Training fasted; what’s your experience?

[beastmode121]

I recently watched Mountain dogs video about how you can’t build muscle fasted and I disagree with some things he said.

I prepped training fasted and came in the best condition I ever been.

What’s your experience ?


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[NEMSZ]

I’d agree if it was a fast of several days then you won’t build muscle, but who does that and expects to? Lol But even if you train fasted first thing in the morning, you’ve got nutrients and glycogen etc from the meal of the night before.. It’s not like you burn through that during sleep...

Personally, I train way better fasted and feel more focused etc... Also I feel like it’s easier for me to stay and get leaner training this way...

I understand a pre workout meal 1-2 hours before as it may be a preference for some people but I don’t understand the science behind needing to have food during training as well etc, yea, maybe having a intra workout drink helps, but by how much? Is it even more than 1-2%? Because if it was 20% more effective at building muscle then everyone would be gaining 30lbs of muscle just by adding that variable...

Sounds more like OCD and marketing for the most part.. At least to me.. And yes, I’ve tried it.. No difference in recovery or performance...

 

[Unvme2]

I saw that video and I also disagree. My last 2 shows I trained fasted and I won my first show. Basically it comes down to personal preference.
I make sure I have my coffee and my EAA/BCAA before I head to the gym and I do what needs to be done.
I have never tried it during a bulk but for getting ready for a show. I loved it.


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[scmtnboy]

I have some of my best training “Fasted” but that is only after maybe 10-12 hours max with no food. Meaning when I train in the AM I almost always have a good amount of carbs in my last meal before bed. The advantages of this for me if I feel fresh and great in the morning. I have plenty of energy and strength for a 1 hour lift. When you don’t have food trying to digest the pumps are incredible. Jeff Long who is retired but stays in phenomenal shape does this often as well. Of course it is fine and probably advantageous to supplement with some EAAs and then of course a good post workout meal.


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[mytreefiddy]

I love it...been training at 5am for a good bit now... don't really notice much of a strength loss either....I prefer it now

 

[nihilixm]

I prefer it especially with some coffee and 5g salt(to hydrate) before hand feel energized and full. Dont feel i need anything else. I also prefer IF tho. Stronger because im not lethargic actually.

 

[buzzbomb138]

i also train first thing in the morning before any legit meals. i have some whey iso in pineapple juice before heading to the gym and then an intra drink (gatoraid and EAAs) while there, so not "fasted" exactly, but not after any kind of real meals and feel and train just fine, no noticeable difference really.

 

[FK86]

My old work schedule had me doing morning workouts with no food in my stomach and I loved it. No issues beating my logbook or getting through the session. Energy is consistent throughout with no highs and lows of a carb meal especially. Now I train after work, but there's still a 3 hour gap between the start of my workout and the meal that preceded it.

I think intra workout strategies have their place, but are vastly exaggerated to increase sales of supplements. However, if someone is very depleted in the final weeks before a contest I could understand utilizing every advantage possible. But an adequately fed person in a caloric surplus doesn't need to nickel and dime to that nth degree. Some of the marketing out there would have you believe that intra workout drinks will put 50 lb on your deadlift or 15 lb on your frame.

 

[tren_plz]

i also train first thing in the morning before any legit meals. i have some whey iso in pineapple juice before heading to the gym and then an intra drink (gatoraid and EAAs) while there, so not "fasted" exactly, but not after any kind of real meals and feel and train just fine, no noticeable difference really.

Whey and gatorade isnt a real meal? lol...

 

[brutus69]

i lifted in the morning fasted all the time when i was young. even cycled recovery rides of 15 miles fasted when i switched to biking.
never had issues. ever. those evening carbs are all u need.
intra workout calories and a fuckin joke,. waste of money. u burn maybe 2-300 calories at most lifting. at most.
think u burn more? check yr heart rate every 5-10 minutes, average it, then do a heart rate cals burned calculator. shapesense dot com has lots of calculators.
see for yrself..
Fitness, Exercise and Nutrition Resources | SHAPESENSE.COM

 

[aphextwin]

I can't train in a fasted state. I get shaky and have gotten sick before because I hadn't eaten. Only thing I can think of is my blood glucose is to low.

 

[3BILLS]

I think you just need to assume most pros are using slin preworkout when trying to build muscle so they can't train fasted

I love training fasted

 

[Reload]

If I don't train legs and back fasted I'll be over a garbage can half way through the am workout puking up whatever I ate. Takes me a bit of time to get my normal appetite back after leg and back days as well. I do drink coffee prior but that's it.

 

[Idra]

I think you just need to assume most pros are using slin preworkout when trying to build muscle so they can't train fasted

I love training fasted

this.

 

[Swifto]

Training fasted is not optimal for muscle growth, but would be good for fat loss.

I can't see how strength would progress optimally when training fasted consistently.

 

[beastmode121]

Training fasted is not optimal for muscle growth, but would be good for fat loss.



