WEEK SEVENTY :: What Is The Best Time Of Day To Weight Train?

[webmaster]

* Note: How can I win? Answer all questions in the order that they are asked.
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TOPIC: What Is The Best Time Of Day To Weight Train?

For the week of: March 30th - April 5th
Wednesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Weight training is key to a bodybuilders success, so it is understandable why they would only want 100% out of their workouts.

In order to move the most weight, you have to be at your best, both physically and mentally. But when are you at your best?

What is the best time of day to weight train? Why?

Would alternating your workouts from morning to afternoon to night have any positive or negative effects?

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $75 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it. Become famous!

Thanks,
Will
Webmaster
Bodybuilding.com

[spess]

Alot of people think it's best to train in the morning after breakfast. Which makes sense in the way that it gets ur metabolism going heavy early on in the day. I personaly feel that the afternoon is best. Usually between 2 and 5. This is due to the fact that your wide awake you've got a few meals in you and your all fired up. After your workout your metabolism's pumping and you feel great. The night is in my opinion the worst. When you train at night your body is fatigued from the day and not performing at its max. Plus you get all your blood flowing too late in the day and it can affect your sleep.

[bigcalves]

Good One for this week! :D

[jaypassss]

I personally think that lifting before dinner is the best (starting at maybe 3-6ish). Lunch is digested and you really don't need another meal before your workout (but a light snack works too). If you got good sleep the night before, you shouldn't be sleepy either... and of course you get to look foward to having dinner after! This fits well into most schedules as well, so its convenient.

[RippedJordanian]

is there science behind when the best time to train is or is it just matter of personal choice or convenience.


great topic tho ugh

[njanimal]

is there science behind when the best time to train is or is it just matter of personal choice or convenience.


great topic tho ugh

From what I have heard is there is a higher level of test in your body in the morning compared to any other time. Like I said thats what I have heard so its might not be dead on ya know. But everybody reacts differently to things IMO.

[Thepraizer32]

We when look at working out we must first look at the goal. If your goal is to drop pounds then you should hit the cardio first thing in the morning for 10 minutes on a empty stomach followed by a intense workout closing out with 30-45min of cardio. This is great for burning fat and keeps you metabolism flowing on high for the rest of the day. I prefer to workout at lunch time because I am up to work early. The 10-12 lunch time express as I call it gives my metabolism a boost for the remainder of the day. It is a lot easier to stay focused and not get tired because I have begun the day. I am not trying to lose weight rather gain muscle. This area helps in two ways. First it allows someone to get the day started and come in not to tired and not un focused as you have been up for a while. Second protein builds muscle so if I eat early and my body is ready to up loads nutrients because I have rested and my energy levels are spiked. Last is the evening workout. Sometimes bad and sometimes good. This alll depends on the hours of work you have. It would be great to workout at 8:00pm and hit the Job at 10 or 11 but you would have to sleep all day for your body to make gains. It can be good as you would be flipping the afternoon express and calling it the evening shuffel. Alll in all I think everyone should look at their body and figure out what works best for you. Tailor your workout and hit it hard. Most of all listen to your body.

[davejlowe]

I've lifted weights in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

As far as workout intensity, weight lifted, reps performed, nothing beat an hour after eating lunch.

I'm still in the energetic part of the day, lunch has filtered through my system, but I'm juuust starting to drag. Hitting the weights at this point, with a nice shot of caffeine or Met-Rx Amp, I'm ready to work out all of the frustrations of the day. A bit of heavy metal pumping into my ears, and I'm ready to tear down my muscles.

Of course, this time is quite difficult to make when working a full-time job--it basically only happens on the weekend for me.

For the workweek, the morning's the only time I can imagine. After I come home, my family's ready for dinner. After dinner, we socialize--you know, we act like a family. When everything's calmed down, my daughter's asleep, etc., etc., etc., the only thing I want to do is relax and recooperate from a long, long day.

And to sum up everything I wrote above, the best time to lift weights will be the time that you will most likely be able to get your butt into the gym.

Face it, unless your life revolves around lifting weights, pick a time that works--and works CONSISTANTLY!--and go for it. The other times during the day, enjoy being alive. And if you see a mirror and no one's looking, a quick flex never hurt anyone!

[tejayLinden19]

You are at your best physically and mentally about 20 to 30 minutes after waking up in the morning. Your t levels are at their highest, which means your body is at it's peak for the day, and your mind has been resting for 8 or so hours. It goes to reason that this is the best time of the day to weight train. Alternating your workouts can have negative affects. The morning is the best time, but if you went from training from then to at night your t levels will drop. You will also be more mentally tired as well. which isnt as good as in the morning.

[Gerardo DeLeon]

For me, I'd say the best time is between 5:30 and 6:30. Lift like an animal for 45 minutes with all your heart, and then short moderate cardio after. So when you head home you have plenty of time to eat that meal that your body must have. And a biggy, time to rest!! Too many people I know don't get enough rest, and they wonder why they feel like sh*t the next day. The alternative, what I do that has been working, is cardio in the morning, hams quads or calves at lunch time (30 minutes), and a mojor part at around 5 or 5:30pm(30-45 minutes). With this routine, your metabolism is running strong all day and night and you have time to get some sleep you will need.

[jakehbk]

The best time to weight train is in the early afternoon, a while after you've had lunch. Your body has been fueled by two or three meals, and you're completely awake and ready for it. Some people say in the morning but I disagree, even more so with any who say before the first meal of the day. The body needs to be properly fueled and the mind needs to be alert. In the morning most people are tired and still waking up which could lead to sloppy form, injury, etc.. At night is not the ideal time either, as the body is winding down from all then day's activities and the mind is tired from it's own. Most people feel good in the early afternoon and should feel energized after a healthy lunch. However, what works for some may not work for those on the night shift! I feel great in the early aftrenoon though.

