Morning & Afternoon Training

[tidalwave]

Wondering what you all think about this..
I typically train very early in the morning for 45-60 min. Lifting in the morning and quick (15-20 min) cardio right after work, depending upon energy level.

Some mornings, I have to do an abbreviated workout. My question: is it detrimental to break up the lifting workout into a morning AND afternoon session? For example, in the morning, I can complete the prescribed sets of squats and calf raises. In the afternoon, I would finish with sets of leg curls, jump-squats, and maybe leg presses. I understand that the squats and leg presses would cause microtrauma many of the same muscles, so the recovery from both exercises would likely start only once the last rep is completed in the evening. Other than that, does anyone know doing this (when required) is a bad idea? Would it be better to get everything in one workout, even if it is abridged?

[pliny_2001]

If you've got the ability to split up your workouts, that's (to me) awesomely, tremendously great. Brief two-a-days are the _best_. That said, I probably wouldn't program squats and leg press onto the same day, b/c they are just too close to being the same thing.

Can you schedule it out in advance, so you're doing a body part per workout? (train small muscles like arms or calves on the short workout, bigger muscles on the longer) Or maybe the "growth" exercises in one (squats) and plyometics in another?

Just some thoughts.

[Insex]

Doing two separate workout sessions within a single day is very intense. Props to you for being able to do that.

That being said, it would be best to do all of your lifting during one session and all of your cardiovascular exercise during the other session. That way, you allow your body and muscles enough time to rebuild after your workout with the weights, instead of being interrupted with the other half of your lifting session.

[tidalwave]

Thanks for the responses!

I'll try to do what pliny mentioned if I know that I can't fit the entire lifting workout into one session. Growth exercises first, then smaller muscles and plyo in the 2nd session.

Of course, the real solution is for me to get to sleep and wake up at times that allow for complete separation between my lifting and cardio workouts.

[orientalkid]

I remembered Charles Polquin said in one of his interviews on t-nation (i think its Question of strength part?) that it would be good to have such workouts, but he also mentioned starting off slow, 20 mins for each workout first then gradually increase it to a maximum of 40 min per workout.

Personally, I think it would be awesome if u can afford the time, I would do my compound movements in the morning as I would then have 3 or 4 meals after that for my recovery, then isolation work our joint mobility work in the evening where I can just concentrate my "show off" muscles (biceps, triceps traps, forearms etc) or joint health, followed by cardio.

Actually this also give me more excuse to up my carbs intake since i train more frequently.