Is there a better time of day to exercise?

Before answering your question, what is the best time to workout - morning or evening, let me note one thing, that physical activity, regardless of time, place and duration, is in itself extremely beneficial for your physiological and mental health.

Yes! After all, not only the body becomes more toned after a workout, but physical activity also has a beneficial effect on nervous system expanding its functionality.

Studies of respiratory functionality, daily biorhythms, body temperature and hormone levels say one thing - the most auspicious time for training about 4-5 hours after lunch. But in the modern pace of life, it is sometimes not possible to allocate time for training clearly according to the schedule. There are many people who perform late in the evening or even at night.

Thus, let's discuss the benefits of training in different time days, this will help you choose your own “best” time for sports.

The best time to train: expert opinion

morning workout

Pros:

For most people who have chosen morning time for training, it is easier to form a constant “need” for physical exercise (that is, adaptation to stress is faster).
Fewer distractions and, as a result, forced breaks.
You can increase the time for exercise getting up a little earlier.
Yours is perfectly accelerated, which makes it possible to burn more calories throughout the day.
Gives a feeling of physical energy for several hours after class.
More low temperatures during the summer period.
Air pollution is lowest in the morning.
In the morning, during exercise, the fat stores in your body are burned first of all.

Minuses:

Body temperature is at its lowest level after waking up, thereby reducing energy expenditure and blood flow.
"Cold" muscles can be more prone to injury - be sure to do a good warm-up and stretch the major muscle groups before increasing the intensity of your workout.
If you don't like morning workout time, you'll have a hard time getting into the habit of morning sports.
Since the body temperature is higher at the end of the day, the rate of burning calories in the morning will be less effective.

At noon

Pros:

Exercising at lunchtime at a fixed time can easily become a habit.
You can conduct joint training with colleagues at work, study.
Body temperature and hormone levels are higher than in the morning.
Exercising will help regulate the amount of food for lunch and help you avoid overeating.
Improves blood flow to the brain, that is, makes you smarter.
Removes from work, classes at the university, school.

Minuses:

Time limits do not allow you to get a full workout. Any length is good, but it's better if you can do 30 to 60 minutes or more.
Studies show that lung function is at its worst at noon. On a light walk, you may not notice the difference. But for a vigorous workout, a 15-20% difference can be felt.

After lunch

Studies show that the time from 15.00 to 19.00 hours is the best time for endurance and building exercises. muscle mass.

Pros:

For most people, body temperature and hormone levels peak at 5 p.m., so training 2 hours before or after the peak is best for endurance and muscle building.
Studies show that the lungs are most efficient at 4-5 pm.
Muscles are warm and flexible.
The perceived tension in the muscles is the lowest - thus, you will be able to perform more complex or faster exercises in the afternoon.

Minuses:

Distractions that may keep you from exercising at your scheduled time.

Evening workout

Pros:

Muscles are warm and flexible.
The load helps to regulate the amount of food for dinner.
Relieve tension after a working day, training sessions.

Minuses:

Distractions that may keep you from exercising at your scheduled time.
It takes one to three hours to relax after exercising in order to be able to fall asleep normally.
If you find sleep problems, you need to schedule your workouts ahead of time.
Psychological and physical fatigue accumulated over the whole day.

So, what is the best time to exercise? The benefits of exercise will only be when they are performed consistently and regularly.

Therefore, the best time to exercise is the one that fits perfectly and fits into your daily schedule. Experts agree that the duration and regularity of training will be decisive, not the time of day. Good luck to you!

How to choose the best time to exercise

Morning fitness classes

Daily workout

Evening workouts

Well, who will argue with the fact that playing sports is good for the body and soul, regardless of the time of exercise. Especially if you are a happy owner of a home mini-gym equipped with universal home exercise equipment and other sports equipment, allowing you to keep fit regardless of the schedule of the fitness club or the weather outside.

Nevertheless, for the greatest efficiency of classes - and efficiency is achieved by regularity and getting used to a certain exercise routine, it is advisable to draw up a training program in relation to a certain time. Although studies conducted by specialists based on observations of breathing, biorhythms, temperature and human hormone levels show that the most optimal time for physical sports activity is a period of 4-5 hours after daytime intake food.

