Everyone in my peer group seems to be caught up in over-committed schedules… particularly as the days get longer and everyone starts to wake up from winter hibernation.

As a result, I often get asked: What time is the best for working out?

Answering this question generally requires 2 pieces of information; the preference of the person being trained (say, a morning or evening type person) AND what  science exists to support one time or another.

The Science

In general, many of the studies that I have read claim better performance is achieved in the afternoon… and that means around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. For example,

“Studies by Rodahl et al found that swimmers performed better in the afternoon and had a greater alertness and power at around 4:00pm each day. Likewise, both Torii et al and Hill et al found aerobic training and performance to be more effective in the afternoon than in the morning.”

Relative to strength gain from resistance training however, it seems that there are little differences found between groups lifting weights before 10:00am or those lifting after 6:00pm (however, I did read that the PM group can achieve greater lean muscle mass adaptation (good), while the AM group can be more prone to dehydration (simple remedy: drink water as soon as you awaken, and throughout your morning workout).

Client Preference

“Excuse me Boss, I’m leaving before I miss my most effective training period.”

Obviously for most of my friends and clients – and for myself – timing a workout usually comes down to when training can be scheduled in the day – certainly more so than selecting the best “scientific” time (exception: when the purpose is for competition or elite athletics)

Some folks find themselves too exhausted after a day at work to drag themselves to the gym. Others absolutely thrive at that time. While others (like me) are morning folks, and prefer to exercise in the morning, before the daily routines compounds.

2 important notes:

- AGE plays an important role here – don’t ignore the fact that as we age, it becomes more difficult to maintain full energy levels across all hours in a day.

- CIRCADIAN RHYTHM (sleep /wake cycle) is also a factor for consideration. That said, we have survived as a species through adaptation… and a shift in the rhythm is no exception, it adapts to repetition.

When Luc and I first shifted our work-out times to 6 a.m. – because of the frustration of too many missed work-outs – it was painful. Especially because it was mid-winter. But now that we have adapted, working out in the evening has become useless, unless we are really, really focused – more effective for cardio and flexibility routines than for heavy weight lifting.

So the answer to the question becomes:

The best time to train is when it’s YOUR best time to train.

Could I help you stick with a pattern that works best for you?

Contact me for a free consultation.

Doug