When talking about the best times to train, it's important to split up strength training in the gym for muscle growth and weight loss. These are fundamentally different activities that imply different metabolic processes - which is why it is extremely difficult for the body to burn fat and build muscle at the same time.
Weight loss workouts are aerobic (that is, oxygen-consuming cells), while strength training for muscle growth is anaerobic. The effectiveness of cardio for burning fat is increased when blood glucose levels are low (this literally forces the body to waste fat stores), whereas strength training is not possible under such conditions.
In other words, morning workouts are the perfect choice for fat loss and endurance, while muscle building workouts are recommended in the afternoon. However, you can also swing early in the morning - you just need to follow the advice described in our material (for example, take a portion of a gainer before training).
Why is it hard to train in the morning?
Strength training in the early morning is much more difficult for most people than training in the afternoon. The main reason for this is that the body simply does not have enough energy in the morning - muscle glycogen stores and blood sugar levels are minimal, and the energy of fat stores cannot be used to perform strength exercises.
Let's say you are doing - a minute ago the body did not know about the upcoming load, but now it needs energy. The source of this "fast" energy can only be the stores of glycogen from the muscles working in this movement, but not the fat stores. It will take your body at least 15-20 minutes to get energy from fat.
How to swing correctly in the morning?
If you exercise early in the morning without sufficient glycogen stores, your blood sugar will drop, making your workout much more difficult and leading to mental blurredness or even fainting. For a full-fledged strength training for muscle growth, the body needs at least 100-150 g of carbohydrates, stored in the form of glycogen directly in the muscles.
A hearty breakfast an hour and a half before strength training will help energize muscles, but in real life, not all athletes have time for such a breakfast. The situation is aggravated by the fact that in order to successfully gain mass at the end of the training, the body again needs calories to close - or a second breakfast in the case of morning workouts.
Strength training early in the morning
For strength training early in the morning (especially when there is no time for a hearty breakfast), it is critical to take it immediately after waking up - otherwise the body simply will not have enough energy. By the time you enter the gym, carbohydrates from sports nutrition have already been absorbed and their energy will enter the bloodstream.
However, after the end of the morning strength training, it is still important to have a full breakfast and provide your muscles not only with carbohydrates and proteins, but also vitamins and minerals. Also keep in mind that it will take your body about 1-2 weeks to get used to such a training regimen, and do not despair if the first days seem too difficult for you.
Morning workouts to burn fat
Once again, remember that fat burning occurs exclusively when blood glucose levels are low. The reason lies in the fact that insulin, raised by sugar, is necessary for the formation of energy reserves, while the hormone adrenaline is needed to remove this energy from cells (1). At the same time, insulin and adrenaline cannot be synthesized by the body at the same time.
For this reason, it is recommended to lose weight for at least 30-40 minutes - in this case, the body first spends stores of glycogen and carbohydrates, lowering the level of insulin, and only then adrenaline rises, activating the processes of fat burning. The good news is that this process is much faster in the morning.
Cardio on an empty stomach
In most cases, immediately after waking up, the reserves of glycogen in the body are minimal - which is why slow cardio performed in the early morning leads to the fastest possible weight loss. At the same time, any breakfast (even a protein isolate that does not contain carbohydrates) will make the body first of all burn the calories of this breakfast, and all fat reserves.
The main rules of morning workouts for weight loss are an empty stomach and the most moderate pace of load (running is definitely not recommended) lasting at least 30-40 minutes. Immediately after the end of such a fat burning workout, it is recommended to take 2-3 capsules, while a full breakfast is acceptable no earlier than half an hour later.
Can I train in the evening?
Unfortunately, late evening is the worst time for both strength training and weight loss training. Fat burning training will be ineffective due to the presence of sugar in the blood (glucose levels decrease only 4-5 hours after the last meal), and strength training can cause sleep problems due to overexcitation of the central nervous system.
If you have absolutely no other choice, and you can only go to the gym in the evening, plan a large meal 2 hours before the evening training for muscle growth, so that after it there is only a light dinner. Also, carefully study the composition of sports nutrition, making sure that it does not contain other stimulants that interfere with sleep.
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Morning workouts on an empty stomach are best for weight loss, however, before strength training for muscle growth in the morning, it is recommended to take a serving of a weight gainer. Exercising late at night is the worst option - the presence of glucose in the blood will block fat burning, and the general fatigue of the day will prevent you from maximizing strength training.