However, such a schedule is valid various reasons it's not that easy to comply. Work and family responsibilities make their own adjustments to the daily routine, so you often have to play sports at different times - from early morning to late evening, and even at night! Each of these periods has its advantages and disadvantages. If you know about this and take into account all the nuances of training at different times of the day on simulators for the home, you can easily build your own training program. if you have universal exercise machines for the home, you can also adjust the intensity of the load, taking into account the time of day and your biorhythms.

Morning fitness classes

Morning hours of training on the simulator for home

Morning classes are good because they allow, in addition to the classes themselves, to get involved in the working day. In addition, doctors say that exercising in the morning increases the metabolic rate, therefore, increasing the ability to burn more calories during the working day. In general, it is believed that the burning of fat reserves in the body occurs most successfully in the morning, therefore, for those who see sports in sports, they see a great opportunity to achieve harmony and lose weight. overweight, morning is that period of the day. In addition, in the morning it is easier to adjust the duration of classes - if necessary, increase the training time, it is enough to wake up early, and household members are unlikely to be distracted by things not related to sports activities.

However, when exercising immediately after waking up, one should take into account that the muscles are not yet warmed up, which increases the possibility of injury. Also, the temperature during this period of time has not yet reached the norm, which affects blood circulation, and thus reduces energy consumption.

Daily workout

Daily workout

But at noon, such a problem does not exist - body temperature and hormone levels have increased compared to the morning hour, blood circulation is normalized. However, such a time is only suitable for those who can afford to practice on their own. universal exercise machine for home regardless of the work schedule. However, in this case, you are still limited in time, and, in addition, you will probably be distracted from your studies by close or phone calls.

As already noted at the beginning of the article, the period from 15.00 to 19.00 is, according to experts, the most optimal for sports activities. By this time, the temperature and hormone levels are at their peak, and training under such conditions is the most optimal for building muscle mass. In addition, this best watch to relieve stress after a day at work. Perhaps the only drawback of such a training schedule is the fact that it is very difficult to exercise regularly at this time due to numerous distractions.

Evening workouts

From the point of view of physiology, exercising in the evening is also quite convenient - the muscles are warmed up and flexible during the day, and exercising on simulators for the home at this time very well helps to get rid of tension after a hard day's work. However, after exercising on exercise machines for the home, a certain period of time is needed in order to relax and prepare for sleep. If after classes at this time of day problems with sleep begin, then it is wiser to choose another time for physical education.

When choosing a time for classes, you must also take into account your The biological clock. If you are an owl, it is worth doing in the late afternoon, and if you are a lark, then it is better to start the morning with a workout.

In any case, it is important to remember that sports training become effective only if they are performed regularly. Home exercise equipment can easily help you cope with problems if the training schedule is chosen correctly. Therefore, the training schedule must be built so that they fit into your work or home schedule. And choosing the most convenient time - try to stick to it.

Not sure what time of day is best to exercise? After reading this article, you will determine the most optimal time for classes in gym.

Drawing up a training process is not an easy task. It is necessary to provide for many subtleties and nuances. Proper nutrition, list effective exercises, recovery time, sleep, discipline and more will help you build a beautiful body.

Few people know that in order to achieve the desired result, it is necessary to correctly choose the time for training. The fact is that not all hours during the day are equally suitable for sports. Let's look at what can affect the choice of time for training, and what part of the day is the most fruitful.

Target

What do you want to achieve from visiting the gym? Everyone knows what they want and you are no exception.

Properly chosen time for training contributes to the accelerated achievement of the final result.

AND are the most desirable goals that have settled in the minds of many people who have decided to work on themselves and change for the better.

• Fat burning

The human body is designed in such a way that after waking up, the blood sugar level is lowered, and the metabolism is accelerated.

If you train at the beginning of the day, then it is fat that will become the main source of energy, not carbohydrates. Therefore, in the morning you will be able to burn much more fat than during an evening workout.

If you exercise before breakfast, your body will lose more calories than after breakfast.

But I must say that doing on an empty stomach, you will have a lack of strength, therefore, you will quickly get tired. Therefore, do not overload your body, otherwise you will drive it into a state of stress.

Thus, morning sports will be much more effective if you decide to lose weight. But the training process must be approached wisely and correctly calculate the load.

Useful article:.

• Mass gain

Evening workouts contribute to a set of muscle mass and an increase in strength indicators. As you know, hormones such as testosterone and cortisol have a strong influence on muscle mass gain. If testosterone promotes muscle growth, then cortisol, on the contrary, destroys muscle fibers.

