I guess we're all a little different and you know what works best for you. I personally workout later in the evening w/out it effecting my sleep. I feel it makes me sleep more soundly, go figure.
Good point. I suppose my approaching 50 may have something to do with it. Also, my workouts last a bit over 2.5 hours, with the first one hour and 40 minutes or so devoted to weights and the remainder to cardio and abs. I work all muscle groups each time and only work out twice a week. I used to do a split routine with more sets per muscle group until a few years ago, but found that I don't want to live in a gym or have my after work schedule dictated by my workout regimen. I realize I'm not optimizing, but that's the give-and-take of life, eh? So when I do work out I really go all out, to the limit, and perhaps for longer than is ideal. Maybe that's why I have to do it earlier than most in order to sleep well. As for working out in the morning, that doesn't work for me. I need the stress of the day to get me going in the gym. In the very early morning there is no starch in me, and my limbs feel like overcooked spaghetti insofar as an all-out high-intensity workout is concerned.
Testosterone actually starts to decrease when you start turning 30. You can take steroids to increase testosterone however, there will be side effects, hair loss, gyno (growth of female breasts), testicle shrinkage, and increase agression. I suggest that you work 1 body part once a week and do 20s set per body part, eat every 3-4 hours and make sure you eat at least 1 gram of protein for every pound you weigh. Also, be sure to eat before and after you train and eat some carbs after lifting weights. You could also look into Hormone Replacement Therapy, if your t levels are low.
I only looked briefly thru the tim link (his ref articles are exactly up to date). I'm sure there are lies we assume are truth for both soy and whey that those industries propagate. I've used both proteins, though mostly whey. For the most part I think a lot of the sports nutrition is hype ( like if you don't consume protein right after your workout, and other stupid lies like that). Something high glycemic post workout is more important. Also, so called complete vs incomplete proteins. If your eating from a wide variety of food, one doesn't need gobs of extra protein to build muscle. Your liver manages protein building blocks, sending out what the body needs and where its needed. Its like a storehouse where exact timing of protein intake is not required. And I'm not saying the average american diet is proper sports nutrition. I'm saying that extremism is not required.
I'd much prefer 10 all-out high-intensity sets per (larger) muscle group twice a week, given the choice. But that's just me.
The optimal time for peak performance for the average body is late afternoon to early evening (our body temp increases later in the day). My mind and body aren't interested in all out gym efforts in the a.m. either.
GNC is shit? Why, because it is expensive? So what? It's a convenience to me because its not even 10 minutes from the house, plus I throw away more money at titty bars in 15 minutes than what I spend in an entire month on nanovapor and whey protein. (Whey, as in not Soy. Maybe the traditional thinking that soy protein is inferior and possibly detrimental is and has been wrong for the last 40 years. But whey protein isn't making me look like Bob "Bitch Tits" from Fight Club either. I'll stick with it.) I used to be a student athlete and I know first hand how 50% of today's professional athletes advance. Think its just baseball? Wrong! It's everything from Hockey to Soccer to Tennis, even golf (no shit, ever seen the power driving contests on tv?). It's just not for me. The feeling of hard work and a quick glance in the mirror feels good. If some of you want to be ignorant today and destroy your ability to naturally produce hormones, feel free to suffer tomorrow. I have no qualms with someone else taking whatever drugs they want to take. It's your body not mine, you'll be the one living with your decisions... But I do agree that this piss poor attempt to make professional baseball "fair" is a complete waste of government resources and tax dollars. Everyone is always looking for an advantage, sport or not. Which, lastly, brings me to this: elevated testosterone levels will not make bad traders good. Just horny. So don't bother stock_trad3r.
Here's a pretty good book. http://www.amazon.com/Muscles-Speed...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208275359&sr=8-1