When can you exercise? What time of day is best to exercise: morning or evening?

Anyone who has made a strong-willed decision to regularly exercise in order to improve their health or lose extra pounds must think about what time it is best for them to exercise and at what interval after that they should take it. The scientific research and recommendations that we have collected in this material will help you understand these issues.

All the pros and cons in favor of the morning

Also, evening workouts are the most effective for relieving stress.

Disadvantages of studying in the evenings

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

Here you should also add the answer to the question: is it possible to do exercises before bed? Any physical exercise 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 increases body temperature, increases blood circulation, brings the nervous system into a state of excitability, and the body into wakefulness. All these factors not only do not contribute to normal and timely falling asleep, but even prevent it.

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

And one more important aspect - going to bed after training is not recommended. You need to eat something light with protein and carbohydrates.

What about lunch?

Lunch workouts are not as popular as morning and evening workouts. They are most often used on, in, during periods of absence from work, etc. Let's look at whether the exercises are effective at a given time.

Why is it possible

During the daytime, the body's tolerance for pain is highest. Therefore, it is good to carry out strength training at this time. Daylight makes activities more comfortable and effective.

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

During morning and evening sports activities, the main meal should be taken during the day. Training at lunchtime should be carried out taking into account the recommended intervals before and after meals. It's better to have lunch after class.

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

Why not

For 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 during this time.

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

Summarize

Of course, everyone will choose the time for training individually, depending on the rhythm of life, work or study schedule, their chronotype and the desired result. The purpose of our article is to point out the changes in the body that occur at one time or another during physical activity.
To summarize the above, we note that to maintain health, training at any time of the day and regardless of the eating interval will be useful. If the ultimate goal of physical exercise is to gain muscle mass and you plan to focus on strength exercises and stretching, then the best time for this will be the evening. It is also good to practice swimming and team sports in the evening.

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

If you clearly belong to a certain chronotype, then “larks” tolerate training best before 12 noon, “pigeons” train well around four o’clock in the afternoon, and “night owls” prefer to physically load the body between eight o’clock in the evening.

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

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

Few people know that to achieve the required result, you need to choose the right time for training. The fact is that not all hours of the day are equally suitable for exercise. Let's look at what can influence the timing of your workouts, and what part of the day is the most fruitful.

Target

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

Correctly selected time for training helps to achieve faster results.

AND are the most desirable goals that are stuck in the heads of many people who decide to work on themselves and change for the better.

Fat Burning

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

If you exercise early in the day, fat will become the main source of energy, not carbohydrates. Therefore, you can burn much more fat in the morning than during an evening workout.

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

But it must be said that if you exercise on an empty stomach, you will lack strength, and therefore you will quickly get tired. Therefore, do not overload your body, otherwise you will drive it into a state of stress.

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

Useful article:.

Mass gain

Evening workouts help gain muscle mass and increase strength. Hormones such as testosterone and cortisol are known to have a strong effect on muscle gain. While testosterone promotes muscle growth, 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, by training in the evening, you are likely to gain muscle mass much faster than by training 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 for muscle atrophy. Physical activity will increase testosterone , improve blood circulation and help keep muscles toned.

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

Schedule

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

If you work from morning until 5–6 pm, then, of course, you have no opportunity to train in the morning. You have no choice but to come to the gym in the evening.

If you have a relatively free work schedule and can choose absolutely any time to work out in the gym, then you are incredibly lucky. Organize your day as you wish, but do not forget that you should always train at the same time. The body must adapt to consistently receiving the next dose of load.

You should not train haphazardly: first in the morning, then in the evening. Such instability will inevitably lead to stress because the body will not be able to adapt to the constantly changing schedule. In this case, accuracy and methodology are important.

Proper organization of the day will benefit you from working out in the gym, and will also make you more disciplined.

Morning workouts have another advantage - a small number of people in the gym. In the evening, the halls are packed to capacity and look more like a jar of sprats than a sports club. Therefore, if you can go to training in the morning, then you have a unique opportunity to train in a practically empty gym, rather than standing in line for 10 minutes to get the necessary exercise machine or equipment. In addition, in many halls, a morning pass is much cheaper than an evening pass.

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 your morning workout, you need to devote enough time toto warm up the muscles, stretch the ligaments and tune the nervous system for productive exercise.

Do not neglect warming up during evening workouts, otherwise the risk of injury increases. In the morning, causing damage to an uncrushed body is much simpler and easier than at sunset, but evening time is not insurance against injury.

