Every person who starts doing fitness at some point asks the question: What is the best time to exercise? This question depends on many factors, but we will try to answer it in the most understandable and accessible way.

I would like to note that everyone who has pulled himself together and is engaged in any kind of sport is already on the right path, and it does not matter what time of day he is engaged. The main thing is that he does it! You need to understand that even after reading our recommendations, you yourself choose the training time in accordance with your employment and your desire.

Scientists have proven that the best time to work out in the gym is 4-5 hours in the afternoon. (Based on scientific research published in the journal “Sports medicine”). But who said that you cannot study at any other time? Let's take a look at the pros and cons of exercising at different times of the day.

Morning workouts

Morning workouts are incredibly enjoyable! For example, Dwayne Johnson always trains in the morning. Before dawn, at four o'clock in the morning, Dwayne goes for a run so intense that you can wring out your clothes afterwards. This early cardio helps him to cheer up and sets the right mindset for the rest of the day. Let's take a look at the pros and cons of morning classes.

pros

• Exercising in the morning speeds up your metabolism (metabolism).
• You get a charge of vivacity and positive energy for the whole day.
• Morning workouts are highly disciplined. As practice shows, it is much easier to accustom yourself to morning workouts than to daytime or evening workouts.
• Since everyone is still asleep, you will have much less time spent on distractions.
• In the morning, during exercise, first of all, the fat stores in your body are burned, which means this is a great time for cardio workouts.

Minuses

• If you don't like or are not used to getting up early, it will be difficult for you to force yourself to exercise at a time like this.
• In the morning, the muscles are not yet warmed up, therefore, without a high-quality warm-up, there is a high probability of injury.
• If you are planning a strength workout, then you will have to get up even earlier to have a good breakfast or to take a portion of the gainer, otherwise you will not have energy.
• If you are involved with high intensity, then by the evening you will feel very tired and your efficiency will greatly decrease.

If your goal is to lose weight and it is not difficult for you to get up early, then the best time for training is morning. For a weight loss workout program, see our article on High Intensity Interval Workout for Fat Burning. Also, yoga or meditation classes are suitable for this time of day. It should be noted that in the morning our joints are not elastic, so active exercises should be avoided. If you nevertheless decide to conduct power training in the morning, do not neglect the warm-up and be sure to eat 1-1.5 hours before training.

Let's take a look at what scientists have to say about the ideal time to exercise. Consider the opinion of scientists from Williamsburg - a city in the United States. Here, scientists chose 100 untrained men for the experiment, who trained at 8:00, 12:00, 16:00 and 20:00.

The results showed that the activation of fast-twitch muscle structures, which is responsible for lifting weights, is better when the body temperature is higher, which occurs in the afternoon. Thus, they set the best time for training: from 16:00 to 20:00.

Now let's turn our attention to the research of scientists from Washington. They argue that exercise is necessary depending on your body type and metabolic rate. Endomorphs with a slow metabolism should exercise in the morning to consume their internal stores of energy and fat.

Ectomorphs with a lean physique are forced to train in evening time so that by the time of training they have the necessary energy reserve and nutrients derived from food. Mesomorphs, people with an average physique and metabolism, can exercise both in the morning and in the evening. For more information on body types, see the article Body types.

Scientists from Washington say that you should listen to your own biorhythms, and also note that if you exercise at about the same time, your body will get used to it.

Day workouts

Daytime workouts are more suitable for schoolchildren or students, as well as those who have a work schedule that allows them to devote 1-2 hours to training in the afternoon.

pros

• Body temperature is slightly higher than in the morning. It will be easier and more comfortable for you to get started.
• Muscle glycogen stores and blood sugar levels are good.
• Improves blood flow to the brain. After training, you will be able to work even more productively.
• Reduces stress levels after work, school. You can throw out all the negative energy in the hall.
• At this time, endurance increases. It is she who is important for training with weights.
• Research shows that our lungs are at their best during this time.

Minuses

• Distractions that may prevent you from starting your workout at the scheduled time.
• If you train at lunchtime, then the disadvantage will be time constraints, the workout may turn out to be incomplete.

Summing up, it should be said that at this time the most effective will be strength exercises, stretching, crossfit and other exercises that require endurance and strength. Before such workouts, you should definitely take care of your food intake.

Evening workouts

Who is evening workout suitable for? They are ideal for those who feel sluggish and sleepy in the morning. They are also suitable for swimming and team sports.

pros

• Body temperature in the evening is ideal for exercising.
• In the evening, in training, you can get rid of the stress accumulated during the day.
• Your energy is at its peak from 6 to 9 pm. Place the main part of the workout during this period, for more late time you can leave the hitch and stretch.

