Return of the Monkey: Preparation for Ramadan (Part 3) - The Training

In part 2, I discussed eating during Ramadan. What about training?

Most people will say that they have no time or that they will be tired. You fast during the day, so that is not going to help if you want to train during the day right? In the evening you are busy performing Solah (Maghrib, Isyaa' and Tarawih). Surely you think there is no time.

[Tarawih prayer]

Practically, no. You can still train during the month of Ramadan. Do not use fasting or Tarawih as an excuse to not be able to train. I will accept it if you say, "I'm taking a break from training but I'll still eat clean", "I'm taking this opportunity to refuel my muscles" (That is if you really meant it, and explain how you will go about doing it). But never, and I mean never, use fasting or Tarawih as an excuse not to train (unless you have severe health condition or pregnant).

[Ramadan is not an excuse to stop training]

So there are two main reasons that makes it hard for people to train during Ramadan: time and energy. I will say, we make time and use energy in a smart way.

Let's break this training during Ramadan into different situations. Why? Well, while everyone will fast; not everyone will be performing Tarawih every night. It is Sunnah.

I won't be going for Tarawih much. When can I train?

This is the easiest of situations. In this case, time is definitely not an excuse. For this, there are perhaps three different situations I can think of.

If you are the type that has to prepare your Iftar early, break your fast with family and friends, you can always train after Isyaa' once you have taken in enough calories. 

If you do not wish to train late, an option is to train within half an hour prior to breaking fast and continue for another half an hour or so after Iftar.

[Okay... we need to eat now]

If you want to go hardcore, you can split your training into two sessions: the first session is half an hour before and after breaking your fast, and another session after Isyaa'.

I will be performing Tarawih for most nights. I definitely do not have the time right?

Wrong. You can still make the time. If you are in this category, then you are with me. Similar to the previous situation, you still have three options to for training. 

The first is again prior to and after Iftar. The second is after Tarawih and the third is splitting into two sessions (before and after Iftar, and after Tarawih).

Training right before and after Iftar

So of you may be thinking "This is crazy! Training on an empty stomach and right after eating?". You're probably thinking you won't have enough energy and since you cannot drink while fasting, you are going to die. Plus, you're going to eat during Iftar and continue training? "I'm going to throw everything back out!"

[Let's go training.... wait, let me get up first]

It's true you can get very tired and thirsty before Iftar, but only if you are not doing it right. Your body will lose energy faster when you do any aerobic or anaerobic exercise (any form of cardio). So it's best to do weight training and keeping the reps to minimum. This means you will lift heavier weights as opposed to targetting a high number of repetitions. For example, if you are used to 12-15 reps of squats, switch to doing 8-10 reps instead. You also lower the number of sets.

[Are you even going to argue with the shirt?]

Will you have the energy to workout? If you had eaten properly for Sahur and getting in enough nutrients, then you will. 

So how much do I eat for Iftar? If you train early and finish your workout just before Iftar, then eat your normal meal to replenish your energy. If you are still in the middle of your workout however, you need to eat just enough to have energy to continue your training. So have some dates, drink water, consume some carbohydrates, perform Maghrib and off you go to continue your workout. Once you finish your workout, then have your meal.

If you wish to do some cardio, do it after Iftar (unless you know you can survive cardio while fasting). So really, there is nothing wrong about training before and after Iftar. It's about how much energy you have and how you manage it. 

Training Late (After Tarawih)

I don't think I need to explain much about training after Isyaa'. Most of us do train during this hour on most days after work But what about training after Tarawih? "Wouldn't it be too late to train?".

No. It's actually okay to train late. There is nothing wrong with it. So if you finish Tarawih around 10 PM, start your training around 10.30. Train for one hour and by midnight you'll already be in bed.

[Let's set our goals right]

The Monkey's Training

Okay, so what will my training be like during the holy month? I have mentioned earlier that I won't be going to the gym. I've froze my gym membership for this month. I've already explained my diet plans and now it is time to share my workout. 

I won't go into the details of my workout in this post. Let's save that for later. For most days during Ramadan I will be finishing work around 4.30 PM, except for Mondays and Fridays where I teach classes until 6 PM. Since I will be going for Tarawih on most days InshaAllah, my workouts will be after Tarawih. On certain days I will train prior to Iftar.

How do I train without a gym? My training will be at home and most of it will be bodyweight workouts. I will also use home furnitures and items as equipments along with two light dumbbells that I have.

[Turn your furnitures into gym machines]

I will use this month as a cutting month an also build up on core training. This will mean more short HIIT and cardio sessions, less rest time, more isolation which targets the core and also more core workouts.

[The stairs in your house can be a great asset]

Honestly I have been slacking off on bodyweight and core training, so this is a good chance to get back into it.

If you are wondering what are examples of bodyweight workouts you can do at home; there's push ups, dips, pull ups, elevated push ups, and more. Core workouts include any abs workout and plank variations. For cardio, there's going up and down the stairs, burpees, mountain climbers, shadow boxing and skipping just to name a few.

[Decline push ups can be done using a chair]

I will go through my Ramadan diet and training in detail once the Holy month starts. Until then, get your preparations ready and you are on your way to benefit from this special month.