Body type

Oddly enough, your body type also affects the choice of time to work out 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, since it is by this time of day that your body will have accumulated a sufficient amount of calories that can be used as a source of energy.

Mesomorph

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

This body type is universal, 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 choice of time for classes.

Endomorph

People of this body type are usually prone to gaining excess weight.

If you are an endomorph, then your body has a slow metabolism. It is recommended that you exercise early in the day to burn off that stubborn fat as much as possible.

Conclusion

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

The main thing is not to torture yourself excessively. If you cannot wake up normally and come to your senses in the first half of the day, and your productivity in the morning is zero, then there is no 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, you need to enjoy life, and training and working on yourself is an integral part of your life.

1. Lose weight: morning and evening workouts

When it comes to sports for the sake of losing weight, when choosing between morning and evening workouts, you need to take into account, first of all, your age.
In 2010, a study was published in one of the American journals dedicated to sports medicine. According to it, evening exercise was more likely than morning exercise to promote weight and fat loss in postmenopausal women. It also turned out that evening workouts change eating habits: women began to eat more at breakfast. And you probably know that if you do not neglect breakfast in the morning, it reduces the likelihood of obesity, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and even suppresses appetite later in the day.

However, a study from the same 2010, but already published in the journal of physiology, proved that exercising before breakfast helps achieve greater weight loss, since the energy for exercise comes from burning large amounts of fat accumulated by the body, and not from carbohydrates eaten at breakfast. In addition, this work proved that for those losing weight, working out on an empty stomach is more beneficial than exercising after eating: it energizes the body and improves glucose tolerance against a diet rich in fat. Morning workouts seem to program the body to burn fat throughout the next day.

So, if you exercise to lose weight, the choice of when to exercise is entirely yours. The main thing is that you can then provide yourself with regular training at the time of day you choose.

2. Increase muscle strength: evening workouts

It has been proven that muscle strength is at its minimum in the morning and then gradually increases, reaching its peak value in the early evening.
A 1998 paper published in the American Medical Journal examined how time of day affected muscle performance in a group of untrained men in their 20s. The men performed a series of muscle strength exercises at different times of the day: 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. The result was the following: the muscles worked better in the morning only in those exercises that included fast, rapid movements. In other words, maximum muscle strength varies depending on the time of day and depends on the speed at which you train.

3. Increase muscle size: evening workout

Fitness fans are constantly tormented by the question of when is the best time to exercise in order to quickly build muscle mass and get rid of the hated fat. The answer has been found! A study by American scientists published in 2009 proved that studying in the evening contributes to this.

Scientists observed a group of young people who played sports for 10 weeks from 17 to 19 hours. Then amateur athletes were divided into 2 groups. And over the next 10 weeks, one group changed their schedule and began training in the morning - from 7 to 9 am. And the second part continued playing sports at the same hours as before - from 17 to 19 hours. The good news is that the researchers found that all men in both groups eventually increased their muscle strength and size. However, the devil, as always, is in the details: the evening group gained an average of 3.5%, while the morning group increased their muscle mass by an average of 2.7%.

The fact that an increase in muscle mass is also observed in the morning, although not as intense as in the evening, scientists explain by a recently discovered phenomenon called “temporal specificity.” This phenomenon has been confirmed by repeated experiments: with regular training at the same time, your body makes certain settings that allow you to develop the highest possible productivity of physical activity at exactly this time.

From this it was concluded that regular evening training combines both phenomena - maximum muscle strength and endurance in the early evening, plus temporary adjustment to training at this time. And this allows those who play sports to build muscle mass to achieve the best results.

4. Increase performance: workout in the afternoon

To improve your productivity, especially if you tend to feel sluggish in the afternoon, work out at noon. A 2009 study found that exercise was more energizing for cyclists who pedaled at 6 p.m. rather than 6 a.m., for example. So the middle of the day is better not for walking or hiking, but for high-intensity workouts such as running, swimming or cycling. This is partly because body temperature is higher during the day - meaning that muscles and joints are already stretched and better prepared for exercise, and thus there is less risk of injury during the day.

5. Improve sleep and reduce stress: morning workouts

Paradoxically, setting an alarm early in the morning for exercise can improve your night's sleep and also reduce stress. In 2011, American scientists tracked blood pressure levels in amateur athletes aged 40-60 years. Each participant exercised on a treadmill at a moderate pace for 30 minutes three times a week—at 7 a.m., 1 p.m., and 7 p.m. The results found that participants who exercised at 7 a.m. experienced an average 10% drop in blood pressure and a 25% drop in blood pressure at night.

