When talking about the best times to train, it's important to split up strength training in the gym for muscle growth and weight loss. These are fundamentally different activities that imply different metabolic processes - which is why it is extremely difficult for the body to burn fat and build muscle at the same time.

Weight loss workouts are aerobic (that is, require cells to consume oxygen), and strength exercises for muscle growth - anaerobic. The effectiveness of cardio for burning fat is increased when blood glucose levels are low (this literally forces the body to waste fat stores), whereas strength training is not possible under such conditions.

In other words, morning workouts are the perfect choice for fat loss and endurance, while muscle building workouts are recommended in the afternoon. However, you can swing and early morning- you just need to follow the advice described in our material (for example, take a portion of the gainer before training).

Why is it hard to train in the morning?

Strength training in the early morning is much more difficult for most people than training in the afternoon. The main reason for this is that the body simply does not have enough energy in the morning - muscle glycogen stores and blood sugar levels are minimal, and the energy of fat stores cannot be used to perform strength exercises.

Let's say you are doing - a minute ago the body did not know about the upcoming load, but now it needs energy. The source of this "fast" energy can only be the stores of glycogen from the muscles working in this movement, but not the fat stores. It will take your body at least 15-20 minutes to get energy from fat.

How to swing correctly in the morning?

If you exercise early in the morning without sufficient glycogen stores, your blood sugar will drop, making your workout much more difficult and leading to mental blurredness or even fainting. For a full strength training For muscle growth, the body needs at least 100-150 g of carbohydrates stored in the form of glycogen directly in the muscles.

A hearty breakfast an hour and a half before strength training will help energize muscles, but in real life, not all athletes have time for such a breakfast. The situation is aggravated by the fact that for successful mass gain at the end of the training, the body again needs calories to close - or lunch in case morning workouts.

Strength training early in the morning

For strength training early in the morning (especially when there is no time for a hearty breakfast), it is critical to take it immediately after waking up - otherwise the body simply will not have enough energy. By the time of arrival in gym carbohydrates from sports nutrition will already be absorbed and their energy will enter the bloodstream.

However, after the end of the morning strength training, it is still important to have a full breakfast and provide your muscles not only with carbohydrates and proteins, but also vitamins and minerals. Also keep in mind that it will take your body about 1-2 weeks to get used to such a training regimen, and do not despair if the first days seem too difficult for you.

Morning workouts to burn fat

Once again, remember that fat burning occurs exclusively when blood glucose levels are low. The reason lies in the fact that insulin, raised by sugar, is necessary for the formation of energy reserves, while the hormone adrenaline is needed to remove this energy from cells (1). At the same time, insulin and adrenaline cannot be synthesized by the body at the same time.

For this reason, it is recommended to lose weight for at least 30-40 minutes - in this case, the body first spends stores of glycogen and carbohydrates, lowering the level of insulin, and only then adrenaline rises, activating the processes of fat burning. The good news is that this process is much faster in the morning.

Cardio on an empty stomach

In most cases, immediately after waking up, the reserves of glycogen in the body are minimal - which is why slow cardio performed in the early morning leads to the fastest possible weight loss. At the same time, any breakfast (even a protein isolate that does not contain carbohydrates) will make the body first of all burn the calories of this breakfast, and all fat reserves.

The main rules of morning workouts for weight loss are an empty stomach and the most moderate pace of load (running is definitely not recommended) lasting at least 30-40 minutes. Immediately after the end of such a fat burning workout, it is recommended to take 2-3 capsules, while a full breakfast is acceptable no earlier than half an hour later.

Can I train in the evening?

Unfortunately, late evening is the worst time for both strength training and weight loss training. Fat burning training will be ineffective due to the presence of sugar in the blood (glucose levels decrease only 4-5 hours after the last meal), and strength training can cause sleep problems due to overexcitation of the central nervous system.

If you have absolutely no other choice, and you can only go to the gym in the evening, plan a large meal 2 hours before the evening training for muscle growth, so that after it there is only a light dinner. Also, carefully study the composition of sports nutrition, making sure that it does not contain other stimulants that interfere with sleep.

