating before weight training. now on the other hand if you wanted to put a short run cardio in there for fat loss doing that part without eating would definitely help. i will commonly run mornings without eating and then off to work after a breakfast. but i have hit the gym afterwards of running in the morning and when i do i usually dont have timeframe to put a breakfast together after the run wanting to hit the gym quicker so i mix a protein shake and pre-load up on some waxymaize and do workout. after workout i have some waxywaize and a breakfast afterwards.