Morning workouts also improved sleep quality: Unlike those who exercised at other times of the day, these volunteers slept longer during the night and went deeper into sleep. Overall, the morning group spent 75% more time in deep sleep at night. The early risers not only improved their cardiovascular health, but also reduced their anxiety and stress thanks to sound sleep. Because the more time the body spends in deep sleep, the more time it has to recover.

6. So when is the best time to exercise?

Regardless of the time of day you exercise, the main key to exercise is regularity and consistency. This means that it is better to train at a time in which you can continue to train consistently. Exercising at different times of the day on different days will bring less effect and more stress. Therefore, when planning your training, pay attention to this important component: classes should be held at the same time, regardless of the day of training. As mentioned above, in this case the “temporary adjustment” effect will work and you will achieve the best result.

Don't forget about the required load. For example, the American Centers for Disease Prevention recommends doing 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. This can be running, swimming, skating and roller skating, tennis, basketball, as well as dancing, walking and even climbing stairs. In addition, strength exercises are recommended 2 or more days a week, which include working all major muscle groups, such as legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms. However, this type of load can be divided into daily sessions of 10 minutes.

And, of course, all efforts will be in vain without proper nutrition, which is the key not only to the absence of excess weight, but also to the health of the body as a whole.

It just so happens that man by nature is born a perfectionist, and he always wants only the very best. This applies to all areas of life, be it relationships - the best partner or work - a high position, we simply do not agree to anything less. Sports, in particular fitness and bodybuilding, have not escaped this phenomenon. In their activities, people try to find the best time to train. And the whole paradox is that the latter really exists, and today we will find out what it is.

So, let's get started, dear comrades.

Is there a best time to train?

What do you think are the most “percussive” (in demand) days of the week when people visit the gym/fitness room?

That's right - Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Maybe you can also name the time? C 18-00 before 20-00 , again to the point! Statistics tell us that more 65-70% visits occur precisely on these days and times. This is understandable: the working day ends and the time comes when a person is left to his own devices. Why does the main influx occur on odd-numbered days? Well, usually, this is due to a hectic weekend and the desire to quickly get yourself into a proper working state (for the week) after it. It is also believed that Monday is a hard day, and in order to completely ruin it for themselves, people finish off Monday with physical activity in the gym :).

But seriously, the majority are simply already accustomed to their original visiting schedule and are not going to change anything. And is it really necessary? We'll find out now.

Best time to exercise: theory and research

Nowadays, it is no longer possible to imagine sports being separated from science. Scientists are constantly coming up with all sorts of crap and different ways for an athlete to implement the principles of “faster-better-stronger”. At one point, they received a proposal - to determine the best time for training. , and they did it with great willingness, well, let's take a look at the results.

Note:

The note will provide several scientific studies regarding what time is the best for transforming your body and building muscles.

Let's go in order.

Study No. 1. Department of Kinesiology Williamsburg, USA

What was done:

They took 100 healthy, untrained men who were forced (under pressure :)) to perform a series of strength tests. Time spending: 8:00 morning; 12:00 , 16:00 day and 20:00 evenings.

Results:

Maximum muscle performance was achieved in the evening, but only during exercise with rapid movements. This happens because the activation of fast-twitch muscle fibers (responsible for lifting heavy weights and running fast) performs much better when body temperature is higher. Which corresponds to the afternoon (evening time).

The next thing that was paid attention to was the change in hormone levels, in particular and, during the day. The first hormone has a direct effect on building muscle mass, the second is actively involved in the processes of muscle destruction and. When resting, testosterone levels are higher in the first half of the day, but its increase after training in the evening is greater compared to the morning. Cortisol levels are lower in the evening compared to the morning. For example, its lowest level is at the beginning 19:00 evenings, and the highest - at 7:00 morning.

Study conclusion:

The best testosterone-cortisol ratio is when the first is high and the second is low. This time is ideal for burning fat and building muscle mass, and it occurs in the evening (around 19:00 ) .

Note:

Despite all the research, it is important to note that each person has his own biology of sleep and wakefulness, his own chronotype (work of the body during the day). It is this important attribute that reflects the physical functions of people (such as hormone levels, body temperature, cognitive function) at the peak of its activity.

