5 ms·

I've been programming and lifting weights for years now, and I can attest to how well they work together. The two times I'm most excited to code are consistentl

by csallen 15y ago

I've been programming and lifting weights for years now, and I can attest to how well they work together. The two times I'm most excited to code are consistently (1) when it's late and I know I should be sleeping, and (2) immediately after finishing a good workout at the gym. Interestingly, I got off to a similar start with both activities: "I don't know about this, I've always been pretty small guy. I'm not just a weightlifter." "Dude, shut up and come with us." "I don't know about this, I've always just done design stuff. I'm not really a back-end guy." "Dude, shut up and read this PHP guide." Easily two of the most transformative conversations I've ever had.

llimllib 15y ago
I'm a programmer and an athlete as well, and I find that I absolutely cannot code after coming home from the gym, I'm too exhausted to get in a groove. (My workouts these days are weightlifting ones as well, so it's not that I'm not doing comparable workouts.) Just want to throw that out there. I still recommend going to the gym, and love it.
- hartror 15y ago
  Just to add to the anecdotes I find myself quite motivated to code after a weightlifting session.
  - massarog 15y ago
    I'm also very motivated after a gym session. I get up around 830am, eat breakfast, work until about 2pm...then I hit the gym until about 4 with some cardio and lifting..and then I shower, eat dinner, and get back to work.
- ecaroth 15y ago
  Obviously don't know much about your situation, but this might have a lot to do with your diet & pre/post/peri workout nutrition. You should never feel exhausted and drained after a workout, but should feel invigorated and alert. Maybe something worth investigating more.
  - mattgreenrocks 15y ago
    I've always felt wrecked after weightlifting. Sometimes I feel like I'm close to puking from the exertion and stress. I know it can be like that sometimes, but it makes it really unpleasant. I almost prefer actually doing the exercise to how I feel after. Who can I talk to in order to shed some light on what's happening?
    - alex_c 15y ago
      You can try http://www.reddit.com/r/fitness http://www.reddit.com/r/fitness, there are some pretty knowledgeable people there. Also try searching there, similar questions pop up from time to time.
  - fingerprinter 15y ago
    This is, of course, not true. Nothing is every universally applicable. Go to the gym and do a heavy squat or deadlift day and I assure you that you'll feel pretty tired for a bit after the session. This is basic science. You can mitigate this by nutrition post workout, but even so, there will be a lag in time when you could feel drained.
  - ecaroth 15y ago
    As fingerprinter pointed out this isn't universally true, however research (and my own experience) has shown that the main reason people don't feel well after working out is almost entirely due to nutrient depletion and poor nutritional timing. If you go to the gym and do heavy squats at 6:30pm without eating anything since your lunch at 11:00am you are going to feel like absolute shit afterwards. Post-workout nutrition is essential for building muscle and recovery, but making sure to eat a mix of complex carbs, protein, and fat ~1 hour before you workout makes a world of difference for how you before during, and feel after your workouts. If your diet is sound though, and working out still makes you feel so terrible that you don't wish to do it (I'm not talking muscle soreness or the usual reasons people find to not workout) you should definitely consult with a nutritionist or dietitian as something else may be going on.
    - 15y ago
- vimalg2 15y ago
  Actually, i work quite the opposite. My tinker-genes get hyper after an hour of heavy lifting(starting strength 3x/week). I do hardly any cardio most days. Heavy lifting has a small 30 min downtime after the session. (where you can shower in warm water to freshen up) But, after that i'm raring to go and won't feel tired until about 4-5 hrs later. This is my best productivity hack of 2011 - well worth the time spent.
  - andyakb 15y ago
    what is starting strength getting downvoted?
- konstruktor 15y ago
  Are you doing actual weightlifting (mostly near maximum strength) or bodybuilding? Doing 3x10 sets I can easily exhaust myself to a point where I'm mentally unable to do anything serious afterwards and need days to recover. After weightlifting (powerlifting/olympic), I usually have a lot of mental clarity and recover more quickly. Also: are you taking long enough breaks between sets?
  - llimllib 15y ago
    Weightlifting. Starting strength, which is generally 3x5 (powercleans are 5x3 and deadlifts are 1x5). > are you taking long enough breaks between sets? 3 minutes, timed on a watch, which is the recommended time.
    - konstruktor 15y ago
      I'm happy to hear you're doing everything right (but the part of me that was hoping for something easy to fix that could help you enjoy lifting more is a bit sad...). Using a watch for timing breaks is something I'll pick up, thanks for mentioning it.
      - llimllib 15y ago
        I love weightlifting! I just can't program afterwards. Which is fine, I have lots of low mental-cost stuff I can do instead.

