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Best Time of Day for Working Out


wfvegan
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I've always been an early riser and loved my morning workouts, but have started reading up on some benefits of training later in the day if you are lifting heavy weights. From what I understand, in the morning you are most likely dehydrated, low on carbs, and most importantly the fluid in your spine is depleted. This can lead to back injuries, particularly on such exercises as deadlift and squats.

 

I know that the most important thing is to pick the best time that works for you so that you can maintain the habit and be consistent. However, if you are able to workout at any time of the day, what is the best for performance/gains? Anybody else here experiment with lifting heavy in the morning?

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I think the morning is best for long slow endurance training. I used to lift in the morning because I had to but I know I was stronger later in the day...same with riding my bike. I'm thinking it has a lot to do with the stored energy from the previous day. Its there waiting but you aren't ready to use it quickly. By the time afternoon floats around your body is somewhat warmed up before you get started and you've been fueling your body throughout the day.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I think it is different for everyone. When I started I lifted weights late mornings, and loved it. But now I tend to go late afternoon after work, and still do as well as I did in the morning. This morning I ran a 5k, and it was pretty early, buut I did fine and had plenty of energy. But since you're talking about lifting "heavy" weights, I would imagine later in the day, since your body would be more alert. You wouldn't want to drop a heavy weight because you weren''t quite awake yet.

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I am always stronger, warmer, and have less aches/pains when I train later in the day.

 

In saying that, I have been training first thing in the AM for 8 years.

 

Go figure.

 

Why?

 

Well, because along with feeling better later in the day, that is when work demands are higher, meetings take place, social gatherings are scheduled, etc.

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Well, because along with feeling better later in the day, that is when work demands are higher, meetings take place, social gatherings are scheduled, etc.

 

I hear that...that's another reason why I find that the mornings are usually better for me. No one else to contend with except my ego. Plus the gym is much less crowded at 5am than at 6 or 7pm

 

Despite having studies and people say that it's best to work out later in the day when lifting heavy, I think I'll continue to do it in the morning as that's what works best for me and I feel most alert.

 

I would be interested to see if my strength were to increase/decrease depending on the time of day though. Maybe I'll test this out sometime in the future.

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