Testosterone levels after evening workouts are much higher than after morning workouts. The level of cortisol, known as the stress hormone, on the contrary, is much lower in the evening than in the morning.

Therefore, exercising in the evening, it is likely to gain muscle mass much faster than exercising in the morning.

Useful article:.

Kind of activity

If you sit in front of a computer all day and lead a sedentary lifestyle, then at the end of the day you need to stretch your body. In this case, evening training is the best remedy from muscular atrophy. Physical activity will increase testosterone , will improve blood circulation and help keep muscles in good shape.

If you are engaged in physically difficult work associated with constant travel, active movement and weight lifting, you will not have the strength for an evening workout. Therefore, morning workouts are for you. the best choice. By exercising at the beginning of the day, you are guaranteed to cheer up and activate brain and muscle activity. The main thing is not to overdo it in training, otherwise you will not be able to effectively cope with work responsibilities.

Schedule

Also, the choice of time for training is influenced by the daily routine. Each person lives in his own rhythm and organizes the day in a way that suits him.

If you work from morning to 5-6 pm, then, of course, you have no opportunity to train in the morning. You have nothing left to do but come to the gym in the evening.

If you have a relatively free work schedule and you can choose absolutely any time to work out in the gym, then you are fabulously lucky. Build your day the way you want, but do not forget that you always need to train at the same time. The body must adapt to consistently receive the next dose of load.

You should not train haphazardly: either in the morning or in the evening. Such instability will inevitably lead to stress, because the body will not be able to adapt to an ever-changing schedule. In this case, accuracy and method are important.

Proper organization of the day will bring you the benefits of exercising in the gym, as well as make you more disciplined.

Morning workouts have another benefit - Not a large number of people in the gym. In the evening, the halls are packed to capacity and look more like a jar of sprats than sport Club. Therefore, if you can go to workouts in the morning, then you have unique opportunity practice in an almost empty gym, and not stand in line for 10 minutes at the right simulator or projectile. In addition, in many halls, a morning subscription is much cheaper than an evening one.

It should be noted that in the morning your muscles and ligaments are less elastic and flexible than in the middle or at the end of the day. Therefore, before the morning workout, you need to devote enough time toto warm up the muscles, stretch the ligaments and set up the nervous system for productive sports.

Do not neglect the warm-up during evening workouts, otherwise the risk of injury increases. It is much easier and easier to damage an unrumpled body in the morning than at sunset, but evening time is not insurance against injury.

body type

Oddly enough, but the type of physique also affects the choice of time for exercising in the gym.

• Ectomorph

People with this constitution have a fast metabolism.usually tall, thin, with long limbs, narrow bones and long muscles. If you are one of them, then train in the evening, because by this time of day your body will have accumulated enough calories that can be used as an energy source.

• Mesomorph

People with such a physique, as a rule, have average proportions that are close to normal. Mesomorphs have muscular legs and arms, as well as broad shoulders and chest.

This body type is versatile, so the benefits of morning workouts are approximately equal to the benefits of evening workouts. Again, I would like to mention that the goal and work schedule will mainly determine the timing of classes.

• Endomorph

People of similar build are usually prone to set excess weight.

If you are an endomorph, then your body has a slow metabolism. You are advised to exercise at the beginning of the day in order to burn the annoying fat to the maximum.

Conclusion

The choice of time for training is a purely individual thing. After analyzing your lifestyle, your goals and desires, you can easily determine this important factor, which will certainly help you in your difficult task.

The main thing is not to torture yourself too much. If you can’t wake up normally and recover in the morning, and your productivity in the morning is zero, then you don’t need to mock yourself - train in the evening. Conversely, if by the end of the day your strength is running out, but with the first rays of the sun you are full of energy, then train in the morning.

Remember, life should be enjoyed, and training and working on yourself is an integral part of your life.

We consider the pros and cons of training at different times of the day

Analyzing the indicators of human biorhythms, the level of hormones and the temperature of our body at different intervals of the day, we come to the conclusion that our functional state changes during the day. The highest working capacity in a person is observed from 10 to 12 and from 15 to 18 hours.

Interesting: experts are of the opinion that at noon and early evening our body temperature is higher than the body temperature immediately after waking up. Training during this period of time is optimal, as it reduces the risk of muscle strain and injury.

