Time Test

timetest.py

def tryway():
    try:
        while True:
            alist.pop()
    except IndexError:
        pass

def ifway():
    while True:
        if blist == []: 
            break
        else:
            blist.pop()
            
if __name__=='__main__':
    alist = range(1000)
    blist = range(1000)
    from timeit import Timer
    print "Testing Try"
    tr = Timer("tryway()","from __main__ import tryway")
    print tr.timeit()
    print "Testing If"
    ir = Timer("ifway()","from __main__ import ifway")
    print ir.timeit()


Results
Testing Try
2.87330579758
Testing If
0.314908027649