Alternating your workouts from morning to night could go either way. Weight training is, after all, about shocking your body into changing itself, making you bigger and stronger. Alternating would force your body to adapt and become stronger to accomodate to the switching workouts, but it's important not to remain static. You gotta change it up to recieve all the benefits!

[N10CT]

is there science behind when the best time to train is or is it just matter of personal choice or convenience.


great topic tho ugh

There is plenty of science and research behind the best time to train, but ultimately it is a personal preference or simply whenever u can.

[IGF]

In order to move the most weight, you have to be at your best, both physically and mentally. But when are you at your best?

To be at your best one must have these 2 major components of bodybuilding down: Nutrition and Sleep. I believe against the grain of thought that if one is lacking it can be made up in the other area, which is just plain wrong . They both will act as limiting factors for eachother - that is to say you can only get so much growth out of your nights if your nutrition is under par or your nutrition will only work mildly due to a lack of sleep.
When is a bodybuilder at his best throughout the day physically and mentally to push the most weight? Just like how nutrition and sleep go together, so does mental and physical well being. Taking both these factors into account then it is obvious that it is best to train after consuming 1 or more meals that are rich in carbohydrates and protein (never workout on an empty stomach!) and working out in a period of time where you feel mentally fresh (Read Below).

What is the best time of day to weight train? Why?

Most of the human population will be at their best when their circadium rythms are at the lowest. For most people who go to bed at 11 and wake up at 7, these times would be mid morning (9-10) and late afternnoon (5-6) but this does vary slightly. Also to complicate matters 2 other sleep phenotypes that have been recorded are the "Lark" and "Owl". The lark is characterised for going to bed late and wakeing up later in the day, while an owl phenotype is the opposite going to bed earlier in the day and waking up during the early hours of the night, but again such examples are only very broad. What do all 3 of these sleep phenotypes mean? Basically the times I mentioned can be shifted further or backwards in the day, it is important to know from observation in which category you fall in. I have devised an excellent method to figure out when you will be mentally at your peak which is quite simple.

First Figure out how long your 'day' is by subtracting the amount of sleep you get per night from a full 24 hour day. Your cadium rythms will roughly peak half way into your waking period. Here is an example to clear any of your queries up

My Day = 24 - 9(amount of sleep I typically get) Hours
= 15 hours

Half of that comes to be 7.5 hours

I wake up at 7:00 usually, so 7.5 hours later my cicadium Rythms will peak (Hint: This is also the most optimal time to take a nap or do what I call a "power rest" in this time). This time works out to be 2:30, which is not far off as I usually observe a drop at about 1:00-1:30 and I will never, ever train at or near this time. Try this method out for yourself and see how successful you are!

If you train twice a day or at night as many people do, taking use of the circadium rythm peak during the middle part of your day is the best time to take a nap, but of course this isn't possible for many of us. So what I do is take a "power rest" (I had to make up a name for this article..so forgive me :D). Basically you must concentrate on relaxing yourself as much as possible, empty your mind of thoughts and worries while taking in long, deep breaths. The only difference between this and meditation is you are not thinking about anything except relaxing yourself (and your busy nervous system!). I love doing this because it refreshes me for the rest of the day and especially for my upcomming workout.

Would alternating your workouts from morning to afternoon to night have any positive or negative effects?

A negative effect can only be gained for alternating in such a fashion. As I stated before, circadium rythms are individual and also sensory specific, meaning that the senses can influence them greatly. An example is being exposed to extreme light at night time which would make it difficult for your brain to respond to the circadium rythm's request to produce melatonin. Consistently doing this will cause a shift in a persons sleeping patern, altering how they're circadium cycle will work. Training can also have this effect - if you train at say 9pm every night consistently for a few weeks your rythms will adapt to learn that that is the time you train - not the time you sleep. This is also a major reason why some people develop insomnia if they train near their desired bed time. Training in an alternating fashion is a plan for failure and will only decrease your performance!

False Theories that I would like to point out near the end of this article that relate to peak performance and gains

(1) Training on an empty Stomach in the morning will utilize more fat : While this statement is appealing on the surface it is similarly unappealing when looked at in depth. When you exercise on an empty stomach in the morning you are not only hindering your physical and mental performance, but greatly increasing the production of Cortisol(A Hormone that will turn msucle tissue into amino's to be used for energy).
(2) It is better to do weights in the morning then at night. Just like most things in life, this should be viewed in the larger scheme of things. While doing weights in the morning will allow you to hit them fresh and give them the day to recover, it is not that much greater then training the muscle at night. Recovery should be looked at in the grand scheme of things, not just in the first few hours afterswards. You will not be missing out on extreme gains, if any at all, by doing weights at night unless you also follow the false mantra of 'no carbs after 5pm' or whatever time you dictate.

Well that wraps it up. Hopefully if you read this then you learnt something which can be implemented in your training to help squeeze out that extra rep, gain that extra pound or lose that inch off your waist. Keep it Hardcore!

[ravadongon]

I reckon training in the morning is best (not on an empty stomach though), because it gives you an incredible amount of energy for the rest of the day, almost like a sustained caffeine high.

[Jonathon]

you have more testosterone in your body in the morning

[cardioking]

When is the best time to lift weights? The correct answer to this question lies within the individual bodybuilder. Many aspects decide when is the best time and when isn't such as which shift they work, when they are the most awake and of course can they fall asleep after working out? Obviously, if you can't fall asleep after a workout it probably isn't a good idea to work out before bed and if you can't wake up early enough to workout before work then you should not choose the morning to workout. Sounds easy enough right? Good!

When are you the most awake? Most people who wake up at 5:30 in the morning are not going to be awake when 9 or 10 rolls around at night so it would make sense to go when you get up or when you get off of work. You want to be focused during a workout and not groggy so make sure when you decide to go that you will stick to your program. There is nothing like doing something for a week and then ditching your goals and plans for an extra hour of sleep.