***

Morning workouts on an empty stomach are best for weight loss, however, before strength training for muscle growth in the morning, it is recommended to take a serving of a weight gainer. Exercising late at night is the worst option - the presence of glucose in the blood will block fat burning, and the general fatigue of the day will prevent you from maximizing strength training.

Scientific sources:

1. The Stubborn Fat Solution, Lyle McDonald,

Greetings to all lovers healthy way life and sports!

As a rule, the bulk of people visiting the gym are not professionals and everyone studies or works, therefore they train in free time It can be time before work or after a hard day. I think it would be interesting to know when it is better to go to the gym and fully train. I will note that every time, be it morning, afternoon, evening - has its positive and negative moments. And after After reading the article, you can determine the time for yourself to visit the gym. Mother nature can help us with the concept of Chronotype Is a characteristic of the work of our body, its efficiency and determination of the peak of activity by the time of day for each individual. There are three types of chronotype owl, lark, pigeon. A person with the type of owl becomes active at night or in the evening and is less active in the morning and daytime hours. The lark is an early bird, so a person with this type is more active in the early and daytime hours. And finally, people like a pigeon (60% of the population) are the most optimal type of chronotype. Pigeon people can feel great at any time of the day. These people are more versatile. For example, I belong to this chronotype. After you decide on the type of your body, you can understand exactly why it is so easy for you to train in the morning or vice versa in the evening. There are many tests on the Internet to determine your chronotype, for example. You can also observe your behavior during the day. This is a digression. , with which you can reckon with when choosing the time of day for training. Now let's go directly to the topic of the article: What time is it best to go to the gym.

Classes in the morning.Blood sugar is very low in the morning, so if you hit the gym in the morning you can count on physical exercise will help burn fat. After all, the body will need to draw energy from its fat reserves. An excellent time for people who set themselves main goal lose weight or remove excess fat. Exercise on the simulators speeds up the metabolism for the whole day, so you can safely count the calories will go away during the day.The same time is suitable for gaining muscle mass, testosterone levels rise in the morning, and we know high level testosterone reduces the production of the hormone cortisol, which breaks down muscles. Morning exercise is contraindicated in people with heart problems, for of cardio-vascular system morning is the most stressful time, the body was at rest at night, and it is problematic to reorganize abruptly to increase the load. In addition, for practical reasons, there is a plus in the morning there is practically no one in the simulator, which means a clean, ventilated room, free exercise equipment. trainer, this is for beginners and you cannot have a full breakfast, so you need to use sports nutrition, but after that you still need to have breakfast. The body after exertion will take in nutrients intensively. In the morning we have a low body temperature, so the possibility of injury increases, a good warm-up in the morning it is impossible to exclude. Training should not be hard and long, because there is still a whole working day ahead, and all people have different professions and different physical activities, do not forget about this when choosing morning physical activities with iron.

Afternoon activities.Daytime workouts are beneficial in the sense that the body has come to a full state for its work. During this period, the level of adrenaline and body temperature tend to increase, the elasticity of the body allows you to achieve better results. The day is the optimal period for psycho-physical balance. But let's see who can afford to exercise during the day. These are those people who have the opportunity to visit the simulator during the lunch break, but again there is a minus this limited time and the absence in the subsequent full meal, and the body needs to get fuel. If you do not work during the day, then this is the ability to fully engage in. V winter period time, daytime training is an opportunity to communicate with a trainer or instructor, a full-fledged daylight gives a positive effect, but in the summer period of time, the hot scorching sun will increase the load on the heart, despite the presence of an air conditioner.

Classes in the evening.If you are a mental worker, training with dumbbells and a barbell will help shake off psychological fatigue, cheer up, for people with a physical way of work, training in a simulator will be extra stress for muscles and the body as a whole. But most importantly for everyone, evening training should be moderate, not you need to set big records and lift heavy weights. Therefore, make a program adhering to this factor. This will speed up the metabolism. Do not forget about sports nutrition. The question arises, and when to eat. This is all individual, if you immediately went to the gym after work, try 1.5 hours before that, even at work, eat. After training, you should also not limit yourself in food, since the body will need energy and if it is not enough, it will take it from the muscles. This should not be allowed.