Scientific sources:
- The Stubborn Fat Solution, Lyle McDonald,
The right time for physical activity allows you to achieve the highest possible results. If it is inappropriate, the effectiveness of the training is either sharply reduced or practically nil. To determine the best time to go to the gym or run, you need to focus on your goal - losing weight, gaining mass. It should be engaged in those hours that help maintain the body in good shape, burn body fat, or, conversely, gain muscle mass.
There is a lot of research on what hours are the best to exercise. This topic is of interest to scientists around the world. Years of research have allowed not only to study this issue, but also to come to certain conclusions that allow trainees to achieve better results.
Studies by American scientists have shown that the timing of training should be based on the physical characteristics of a person's structure:
- Ectomorphs. People with this body type have a high metabolic rate. They are naturally predisposed to thinness and experience certain problems in gaining weight, including muscle mass, which causes difficulties for those who want to build decent muscles. The best time for sports activities for ectomorphs is the evening, when they are full of strength and energy.
- Mesomorphs. People with an average body type do not have a tendency to be either overweight or thin. This is due to the normal metabolic rate. Mesomorphs, according to the study, can be practiced in the morning, afternoon, evening hours. It all depends on the person's own wishes and the availability of free time.
- Endomorphs. Owners of the third body type often suffer from excess weight. The metabolism in their body is very slow. In order not to suffer from extra pounds in the form of a fat layer, they should exercise in the morning. The optimal and best period is considered to be the period from 7 to 10 hours, when the amount of glycogen with glucose is minimal and the energy for exercise is released due to the oxidation of the fat layer.
Researchers from Williamsburg conducted an experiment. It consisted in the fact that the trainings were carried out at 8, 12, 15 and 20 hours. In each period of time, several people were engaged with heavy weights. The participants in the experiment were people who had not previously played sports. This study found that evening is the best time for strength training.
This conclusion is logical. Muscle fibers are more susceptible to contraction and quick work in the evening hours, since the temperature of the human body in the evening hours is much higher than in the morning or afternoon. In addition, testosterone and cortisol levels contribute to the effectiveness of resistance training. The first is responsible for the destruction, and the second is responsible for the growth of muscle mass.
At rest, testosterone is high in the morning, but the most effective increase from resistance training is in the evening hours. And if a person wants not only to play sports, but also to become the owner of an impressive muscle mass, it is recommended to perform strength exercises in the evening hours. Exercising during this time is most beneficial and allows you to increase the muscles.
People who want to lose weight and body fat should exercise in the morning. This period of time is characterized by high levels of cortisol, but there are nuances here that should definitely be studied by all those who wish to become slimmer.
Workouts for those who like to get up early in the morning
For a person who wakes up early in the morning and feels vigorous, energetic, full of strength, morning workouts are best suited. Of course, such activities have their own characteristics. In the morning, the body temperature is lowered. This means that the joints with ligaments are not quite elastic, so vigorous exercise is not very effective and is not recommended for doing. Gym with yoga is the best choice for early workouts. They do not require a lot of energy and allow you to feel toned all day.
Burning fat - from seven to nine in the morning
These two hours are best for doing cardio and burning fat. Cortisol from 7 am to 9 am is high enough, and glycogen = quite low, so during exercise, energy is taken from the body fat. Morning workouts are best done within forty minutes. The intensity should be medium. A person who does not have heart problems or blood pressure can exercise in half the time, but at an accelerated pace. You should focus on your own well-being, since not all people can engage in any kind of activity in the morning.
Aerobic exercise - from 15.00 to 16.00
During this hour, the body temperature rises and reaches its peak by about 17.30. This period is best suited for aerobics, dancing, jogging, fitness, cycling. Such activity has a good effect not only on fat burning, but also well strengthens the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
Strength and high-intensity training - from 17.00 to 18.00
From five to six in the evening, it is best to do weights. This time is ideal for a visit to the gym, as well as high-intensity and interval training. Such exercises require maximum endurance, namely in the evening and body temperature and testosterone levels rise higher. A person feels a surge of strength and this has a positive effect on training.
What is the best workout after 19:00?