Minuses

• Evening workouts can cause sleep disturbances and you will need to change your workout schedule.
• Before the evening, you can think of a number of excuses for not going to workout. The habit of evening classes takes longer to form than at other times of the day.
• Fat burning will be ineffective due to its high blood sugar.

The best time for strength training and weight training

The evening is the perfect time for strength training. You can familiarize yourself with weight training in our article Weight training program. However, you should provide for dinner 1.5-2 hours before training, so as not to burden your body with a heavy meal before going to bed.

It should also be remembered that there are many other equally important components of successful training. The most important of these are:

• regular training
• good and proper nutrition
• recreation
• desire and belief in the result

If you have the opportunity to do at the recommended times the type of physical activity that is most suitable for this, then this is great: you naturally help your body achieve the desired result faster. If you do not have such an opportunity, then do not be discouraged, your body will choose the best time for training, the main thing is to listen to it well and help it find this time.

And in conclusion, a summarizing video on this issue from the leaders of fitness and bodybuilding in Russia.

We have analyzed all the pros and cons of training at different times of the day. Adjust the timing of your workouts to your goals and your well-being, so it will be easier for you to organize yourself and you do not want to miss workouts. One way or another, the main thing is not the time of training, but its content and consistency. Always work out at the same time, then your body will get used to the loads and adjust to your training schedule.

Greetings to all lovers healthy way life and sports!

As a rule, the bulk of people visiting gym are not professionals and everyone is studying or working, so 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 specific person. 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 definitely understand 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.In the morning, blood sugar is very low, so if you go to the gym in the morning, you can expect physical activity to help burn fat. After all, the body will need to draw energy from its fat stores. Great 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 right for recruiting 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 intense time, the body was at rest at night, and it is problematic to reorganize sharply 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 can't 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 intensively take in nutrients. 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. The workout 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 adrenaline level 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 the people who have the opportunity to visit the gym during the lunch break, but again there is a minus, this limited time and the absence in the subsequent full lunch, and the body needs to get fuel. If you do not work during the day, then this is the ability to fully engage. 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, 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 unnecessary 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 should be complete to restore 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 time of day, and this is inevitable in our rhythm of life.

Of course, there are people who visit the gym at night, but I think this is unacceptable, nature 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. Exercise at any time of the day is not the best option for the body, although there are times in our life that it does not work out differently, 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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Both in life and in sports, everything should have its time. The best time for training is the most effective in terms of achieving results. If you choose the wrong one, then training will not help you achieve your desired goals. What Is The Best Time To Gain Weight? When is it better to go to the gym, and when to do

It all depends on the goals pursued. What does a person want: keep his body in good shape, lose weight, or, conversely, gain? It is these goals that determine the best time to train.

Scientific research

Scientists different countries constantly conduct all kinds of research related to identifying the most appropriate period of time in order to play sports. And where did they come to?

American researchers have stated that the best time to exercise the body is determined by its type of constitution. People are divided into three main types: If a person belongs to the third type, then he has a very slow metabolism and is more prone to gaining extra pounds. For this type of sports, morning time is most suitable. This is from about 7 to 10 o'clock. At this time, the body has very little glucose and glycogen, and it is forced to take energy by oxidizing fats.

When a person is an ectomorph, his metabolism is very fast and there is a predisposition to thinness. For this type, the best time to exercise is in the evening, as the body has enough energy and strength. And he really needs them in training.

People with an average body type are called mesomorphs. Their metabolism is normal. There is no tendency to be overweight and thin. These people are the most fortunate, as for them the best training time can be any: morning, afternoon and evening. It all depends only on desire and well-being.

Other scientists from the city of Williamsburg have done a series of experiments, dividing the day into four periods: 8, 12, 16, 20 hours. At certain times, several participants did heavy weight exercises. It should be noted that earlier these people did not go in for sports.

The experiment showed that in the evening they were most effective. This is due to the reduction and work fast fibers muscles. They are most productive during an evening resistance training session when the body temperature is slightly higher. Another important reason that was identified during this study is testosterone and cortisol levels. The first is responsible for the growth of muscle mass. The second is for destruction.

V calm state testosterone levels are highest in the morning. When training is in progress, its level rises much more precisely after evening classes. Conclusion: If the goal is to build muscle mass, then it is better to train in the evening.

The best time to do a fat-burning and weight-loss workout is in the morning, as cortisol levels are higher. But everything is not so simple here. This will be discussed in more detail below.