Of course, in the evening, a large number of people visit the club, so the vacated shell can be immediately occupied, so be prepared for this. And the air in the room leaves much to be desired. intense workouts can lead to a problem with sleep and sleep must be complete for the recovery of the body. Do not forget about this. Here are the disadvantages of evening visits to the gym, otherwise the bulk of the population visits the gym in the evening, and this is inevitable with our rhythm of life.

Of course, there are people who visit the gym at night, but I think this is unacceptable, nature has created us as we are, and the body must rest, therefore, there is a night time. You can make an exception this cardio load no more, provided that the next day you won't have a busy day at work.

Try to determine for yourself the time of visiting the fitness room by day and hour, the body gets used to this rhythm and will be prepared for stress, stick to this. Lesson at any time of the day is not the best option for the body, although there are times in our life that it doesn’t work out differently, so it’s better to do this in your free time than not to do it at all. Movement is life. The choice is yours. Now you are know what time is best for you to go to the gym. I wish you success in achieving your goals. Sincerely, Sergey.

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Anyone who has made a strong-willed decision to regularly play sports in order to improve health or lose overweight, be sure to think about at what time it is better for him to study and at what interval after that to take. These questions will help to understand Scientific research and the recommendations that we have collected in this material.

All pros and cons in favor of the morning

Also, evening workouts are most effective for relieving stress.

Cons of classes in the evenings

The disadvantages of exercising in the evenings include the fact that if a person has the priority to reduce forms and burn fat, such training should take place late in the evening, at least a couple of hours after.

This should also add the answer to the question: is it possible to do exercises before bedtime. Any physical exercises should be completed at least two hours before bedtime. The fact is that it is an important factor for the health of every person. And exercise raises body temperature, increases blood circulation, leads nervous system into a state of excitability, and the body to wakefulness. All these factors not only do not contribute to normal and timely falling asleep, but even hinder it.

Important! If there is no other time, except late in the evening, for training, then at the end of the set of exercises, breathing exercises should be carried out. They will help to establish normal breathing and normalize body temperature.

And one more important aspect- Going to bed after exercise is not recommended. You need to eat something light protein-carbohydrate.

What about lunch?

Lunch workouts are not as popular as morning and evening workouts. They are most often resorted to on, in, during the absence of work, etc. Let's consider whether the exercises are effective at this time.

Why can

During the daytime, the body's highest pain tolerance is observed. Therefore, it is good to carry out power loads at this time. To more comfortable and effective pursuits disposes of daylight.

The advantages of daytime visits to gyms include the fact that at this time they are not crowded, as a rule, there are free instructors who can pay more attention to you. Also, if you have the opportunity to play sports during your lunch break, this will allow you to soak up your bed in the morning or relax a little longer after a hard day in the evening.
Lunchtime workouts energize the rest of the day, stimulate, and increase productivity. Surely many are interested in the question: is it possible to play sports after eating, for example, at lunchtime. The optimal interval between workouts should be 1.5-2 hours (if the goal is only to be in shape, then it can be reduced to one hour).

In the morning and evening sports activities the main meal should be on. Lunchtime workouts should be done at the recommended intervals before and after meals. Better to have lunch after class.

Important! In the post-workout diet, you should minimize fat intake and eliminate caffeine (within two hours). Before and after classes, you need to drink at least half a liter of liquid for an hour.

Why not

In any person, regardless of the characteristics of biorhythms, zero activity of the body occurs in the afternoon hours - from two to three. Therefore, it is not worth planning sports activities for this time.

It will be difficult for a working person to plan the time for lunch, since it is not advised to eat a full meal before training, and the food after classes will already have to be for an afternoon snack, which should also not be oversaturated with calories.

Summarize

Of course, everyone will select the time for training individually, depending on the rhythm of life, work or study schedule, their chronotype and desired result... The purpose of our article is to point out the changes in the body that occur at one time or another of the day during physical activity.
Summing up the above, we note that training at any time of the day and regardless of the interval of food intake will be useful for maintaining health. If the ultimate goal of physical exercise is to gain muscle mass and it is planned to focus on strength exercises, on stretching, then best time for this it will be evening. Swimming and team sports are also good in the evening.