After seven in the evening, the body temperature begins to decrease again. To get the most out of classes, this time is best to devote to body flex, stretching, tai chi, yoga. These types of physical activity have a calming and healing effect, help to strengthen deep muscles, develop flexibility and endurance, help to form a beautiful and correct posture, and have a beneficial effect on the psyche.
Summarizing
The timing of your workout depends on many factors. The first thing to consider for a person who decides to start attending a gym, lose weight, or, conversely, gain muscle mass, is his body type. In most cases, he determines the purpose of the classes. The results a person wants to achieve also affects when it is best to practice. To lose weight, exercise is best in the morning. Evening is more suitable for gaining muscle mass. However, if you have not previously played sports, it is better to first visit a doctor, which will allow you to accurately establish the absence of contraindications to certain types of physical activity.
How to pump up the body in a month: training program 
How to Burn Fat Using Cardio
Not sure what time of day is best to train? After reading this article, you will determine the most optimal time to work out in the gym.
Drawing up a training process is not an easy task. It is necessary to provide for many subtleties and nuances. Proper nutrition, list effective exercise, recovery time, sleep, discipline and more will help you build a beautiful body.
Few people know that in order to achieve the required result, it is necessary to choose the right time for training. The point is that not all hours during the day are equally suitable for sports. Let's take a look at what can influence the timing of your workout and which part of your day is most rewarding.
Target
What do you want to achieve from going to the gym? Everyone knows what he wants and you are no exception.
The right time for training contributes to the accelerated achievement of the final result.
AND are the most desirable goals that have stuck in the heads of many people who have decided to work on themselves and change for the better.
- Burning fat
The human body is designed in such a way that after waking up, the blood sugar level is lowered, and the metabolism is accelerated.
If you exercise early in the day, then fat will be the main source of energy, not carbohydrates. Consequently, you can burn a lot 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 I must say that exercising on an empty stomach, you will have a lack of strength, therefore, you will quickly get tired. Therefore, do not overload your body, otherwise 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:.
- Weight gain
Evening workouts can help you build muscle and build 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 other hand, destroys muscle fibers.
Testosterone levels are much higher after an evening workout than after a morning workout. In contrast, levels of cortisol, known as the stress hormone, are significantly lower in the evening than in the morning.
Therefore, exercising in the evening is likely to gain muscle mass much faster than exercising in the morning.
Useful article:.
Kind of activity
If you sit in front of the computer all day and lead a sedentary lifestyle, then at the end of the day you need to stretch your body. In this case, an evening workout is the best remedy for muscle wasting. Physical activity will increase testosterone , will improve blood circulation and help keep muscles in good shape.
If you are engaged in physically difficult work associated with constant travel, active movement and lifting weights, you will not have the strength for an evening workout. Therefore, morning workouts are the best choice for you. Exercising early in the day is guaranteed to invigorate and revitalize your brain and muscles. The main thing is not to overdo it in training, otherwise you will not be able to effectively cope with work duties.
Schedule
Also, the choice of time for training is influenced by the daily routine. Each person lives in his own rhythm and organizes the day as it 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 nothing to do but come to the gym in the evening.
If you have a relatively free work schedule and you can choose absolutely any time to work out in the gym, then you are incredibly lucky. Build your day the way you want, but remember to train at the same time at all times. The body must adapt to consistently receiving the next dose of exercise.
You should not train haphazardly: in the morning, then in the evening. Such instability will inevitably lead to stress, because the body will not be able to adapt to an ever-changing schedule. In this case, accuracy and methodicality are important.
Organizing your day wisely will benefit you from exercising in the gym and will also make you more disciplined.
Morning workouts have another benefit - fewer people in the gym. In the evening, the halls are packed to capacity and look more like a can of sprats than a sports club. Therefore, if you can go to workouts in the morning, then you have a unique opportunity to practice in an almost empty gym, and not stand in line for 10 minutes to the desired simulator or apparatus. In addition, in many halls the morning subscription is much cheaper than the evening one.
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 sufficient time toto warm up muscles, stretch ligaments and tune the nervous system for productive sports.
Do not neglect the warm-up during evening workouts, otherwise the risk of injury increases. In the morning it is much easier and easier to damage an undisturbed body than at sunset, but evenings are not insurance against injury in the evening.
Body type
Oddly enough, but body type also affects the timing of training 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 exercise in the evening, since it is by this time of day that a sufficient amount of calories will accumulate in your body, which can be used as a source of energy.