Early bird workout

When a person wakes up very early, for example at 5 o'clock, feeling at the same time full of energy, then early workouts are suitable for him. You just need to take into account the lowered body temperature at this time. Ligaments and joints are not very elastic in the morning, so the most active exercises are not the best option. well and breathing exercises and yoga is a great choice. Energy is spent a little, and the body is charged with strength for the whole day.

Burn fat from 7 to 9

It is these morning hours that are suitable for fat burning and cardio training. The level of cortisol at this time is high, glycogen is low, and the body takes energy from adipose tissue. It is best to spend no more than 40 minutes at medium intensity. If the person does not have problems with blood pressure and heart, you can increase the pace and cut the time in half. You need to focus on your well-being, since not everyone can do it in the morning.

Aerobic classes - from 15 to 16 hours

At this time, the body temperature begins to actively rise and by half-past four reaches its peak. This watch is perfect for active fitness activities, which include cycling, aerobics, dancing and running. They will have a beneficial effect on the fat burning process, and will also help strengthen the respiratory and cardiovascular system.

High-intensity and strength training - from 5 pm to 6 pm

This is the most appropriate time to train with heavy weights. During these hours, you need to go to the gym or do interval and high-intensity training. They require a lot of stamina. In the evening, the body temperature is higher, as well as the level of the hormone testosterone. All of these factors have a positive effect on strength. This increases your workout productivity.

Training after 7 pm

At this time, the body temperature begins to drop, and the body is suitable for such as body flex, yoga, tai chi, and stretching. They have a calming and healing effect, contribute to the formation of the correct and beautiful posture, strengthening the deep muscle layers, developing endurance and flexibility, and also have a positive effect on the psyche.

Output

Considering all of the above, we can say that the best time to train depends on the individual characteristics of the human body, as well as its goals. For weight loss, the morning hours are best, and evening hours for pumping up muscles. Just before starting to exercise, you need to visit a doctor to find out more about the body and make sure that there are no contraindications. And while playing sports, it is important to monitor nutrition and sleep, since the result will appear only when the right approach to all three components. If at least one of the factors is left unattended, then, even having chosen the best time of the day for training, you can be tortured for a long time with exercises, but still remain with excess or, conversely, insufficient weight.

Those who find it easy to wake up early. There are 20-25% of such larks. But 30-40% of people are owls, and they prefer going to the gym in the evening. The rest were just lucky - they don't care when to get up.

Morning: "for"

Decreased appetite for the whole day

Scientists from the UK compared data from surveys conducted among runners. It turned out that those who ran in the morning were less hungry during the day than fans of evening jogging. Scientists have suggested that morning exercise suppresses the release of hormones responsible for appetite. So, for those who tend to overeat, after morning workout it will be easier to cope with the habit of chewing something all the time.

It's easier to burn fat in the morning

During physical activity, carbohydrates are consumed first and only after the twentieth minute of movement, the muscles receive energy from fat. That is why long workouts, not shorter than 40 minutes, have always been recommended for losing weight. However, recent research from the American College of Sports Medicine shows that a 20-30 minute workout is sufficient in the morning. In terms of fat burning effect, this will be identical to 40 minutes after lunch. The reason is that by 5 pm our metabolism is set to expend energy, including fat. And after 17 hours, the intensity of metabolic processes fades away, hormonal and other systems are already focused on replenishing reserves. Therefore, in the morning, stubborn body fat easier to "go into the expense."

Lower risk of injury

After a morning workout, fatigue goes away faster and muscles recover better, according to a new study from the University of Toronto. Doctors observed 3000 people keen on fitness and found that after the morning training, the pulse returned to normal on average 20% faster than after the evening one. In addition, a blood test showed that with the same intensity of training, microtrauma muscle fibers and the associated changes in blood in the morning occur less frequently.

Morning: "against"

You will not have time for breakfast

Exercising in the morning on an empty stomach is ineffective and can lead to fainting. Without breakfast, you will only have enough strength for an easy exercise. So what, getting up two hours early, eating and waiting an hour for breakfast to digest? This is not suitable for anyone. True, you can drink sweet tea with a piece of chocolate, coffee with sugar, juice, eat a banana, a handful of raisins or dried apricots. These foods will be absorbed while you dress.

Thick blood

You did not drink for at least 8 hours during sleep, some water during this time was excreted in urine and possibly sweat. Once the liquid is gone, it means that the blood has become thicker, to increase its circulation in such a "undiluted" form means to overload the heart and veins. Therefore, before training, be sure to drink 1-2 glasses of liquid and wait 5-10 minutes for the moisture to be absorbed.

In the morning, the body is still sleeping

After sleep, blood circulation in the body is slowed down, the lungs are narrowed, nervous system inhibited. Therefore, it is imperative to start charging with a warm-up, gradually increasing the load. It is not recommended for beginners to give themselves a serious load in the morning, such as running or strength exercises, it is better to take a walk, ride a bike, swim.

