I’m currently in the middle of a workout, doing endless sets of dead bugs as remedial core work so I can eventually have bigger lifts and better climbing performance.
This kind of attitude (like, the one the meme is joking about, not the meme itself) annoys me, since I feel like it ultimately sets back most of the people it is supposedly trying to inspire.
Like, waking up at 4am is dumb for almost everyone, almost all the time - especially if your goal is to work out. Your body needs a certain amount of sleep to recover and function well, and shorting it sleep to get more training in is likely setting you back more than giving you gains. And if you are getting the same amount of sleep total each day anyway… why not just wake up later and get your workout in in the afternoon? If you are really that crunched for time and stressed out, the optimal solution is more likely to simply reduce the number of workouts per week. More recovery time means both less overtraining, and a better training stimulus with each workout since you are more rested going into it.
I used to get up at that time because work hours made me. I tried going to the gym after work, but I was usually spent by then. Working out before work also made me work better.
So, 4.30am it was. For years. No regrets, except that I can no longer do it.
Assuming 8 hours of sleep and a 4am wake up, that would be an 8pm bed time. Assuming the person works a 9-5, that is 3 hours from the end of work until bed time. I suppose that’s enough time to commute, do chores, eat dinner, and engage in a healthy amount of low stress social time… but I have a hard time imagining most people keeping this bed time consistently. Especially since, at least where I live, you’d be going to bed before sunset for about 1/3 of the year.
Again, I think a 4am wakeup is dumb for most people, most of the time. There are edge cases, of course. But the average go-getter 9-5er who wants long term success in their career, fitness, and relationships would be better served by waking up later, working out less, and spending more time socializing with other people (preferrably in a healthy way) during after work hours.
I’m currently in the middle of a workout, doing endless sets of dead bugs as remedial core work so I can eventually have bigger lifts and better climbing performance.
This kind of attitude (like, the one the meme is joking about, not the meme itself) annoys me, since I feel like it ultimately sets back most of the people it is supposedly trying to inspire.
Like, waking up at 4am is dumb for almost everyone, almost all the time - especially if your goal is to work out. Your body needs a certain amount of sleep to recover and function well, and shorting it sleep to get more training in is likely setting you back more than giving you gains. And if you are getting the same amount of sleep total each day anyway… why not just wake up later and get your workout in in the afternoon? If you are really that crunched for time and stressed out, the optimal solution is more likely to simply reduce the number of workouts per week. More recovery time means both less overtraining, and a better training stimulus with each workout since you are more rested going into it.
I used to get up at that time because work hours made me. I tried going to the gym after work, but I was usually spent by then. Working out before work also made me work better.
So, 4.30am it was. For years. No regrets, except that I can no longer do it.
I agree there are edge cases. I just think it shouldn’t be billed as the ultimate productivity solution to the average person.
you’re basing this on a false assumption that all people go to bed after 10pm
Assuming 8 hours of sleep and a 4am wake up, that would be an 8pm bed time. Assuming the person works a 9-5, that is 3 hours from the end of work until bed time. I suppose that’s enough time to commute, do chores, eat dinner, and engage in a healthy amount of low stress social time… but I have a hard time imagining most people keeping this bed time consistently. Especially since, at least where I live, you’d be going to bed before sunset for about 1/3 of the year.
Again, I think a 4am wakeup is dumb for most people, most of the time. There are edge cases, of course. But the average go-getter 9-5er who wants long term success in their career, fitness, and relationships would be better served by waking up later, working out less, and spending more time socializing with other people (preferrably in a healthy way) during after work hours.