The Best Time of Day to Workout

Posted on Oct 29th, 2008 | Comments (0)
Fitness Tips, Health Care

Do you always stick to the same schedule when you workout? Did you know that there are certain times of the day that are better than others?

We all know that working out is important. We also know people who insist that an early morning workout is the best time of day to exercise. Of course, there are others that feel that an evening workout works best for them. But, what is truly the best time to exercise? Well, the answer is simple - it depends. For some, they workout whenever they can; others are on a strict schedule. Those that go to the gym may try to avoid peak times so they have full access to all of the equipment. The main question, however, is what are you trying to get out of your workouts? The effectiveness of your workout time depends on what you're trying to accomplish, combined with your own body rhythms.

The Advantages Of Evening Workouts - Trying to build muscle, or train for an event? Evenings may be a good time for your workouts. The afternoon may be a better time to engage in more explosive exercises, such as kickboxing or racquetball. Research has shown that the body's temperature tends to rise by a few degrees in the afternoon, warming the muscles and connective tissues and resulting in a slight improvement in your performance capabilities. If you're not putting in a longer warm-up, morning workouts can put you at a higher risk for injury. Plus, in the morning, your body hasn't had fuel for almost 12 hours, which means there isn't enough stored fuel (glycogen) to fuel an effective workout. The

Advantages of Morning Workouts - Trying to lose weight? Working out and doing cardio (especially on an empty stomach) will burn more fat calories because your carbohydrate reserves are almost used up. That causes the body to turn to fat stores for energy first. Many fitness experts warn, however, that running on empty isn't the most efficient way to work out. Plus, evidence has shown that those that time their workouts for the mornings, are more likely to stick with their fitness routines.

Planning Your Weekly Workouts - Whatever you do, you're better off planning your workouts for frequent intervals during the week, rather than doing one or two long, hard workouts on the weekend. Even if you run the same number of miles in one day as you would have over three or four short sessions, you may burn the same amount of calories. But, doing shorter workouts spread out over the week gives you other health benefits as well, such as temporarily lowering your blood pressure and blood glucose levels, which provide cumulative benefits over the years. Plus, regular exercise can also help curb your appetite, further helping you to achieve your weight loss & fitness goals.