Evening: "for"

As you know, by the evening, the metabolism slows down, which is why the chocolate eaten for breakfast will hardly affect the figure, but the cake at dinner is immediately found in the waist area. Moderate exercise stress – good way speed up metabolism. However, the load must be moderate, no records!

Fat will be used up at night after exercise

It is known that calorie burning does not stop when you end your workout! By inertia, the muscles continue to consume energy for at least another 12 hours for recovery. Now imagine that after your workout, you ate a light dinner and went to bed. There is no more food, new energy is not supplied, which means that the body will be forced to turn to stored fat. And so on until the morning. And in the morning, the metabolism is also not up to reserves, which means that weight loss is inevitable!

Evening: "against"

Fatigue after work

Not everyone can force themselves to do exercises after work or trudge to the pool. Someone does not have enough motivation to break the usual stereotype and do something active in the evening, while someone is really too physically tired.

After training, I really want to eat

Experts from Swedish school sports and health sciences believe that this is an indicator of the wrong workout. It was clearly either too intense or too long. Replace jogging with walking, aerobics with an exercise bike. Shorten the activity from an hour to 40 or 30 minutes.

Difficulty falling asleep

The reason is too intense training.

So let's summarize. Both in the morning and in the evening there are pros and cons. So proceed from your own preferences, as well as from the work schedule. Moving when it is convenient for you is much more useful than not moving at all. And the negative effects can be easily negated using the advice we gave.

The question that especially worries novice athletes is at what time of day to conduct training so that they bring the maximum effect and benefit?

The well-known classification of people into owls and larks will help to take the first step towards understanding when it is best to do fitness. Choosing the time for training with an eye to this typology will help determine what time of day is right for you in order to conduct your training in a good mood and with the greatest efficiency.

Owls are able to stay up late and at the same time work productively, but in the early morning for a very long time they cannot wake up and engage in any activity that requires concentration. If you are of this type, then the most suitable time for your workout will be the evening when you are full of energy and strength (from about 17:00 onwards), but morning classes will only be a burden.

It is common for larks to wake up in the early morning with good mood and full of strength. The best time to train them will be in the morning hours, starting at about 6:00. Evening classes can provoke insomnia in people of this type, since physical activity helps to generate additional energy that can "ward off" sleep.

Daytime workouts (12:00 - 18:00) are suitable for most people, whatever their type. Owls at such a time are already quite vigorous, and larks are still far from a night's rest. In addition, classes held in the middle of the day will energize and increase performance until the evening.

It is not always possible to build a training regimen in accordance with your own biorhythms: the time of training for most people depends on several additional factors, including employment at work.

In this case, you will have to plan the time of the classes, taking into account the general recommendations:

1. Exercise while you are at your peak physical activity... When you are full of energy, the efficiency of your workout becomes much higher, which brings you even closer to desired result... Therefore, if you feel energized and ready to exercise at 5 am or 11 pm - good health, but do not forget about the need for recovery.
2. Your goal - effective training at the limit of strength? Choose a time when your body has enough glycogen stores: you can lift heavier weights, move faster, and jump higher. Glycogen levels depend on food intake - the more carbohydrates in it, the higher the level of muscle filling with glycogen. From this we can conclude that such a workout is best done throughout the day, from late morning to early evening.
3. If your top priority is burning fat, then morning is for you. Before the first meal, glycogen stores are low and you can force your body to burn more fat during exercise. The best choice there will be regular or relatively short interval cardio workouts. The main thing is to observe moderation and not try to set records. Intense long-term training combined with low glycogen levels can lead to poor overall well-being, fatigue and dizziness.

The advantages and disadvantages of training at different times

Choosing the optimal training hours for yourself - morning, afternoon or evening, you should learn about the benefits and risks of exercising at a particular time of the day.

Morning workouts (06:00 - 10:00)

• help to get involved in the working day;
• increase metabolic rate for the rest of the day;
• promote fat burning;
• comfortable in terms of the duration of classes: it is enough to get up early to work out longer.

• there is a high risk of injury, since the muscles in the morning are not sufficiently developed;
• body temperature in the morning is below normal, blood circulation is slow, and therefore energy is consumed at a slower rate.

Day training (12:00 - 17:00)

• the body is ready for training of any degree of intensity: active blood circulation, body temperature within normal limits;
• the body is full of strength and capable of any workout: relief, mass or fat burning.

• not everyone can afford to train during working hours;
• Lots of distractions in the middle of the day: phone calls, household chores, etc.

Evening training (18:00 - 22:00)