Chronotype explains why some people wake up as fresh as a daisy in the morning, while others have to drag themselves out of bed and lap up tons of coffee before they can begin to function normally.

Global output:

Science supports the idea of going to the gym in the evening, but it's important to listen to your body and decide for yourself whether you are a morning person or a night owl.

Study No. 2. University of Washington, USA

To determine the best time to get results from training, you need to know your.

In particular, if you are an endomorph - have a slow metabolism, then it is best to train in the first half of the day (before 12-00 ) so that the body uses energy from fat deposits. If you are an ectomorph (thin bone type) and have a fast metabolism, it is better to exercise in the evenings, when there is a sufficient amount of calories in the body to use them as fuel. For mesomorphs, exercise may be suitable both in the morning and in the evening. And here it all depends on how you feel during and after training. You may feel a powerful surge of energy in the morning or, on the contrary, be as lethargic as a tomato. Therefore, focus on your feelings.

How should you train if you want to lose fat and build muscle?

First of all, cardiovascular (cardio) and strength training should not be done at the same time. They must be separated from each other by at least 6-8 hours. The reason is simple - in the process of training with weights, the body uses up all its energy reserves. When you follow up with a cardio session, your body begins to use muscles for fuel. (process of burning muscles).

If your work schedule allows you to train with iron only in the evening, then activities aimed at burning fat (for example,) should be carried out in the morning.

Study No. 3. Journal “Sports medicine”

Human life is governed by circadian rhythms (sleep-wake cycles). They regulate body temperature, blood pressure, metabolism and other physiological functions. Circadian rhythms function 24 hours a day and can be shot down (reset) based on environmental signals. The time of day is one of these signals.

Although these rhythms are innate, a person can still change them based on his behavior. For example, getting up with an alarm clock or setting specific times to eat and exercise. The body's ability to maintain exercise intensity will adapt to your training time. Therefore, if you decide in the morning and then try to move the “training” to the evening, then most likely this process will proceed much more sluggishly. However, there is no need to worry, circadian rhythms are quite plastic and malleable, they only need about a month to adjust to a new way.

So, based on the scientific research, the following conclusions were made:

The optimal time for physical activity (when a person has the highest body temperature) counts 4-5 evenings;
strength indicators for 5% above about 12 day;
anaerobic performance (long distance running) n and 5% higher in the evening.
endurance is higher in the afternoon. Aerobic endurance 4% higher in the afternoon;
the likelihood of getting injured when working out in the gym in the afternoon is lower (by 20% ) than in the morning;
physical activity can improve sleep quality (behind 2-3 hours before departure).

So, we’re done with the research, let’s move on to the practical aspects.

Best time to exercise: circadian rhythms

Now we will look at the entire dial and decide how best to be active during the day.

No. 1. 5 am “Salute to the sun!”

A person's body temperature is at its lowest in the morning (girls are generally “stubs”), Therefore, the best type of body movement would be yoga. It relaxes the joints and is perfect for this time of day with its gentle character. Morning yoga will make all your subsequent workouts easier and create the right body mood.

No. 2. 7 a.m. “Time for cardio”

Early cardiovascular activity will make your body more efficient throughout the day. When a person wakes up (and still doesn't eat anything) It has lower levels of blood sugar and glycogen in the liver and muscles - this creates an ideal environment for getting rid of fat. Some studies have shown that up to 300% more fat is burned in this state. Intense cardio sessions (during 35-40 minutes) raise the metabolic rate for several hours, helping to fight extra pounds throughout the day.

No. 3. 15:00 pm. Long outdoor running/endurance exercises

Go on a long trip (up to 60 minutes) leisurely jog after lunch. During it, your heart muscle will pump blood well, your body temperature will begin to rise and your joints will become more flexible.

No. 4. 16:30 pm. A ride on the bicycle

you will burn (more and faster) extra calories if you push the pedals. IN 16:40 Peak body temperature is observed in women; muscles are also most flexible during this period, and blood viscosity is the lowest.

No. 5. 17:00 pm. Working with weights

Body temperature reaches its peak by this time, and lifting weights during this period has a positive effect on increasing testosterone and decreasing cortisol. Moreover, in 5 in the evening the body switches to the evening cycle (includes “second wind”), and the person feels a powerful surge of strength.