Can you go to sleep after a workout? If you answer no to this I suggest working out in the morning if you work second shift, before or immediately after work if you work first shift and when you wake up if you work third shift. The reason I ask this question is simply because you must get appropriate amounts of sleep to reap the benefits of an exercise program.

Eating, sleeping and exercising are the 3 most important aspects of getting the body you want. Sleeping plays a huge part because if you don't get rest your body won't push itself through exericize and it won't repair easily. If you don't get sleep you may miss a meal when you finally DO sleep. And Heaven forbid your sleep makes you miss a workout!

Workout when it suits you best. I find that I don't like working out before bed because its hard for me to fall asleep but I will on the days that I have off of work. I also find that I can't wake up at 5:30 in the morning consistantly so I don't even attempt to schedule my workouts then. So, what do I do? I go workout before I go into work. It makes me feel productive in the gym which makes me feel good going into work, it gives me a deadline so I don't stand around and talk at the gym and I get my sleep and I get my meals in. Before work works for me... what works for you?

Now, you don't have to pick just one time and one time only to do your workouts. We all understand that there are deadlines at work, kids get sick or even something important comes up that you must miss the entire workout. So, what do you do? Squeeze in that missed workout some other time and don't stress about it. Your muscles won't budge and say "no" to growth so go ahead and change your schedule as needed. Maybe your off for the weekend and can go in earlier or later. Thats fine. Your body will probably respond well with a little change here and there. Wouldn't want to get in a groove anyway!

[MrBIP]

When is the best time to lift weights? The correct answer to this question lies within the individual bodybuilder. Many .......


I would agree with this comment.

Seems to me the best time to workout is whatever time has the least risk of "motivation interruption". I started only 6 weeks ago. I work 50 miles from home in a small town. I go to the gym duing lunch. What else am I going to do? When I worked in town, I would go home at lunch, sit in my lazy boy and pig out. Not an option any more. This gives me something to do. It also gets me out of the office and away from everything for a solid hour; and the cell phone stays in a locker!

I've also found that this actually gives me more energy in the afternoon. I get more accomplished in the afternoon since I've started this lunchtime routine.

One more comment about individual schedule and motivation. I have no doubt that if I was to schedule my work out in the morning or evening, there would be many days when it just wouldn't happen. I'd either be tired in the morning and not willing to get up for it or just get caught up with others things to do after work in the evening (like sit in the lazy boy and watch the news).

I would say a person should pick a time when they're motivation is least likely to be interrupted by other things.

MrBIP

[BakesPimpRB23]

In order to move the most weight, you have to be at your best, both physically and mentally. But when are you at your best?

In order to move the most weight one must be full of energy. In order to be full of energy you have must have a lot of good quality foods in your body, you must be well rested, hydrated and motivated. In order to have a lot of good quality foods in your system, you must have at least two quality meals in before you train. You may also become dehydrated throughout the night so you would also need to re-hydrate yourself throughout the first couple hours upon waking up. After that is said and done, one must be motivated enough to lift, and the average person isn’t up jumping around as soon as they wake up or right before they go to bed.

What is the best time of day to weight train? Why?

Well... this will vary amongst people due to many factors such as work, sleeping habits, body types, and nutritional habits. So I think one's lifting time should be based on their schedule and sleeping habits. However, if available I feel the best time to train is right in the middle of YOUR day, but the middle of YOUR day will be different than the middle of another person's day. So what exactly is the middle of the day for me… you ask? Well... let me explain.

In order to have a good strong workout, one must be full of energy. In order to be full of energy you must have food in your system and it must have time to absorb and produce energy throughout the rest of your body. So I think that eliminates lifting as soon as you wake up. Another factor involved is that a person must not be too fatigued to workout and after the average person is awake for over twelve hours, their body slowly prepares itself for sleep. So with that being said the first 5-6 hours upon waking up are eliminated (due to not getting enough energy through food) and anything after twelve hours upon waking up is eliminated (because our bodies are beginning to prepare their selves for sleep).

After doing the math we realize that we should lift anywhere between 6-12 hours upon waking up. This should be considered the middle of the day for you. These 6-12 hours could vary depending on your sleeping patterns. FOR EXAMPLE: If a person falls asleep at around 10:00-11:00 PM every night and sleeps eight hours until 6:00-7:00 AM, then they would be lifting at times anywhere between 1:00-7:00 PM. Now that is a wide range to choose from but we are not done eliminating yet.

Next step is to approximate your average lifting time (which should be around 1 hour or so.) and subtract that time from twelve so your workout doesn’t carry into that time where you begin to prepare yourself for sleep. (12 hours upon waking up) Just to be on the safe side though, you should just go ahead and subtract two hours or so. Now we are down to the first 5-10 hours upon waking up.

Now it’s on to the next step. Okay… to be able to have a sufficient amount of calories and water in your system you will probably need to get in around two solid meals. One meal would be within one hour upon waking up and the other meal would be around three hours later. This would put you at four hours upon waking up. Then your body would have to take around three hours to absorb all of the nutrients. This would put you at seven hours upon waking up. You get another meal in so you’re not lifting on an empty stomach and lift somewhere within the time frame before your next meal. This would put you in a time frame between 7.5-10 hours upon waking up. Pick a starting time between these hours based on your own personal schedule/preference (your workout can carry on past the 10 hour mark just don’t start it after then).Make sure this is a time that you can almost always workout at. (For this to happen you must develop a good sleeping pattern of 8-9 hours daily and you must try to fall asleep within the same hour or so every night. I fall asleep between 10-11 P.M. every night and wake up at 7:30A.M.)This makes sure that your body is always getting a full day of recovery in and this also helps you become more committed since you have a plan instead of lifting whenever.

Would alternating your workouts from morning to afternoon to night have any positive or negative effects?

I feel that this would have a lot more negative effects than positive. You will not be used to working out at a different time and you will become less motivated. If you want to shock your system, alter your workout not your starting workout time. Altering your workout makes it more fun too and helps keep you motivated, but changing your starting workout times to a time when you are going to be less productive will just lower your self-esteem more than it will help you out.

