Are you a morning exerciser? Photo by Getty Sport.
Most of the time I avoid answering it because there’s no rule of thumb that applies to everyone. It also depends on the “type” of exercise you’re referring to (i.e. Strength training versus cardiovascular training).
Aside from the obvious that most of us aren’t fulltime athletes and need to fit our exercise in around other commitments, there is also the effect of our “circadian rhythms” or body clocks which influence a host of factors such as body temperature, digestion, hormone release, etc. – all of which directly impact our ability to exercise.
Most of us know instinctively whether we’re “morning” people (or not). This (to a large extent) is genetically pre-determined and regulated by the hormone melatonin which is affected by day and night. In fact melatonin is often used in supplementary form to regulate circadian rhythms after long haul flights where people are trying to limit the impact of jetlag – but that’s a completely different topic!
Your body clock can be manipulated to some extent by changing your sleep pattern. In other words, you can “teach” yourself to get up early and go to the gym or for a run and still get a good workout.
The advantages of working out in the morning include:- There are fewer distractions and schedule interruptions so you’re more likely to do it.
- You can “make time” for exercise by getting up a bit earlier.
- Exercise increases your heart and metabolic rates after an overnight fast which means you’ll metabolise fat more effectively first thing of a morning – before you eat.
- Exercise will energize you for hours to come making you more productive.
- It is generally cooler in summer.
- Air pollution is lowest in the morning if you’re outdoors exercising.
- Your body temperature is at its lowest upon awakening. Cold, stiff muscles may be more prone to injury so you’ll need to be vigilant in warming up well before doing a high intensity workout.
- If you do not enjoy morning exercise it is harder to make it habitual.
- Sports science suggest that exercise performance is closely related to body temperature, which peaks for most people in the early evening.
Hormonal Interplay - Cortisol and Testosterone
Weight training may be more effective in the early evening due the to the interplay of the hormones cortisol and testosterone.
Weights are more effective in the evening. Photo by Getty.
Cortisol levels generally peak in the early morning and diminish throughout the day. Whilst testosterone levels are also high in the morning the ratio of testosterone to cortisol peaks in the evening meaning that the rate of muscle building peaks later in the day if an exercise stimulus (training) is applied.
From a practical perspective what does this mean?I’d suggest you hedge your bets like I do.
The morning time is probably the best for some form of cardiovascular exercise whilst your strength training is probably best done in the evening, but I say this with the caveat that everyone is different and you need to experiment with what works best for you.
Guy Leech is passionate about health issues like obesity and heart disease and has established a multimedia platform from which he educates and motivates Australians about the importance of fitness and health. For more information, including the 12 Week Food and Exercise program, go to guyleechfitness.com
10 Comments
Marco, if you are referring to my post, I would like to respond by saying that I was not making fun of Guy Leech. I was calling into question his online status as an expert. Being a successful high level athlete does not make you an expert in providing training information. I have seen several articles here specifically on this question of training in the morning compared to the evening. Not one of the "experts" was able to provide the information I have outlined. I am not calling myself an expert, but I would like like to highlight the difference between "popular" and authorative. If Yahoo is going to provide training advice under the title of "experts", they should understand the difference.
Replywho is guy leech
Replyanyone who is negative here ever been an Ironman? no? so shoosh. i follow a book called the sas personal trainer- which takes you from zero to whatever level you want- and gee, what a shock! it agrees with what this high level social athlete says! some of the best soldiers in the world and some of the best social athletes in the world think the same way?! jealous lazy ppl be quiet-go cry with another biscuit. food before morning training? I myself go for a swig of milk or juice, the idea being to have a tiny bit of stuff to burn instead of my small amount of body fat, which I wish to preserve. go for it! hate training while doing it but love how it feels after! don't just 'train', get a good hiking pack, load it up n go walking-running out in our lovely ozzy bush! sometimes I'll do fitness training in the morning then go for a set easy climb-walk-run and cup of tea and sandwich etc out in the bush. (aim for 40pounds in your pack for men- 25-30 for women and go for a good 2-4hours). I can't say it enough, HIT THE BUSH! climb, crawl, walk, run- do what it means to be human. not sit in a gym curling your pretty arms.
Replymaking fun of someone who has reached a very high level of success in training- gee ppl can be tools- has anyone who is criticising him been an Ironman themselves? I follow a book called the sas personal trainer and it agrees with what Guy is saying here- gee funny that, isn't it? arguably the highest performing soldiers in the world, ( who um, incidentally, risk being KILLED if they're not fit and strong enough lol), and again arguably the highest, all round performing social athletes in the world agree! and yeah about eating before morming training I have some juice or milk and then only water while doing it- my thinking is to get a little of bit consumable energy in the tank so the body doesn't chew my little fat I have lol.... train hard and smile after! training kinda sucks but the feeling after and the overall health benefits are awesome! jealous lazy ppl, I don't care what you think or say at all so SHHHHH! lol go have another cry and a biscuit.
ReplyI would have breakfast and run to work 30 min later Emily. You may need to have it earlier, if I am competing I eat breakfast at least 4 hours before the start, so if the start is 8am I get up, eat, then sleep some more. My best times have been on the morning runs strangely enough. I would run home in the evening.
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