- Mesomorph
People with this 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 versatile, so the benefits of morning workouts are approximately equal to the benefits of evening workouts. Again, I want to mention that the goal and the schedule of work will mainly determine the timing of the classes.
- Endomorph
People of this physique are usually prone to gaining excess weight.
If you are an endomorph, then your body has a slow metabolism. You are advised to exercise early in the day to maximize your fat loss.
Conclusion
The choice of time for training is a purely individual thing. Having analyzed your lifestyle, your goals and desires, you can easily determine this important factor, which will certainly help you in your difficult task.
The main thing is not to over-torture yourself. If you cannot wake up normally and recover in the morning, and your productivity in the morning is zero, then you do not need to mock yourself - exercise in the evening. Conversely, if by the end of the day your strength is exhausted, but with the first rays of the sun you are full of energy, then exercise in the morning.
Remember, you need to enjoy life, and training and work on yourself are an integral part of your life.
We consider the pros and cons of training at different times of the day
Analyzing the indicators of human biorhythms, the level of hormones and the temperature of our body at different intervals of the day, we come to the conclusion that our functional state changes during the day. The highest working capacity in humans is observed from 10 to 12 and from 15 to 18 hours.
Interesting: Experts are of the opinion that at noon and early evening, our body temperature is higher than the body temperature immediately after waking up. Training during this period of time is optimal, as it reduces the risk of muscle strain and injury.
But not everyone and not always succeed in doing sports in the middle of the day. Work and study take time, and we are left with two options: to train in the morning or in the evening.
Physical activity will benefit anyway, because there is no specific time for sports. But at what time will it be possible to achieve maximum results? We propose to consider in detail the most optimal and convenient options.
1) Morning workouts:
Playing sports in the early hours, immediately after waking up, is difficult only for the first time. Over time, the human body gets used to systematic morning exercises, and after several such workouts, you can easily wake up without an alarm clock at the time allotted for classes. Immediately after sleep, a person's body temperature is lowered, therefore, during morning workouts, more energy is spent, which contributes to increased fat burning by the body.
Also early workouts perfectly speed up the metabolism, which makes it possible to burn more calories throughout the day. Plus, the body after morning physical activity is in good shape, which makes it easier to endure the afternoon, during which it usually tends to sleep and performance is lost.
But there are also weaknesses: unheated muscles are easy to injure, so before morning workout, you must definitely do a good warm-up for all muscle groups. Despite the fact that in the morning exercise contributes to the rapid burning of fat, with a low temperature and hormones, calories are burned more slowly during the very morning workout than during the evening. If you exercise in the morning, then get into the habit have breakfast an hour and a half before training and once again provide the body with food after.
Ideally, to achieve a noticeable result, you need to do at least 1 hour daily. Morning exercise improves blood flow to the brain that stimulates its functioning.
2) Day training:
Such training quickly becomes a habit. At this time, the most effective will be strength training, stretching, crossfit and other exercises that require endurance and strength.
In the afternoon, body temperature and hormone levels rise. Muscles become pliable and more flexible, after noon workouts will bring good result while reducing the risk of muscle tension and, as a result, muscle pain.
Daytime workouts are great for those looking to increase muscle strength and endurance levels. They need to be properly planned, taking into account the obligatory meal. Lunch, in case of physical activity, should be divided into two meals: one and a half to two hours before and an hour after training.
Of the minuses we will allocate a busy schedule of study or work. Not everyone can afford to spend time training at lunchtime (40-50 minutes). The lesson can be "crumpled" and ineffective because of the desire to have time for everything and at once for a minimum period.
3) Evening training:
After 16:00, the muscles are in in the best shape ... Strength training with dumbbells or a barbell will be effective - that is this time is more suitable for drawing the relief than weight loss.
Evening workouts practically do not differ in effectiveness from late afternoon ones. In the late hours, fitness clubs are usually densely filled: everyone rushes after work and study to go in for sports and relieve emotional stress. But it is worth considering the fact that physical activity provokes the body to develop adrenaline... If it's too late to study, then such exercise can cause sleep disturbances. The optimal time for an evening workout is 2-3 hours before bedtime.