Those wishing to lose weight quickly and effectively should give preference to morning workouts. At this time, it is good to engage in light types of load: cycling, exercise, etc.

If you are clear about a certain chronotype, then "larks" best tolerate training before 12 noon, "pigeons" train well around 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and "owls" prefer to physically load the body in the range of eight in the evening.

If you are determined to get rid of extra pounds and pump up muscles by the beginning of the holiday season, be prepared for the fact that the daily routine will change. When determining the time for classes, be guided not only by the work schedule, but also by the biorhythms of your body. Read our article and you will find out when, in the evening or in the morning, it is best to practice. power sports and fitness to lose weight, and learn to independently determine what time of day your workouts will give the fastest effect.

When is it better to do physical exercises for weight loss: what are biorhythms

These are cyclical changes, on the stage of which the state depends human body... This can be body temperature, heart rate, and the level of oxygen consumption by the body. Each organ has phases during which metabolic processes are slow, and because of this, the overall performance of the body decreases. If during this period the load is large, overwork is possible, chronic fatigue, weakness.

Biorhythms change with age. If it comes about adolescents and young people under 27, it is more difficult for them to type muscle mass, because the body gives all the energy resources to the growing cells.

When is the best time to exercise for weight loss: what time of day is your body ready to exercise?

This is very important question, especially if you differentiate between cardio load and strength training... What exercises to do first, what later, how to choose the right time for regular training - novice athletes often do not think about these subtleties. We recommend that you consult with a professional trainer before starting to lose weight, as there are several points of view as to what criterion should be used to determine the time period of training. The final decision must take into account several factors:

• age;
• individual biological rhythms;
• the degree of performance at certain hours;
• the presence of chronic diseases;
• level of physical fitness.

If you sign up for the Elena Morozova Weight Loss Clinic and use one of our FIT programs, our specialists will develop for you a special course of physical activity and a diet for effective reduction weight or weight gain. As part of the course, you will undergo a bioimpedance body analysis, if necessary, you will receive special recommendations on sports nutrition and pharmacological support of the body.

When is it better to do physical exercises for weight loss for "larks" and what time to do sports for "owls"

People are divided into two types: those who like to work in the morning, and those whose performance increases with the onset of darkness. If you belong to the first category, it is best to study at 10-11 hours, if in the second - in the afternoon. Don't go to extremes. Getting up at 5 a.m. and going for a run is not the best solution. This is harmful because the body has not yet woken up. A sharp load negatively affects the cardiovascular system.

Your body needs to recover, and you need breakfast. You can’t do it in the morning on an empty stomach. One must not only eat something, but also let the stomach digest it. If your work schedule allows it, it is best to exercise 3 hours after meals. It's a popular myth that fasting workouts are more effective. You need energy to do sports. A full meal should be taken no later than 1.5-2 hours before training, a light snack - 1 hour, at least 40 minutes. If you love jogging in the morning, then the second option is for you.

Learn more about our weight loss programs:

If you are an early riser, but work or other circumstances constantly interfere with your workout in the morning, then do it from time to time. One-off workouts are not as effective as regular workouts, but they also help burn calories and help keep the body in good shape.

Round-the-clock gyms have appeared in large cities. You can easily come there at one in the morning and work out. This is also not worth doing. Sport activates the activity of the brain, promotes the release of adrenaline. You will not be able to sleep for a long time, and in the morning you will feel tired and overwhelmed.

Recommendations for girls about sports for weight loss: what time of day is the best for training

The Scientific Society of the Scottish University of Glasgow has found out what is the relationship between circadian rhythms and the effectiveness of training. Based on changes in body temperature, scientists have found that it is best to exercise in the middle of the day. At this time, our body has not yet lost its energy, we are vigorous and full of strength. At the same time, the muscles have already warmed up, and the risk of damage to the ligaments or other injury is minimal.

For power loads and complexes for improving stretching is best suited in the evening, and it is recommended to give the morning under aerobic training- run, race walking riding a bike. If you can only train late at night, opt for meditative Indian practices. Yoga helps to relax, promotes restful and sound sleep.