by csallen 15y ago

llimllib 15y ago

I'm a programmer and an athlete as well, and I find that I absolutely cannot code after coming home from the gym, I'm too exhausted to get in a groove. (My workouts these days are weightlifting ones as well, so it's not that I'm not doing comparable workouts.) Just want to throw that out there. I still recommend going to the gym, and love it.

hartror 15y ago
Just to add to the anecdotes I find myself quite motivated to code after a weightlifting session.
- massarog 15y ago
  I'm also very motivated after a gym session. I get up around 830am, eat breakfast, work until about 2pm...then I hit the gym until about 4 with some cardio and lifting..and then I shower, eat dinner, and get back to work.
ecaroth 15y ago
Obviously don't know much about your situation, but this might have a lot to do with your diet & pre/post/peri workout nutrition. You should never feel exhausted and drained after a workout, but should feel invigorated and alert. Maybe something worth investigating more.
- mattgreenrocks 15y ago
  I've always felt wrecked after weightlifting. Sometimes I feel like I'm close to puking from the exertion and stress. I know it can be like that sometimes, but it makes it really unpleasant. I almost prefer actually doing the exercise to how I feel after. Who can I talk to in order to shed some light on what's happening?
  - alex_c 15y ago
    You can try http://www.reddit.com/r/fitness http://www.reddit.com/r/fitness, there are some pretty knowledgeable people there. Also try searching there, similar questions pop up from time to time.
- fingerprinter 15y ago
  This is, of course, not true. Nothing is every universally applicable. Go to the gym and do a heavy squat or deadlift day and I assure you that you'll feel pretty tired for a bit after the session. This is basic science. You can mitigate this by nutrition post workout, but even so, there will be a lag in time when you could feel drained.
- ecaroth 15y ago
  As fingerprinter pointed out this isn't universally true, however research (and my own experience) has shown that the main reason people don't feel well after working out is almost entirely due to nutrient depletion and poor nutritional timing. If you go to the gym and do heavy squats at 6:30pm without eating anything since your lunch at 11:00am you are going to feel like absolute shit afterwards. Post-workout nutrition is essential for building muscle and recovery, but making sure to eat a mix of complex carbs, protein, and fat ~1 hour before you workout makes a world of difference for how you before during, and feel after your workouts. If your diet is sound though, and working out still makes you feel so terrible that you don't wish to do it (I'm not talking muscle soreness or the usual reasons people find to not workout) you should definitely consult with a nutritionist or dietitian as something else may be going on.
  - 15y ago
vimalg2 15y ago
Actually, i work quite the opposite. My tinker-genes get hyper after an hour of heavy lifting(starting strength 3x/week). I do hardly any cardio most days. Heavy lifting has a small 30 min downtime after the session. (where you can shower in warm water to freshen up) But, after that i'm raring to go and won't feel tired until about 4-5 hrs later. This is my best productivity hack of 2011 - well worth the time spent.
- andyakb 15y ago
  what is starting strength getting downvoted?
konstruktor 15y ago
Are you doing actual weightlifting (mostly near maximum strength) or bodybuilding? Doing 3x10 sets I can easily exhaust myself to a point where I'm mentally unable to do anything serious afterwards and need days to recover. After weightlifting (powerlifting/olympic), I usually have a lot of mental clarity and recover more quickly. Also: are you taking long enough breaks between sets?
- llimllib 15y ago
  Weightlifting. Starting strength, which is generally 3x5 (powercleans are 5x3 and deadlifts are 1x5). > are you taking long enough breaks between sets? 3 minutes, timed on a watch, which is the recommended time.
  - konstruktor 15y ago
    I'm happy to hear you're doing everything right (but the part of me that was hoping for something easy to fix that could help you enjoy lifting more is a bit sad...). Using a watch for timing breaks is something I'll pick up, thanks for mentioning it.
    - llimllib 15y ago
      I love weightlifting! I just can't program afterwards. Which is fine, I have lots of low mental-cost stuff I can do instead.