I can't see how strength would progress optimally when training fasted consistently.

my experience is different; I’ve made PRs training fasted. I think it’s all about your average calories either weekly or daily.

If you’re in caloric surplus everyday ; why wouldn’t you grow or make strength progress?
there’s no way anyone training with 0 glycogen. your muscle will use stored glucose


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[Nyoco]

I´ve trained fasted first thing in the morning for some time and didn´t like it versus training with an intra workout drink, I felt weaker and wasn´t progressing much strength wise, I recover better with the intraworkout too and don´t leave the gym feeling exhausted. To say intraworkouts are a fucking joke, OCD, marketing etc. is a joke in itself, the literature is out there and guys like John Meadows and Milos Sarcev who I don´t regard as dumb individuals are proponents of intra workout supplementation, its not only about what happens during the workout but about recovery too.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16631431

These data demonstrate that not only does CHO and EAA ingestion during the exercise bout suppress exercise-induced cortisol release; the stimulatory effect of resistance exercise on myofibrillar protein degradation can be attenuated, most dramatically when the treatments are combined (CHO+EAA). Through an "anticatabolic effect," this altered balance may better favor the conservation of myofibrillar protein.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2761917/

Rapidly absorbed protein hydrolysates may be expecially suitable for intra-exercise consumption. A well designed study by Beelen et al. examined the effect of protein hydrolysate co-ingestion with carbohydrate on muscle protein anabolism during resistance-type exercise [22]. Importantly, the subjects in their study were investigated in a postprandial state, reflecting a real-life situation. The subjects received a bolus of test drink before and every 15 min during exercise, providing 0.15 g/kg/h high-glycemic carbohydrates with or without 0.15 g/kg/h casein hydrolysate. The results indicated that mixed muscle protein fractional synthetic rate was substantially higher after protein hydrolysate co-ingestion. Similar findings were reported during a combined endurance and resistance exercise session [23].

The most sophisticated study to date demonstrated that a 35 g dose of rapidly absorbed casein hydrolysate is ~30% more effective in stimulating skeletal muscle protein synthesis than intact casein when measured over the 6 h period [13]. Based on plasma amino acid and insulin peaks, it can be speculated that the difference would have been larger if the study period would have been 2 or 3 h. Rapid absorption of amino acids appears to decrease splanchnic extraction, which likely explains the greater systemic amino acid levels and therefore greater anabolic effects. This notion is supported by a study by Paddon-Jones et al., who reported that a oral supplement containing 30 g of carbohydrate and 15 g of essential amino acids induces a substantially greater anabolic effect than ingestion of a mixed meal containing a similar amount of essential amino acids [17]. Also, Tang et al. showed that ingestion of whey protein hydrolysate results in a larger increase in blood amino acids and mixed muscle protein synthesis than soy protein or casein both at rest and after resistance exercise [18].

 

[Swifto]

my experience is different; I’ve made PRs training fasted. I think it’s all about your average calories either weekly or daily.

If you’re in caloric surplus everyday ; why wouldn’t you grow or make strength progress?
there’s no way anyone training with 0 glycogen. your muscle will use stored glucose


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Glycogen stores will be lower.

Protein synthesis will be decreased.

Cortisol will be higher.

Protein breakdown more evident.

 

[qbkilla]

I train fasted

is it optimal? no. but will having some concoction during your workout of carbs and protein actually make a difference in how you look? no idea, but I doubt it

If you are at 70% of your genetic potential, diet is on point, training hard, on 3g of AAS, will sipping a little mix during a workout make even 1-2 percent difference in real world results? thats debatable

studies show. alot of things. studies show that taking 100 supplement and herb pills will make you bigger and more healthy but if you take all 100 of them will your bloodwork and muscular growth actually be better in the real world than a guy who takes zero of them? and if so, is it noticeable?

if I take every pill in gnc, on a scientific paper, I should be getting superior results than the guy who doesn't, but will I?


I get a better pump training fasted, and I feel its better for fat loss. I also do my cardio after weights, so that is fasted too. I have lost 0 inches on my arms while losing 10lb while fasted over 10 weeks, so It certainly isn't catabolic to someone on test and tren. would I have gained any inches on my arms had I not trained fasted considering im in a deficit? highly unlikely. is there a good chance my fat loss would be less? I do believe so

Now when bulking it may make a difference, but to what extent? 4% more muscle. or .001 percent more muscle?

no one can say for sure. I would try both ways. I personally believe pre-post-intra workout nutrition is a bit overrated because so many guys now days are pushing supplements. every trainer has his own line of supplements now days.

 

[nothuman]

I hate it. The moment the evidence became overwhelming that there were no real fat loss advantages to training fasted, I decided never again. Less strength, energy, and pumps. I don't need a huge meal before training but a bit of protein and carbs + fats and I'm better off.

Some people clearly love it as evidenced in this thread though, so do whatever you feel better doing.