No. 6. 19:00 pm. Swimming

If you want to get the most out of it, then the ideal time for it is between 6 And 8 evenings. The muscles are most flexible at this time, and reflexes are the fastest.

No. 7. 20:00 pm. Team games

After work and rest in 8 In the evenings, the most preferred type of activity is team sports: football, volleyball, dancing. They will perfectly develop your reaction, flexibility, speed, and will also charge you with positive energy for the rest of the day.

That's it, let's move on to the independent part.

The best time for training: we determine it ourselves

I would like to summarize all this chatter with specific recommendations that will help determine your best time for training. So, let's go.

No. 1. Best time = most convenient for you

We all depend on circumstances: work, study, family, holidays, drinking, partying.

Therefore, even if you know that the best time to study is 19:00 evenings, but you simply physically do not have time for this deadline, then there is no need to puff yourself up. Of course, after work you can immediately drive to the gym, grabbing something quick and dry on the way, but this is not good. It is necessary, at a minimum, 30 minutes after your main activity to rest, and eat at least 1 an hour before training.

Conclusion: don’t try by hook or by crook to get into the best training window, adjust the schedule to suit you.

No. 2. Best time = systematic

If you have made it a rule to go to the gym on the same days of the week and time (different from the usual), then your body will eventually get used to the regime and make it better for physical activity. It is much more effective to be consistent and disciplined than to waste time trying to find the right or wrong time of day to workout.

No. 3. Best time = rely on knowledge

Most people (about 70% ) are neither owls nor larks, i.e. they are indifferent in their circadian rhythms. And here, in determining the best time for training, you need to focus on the following scientific and practical data.

No. 4. Floating schedule is not a problem

Many people do not work like everyone else - weekdays with 9 before 18:00 . In this case, you need to have your own schedule for at least a week and enter training days into it. When you feel that you are not going to get to the gym today, then stop training at home or in the place where you are now. Also, you should not buy a subscription with fixed visiting days, pay one-time or go as a hare :). If you “job” at night, then test what time (before or after work) Your body responds better to physical activity.

Follow these tips, listen to yourself and you will easily determine the best time to train. Actually, that’s all there is left to “conclude.”

Afterword

Today we found out when is the best time to train in the gym, which means you have taken another step towards the body of your dreams. Thank you all for your attention, see you soon!

PS. So, you’re already ready to leave, but who’s going to write down the comments)? yum, always happy to answer!

P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it in your social network status - plus 100 points towards karma, guaranteed.

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

When training regularly in the gym or at home, not only the exercise program is of great importance, but also what time the classes take place.

This is due to the fact that in a person, at different times of the day, various processes are activated that are responsible for gaining muscle mass or vice versa - for losing weight, as well as for sleep and wakefulness.

When is the best time to exercise and why ^

All athletes know that the body’s ability to burn fat depends not only on nutrition and the training program, but also on the time at which they will be carried out - in the morning, at lunch or in the evening. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that each person has his own circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake cycle - changes in various biological processes depending on the time of day.

It is this cycle that regulates body temperature, blood pressure, metabolism and many other physiological processes of the body. All living things have an internal clock. As a rule, these biological rhythms are subject to a 24-hour day, but can change under the influence of environmental signals. The time at which a person usually exercises is one such signal.

At the same time, we should not forget about the concept of “biorhythm”, which allows us to divide people into “larks” and “night owls”.

Early risers are people who find it easier to get up early in the morning, but more difficult to stay awake at night.
With owls, the opposite is true: after waking up early, they will feel a loss of strength, but closer to night they will have a surge of energy and their performance will increase.
There is a third human chronotype - pigeons. People who belong to it can start work with equal efficiency both early in the morning and late in the evening, and they will not lack energy.

It often happens that a person’s circadian rhythm gets confused, this is especially true for early risers. This phenomenon can occur for a number of reasons:

Working with a shift schedule;
Pregnancy;
Taking certain medications;
Transfers and flights;
Change to winter or summer time;
The presence of small children, if the circadian rhythms of the mother and child do not coincide;
Spending a long time at the computer before bed.

The circadian rhythm determines what time is best to exercise at home or in the gym:

For example, a morning person who decides to exercise at 8-9 pm will feel weak and uncomfortable due to lack of strength;
For owls, this time, on the contrary, is considered the most optimal.

Thus, physical activity will bring results only when it is combined with the human biorhythm, as well as with proper nutrition and a well-designed training program.