However, if you to get bored by some chance from working out at the exact same time, you could just change your workout time to something else within the 7.5-10 hour time frame. If for some reason that is not satisfying enough to you and you must change your workout time drastically. Then I would choose working out in the morning for a couple of weeks instead of working out at night because you t-levels are extremely low at night. Just don’t be surprised though if you become less motivated and lack energy.

Well… that pretty much wraps it up; I hope you learned something from this. Good luck!!!!

[bp221]

What Is The Best Time Of Day To Weight Train?

The best time of the day I believe is in the morning right after breakfast. I say this because of two reasons the frist reason is that after breakfast you will be more alert and have carbohydrates to use as energy. The second reason is that studies done by the University of Louisville show that between 8:00am and 11:00am your testosterone is 50% higher than later in the day.

In order to move the most weight, you have to be at your best, both physically and mentally. But when are you at your best?

Physically you would be at your best around 8:00am after breakfast when your testosterone and energy would be at its best. Mentally you would be at your best around 10:00am because you will have been able to have ate and move around a bit to wake yourself up a bit and get your blood flowing.


Would alternating your workouts from morning to afternoon to night have any positive or negative effects?

Changing your workouts every 6 to 8 weeks from morning to afternoon would produce some what of a positive effect by shocking your body. I would say if were to do this not to workout after 4:00pm because testosterone levels drop rapidly after 4:00pm. I would highly not working out at night because it disrupts your brain waves making it harder to go to sleep and your testosterone is so low it would have little or no effect on helping you.

[infinitenexus]

Personally, I don't have a huge choice on when to work out. I'm in the Army and so I have to do PT every weekday at 430 am. I usually work out right after my day is over, because I have found that if I take a break, I get lazy and I won't do anything. But thats just me.

[lilkev42]

What is the best time to workout for myself?

Well first off, I would have to say that I am currently in college, so then my lifting schedule is built around classes. I have early morning classes which force me to workout afterwards, otherwise I would not have a good nights sleep. So I try to workout around 1 or 2 in the afternoon. So I still have decent test levels compared to later in the day, but stress induced cortisol can be raised because of schoolwork. Although I do not stress out that much, so I am not worried. I like to get back from class and make a good meal, and then get ready to go workout. Next semester I am trying to push some classes back, so I can get a workout in the morning before class.

What is the best time to workout?

The best time to stimulate muscle growth would be first thing in the morning. When you wake up you should have a good breakfast, with a good amount of carbs and protein. Then after about 30 minutes(to let your stomach empty) you should head off to the gym. I know this may be hard to drag yourself out of bed and get your mind straight to lift, but it is optimal time. Your hormone levels are at their highest, while your cortisol levels are at their lowest. At this point you have not ran into any stress, which then would raise cortisol levels. As long as you can get your mind right and go and get a hard lift in, then you can grow at your maximum potential, which is key in bodybuilding. I would also like to add, that if your diet and your sleep is set perfect, than growth will also be at a max. Without those two together, someone can not fully maximize their performance.

Would alternating workout times be effective?

Alternating between morning workouts and evening workouts would be effective if done right. Your hormone levels drop throughout the day as your cortisol levels rise. If you were to change than you could then shock your body and would stimulate growth. By doing this strength also will increase. Studies have shown that strength and power is at its highest during the evening, but you will have to remember you will not grow as much as you would during the morning. So the evening would be optimal for powerlifters, or other strength athletes. I would recommend to switch workout times every month or two, just for the shock to your body. But we all know that everyone can respond different and that certain times are more convenient for some.

[PaulN]

I have always had good luck training toward the end of the day. I especially like to train after dinner. The reasons are pretty simple; the after work crowd is gone, I can commit enough time to the task at hand, and I’ve had a good meal to fuel the effort. If I’m getting enough rest and my diet is on target, then there are no issues with being tired or worn out. In fact, I feel that training later in the day gives a very accurate indication of how my program is or isn’t working overall. It tells me if I am doing everything right:

Am I on target with my diet?
Am I getting enough sleep to keep me going throughout the whole day?
Did I keep dinner in check so I don’t feel sluggish or too full while training?

If I am doing everything right, then the workout that I perform will be just a little better than the last; the same weights go up easier, the pump is great, and at the end I’ve made another step in the right direction. I also find that when I train at night I have the whole day to look forward to it. By the time I hit the gym, I am ready to go! Trying to get pumped up first thing in the morning just doesn’t get it for me.

One more thing is worth mentioning; if I end my day with a great workout I sleep even better. My body is tired, I eat one more time before going to bed, and my mind is relaxed because I was able to burn off any stress that I was packing around with me.

Training at other times does not work too well for me; I’m sluggish in the morning, and lunch time weight sessions make me feel rushed to get done. The end result is likely the same. I don’t feel that I working out earlier in the day would give different results, but training late in the day is certainly my preference.

PaulN

[Stonecoldtruth]

As I'm not entering this week's topic I just thought I'd give some friendly advice to the entrants:

#1 - Answer all the questions.
#2 - Answer all the questions in the order they were asked.
#3 - Until you think your content length is 'too long' it probably isn't long enough.
#4 - Take an authoritative position on what you are talking about, but don't be overbearing.
#5 - Have fun with it! Everyone wants to win free supps, but sharing knowledge is the real reward.