To consolidate the results of your workout, we recommend drinking a protein shake that contains a large amount of protein necessary for the formation of muscle relief, and also has an active regenerative effect on muscle tissue, relieving muscle tension and pain. At the same time, protein shakes are easily digested and digested due to their liquid consistency, thus ideal for recovering the body after an evening workout, without being deposited in adipose tissue and without creating a feeling of heaviness in the stomach. Drinking protein shakes is recommended 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Important: Don't forget to eat before strength training as they are really dangerous on an empty stomach.
Whatever time you choose to do sports, remember, the main thing is the regularity of your workouts! With periodicity at least 3 times a week the results will not be long in coming.
In order to contact an individual consultant who will draw up a training and nutrition plan for you, go through link. 18 November 2016, 17:56 2016-11-18
When is the best time of day to train from a physiological point of view? Fatigue in the evening, but in the morning the body is somehow not ready? In other words, when is the best time to train, in the morning or in the evening?
Workout in the morning
What happens in the human body in the morning? You woke up, washed, woke up completely 🙂 and felt a surge of strength. Perhaps, at no other time of the day do we feel as cheerful and energetic as in the morning.
This is, of course, due to prolonged sleep and hormones. In the morning, from about 6 to 8 o'clock, cortisol is excreted in the body. This catabolic hormone helps to actively break down fats, carbohydrates and proteins in the body. And it is, among other things, an important anti-inflammatory agent that protects us from all sorts of infections.
Increased energy, hours of rest, increased cortisol secretion - what could be better for training? Especially for terrain training.
I think the morning is the perfect time for serious fitness training.
It is no coincidence that most professional athletes conduct their workouts early in the morning. This is really correct.
For people who are building muscle mass, the following advice will be relevant. So that the increased secretion of cortisol does not damage the muscle mass gained with such difficulty, immediately after waking up, it is worth taking a small dose of amino acids (for example, BCAA) or whey (fast) protein. Do this right before your morning workout. It really affects muscle mass in the best possible way.
After your morning workout, you should have a hearty breakfast. I am sure that even those who usually do not want to eat in the morning will feel a healthy morning hunger after a good workout.
Meanwhile, many people feel that they should not train with weights in the morning. I myself came to this conclusion through personal experience. It's much easier to get injured in the morning if you don't take the time to warm up thoroughly. For many people, if training is done in the morning, then only aerobic, light strength training, static exercises. Most people have much lower flexibility in the morning than in the evening. Therefore, stretching in the morning is less pleasant.
You must decide for yourself if the morning is right for you.
Workouts in the evenings
In the evening, on the contrary, in many respects the body is better prepared for the load, but this fatigue ...
Did you know that fatigue is different? Analyze what you are tired of?
1. Have you been carrying bags of cement all day?
2. Or did you sit in front of the monitor all day? Is it really physical fatigue?
Or maybe you just forgot to have lunch or are nervous? Is it emotional fatigue? And good physical activity will help to break out of the vicious circle of negativity and fuss?
If in the first case it can be said unequivocally that training is most likely out of the question. Then in the second - I'm sure of this - you have to take yourself by the soft spot and drag yourself into the hall! Fatigue will be removed as if by hand.
It also happens that it is difficult to understand whether it is worth training today or not. Here I recommend applying the old tried and true rule:
If in doubt whether to go to an evening workout or not - go
Just go to the gym and start exercising. If in the first minutes of training the fatigue only intensifies, just do a minimum of exercises with light weight and go home. But I am sure that most of these potentially missing training sessions will go with a bang. Surprise yourself with your energy!
The subjective perception of training is strongly influenced by habit. It is important to understand that a person is an extremely flexible creature. We can develop the habit of exercising at any time of the day. The main thing is habit. And only if you really start to notice that the chosen time is unsuccessful, then you should think about changing the exercise regimen.
Workout twice a day
Sounds unexpected? Seems impossible? Suitable only for professionals? I do not agree with you, because I know a lot of examples from ordinary people with a lot of things to do and trouble.
Two workouts a day is very effective for quick results. This principle is especially suitable for losing weight and getting in shape quickly. Of course, this takes effort and time. But, I emphasize, this is very effective. For example, the program and my other trainings almost always require two sessions a day. One workout (morning) is the main one, the second (evening) is auxiliary and very short.
Two workouts a day is neither fantasy nor delirium. It's just a habit and a commitment.