When to exercise for weight loss for men: what time of day is the best time to train

A strong half of humanity depends a lot on hormonal levels. More testosterone is produced in the morning. Thanks to it, your workout becomes more productive: muscles develop faster, body fat leaves. In the evening hours, the body is warmed up better: it reacts faster to signals from the brain. You will be able to work harder, increase your efficiency and not be afraid of injury. For a long time, it was believed that men are free to choose a convenient time for training on their own, since the effect of the exercises done will be the same in the morning and evening hours.

But in 2017, Finnish scientists conducted an experiment. It went on for 24 weeks. The researchers recruited 42 male students. They included ten of them in the control group, the remaining 32 were divided into 4 teams. Each of them worked on its own schedule: 2 in the morning, 2 in the evening. The difference between the 2 morning and 2 evening groups is the sequence of cardio and strength training. Some were the first to do exercises that develop cardiovascular and respiratory system, others first developed the strength indicators of all muscle groups. The result of the experience: the unequivocal leadership of the evening classes, where cardio training went ahead of strength. If you like "pulling the iron", then it is better to do it in the afternoon: from 16:30 to 20:00. It has been scientifically proven that muscles develop and grow faster during this period.

Commentary of a nutritionist at the Elena Morozova Weight Loss Clinic

If you want to gain muscle mass and burn body fat, you should not first do strength training, and then move on to cardio. it common mistake beginners: they think it is better to do the hard part while they have strength, and to complete the class simple exercises for endurance.

If your goal is to gain weight, and you do not plan to lose weight, give up aerobic activity altogether. It requires energy resources from the muscles, which are necessary for their growth. This option is only suitable for those athletes who eat natural foods and use dietary supplements. When they play sports, their body activates anabolic resources. A hydrogen ion is released into the blood. It promotes better penetration of testosterone into cells. The main male hormone, in turn, triggers the growth process. Muscles grow in size without the need for additional stimulants.

If, after strength training, you switch to aerobic exercise, you will lose the effect gained. This is the same as doing cardio and drinking sweet water instead of plain water. Aerobic exercise blocks the anabolic processes of muscle growth as well as fat burning insulin.

You will be able to shed those extra pounds without cardio when you normalize your diet. Contact the Elena Morozova Weight Loss Clinic if you do not know how to do it yourself. Our experts will conduct a bioimpedance analysis of body mass composition, assess how fluid, adipose and muscle tissue are distributed in your body, based on the data obtained, they will compose an individual balanced weekly diet and give recommendations on additional nutritional supplements, if you wish. Knowing what goal you want to achieve, gain muscle mass, lose weight or pump up certain parts of the body, it will be easier for you to determine what time of day is the best to train.

When the experiment of Finnish scientists gave results, the researchers became interested in what time it is best to develop the body's endurance. Another experiment was carried out. He showed that in this case, evening sports, in which the man first performs cardio exercises, and then proceeds to power complex, most efficiently.

What time should you go in for sports: a short summary for everyone

Experts do not recommend doing strength exercises in the early morning and in the morning. Save the barbell, dumbbells, stretching mats, and machines for the evening. If you want to lose weight, then cardio can be done at any time: be guided by your own comfort. Run and cycle at your convenience. For those who want to gain muscle mass, from aerobic exercise it is better to refuse completely. Remember that any systemic training requires prior consultation with a specialist. Only a professional trainer will be able to tell you about all the nuances and unequivocally answer what time for training will be the best.

Our recommendations are not a panacea. Remember, no matter when you exercise, you are wasting calories and strengthening your muscles. If you're an early riser but can only work out in the evening, don't skip this option. Choose exercises that will be within your power, so as not to overwork and not to lose the desire to play sports forever.

Everyone is interested to know when it is better to do sports in the morning or in the evening, and how to properly plan and distribute fitness loads. This article is devoted to this topical topic.

Fitness in the morning

Interesting facts about morning fitness

Morning workouts are designed for people whose bodies work like a morning person. It is important that the work schedule can be harmonized with the classes without prejudice. This option is suitable for lazy people with low motivation: there is a chance to successfully engage in the morning hours, since the brain that does not have time to wake up will take the activity for granted. Exercising early helps you burn as many calories as possible throughout the day. The fact is that this type of physical activity creates all the conditions for accelerating metabolism. Morning sports helps to tune in to active pastime during the day, and also in many cases helps to wake up the body and gain a steady charge of vigor.