Cheers,
Josh

[Bizarreaztec]

The best time to train is in the morning. When you wake up in teh morning your body is in a highly anabolic state(growth). You've spent the whole night in a highly catabolic state(breakdown). So what does this mean? The morning is when the body's testosterone levels are rising like no other. And that is exactly what you want in terms of gaining muscle and being able to lift more weight. Not only are your testosterone lovelss the highest in the morning, but so is your body's natural production of creatine(creatine phosphate). You may not feel it when you first wake up, but this is when you have the highest amount of energy(ATP-the body's energy source for muscle contraction). You've spent the whole night re-charging the body's batteries. Your brain is ready to go and so are your adrenal glands. With all this going on you are in prime position to train at your best. If you are trying to lose weight, it is not smart to go to the gym on an empty stomach. Your body needs glucose and other forms of enrgy to push itself through that hard workout. An excellent food choice would be ssomething along the lines of a smoothie. I completly discriminate against the use of caffeine at any time during the day, but especially in the morning. You will have that energy for teh gym ,but afterwards you will have the comedown of a lifetime!!! If you are trying to put on lean muscle mass I would suggest a bowl of oatmeal in the morningg along with a protein shake(preferably casein as it is time released). So it is the morning and you have just finished your workout. Your insulin is spiked immediatley following and this is the time to drink your whey protein. The insulin will help you drive the protein into the muscles. But this happens after every workout, right? Correct, however, once again your body's levels of insulin are highest in the morning. With all this going on, your body is in peak condition to train and hit the steel hard!!! As the day progresses the body uses up energy and in turn becomes tired.
Okay so those are the obvious reasons to train in the morning, but wait!!! theres more. You now have the rest of the day to feed your body with the proper nutrients needed to either lose that fat or increase that muscle size. You will also notice that you are more concentrated when performing tasks. This because you now have your brain flooded with dopamine, which will keep you going the whole day....So do yourself a favor and do your body a favor and train in the morning whenever possible.

[Eastwoodanimal]

The best time to lift is when you feel the most energized. I have pumped iron for 4 years and have lifted at 6:00 AM to 2:00 clock in the morning with many various times. Being a bartender i have a different clock than most people. My work keeps me up 4 times a week till 3:15 in the morning. By the time i get home take a shower, eat, or get done with a chick i bring home im looking at 4:30 bedtime. To get up at 6-10:AM would be crazy because my body needs its rest to recover. When i get up and lift in the morning i am usually tired causing me to have lazy workouts. Morning workouts are not good for me.

With my night life i start my day around 11 o'clock drinking 2 scoops of myoplex protein, 2 bananas, 2 cups of milk, while watching the O'Reily factor which is taped from the night before. By the time my lifing routine comes around 7:00 PM i have already eaten 3-4 times giving me the proper energy to lift hard. So when i hit it, im hittin it hard with energy and intensity something i lack in the morning. From that point i pump for 1 1/2 hours 4 days a week. Then its off to work after eating a Boston Market meal with a protein bar in my bag.

This works good for me because it keeps me energized for the night while working and my body pumped for a night of mixing and mingling with the night scene.

I am currently 6-3 225 pounds. Lifting in the evening has got me here and i hope it will take me farther into the 250 range like my idle Henrick "the house". With hardwork and dedication I will get there and if you think the only way you can get big and strong is by lifing in the morning because some study told you so, tell them to "**** off" and lift when you are most energize.
The animals come out at night!

Eastwoodanimal

[no_strain_no_ga]

What is the best time to workout for myself?

Many people have a daily schedule to follow. They might have school, work or other business that must be handle at a certain time. Life isn't easy when you have so much to do and if you have to squeeze in working out as another priorty, that is more stress for you. So my best time to workout is in the evening. I am not busy and can focus on what I am doing.

My schedule is rough. I have to wake up at 6:10 in the morning, have school from 6:35-1:55, have to pick up my sisters at school and on Mondays I have Boy Scouts. So when do I have the time to workout? The evening is the best time for me. It's right before I eat dinner, so I will have a full stomach after and that is basically the only time I have. I take a 20 minute run and workout for 50 minutes. Sometimes I have to check on my sisters when I'm watching them, because if you have younger sisters, you know how they get to be pain in the arses sometimes. Then I eat my Dinner and on Mondays I leave for Boy Scouts. My life has obstacles, but I can overcome them if I try.

What is the best time to workout?

As I said earlier, picking the right time to workout is answered on what the person schedule is and how other situations. If you work during the day, workout in the evening, but take an energy drink, because you might be tired. If you have the whole day off, but work in the evening, you should workout in the morning, logical sense. In the morning, you have more testerone in your body, helping you in lifts. Whatever is the best for you, take it, because you may never have the chance to have that time again.

The best time for someone to workout is in the morning. In my above paragraph, I said that in the morning, there is more testosterone in the body, giving you more strength for lifting. Always eat breakfest with many proteins and good amount of carbs. If you workout in the evening, you lose most of the testosterone that you had in the morning and that will decrease the strength and preventing you from your desire reps and sets. Also, you have more stress in your body and that can weaken motivation for you to workout(trust me, this has happened to me, and what a crappy day that was :D)

Would alternating workout times be effective?

Alternating the time that you workout confuses the muscles and "shocks" the muscle, stimulating growth. Say that you workout at 6 am, change it to 9 am in 8 weeks and keep on repeating this. Thsi will also increase strength faster while you keep on doing this.

Thanks for the time on posting this, although I had to ponder some times on how to explain some stuff. If only I can ponder before acting :D. Not a great day at school. :mad:

Thanks

NSNG, Mike

[frodopeluca]

First of all... you should exercise when you have time!
also if you're trying to lose weight you should exercise first thing in the morning and last thing at night AND in the middle of the day if you can! The goal is just to burn 3500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat however and whenever you can. There are studies out there that show that different times of the day make a difference but the degree of difference is relative. The key is just to be consistent.

[oldtrainer]

yes it is...There's been a lot of controversy about the best time of day to train in order to maximize lean body mass and strength? Some people say in the morning, some say in the afternoon or night, and some even prefer training before bedtime. Everybody has their own personal reasons for when they train.