But not everyone and not always succeed in doing sports in the middle of the day. Work and study take time, and we are left with two options: to train in the morning or in the evening.

Physical activity is always beneficial because there is no set time for sports. But at what exact hours will it be possible to achieve maximum results? We offer to consider in detail the most optimal and convenient options.

1) Morning workout:

Playing sports in the early hours, immediately after waking up, is difficult only at first. The human body eventually gets used to the systematic morning stress, and after several such workouts, you can easily wake up without an alarm clock at the time allotted for classes. Immediately after sleep, the body temperature of a person is lowered, therefore, more energy is expended during morning workouts which contributes to increased fat burning by the body.

Also Early workouts are great for speeding up your metabolism. which makes it possible to burn more calories throughout the day. Plus, the body is in good shape after morning physical activity, which makes it easier to endure afternoon, during which it usually tends to sleep and performance is lost.

But there are also weak sides: unheated muscles are easy to injure, therefore, before a morning workout, it is imperative to conduct a good warm-up for all muscle groups. Despite the fact that doing sports in the morning contributes to the rapid burning of fat, with a low level of temperature and hormones, calories during the morning workout itself are burned more slowly than during the evening. If you train in the morning, then make it a habit eat breakfast an hour and a half before training and once again provide the body with food after.

Ideally, to achieve a noticeable result, you need to practice daily for at least 1 hour. Morning exercise improves blood flow to the brain which stimulates its functioning.

2) Daily workouts:

Such training quickly becomes a habit. At this time, strength exercises, stretching, crossfit and other exercises that require endurance and strength will be most effective.

In the afternoon, body temperature and hormone levels rise. Muscles become supple and more flexible, afternoon training will bring good result while reducing the risk of muscle tension and, as a result, muscle pain.

Daily workouts are great for those who want to increase muscle strength and improve endurance levels. They need to be properly planned, taking into account the obligatory meal. Lunch, in case physical activity, divided into two doses: one and a half to two hours before and one hour after training.

Of the minuses we will highlight a busy schedule of study or work. Not everyone can afford to spend time exercising during their lunch break (40-50 minutes). The lesson can be “crumpled up” and ineffective because of the desire to do everything at once and in a minimum period.

3) Evening workouts:

After 16:00 the muscles are in best form . Strength training with dumbbells or a barbell will be effective - that is, this time is more suitable for drawing the relief than weight loss.

Evening workouts are practically no different in effectiveness from late afternoon workouts. At a later time, fitness clubs are usually densely filled: everyone rushes after work and study to go in for sports and relieve emotional stress. But it is also worth considering the fact that physical activity provokes the body to produce adrenaline. If you study too late, then such exercise can cause sleep disturbance. Optimal time for evening workout 2-3 hours before bed.

To consolidate the results of training, we recommend drinking a protein shake that contains a large amount of protein necessary for the formation of muscle relief, and also has an active restorative effect on muscle tissue, taking off muscle tension and pain. Wherein, protein shakes are easily absorbed and digested due to their liquid consistency, thus ideal for restoring the body after an evening workout, without being deposited in adipose tissue and without creating a feeling of heaviness in the stomach. Drink protein shakes recommended 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Important: Don't forget to eat before strength training, as they are really dangerous on an empty stomach.

Whatever time you choose to exercise, remember that the main thing is the regularity of training! Periodically at least 3 times a week the results will not keep you waiting.

To connect with an individual consultant who will create a training and nutrition plan for you, go to link. November 18, 2016, 17:56 2016-11-18

As he says old proverb: "Everything has its time". So it is in sports: there is both best time to exercise it is the most effective for obtaining results - both neutral and worst time for training, when performance decreases, and the effect of training, respectively, also falls. Today in this article we will look at best time to workout; we learn when is the best time to exercise in the gym, A when is it better to do aerobics for weight loss.

From what goals you are pursuing: losing weight, building muscle mass, keeping the body in good shape, training of cardio-vascular system etc. - it also depends V what is the best time to exercise, and what types of fitness to give preference. In order not to get confused in time, let's first listen to what different "smart" minds and scientists from all over the world think about this. What is the best time to exercise they distinguish and most importantly, what they are guided by in their choice.

Scientific studies on the best time to exercise

Research at the University of Washington, USA

Scientists from the University of Washington, who conducted numerous studies to identify the best time period for playing sports, announced the following results:

“The best time to exercise depends on your body type.