The real benefits of morning fitness

Appetite control

Early exercise provides comfort and protection against overeating during the day. This fact is confirmed by the fact that British researchers interviewed fans morning run and other types of fitness. As it turned out, such people felt comfortable during the day, they did not suffer from a debilitating feeling of hunger. Lovers of exercise in the evenings are less likely to achieve similar successes. According to experts, morning workouts suppress the production of hormones responsible for increasing appetite. It turns out that for people with a tendency to overeat morning classes sports act as protection against this addiction.

Intense fat burning

In the morning, the fat burning process proceeds as efficiently as possible. When our body experiences physical exertion, the carbohydrate reserve is first depleted, and only after 20 minutes of continuous work, muscle nutrition begins due to the energy obtained from fat reserves. For this reason, exceptionally long workouts, from 40 minutes, are considered effective in the matter of losing weight. Foreign scientists who study the body of athletes know exactly when it is better to do sports, in the morning or in the evening, in order to lose weight. So, they believe that training in the morning will be effective and fat burning even with a duration of up to half an hour. This load is equivalent to a 40-minute fitness session in the afternoon. According to doctors, before 5 pm, the metabolism is prone to intensive expenditure of energy. After this threshold, the rate of metabolic processes decreases physiologically. Recovery takes place in hormonal and other systems. This is why hard-to-burn fat stores are easier to destroy in the morning.

Minimal risk of muscle injury

We continue to talk about when it is better to do sports in the morning or in the evening for health and fast weight loss... Interestingly, after the early sports loads the feeling of fatigue is neutralized more rapidly, muscle tissue is restored better. This effect was noticed by reputable foreign researchers. When observing three thousand fitness lovers, it turned out that it was after morning workouts that the body's recovery proceeds 20% faster. Evening training in this matter is inferior morning exercises... The results of the analyzes proved that the same loads during training cause microtrauma in muscle tissue and negative changes in the composition of the blood more often during evening fitness.

Cons of morning fitness

We will not describe in detail negative sides evening workouts, we will touch on them briefly, since these arguments are very dubious.

First, there may be problems with the combination of fitness and breakfast.

Secondly, in the morning a person has thick blood.

Thirdly, for some people it is problematic to exercise in the morning, since the body cannot wake up.

in the morning or in the evening, it is important to find the optimal time of day for fitness specifically for yourself, taking into account the individual biorhythms of the body and lifestyle

Fitness in the evenings

Interesting facts about evening fitness

For people whose body is close to owls, sports in the evenings are definitely suitable. It's good that after a working day you can work out the necessary muscles. It's great if there is an opportunity to stop by the gym on the way from work. Evening activities help relieve stress, distract from workloads and all kinds of problems accumulated during the day. Activities that involve moderate stress can help promote sleep.

The Benefits of Evening Fitness

Boost your metabolism

We know that in the evening the rate of metabolism in the body decreases. For this reason, sweets consumed during breakfast minimally spoil the figure, and the same high-calorie foods added to dinner are more likely to cause fullness. Sensible training is a great tool for boosting your metabolism to the desired level. The main condition is the observance of moderation in everything. You need to do it without fanaticism.

Long-term fat burning

The post-workout period during night sleep is associated with the efficient breakdown of excess fat. After the evening load, the destruction of fat reserves does not stop, it drags on for another 12 hours, no less. Muscles pull energy reserves out of the body for successful fiber repair. At night, only a light dinner is allowed.

Disadvantages of evening fitness

Everything negative sides before going to bed, you can feel it on your own, it is individual. But let us briefly touch upon the issue of the disadvantages of this approach.

At first, evening sports fatigue after a hard day can interfere.

Secondly, after late workouts, you may be very hungry, as a result of which there is a risk of overeating.

Third, if the activity is intense enough, it can interfere with restful sleep.

Now you know all the intricacies of fitness at different times of the day, and it will be easier to make the right choice the best option for yourself. The main condition is that you need to work out with pleasure, constantly look for motivation to improve your results.