Optimal Routine.
What Time of Day Should I Exercise?
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. What Workout Time is Most Optimal of Them All?
So you’re beginning your health journey and are not entirely sure just what time you should be working out? More specifically at what hour of the day is best for results?!
To nip this question in the bud, the most honest, true, and basic of answers =
When ever You would Best Prefer!
Getting it Done & it being in congruence with your day to day Life being the Top 2 Main Components.
Exercise at different times of the day has pros and cons physically and mentally. I will run through them here.
That being said, no matter when you chose to do your squats and curls, the time that personally fits your lifestyle and routine is by far the best way to go.
You will be more likely to perform your workouts as well as fight minimal mental and physical resistance following your bodies natural intuition.
Specifics. Questions to Ask Yourself.
To pin-point your very own specific best time these are some of the questions required
1. What Time do You Currently Wake Up & What Time Do You Begin Your Work Day?
2. When is Your Downtime?
3. At What Hour Do You Generally Feel Your Best?
4. What within Your Life Schedule are Absolutes?
1. Waking Hour to Start of the Day
The reason for keeping your current waking hour and beginning of the day in mind is to see if you already have a window of time to allow for a workout.
Are you an early and calm riser who gets up just as the sun is coming up if not before or are you waking near mid-day in the midst of the chaotic action of this life that has been occurring?
Well if you identify with the first, it may be possible to add in your workouts within the space of waking and officially starting your day!
If you come to find you don’t have much time in the morning nor do you want to begin rising earlier to fit in a workout then day, late afternoon, or evening sessions would most likely best suite you.
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2. Downtime
No matter the case, an exercise routine would have to take place over some of your “downtime”.
Within Life we must always allocate our tasks, needs, and whatever we may want to do any given day within the 24 hours we are gifted each day! Regular exercise enhances your daily living, such as proper sleep. Realize you will lead a better Life for “sacrificing” some downtime for beneficial regular exercise.
Recognize what times and events are purely leisure and expendable. Be willing to add in some light, energizing body work instead!
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3. “I’m ready. Let’s eat!”
Well, this one is pretty straight forward. Whatever time of day in which you feel your best would equate to when you should be working out!
Dependent on the type of person you are as well as your current schedule and life patterns you will have regular times in which you feel your best. As well as depending on your work schedule, regular nutritional habits, and overall lifestyle choices will play a role in how you feel energetically at different hours of the day.
In my experience most individuals tend to either best fit early morning workouts or evening workouts that take place just after their work day.
Whichever aligns with your natural energy levels and schedule the most is the one I’d suggest initially go for. Get it done.
4. Schedule Absolutes
Absolutes within your schedule are events or priorities that simply can not be moved or altered in any way.
For many of us this would be such a thing as work. It may also extend to priorities such as dinner, studying, reading, or family time.
I brought these up for the fact that your exercise times will have to work around these schedule absolutes. Before, after, or if you have the ability to get it in in between. I have known individuals to exercise on their lunch break!
Whatever it takes!
Take note of events and priorities of your life that are set and engraved in stone. They will not change in time nor do you plan on taking it out of your life. Schedule your workout at a given time outside of these schedule absolutes!
When you have answered and clarified these questions you can pin-point as to what time of the day would best suit you and your life.
I would suggest that you try out your newly discovered time and see how it goes for the following 4-weeks.
Be open to experimenting other times as well to truly know which time of day would serve you best long term!
Know that as life continues the time which serves you best will change. Know that and be willing to adapt & take control of the times at hand!
Benefits & Downfalls. Early AM Training.
Letting up and running through your workout first thing has its’ positive and negative sides.
Working out first thing in the morning ensures you get it done, builds momentum, sets the daily tone, clears your day for other activities, and energizes the body for the rest of the day.
Therefore the likelihood of skipping out (once routine is set) is minimal as well as the fact that you will set yourself up for a better day.
The downfalls come into play later in the evening. You will have to head to bed earlier, that is a fact of committing to early am workouts. You will naturally get sleepy earlier in the evening, listen to your body and learn to sleep when the time comes in order to awake ready and bushy tailed the next day!
Scientifically and anecdotally you will not be as strong or vigorous in the morning. I have personally experienced this for years as well as heard others bring this fact to light for themselves.
It is scientifically proven that joint flexibility, muscle strength and short-term high power output peak in the evening. As well as for the fun little fact that all sporting event world records were broken win the evening hours! You will provenly be stronger and more physically capable. Read more (HERE).
If your looking to Maximize your workouts for that fact that your Physical Performance or Ability is a High Priority in your Life. Mostly relating to athletes & others that compete or rely on their body for Living.
This is one reason you may chose to exercise in the evenings as opposed to the mornings.
Benefits & Downfalls. Evening Training.
As I was beginning to state, your energy, power, and strength potentials peak in the evening. This is a very convincing reason as to why you would want to train in the evenings.
I’d suggest evening training for athletes and anyone aiming to maximize their training and progression. If you simply aim for life benefiting health & simplifying your daily routine then whenever you regularly can is best!
One thing to keep in mind with evening training is that it will lengthen your activity phase or “awareness” in the evening. This will delay your sleeping phase. Basically, late evening training will have a tendency to keep you up a bit later at night disrupting your nightly rest.
Negate this problem by ensuring that your training session ends a few hours from when you regularly head to to bed.
A couple benefits of evening training is that it is more social in the evening as well as it is a good way to transition into your night routine. I have come to experience that the gym is much more packed. full of life, & active in the evening hours. Therefore your opportunity to make some like minded friends increases. Being a plus if you feed off group energy & atmosphere.
Coming home from a nice workout is always a thing of beauty. Spaced properly between your sleep it is an amazing way to set the tone for the remainder of your evening.
Calming and refreshing to say the least!
The Sun Rises, The Sun Falls. The Space in Between Calls.
To wrap this blog essay in a nice little ribbon. Exercise at a time in which best suites your life!
If you’d like to maximize progress and strength then go for the evening but tactically do so in order to not disrupt your sleep.
Go for the mornings if you simply want to get it done and set the tone for the day!
There is no lack of time. Prioritize and get it done.
About the Author | Osbaldo Camacho-Perez
Osbaldo is the Founder of Osi; World-Class Fitness Coach & Trainer.
Curating Excellent Results is Our Single Minded Focus Here at Osi.
Taking Charge of Your Health, Fitness, & Daily Performance is Where We’ll Start.
A “Wow!” Outcome is Where We’ll Take You.
Osbaldo Began his Own Health & Fitness Journey at 14. By 22 the Entire Growth Experience got Osbaldo Obsessed with the Concept of Human Growth.
Excellent Results within Health & Fitness Alongside the Repeated Actions Required.
Gifted Osbaldo A Lot More than He Could Have Ever Asked For. Initiating A Deep Desire to Completely Pass on These Wonderful Benefits to His Fellow Human Being.
Leading him to Find Osi.
If You’re Hungry for Excellence, Growth, & Results. You Will Enjoy Yourself Here.