Chores before or after workouts?

Triathlon Forum
1

For those of us that have to deal with chores and or other non training physical activities (ie mowing the yard, shoveling the driveway etc…) is it better to do them before or after a workout?

In other words if it is unavoidable that on the same day I have a 2 hr run or long bike and also have to mow (about an hour to our an a half) should I run first then mow or mow as early as possible then run?

Is it the chore going to intefere more with the quality of the workout if it is done beforehand, or is it more important to do the chore then workout and concentrate on relaxing/recovery immediately afterwards?

Last weekend I was faced with this, ended up mowing then running about a half an hour later so that I could recover once the rest of the day once the run was over. Just wondering what others do.

2

I make my BF do all the chores while I ride/run then expect a nice breakfast when I get back.

3

No idea how it affects the workout, but if I exercise first, I’m VERY likely to blow off the chores.

4

I always workout first. You never know when that 30 minute task turns into 3 hours, with several trips to the hardware store, but you keep going because it is almost done! Then you missed the workout…

So I always workout first to make sure I actually workout and don’t get stuck in some endless project.

Paul

5

Agreed, if I were doing something unknown. But for hte standard home owner type stuff that you know is pretty routine such as mowing I knew that after a 2 hour run I would not feel like mowing (it’s a push mower) the yard.

6

Yup, real world still exists, huh? I always workout first, then do chores and real life afterwards. Otherwise the chances that the workout gets missed go WAY up…

7

Chores first, then workout. For me, it’s like eating your veggies before diving in to dessert. Though, I generally like veggies, but you get the point. . .

8

Purely anecdotal, but I have found that mowing the lawn after a long bike or run is like a good warm down. If I relax the rest of the day after a long workout, I am more sore the next day. If I stay on my feet and do something (mow the lawn, walk around some stupid antique store with the wife, etc.), I’m not as sore.

9

I catch heck from my wife if I put cycling in front of things around the house. Work first, play later.

10

Good LORD! If you even have to ask, you’ve got some mixed up priorities.

Workout first, of course.

Geez. Working with a buncha back-water idigits, I tell ya. ;^)

11

if it’s biking, i almost always do that first, but it’s so i can get on the roads when there’s less traffic.

running i’ll go either way on.

12

My mother always said to get the chores done first.

13

I always want to do chores after I workout. It’s my cooldown. Little things like dishes, laundry, spot cleaning. By the time I am done with the housework, I am cooled down enough to take a shower.

14

Actually, if you read my post my priorities are correct. I am not worried about the ‘chores’ at all, I am worried about how they affect my workout. I was asking will I get a better workout if I do it first if I didn’t waste energy before my workout…

or

Is it better to do the long workouts and focus on recovery afterwards (although with a wife and kids that doesn’t happen easily) by having the honey do list done before the workout.

or

Should I say both of the above, and do the workout rested and then recover, making her do all the work???

So my priorities are sufficiently out of whack (training first) as far as I’m concerned;)

15

Good. I can stop praying for you now… ;^)

16

Good. I can stop praying for you now… ;^)

Given that I have a 21 month old daughter, stepkids that are 8 and 11 and a pregnant wife that is due 1 week before IMWI and my priorities are such that I am worried if mowing my lawn before or after I do a long run will affect my run I think I need all the praying from others I can get!

17 
      Okay folks,just a bit of reality in the surreal place that is ST.Baxnelly,you are a triathlete.You are supposed to be fit and strong.Surely you are not so fragile that a bit of yardwork will hurt an afternoon training session?I don't want to give you a hard time but as AG's has our obsession with all things triathlon come to this? 
           What do you think the triathletes who don't have a desk job do?How about all the builders,farmers,firemen,labourers and all the others who are doing physical stuff at work all day and then go out and train?They seem to manage quite well.Greg Welch was a tradesman and was able to train okay after a hard days work.Unless you are making money at this triathlon thing then what does it matter?Do your chores so you have a nice home and a happy family.They are far more important than any training session.

For those of us that have to deal with chores and or other non training physical activities (ie mowing the yard, shoveling the driveway etc…) is it better to do them before or after a workout?

18

No, mowing the lawn or shoveling the driveway or painting the house doesn’t wipe me out or interfere with my training, and if it comes down to a big item or something that needs done then the training gets nixed.

I was just curious if there were times when one could do one thing before or after the other which was better, if there was even a difference.

19 
    If you have a big lawn you could buy a push mower and get a run in at the same time.I've actually done that.I also had a mate who was a postman and he ran his postal route.He really pissed all the other posties off 'cause he got his job done so fast it made the rest of them look really lazy.He was bloody fit.Back in Oz a lot of the garbage men are footballers(Rugby and Aussie Rules) who run alongside the garbo trucks picking up the trash cans as part of their training.I guess the best thing to do would be train the kids up to do the chores if they are old enough.
20

im not allowed to train until after the chores are done, because my wife says im worthless after i train. k, she doesn’t only say that, i am worthless after i train. i like to sit on the couch or play with the kids afterward, not work.