Working Out For The Alcoholic

Booze is a tough thing to shake. So for most of you who may have stumbled upon this blog and wanted to know the best way to exercise thru the hangovers, you're in (some) luck.

I've cut back considerably on my drinking lately. More that I feel that I've wasted a lot of years in a fog. Now...having memory lapses. Yeah, it's a bad thing. That said...I don't think your training has to suffer because of your binge drinking.

Keep in mind, I am NOT endorsing a heavy drinking lifestyle. The best way is to dry up and gather equilibrium. I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure that's the safest way (for all).

So, in my foggiest days, I'd go to the gym hung over. Morning ritual included a cup of coffee. A half-can of Rockstar energy. An Advil. 2 eggs in butter with bacon. And a hand fruit (apple, peach, nectarine, etc..). If you're really sacked, just nuke some oatmeal and throw in fresh berries. I like the straw type.

At the gym, the small boost of energy leads me to the bench press. Normally, if you're way hungover, the machine is better than the free weights. Only you can gauge what you can handle. For the sake of safety, I'll say, go to the machine. Put the weights next to nothing. Do 25 reps. Rest 20 seconds. Do another 25. Repeat until you get to 100. You're probably going to be breathing pretty heavily here. Maybe sweating a little. This is when everyone around you will know, by smell, you're detoxing thru weights. Wipe that machine down, less someone else gets drunk off osmosis. And then move on to dips.

The dip machine is great because it uses your body weight to work properly. Do as many as you can. But do 4 sets. So, if in one set you can only do 3 reps. Then do 4 sets of 3 reps. Narrow the time rest. Try 10 second rests in between.

That's it. In your worst hungover days, these are the two exercises worth your time. Come to think of it, you probably don't even have to go to the gym. Push ups are just as good as a substitute for the chest machine. And the dips you could use an arm chair (granted if you aren't 500 lbs.).

Again, most people don't recommend working out when you're hung over. "Sweating it out" doesn't work. You're also dehydrating yourself. So drink a LOT of water.

If you need to kick start yourself and can't stand missing out on a workout, this will function well.