I work out in the morning because if I don't, I won't work out regularly. As the day progresses the time and energy for a workout diminishes. So for me, the best time is in the morning. However, in my competitive years(hobby) as a powerlifter, I found that the best time for me to train was in the afternoon. I had cleared away the morning's cobwebs, and a few hours after lunch I was ready to go. I found that I was strongest when I trained at this time. As well, in competitions I also preferred the afternoons.

Some people prefer to train after their 8-5 jobs since it's the most convenient time for them. The workout acts to revitalize them, and they're more able to cope with the rest of their day. Finally, there are those who like to train right before bed. They likely train at this time as penitence for some perceived wrongs - I can't think of any other reason for getting hyped before trying to fall asleep; but each to his own.

However, regardless of why people train at different times of the day, what, in fact, is the best time to train if you wanted the best results? Well, a recent study has provided us with some answers to this ageless question.

In this study, time of day variations in maximal anaerobic leg exercise were studied in 23 men, with a mean age 23 years. All the subjects performed two anaerobic tests (force-velocity and multi-jump tests) and those familiar with sprinting, ran an additional 50-m dash.

The test schedules were at 0900, 1400 and 1800 hours on separate days in random order. The study found that the best performances were in the afternoon and early evening hours as against early morning training. Thus, the major findings of this study was the existence of a time of day effect in the maximal anaerobic power exercises. Something to think about if you have the option of when to train.

Interestingly, in this study, having lunch prior to training did not alter the performances in the early afternoon.

The reasons for the increased performance later in the day could be several. The authors feel that the increased muscle temperatures that are achieved later in the day accounted for some of the differences. If this were the case an increased warm-up period in the morning, if that's your time to train, might be beneficial in increasing the training response.

Also motivational and neuromuscular (such as co-ordination) factors may be more optimal later in the day as compared to early mornings. Another reason may be that fiber recruitment (the ability to activate more muscle fibers and thus increase muscle activation and training effect) may be optimized later in the day as well.

That said, in a study published in 1996, the authors felt that a lower body temperature resulted in the increased endurance seen in their subjects.2 Therefore, it's quite possible that if it's endurance you're after, training in the morning may be more beneficial. As well, training in the morning, because of the enforced fasting while sleeping, may result in increased growth hormone levels and increased fat oxidation.

Overall, it would appear that if you are after aerobic conditioning, endurance and reduced body fat, morning training may be best. However, if you're after increased muscle mass and strength afternoon or early evening training is best. You might find that, depending on what kind of program you're on and what your immediate goals are, switching your training time to suit your needs might be worth while.

[xxdcmast]

There is no single answer to this question, the best time of day to lift like many other topics in bopdybuilding will depend on your own physiology, daily schedule, and body rhythms. This may seem a little strange at first but lets take a closer look at what this means.

Anyone who has spent their fair amount of time in the gym has no doubt heard or tried a "guaranteed" routine/excercise to increase their size/strength/you name it only to find that what has worked for some does not work for them. There is no step by step guide for guaranteed gains in the gym. One of the key points overlooked by many is that bodybuilding is a pursuit comprised of routines and behaviors slowly adapted over time to be tailored specifically to an individuals unique physiology to produce maximum gains. This includes finding the excercises that promote muscle growth, the diet and meal schedule to support this growth and maintenance, and the time of day to lift where your body can be at its peak of effeciency and productivity.

The best time of day to weight train is whenever you have the time and motivation to dedicate to having a positive and beneficial workout. Each person in this world is unique and different from the others in countless ways. With this amount of variation why should we even attempt to assume that there would be a single "best" time to lift. The answer is there is not a single best time to lift the time is just as varied as the people who are doing the lifting.

So if everyone is different and has a different right time to lift is there any way to determine your "best time" to lift. The answer is yes. From person to person we may have differences but the human body overall works on the same principles regardless. These are the tried and true bodybuilding rules of proper nutrition, proper hydration, and proper rest. The best time to lift is when your body has the right fuels (foods) available for it to utilize. The right amount of water to maintain a healthy level of hydration (water affects so many systems in the body it could have its own TOTW). And the most important enough rest to allow the body to repair itself from the rigors of excercise. Without proper rest the body WILL NOT grow and that is the whole point of bodybuilding.

Following the items outlined above it is easier to determine your best time of day for lifting. Deviating from this "best time" of lifting would cause negative effects because your body will not be used to this routine and it will not have all the facilites of proper nutrition, hydration and rest available to it. For example if you were used to excercising fairly early in the morning and abruptly switched your workout to an evening your body would not know how to react to this. When it was expecting to be resting, it would in fact be under the stress of liftin. Over time and multiple workouts your body would adapt to the new schedule accordingly but repeatedly switching the routine would hinder gains and be detremental to achieving big lifts.

[Stonecoldtruth]

Weight training is key to a bodybuilder’s success, so it is understandable why they would only want 100% out of their workouts.

There are so many factors that go into setting up one's workout plan, that we end up ignoring an important factor in our growth (or weight loss) opportunities: Workout Timing. Most people will tell you that there really isn't a 'best time' to work out, and that that most important thing is that you workout period. They are half-right, the timing of workouts is probably way down the list of factors in your success. Nutrition, Sleep, and Training Style are going to be more important than the time of day that you train. However, with that said, don't you want to give it your best every time you go into the gym? Many of you spend thousands of dollars a year on supplements that help boost your performance, let’s take a look at something you can do FOR FREE to increase your effectiveness in the gym.


In order to move the most weight, you have to be at your best, both physically and mentally. But when are you at your best?

Our bodies run on cycles, or rhythms, that if monitored, can show us when our bodies are at peak performance. Humans run on what is known as a Circadian rhythm (Latin for 'around the day') Controlled by the hypothalamus (part of the brain), these rhythms help to control our metabolism and body temperature. The Circadian rhythm typically reacts to cues such as sunlight and temperature, which explains why many of us are more active during the daytime and in the warmer weather. This also gives some credence to the theories of weight loss being affected by season.

