The sun is not yet risen, but some athletes lace up their sports shoes while in the case of many people, the inner pig-dog sounds the Alarm, for others it is the daily routine, to transfer the Training in the early hours of the morning.
Other athletes can focus only in the afternoon on your workout, if the daily tasks are managed, and free time is available.
But what time of day is suitable for a training session is best?
Even if the body is feeling of the athlete is of importance, there are both in the morning and in the evening Training benefits, which could be for the choice of the time of day is crucial.
Benefits of Afternoon workouts
Between work, child care and obligations: With the ringing of the alarm clock of everyday Stress starts for many people. There remains in the Morning, little time for sporting activities so that training sessions be rescheduled to the afternoon or evening. You will benefit of various advantages in their performance and health.
1. Warmed-Up Muscles
After getting Up, the body needs time to rest to active phase, so that its core temperature has not yet reached its peak. With increasing the core temperature rises in the course of the day.
With increasing temperature, the muscles become loose and is significantly stronger. Also, the flexibility of the body increases. Thus, the risk of an injury during one morning workout, higher is reduced.
Whether strength or endurance training in the afternoon, the body is more active than in the Morning, so that you can rather get the maximum performance.
2. Increased Calorie Consumption
A Combination of sleep, exercise and nutrition – the consumption of energy is dependent on several factors, and each athlete individually.
A study, however, shows that the consumption of calories in the afternoon and evening is higher than in the Morning. Thus, the same training session, consume more calories. This effect could particularly play during weight loss an important role.
3. The Body’s Own Hormones
Testosterone plays in muscle building a crucial role in The body’s own hormone supports the strength and endurance growth and ensures that the muscle mass is maintained.
However, the growth hormone is the stress hormone Cortisol counteracts. It is the protein biosynthesis, i.e., the active muscle-building inhibits.
Who would like to counteract this process, with a workout in the afternoon, all right – in the Morning, the cortisol level is highest and decreases over the course of the day constantly. Thus, the Training effect in the afternoon or in the evening to support muscle metabolism.
Benefits of morning exercise
Even if an early training session costs, especially in the beginning to Overcome, it has positive effects on Training and health. But also the recreational benefits of this daily routine.
1. Sudden Incidents
The bag is already Packed, and the Training in the afternoon, nothing stands in the way of a sudden the phone rings and an appointment arises between the sports plans. Who finished his Training in the Morning, could start relaxed in the day.
In addition, the morning training session outwitted the inner pig dog. In the afternoon, tiredness and fatigue prevail and often the Motivation to exercise decreases. In the Morning, however, you do not often thinks about how exhausting the Training is.
Even if the Training costs in the Morning initially, to Overcome, a plays here a quick Routine.
2. Increased Fat Consumption
Without Breakfast, to start Training – it’s not for everyone, but for people who want to burn fat, could be the morning Training is particularly advantageous.
A study shows that a training session also leads to an empty stomach to a higher fat burning than in a saturated state.
However, especially in the first training sessions on an empty stomach, should safety’s sake, a Snack ready to cardiovascular problems in case of doubt, to counteract. Also the body needs to adjust to this new Situation.
3. Improved Sleep
Healthy sleep contributes effectively to the Regeneration of the body and muscles, and is particularly important for athletes. Many people have, however, always find problems to rest and eventually fall asleep.
In order to reduce the sleep phase, can be a workout in the Morning is the optimal solution, because the body is exhausted faster during the day. A training session in the afternoon can affect the sleep phase, even negative.
An American study shows that a training session helped to seven o’clock in the morning some volunteers in the evening to better fall asleep. Also the deep sleep phase, which is particularly important for the Regeneration was extended after the morning Training.
Be spoilt for choice
Whether in the Morning or afternoon – for both times of the Day, there are benefits that can affect the Training and health. What time of day is for an athlete, the Right, therefore depends on the individual goals and needs.
Moreover, one should also concentrate the own body feeling and both variants to try to be the better choice.
Sources
- Fairbrother, K. et al. (2014): “Effects of exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure in prehypertensives”, retrieved on 14.04.2020 https://www.dovepress.com/effects-of-exercise-timing-on-sleep-architecture-and-nocturnal-blood-p-peer-reviewed-article-VHRM
- Vieira, A. et al. (2016): “Effects of aerobic exercise performed in fasted v. fed state on fat and carbohydrate metabolism in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis”, retrieved on 14.04.2020 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effects-of-aerobic-exercise-performed-in-fasted-v-fed-state-on-fat-and-carbohydrate-metabolism-in-adults-a-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis/0EA2328A0FF91703C95FD39A38716811
- Seo, D. Yun et al. (2013): “Morning and evening exercise”, retrieved on 14.04.2020 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5481716/
- Hamdi, C. et al. (2012): “The Effect of Training at a Specific Time of Day: A Review”, retrieved on 14.04.2020 https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2012/07000/The_Effect_of_Training_at_a_Specific_Time_of_Day__.33.aspx
- Zitting, K. et al. (2018): “Human Resting Energy Expenditure Varies with Circadian Phase”, retrieved on 14.04.2020 https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(18)31334-4?_returnURL=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0960982218313344?showall=true
- Alley, J., et al. (2015): “Effects of Resistance Exercise Timing on Sleep Architecture and Nocturnal Blood Pressure”, accessed 14.04.2020 https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2015/05000/effects_of_resistance_exercise_timing_on_sleep.28.aspx
Michelle Steinmetz
*The contribution of “Perfect Timing: when is the best time of day for Training?” is of FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.