In the modern world we are always surrounded with the different troubles and problems, and it’s often quite hard to find time for training. For many people workout has become a way out from this situation, because it has allowed to exclude all side elements related to time consuming (e.g. there is no need to go somewhere, it’s possible to train at home or on the nearest street sportsground) and at the same time to keep efficiency and productivity.
Nevertheless, the issue of choosing time for training are still actual today, and we are going to talk about the factors that has an impact on it. It should be noted that there is no “universal” best time for training and this issue, like many others, should be considered individually.
The most important factor that you have to take account of is a possibility to train regularly at the same time. If having trainings is much better than not to have ones, so having the regular trainings is much better than to train from time to time. Therefore try to find a time interval in your daily schedule when you always (or at least in 90% of cases) can spend time on workout. It can be morning, it can be day, it can be evening or even night. Anyway, it’s better to choose one time and train regularly at that time.
There are also a number of secondary factors influencing the choosing of time for training:
* Taking meals. It is pretty hard to train on an empty as well as on a full stomach. So, it’s better to train in one-two hours after a meal.
*Cardiovascular and other systems. Active trainings not load muscles only, but cardiovascular and respiratory systems as well. Regardless whether you are an early bird or a night owl, for a while after waking all organism systems work, let’s say, at the ‘low rotation speed’. So, if you want to train in the first half of the day, you should dedicate enough time for warming up. You don’t drive your car fast in winter without warming it up before, do you? It’s all the same with your body. In case of normal daily schedule, when it’s time to sleep, your organism starts to slow down all its systems, relaxes and prepares to rest. That is why it’s recommended to train not less than two hours before going to sleep, in order not to spoil the natural biorhythms.
* Results. It might seem commonplace, but the results are not the last point in our list of factors. If you always train in the mornings and see no results – try to train at some other time. It’s quite possible that morning trainings is not for you
* Support. Believe my experience, it’s much easier to find friends to train together at after-dinner time or in the evening, rather than in the morning. And as I said earlier, collective trainings are much more effective than trainings alone!
* Goals. If your goal is to gain muscle mass, it’s better to train in the evening, two hours before sleep. As we all remember, by training we cause microtraumas in muscles, which are recovered during the rest period, making muscles stronger. Accordingly, it would be ideal to eat and sleep after a good workout, and you have such opportunity only in the evening.
* Job. If your job is related e.g. to manual labor, then trainings in the morning is the best solution. To make it effective, you should go all out, but it’s hard to be done, remembering you have a whole day full of hard work afterwards! However, when you’ll come home tired after work you will hardly want to train too. So, you should decide yourself what’s good for you.
A few interesting facts in support of the issue. Greg Plitt, one of the leading fitness models in the world, trains regularly at 5-6 in the morning due to the three main reasons:
1) There are much less people in a gym (this argument also works for a street sportsground, especially if it’s fully occupied by the children during the daytime)
2) Regardless of his plans his morning is always free.
3) He is energized for the whole day
At the same time, 8 time Mister Olympia – Ronnie Coleman, in his time, regularly trained at night or in the morning, as it was difficult to him to combine his trainings with working for the police.
I suppose you might have mentioned that I like the different sayings. And here is another one for you, just on today’s info-post topic: if you really want to do something, you’ll find a way, if you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
And when do YOU train?
100-day workout – Contents