Within the Circadian rhythm our bodies experience temperature changes throughout the day. These temperatures typically are at their highest in late afternoon and at their lowest in the hours before and following when we wake up. However, the Circadian rhythm depends largely on your existing schedule. It is quite possible that your Circadian rhythm has adapted itself around what you've already been doing, so it is best to find out what your own rhythm is.

The easiest, and most accurate, way to find your rhythm is going to take about a week to figure out, but trust me it is worth it. What you will do is for an entire week you will be monitoring your body's temperature at certain times of the day. Ideally you want to take your temperature around every 2-3 hours during this week to have more reference points, but a bare minimum you need to take it upon waking, around lunch time, and around dinner time. After you have a weeks worth of information you should be able to plot what times of day your temperature was highest.

Now that we know when your temperature is peaked we can make assessments on when to train. During this peaked time your body will experience several benefits:

- Greater Flexibility
- Greater Focus
- Greater Strength
- Greater Endurance
- Faster Reaction Time
- Lower Blood Pressure
- Lower Resting Heart Rate

With all of these benefits, do you really still think that all workout timing is created equal?

What is the best time of day to weight train? Why?

The best time of the day to train is going to be the 2-3 hours immediately before or after your body's peak temperature (see above for more information). This is going to allow you to give your workout everything you have, which is in essence the only way to train. For different people this time may vary greatly, which is why anyone telling you to train 'in the morning' or 'after work' is not giving you solid advice. Training advice is like diet advice; it is not one-sized fits all. However, most people tend to experience their high points in the late afternoon, and their lows in the hours before waking. That being said, your best bet is still to test this for yourself.

If you are unable to train during your peak hours, you should at least try to avoid the hours before/after your lowest temperature range. Those times are going to typically leave you with less energy for your workout and a lot less focus. There are some benefits to working out during your 'low points', but they are outweighed by having a sub par workout.

Now, there is an exception to the rule! If you are training for some specific event or competition, then the temperature timing might not be the best for you. An example would that if you are into soccer; you know that every Saturday afternoon you have a game from Noon-3PM. This is a chance for you to make your body adapt to your schedule! By making your workouts consistently around that time range, your body's Circadian rhythms will adjust to provide you with better energy and higher temperatures during that time frame. So if you are training for something specific, then the goal becomes not to adjust to your high points but instead to change them.

On the topic of changing your Circadian rhythms, it can be done! Many of us bodybuilders keep odd hours at work, and find ourselves going to the gym during the dead of night or early in the morning. This is not necessarily a bad thing, because if you are consistent with your scheduling you can make your body adapt to this type of training. However, this is a slower process and some people have a harder time adjusting than others. This, as with almost everything else, depends largely on your body and its adaptability.

The final note on this question relates back to the introduction: The most important part IS that you train. It is understandable that not all can schedule their lives around the gym. This is where certain supplements do come in handy; however imagine the potential you could have combining the proper nutrition, training, training timing, and supplementation. This is how you transcend from being a man to a beast.

Would alternating your workouts from morning to afternoon to night have any positive or negative effects?

Alternating workouts seems to sometimes be a necessary evil associated with having any type of life outside of the gym; however it should be avoided as often as possible. There is certainly nothing wrong with training at both morning and afternoon, as there are many pros that do 2-a-day cardio when they are close to contest time. However, for the sake of our body’s internal rhythm, it is best to avoid alternating the workouts wherever possible. There again, there is an exception to this rule as well. Some people have had success with alternating workout timing as a way to manipulate your body’s rhythm. This takes careful monitoring but can be done to your advantage.

In the end, optimal timing would be ideal. If that is not an option, consistency is key. Failing consistency, the fact that you work out is all that matters.

Conclusion:

This is still, and probably always will be, a highly debated topic. My workout schedule is actually quite different from most peoples seeing as I work a fluctuating shift at work. There have been weeks where my timing would be different every day, and I could see my workouts suffering. In the end it comes down to how much are you willing to put into this to receive good returns? How far are you willing to go? I’m not recommending anyone balk on commitments and responsibilities at all, but I am saying that after seeing both the positives and negatives of workout timing that it can make all the difference.

[TeenBBer]

Hope its Ok to post with this....

[IGF]

stone cold truth I don't see how your way of determining a basic circadium rythm pattern is feasible since most people eat every 2-3 hours, increasing body temperature. Also external factors such as the weather, training (which can elevate temperature for over 3 hours) supplements would also vary temperature.

Likewise circadium rythms dont dictate temperature - the hormones produced later/earlier in the day too (cortisol later in the day).

[Stonecoldtruth]

stone cold truth I don't see how your way of determining a basic circadium rythm pattern is feasible since most people eat every 2-3 hours, increasing body temperature. Also external factors such as the weather, training (which can elevate temperature for over 3 hours) supplements would also vary temperature.

Likewise circadium rythms dont dictate temperature - the hormones produced later/earlier in the day too (cortisol later in the day).

That is probably the most commonly used method of determining the rhythm. Seeing as the temperature ranges can be up to 1.5 degrees difference, it should still be easy to spot the optimal times for training. It would only be common sense that you wouldn't take your temperature after training or coming in from the hot weather.

And while I would agree that Circadian (not circadium) rhythms do not DICTATE temperature, they do influence it.. heavily.

Your body's temperature can rise and fall up to 2 degrees within a day, regardless of if you ever leave the house.

As to your arguement that cortisol effects temperature, I'm not disagreeing but it should be noted that Circadian rhythms help to determine cortisol release.

Cheers,
Josh

[RippedJordanian]

Researched a lot on this one and learned a lot too. I advise everyone to read it ask me if they have any questions.

Cheers.

[Stonecoldtruth]

Researched a lot on this one and learned a lot too. I advise everyone to read it ask me if they have any questions.

Cheers.