If a person is an endomorph and has a slow metabolism (often prone to gaining excess weight), then the morning hours for sports are better for him (from 7 to 10), when glycogen and glucose stores are depleted in the body, and he has to eat the energy of fat oxidation .

If a person is an ectomorph, that is, genetically predisposed to thinness and has a fast metabolism, then for him best time to workout this is the evening time (from 16 to 19), when the body has a lot of strength and energy that will be useful to it in training.

If a person is a representative of the golden mean and is a mesomorph, that is, he has a normal metabolism without a tendency to either thinness or fullness, then both training in the evening and in the daytime or morning are suitable for him. It all depends on the general well-being of the body and the desire to exercise.

According to the results this study best time to workout depends on what body type you have. But there are other opinions on this issue. Let's get to know them for completeness.

Research by scientists from the Williamsburg Department of Kinesiology

Scientists conducted a series of experiments where they took 4 time periods during the day: 8 am, 12 noon, 4 pm and 8 pm. Several subjects at a certain time (these were men who had not previously been involved in sports, but in this case the mechanism will be similar for girls) performed some strength exercises with weights. And the following was revealed:

Maximum efficiency from strength exercises reached in the evening. This is due to the fact that the work and contraction of fast muscle fibers that are involved in weight training or high-intensity training occurs much better in the evening, when body temperature is higher than in the morning or afternoon.

Also during this study, another important reason Togo, when is the best time to exercise. And this reason lies in the level of hormones such as cortisol and testosterone.

Testosterone is responsible for building muscle, while cortisol is responsible for breaking it down. In other words, testosterone is an anabolic growth hormone and cortisol is a catabolic destruction hormone.

At rest, testosterone levels (for both men and women) are higher in the 1st half of the day, but when it comes to training in the gym, then its level is much higher after an evening workout than if you work out with weights in the morning. So if you girls have a goal building muscle mass , That best time to workout in the evening from 16-00 to 19-00, when the level of testosterone after training is higher, and cortisol, on the contrary, is lower.

15:00-16:30 - aerobic training

From 15:00, the body temperature of the girls begins to rise, and at 16:30 it reaches its peak value, so at this time it is best to give preference active species fitness: dancing, aerobics, running, cycling, etc., they will favorably affect the fat burning process, as well as strengthen the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

17:00-18:00 - strength and high-intensity training

This best time to workout with weights, so going to the gym or attending any strength classes, as well as high-intensity or interval training, which require a lot of endurance and strength, will only benefit you. In the afternoon, body temperature and testosterone levels rise compared to the first, while cortisol levels, on the contrary, decrease. All this together has a good effect on the surge of strength and has a positive effect on your productivity from the workout.

After 19:00 - Mind workouts& Body

After 7 p.m., the body temperature of the girls begins to decrease again and comes best time to workout direction of Mind&Body, which includes different kinds yoga, Pilates, tai chi, por de bras, stretching, body flex, etc. These types of training have a healing and calming character, they also help strengthen the most deep layers muscles, form a beautiful and correct posture, develop flexibility and endurance, positively affect the psycho-emotional background of women.

Now you know, what time of day is best to practice one or another type of active activity, and in order to systematize your knowledge, I present to your attention a small table that will help you choose the time and type of training if you want to follow your body indicators.

But there is no need to get upset and put an end to training if for some reason you cannot do your favorite type of fitness at the recommended time for this.

If you want to run, but it’s hard for you to get up early in the morning, then you don’t need to force your body, there will be no benefit from such training. If you prefer to work out in the gym, but in the evening you can’t do it, you don’t need to get depressed. The main thing is to listen to your own body, and if you have enough energy to do strength training in the morning, then please, no one forbids you to train in the morning.

A person is so arranged that he can get used to everything and adapt to the conditions that are convenient for him. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to engage in the type of physical activity that is most suitable for this at the recommended time, then this is great: you naturally help your body get faster desired result. If you do not have such an opportunity, then do not be discouraged, best time to workout your body will choose itself, the main thing is to listen to it well and help it find this time.

So, today we have considered the issue in detail, when is the best time to exercise and together we decided best time to workout. Now you have to decide what time is convenient for you personally and does it coincide with the recommended types of fitness? Send your answers in the comments.

Your coach, Janelia Skrypnyk, was with you!