Is it possible to change your circadian rhythm: how to adjust your internal clock

Research shows that a person can change their circadian rhythm, for example by waking up to an alarm and eating at the same time.

Scientists have also found that people who consistently exercise in the morning can “teach” their body to be ready for physical activity at that time of day.
Volunteers who were used to working out in the morning felt less strong and focused during the evening workouts.

Experts say that this adjustment of the biological rhythm is especially important for athletes who are preparing for specific competitions. They recommend rescheduling training for the exact time of day when the competition will take place.

Best time of day to exercise

According to scientists, the optimal time for fitness is when normal body temperature reaches its maximum and muscles become warm and elastic. For most people this happens around 16:00 - 17:00. Also, according to various sources, a person is about five percent stronger in the middle of the day, and more resilient in the afternoon.

It is believed that in the mornings the body temperature is most reduced, and it is undesirable to exercise at this time - simple exercise will be enough. The rest of the time, human biorhythms operate clockwise as follows:

From 10 to 12 days the highest concentration of adrenaline is observed, so you can engage in any sports that require attentiveness and endurance;
From 14 to 15 days, human activity is reduced, and it is best to devote time to rest;
From 15 to 16 days the muscles are in increased tone, and you can work out with dumbbells;
From 16 to 19 pm - you can exercise, go to aerobics, run. During such a period, the body has the most favorable effect on stress;
From 20 to 22 pm the temperature gradually decreases, energy decreases, and fatigue appears. It is advisable to postpone any loads.

Before or after meals

The answer to this question depends on the goals of the exercise, but all trainers recommend eating light food 2 hours before training, otherwise you may not have enough energy and the person will be tired.
Immediately after eating, any exercise is prohibited, with the exception of using gainer or protein: athletes need to take them 30-60 minutes before visiting the gym.

In the morning or evening

In fact, the choice of time to exercise should depend not only on the generally accepted norms of the circardial rhythm, but also on your own well-being.

Larks should visit the gym in the first half of the day, because... In the evening you will feel very tired.
For owls, on the contrary, it is advisable to postpone classes until the evening, because in the morning hours they will not be as active as they should be.

Experts believe that, regardless of personal preference, almost all people are physically stronger and more resilient in the afternoon.

When is the best time to run?

There is a theory that cardio exercises immediately after waking up contribute to the rapid burning of subcutaneous fat, because. Because of this, the body experiences stress.
Therefore, those who want to lose weight are recommended to run before breakfast, after drinking a cup of unsweetened coffee or tea.

When should you exercise?

Of course, exercise is designed to wake up quickly, warm up your muscles and the whole body, so it must be done in the morning.

It is advisable to do this before breakfast, after visiting the bathroom and washing your face.
After eating, even mild physical activity can cause digestive problems.

The best time to gain muscle mass

It is believed that training in the afternoon is the best option for those who want to accelerate muscle growth. And you can't argue with this:

Between 14:00 and 16:00, muscles are most susceptible to stress and metabolism reaches its peak activity, which ultimately contributes to favorable training results.

Is it possible to exercise before bed?

Most studies show that exercise improves sleep quality. It doesn’t matter at all what time of day the training takes place.

Scientists believe that even vigorous exercise just half an hour before bed does not affect the quality of sleep.
And one thing experts are unanimous about is that lack of sleep significantly reduces the results of training.

If you decide to take up fitness, choose a time for exercise taking into account your current routine and lifestyle. To avoid injury and fatigue, you need to consistently stick to your chosen schedule and make exercise part of your routine.

Many trainers recommend that their clients, when choosing a time for training, be guided not by generally accepted standards, but by their own well-being. You can choose the most optimal option by experimenting: try working out in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening on different days, and then compare your feelings at different times.

Reviews and experiences of our readers

Zhanna, 29 years old:

“I enjoy going to the gym 3 times a week, working out from 8 to 10 pm and feeling great. I tried to move the training to the first half of the day, but I couldn’t give it 100%, so I decided to leave everything as it is.”

Anastasia, 34 years old:

“The most convenient time for me is from 3 to 5 pm. If I go to classes in the morning, I will be sleepy, and the evening hours are not suitable for me because I am tired.”

Olesya, 27 years old:

“I started going to the gym at 2 o’clock in the afternoon 1.5 years ago, and nothing has changed yet. It’s hard for me to get up in the morning, and I need to devote the evenings to my family, so I have no other options.”

Eastern horoscope for March 2019