Amazing article bro :) Your work is always good though ;)

[missletoe]

In my opinion, the best time to work hard and push yourself is an hour after your first morning meal. This has many advantages. Not only are you mentally rested, but physically as well. Many propose working out upon first waking the best option. I would disagree in that your body has been fasting for 7-8 hours and by the time you get moving and get to the gym, get your work-out in, you havent eaten in 10 hours. At the same time, many of us are groggy in the morning without a little food in our system. I personally wake up around 8am, and workout around 9 or 9:30, getting a light breakfast high in protein and complex carbohydrates, and am ready to go.
As far as working out at night, I feel it offers several disadvantages. For one, the gym is always in much more use. Secondly, sometimes it is hard to work out after a 7 to 8 work day. Thirdly, many of us with families would neglect our children or wives by working out at night.
Although I personally dont find night workouts to work for me, there's not to say there arent some advantages. For example, some may have had many small meals through-out the day and are at full peak performance. At the same time, some may use working out as a stress relief, and what better way to relieve stress from a day at the job then with a good hard workout?
As far as alternating workouts from morning to afternoons, I do not see any use in this, unless of course, other factors dictate this (ie. new job hours, mornings just arent working out for you, etc...). Although switching routines as far as weights lifted, reps, and exercises is always good to your body, I can't see how switching times would be. In fact, I think it would be detrimental. One who is used to working out in the morning and coming home from work or school and eating and relaxing will find it more difficult to suddently switch up this routine and workout out after work; they will feel groggy and not mentally prepared.
Although, as stated before, I prefer morning workouts, I still believe it is personal preference.Some people are nite owls and at their best around 9pm, while there are others on the other extreme who are at their best at 7 in the morning. The prevailing wisdom would dictate that one will push the most weights when one is most prepared, mentally and physically. For me, it happens to be in mid-morning, but to truly answer the question, one must ask, "when am I at my best; when am I at my sharpest?" and the answer should be obvious.

[b0dybu1ld3r]

Weight training is key to a bodybuilders success, so it is understandable why they would only want 100% out of their workouts.

Introduction

Many times people believe there is a set time where your strength and energy will be at their peak. The fact in the matter is, everyone is different!

“Then how do I find out the right time for me to train?”, you might say. Well, there are a few key ways, so listen up and you can make your workouts more efficient than ever before!

In order to move the most weight, you have to be at your best, both physically and mentally. But when are you at your best?


I personally workout in the afternoon. This is due to a few reasons:

I have little or no schedule conflicts in the afternoon.
I have more energy later in the day.
Muscles are warmed-up and ready to go.

I have tried to workout in the morning, due to the preferable testosterone levels associated with a morning workout, but it never worked well for me. I wasn't able to lift as much weight, my intensity was lacking, and I required a much more thorough warm-up. It was never enjoyable to shovel down food right after awaking in hopes that I'd have enough nutrients to get myself going early in the morning.

Reaction time is better late in the day, which is quite beneficial. Also, in the late afternoon, body temperature is known to be higher. This will in result make your workout more productive. My body generally seems to thrive on late day workouts, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't give morning workouts a try!

What is the best time of day to weight train? Why?


What causes the difference between your mood, metabolism, and other factors throughout the day are your circadian rhythms. However, I believe that these have little to do with your chances of success. It is said that your circadian rhythms may adapt, as long as you remain consistent to your exercise program(1).

By working out at your most efficient time-of-day, you should notice various benefits. For one, your focus should be better. You should also be able to maintain a decent level of intensity throughout the workout.

Morning Workout

Do you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the world? If so, then the morning workout is for you!
The morning workout has many benefits, including but not limited to:

Easier to manage schedule.
Testosterone is higher early in the day.
More energy throughout day.


Evening Workout

Do you wake up barely able to drag yourself out of bed? Then I recommend working-out in the afternoon or evening! You will benefit in the following ways:

Avoid late-day “energy slump”.
Lower cortisol levels.
Muscles are warmer and more flexible.

One note on morning workouts however. Remember to eat a balanced meal before working out! Cardio included. There is no reason to be doing it on an empty stomach. After an 8-10 hour fast, the last thing your muscles need is a workout on an empty stomach. A decent example of a balanced pre-workout meal would be:

Pre-Workout Meal: 1 Banana, 2 Cups Skim Milk, 2 Whole Eggs, ½ Cup Oatmeal

(34 grams protein, 70 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams fat)

When it really comes down to it however, it's all about consistency! Whatever works best for your in terms of energy, mood, and strength is best overall. It will allow you to keep coming back for more, and will be much more efficient than an ever-changing program that switches back and forth between morning and evening.

Post-workout remember to consume your post workout protein (20-40 grams), along with some carbohydrates (25-75 grams)!

Would alternating your workouts from morning to afternoon to night have any positive or negative effects?


Alternating your workouts could have various benefits, but can be a hassle as well. Most of us are creatures of habit, and we like to workout at a set time. Could this be minimizing our gains? It's quite unlikely, however, we may see benefits in the occasional change-up.

In this writer's opinion, you should go with what your body tells you to do. Yes, consistency is of utmost importance, but if you feel energetic, motivated, and your schedule allows for you to move your workout to a different time of day, then go for it. There's no reason not to give it a try!

Bibliography

(1) http://www.swedish.org/16963.cfm

[bitterplacebo]

I learned some interesting things while writing this.

[Aussie LTD]

i know, i'm late again :)

i'm not gonna win anyway

[Stonecoldtruth]

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[xunforgivenx86]

I don't believe that there is one best time of day to train although there are times where it is more beneficial to train. For example males may get the best results from weight training in the morning after they wake up because that is when testerone levels are the highest. I find the best "time" of day to train is about 60-90 min after a high carb meal, because the carbs give your body the proper energy to train. A mid day nap may be benefical too if you are training late afternoon or early evening to spike up your testerone levels and also rest your body. It is very important if you spend a lot of time on your feet during the day that one you leg day you take a rest and get off your feet for a little.

[LarryLegend2000]

it seems like the best time is always late afternoon