Should I Start Working Out After Drinking Alcohol?

Imagine the scenario: You’re sitting at the bar, a few drinks in, and your good friend ‘Dutch Courage’ creeps up on you, along with his good friends ‘Lack of Inhibitions’ and ‘Damn Right Stupid’.

You feel the energizing buzz as you start to work at your next drink. For some unexplainable reason you suddenly want to do something physical. Working out after drinking… What’s the worse that can happen?

Well, I’m here to tell you that now is not the time to listen to drunken wisdom. Under no circumstances is going to the gym after a drink a good idea. Far from it, and here’s why.

The Dangers of Working Out After Drinking

There isn’t a single modern-day athlete who prepares for optimum performance with booze. No one turns up to a bodybuilding competition or an NFL game drunk. And it’s for all the same reasons you shouldn’t turn up to the gym after a few drinks.

If you are battling a drinking problem and wondering if you can combine alcoholism with working out then perhaps these informational packets might offer some good advice. 

Dehydration

If you’re not convinced yet, let’s move on to the science. Alcohol is a diuretic. This means that it’s going to cause you to lose fluids than normal through urination. If you work out on top of that, then you’re going to start sweating out more fluids.

When people tell you that you can ‘just sweat it out’ they are failing to tell you that you’ll actually just be reducing your blood volume, and all the nutrients and oxygen your muscles need to function are going to struggle to get to where they need to get to.    

Focus & Coordination

Alcohol has a detrimental effect on your fine motor skills, balance, reaction time, and ability to concentrate. Even a half-cut run on the treadmill is likely to result in a fall.

Weightlifting requires you to be steady on your feet so that you can maintain good form and stay safe. Drinking alcohol before a weightlifting session is just going to increase your chance of injury.

Energy Production

When you drink alcohol, it is broken down in the liver, and during this time all other functions of the liver take a back seat. Your liver is responsible for creating glucose, your body’s go-to energy source. In the absence of glucose, your body opts to use glycogen stores from your muscles.

Not only do these deplete quickly making it harder to maintain a half-decent work-rate, but as a response your pancreas will secrete insulin. This will further lower your blood sugar levels leaving you even weaker and at the risk of fainting.  

Working Out With a Hangover

But how about the day after? It takes will power and determination to march into the gym the morning after a night drinking, but it’s not doing you any good either. For all the above reasons. Alcohol is still in your system and your body is still a day’s rest away from being fully hydrated again.

Don’t Workout Drunk

Working out after drinking is never a good idea. Never attempt to workout while you’re still intoxicated as your lack of coordination is likely to lead to injury. Even if you’ve only had one or two, or if its the morning after, be sure to hydrate first and don’t expect to be beating any personal bests. 

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