What is the best time to exercise?

There are as many ways to exercise as there are sports purposes, so each of us can train with a different goal in mind. Those who simply want to stay healthy and active , with nothing else in mind, can opt for the training schedule that works best for them: in the morning, at noon or in the afternoon.

Those who want to improve their aerobic endurance , that is, the ability to perform physical activity for a long period of time at a low or medium intensity, can train at any time since the time of day is completely irrelevant, as long as we perform aerobic exercises we will improve. our resistance regardless of whether we practice them first thing in the morning or at the end of the day.

But this is not the case in all cases. Those looking to lose fat, increase muscle mass, improve anaerobic endurance or have more energy, should choose the time of training well to achieve more effective results. Don’t you know what is best for you? Read on to find out

One of the great advantages of exercising in the morning, especially first thing in the day, is that it is easy to be more consistent with the sport since there are no excuses that prevent you from training . At that time you will not meet friends, you will not have a special meal or a better plan, however not everyone has the ability (or willpower) to wake up earlier to play sports, so it is important to analyze in which cases it is more convenient to choose this time of day.

However, you must bear in mind that in the morning our body has spent many hours inactive, the body temperature is low and warming up the muscles requires a greater effort . Also, if you practice intense workouts at this time of day you run a higher risk of injury precisely because the muscles may not be warm enough to demand too much effort.

By doing sports in the morning you will get:

Be more constant

If sport is not part of your life and it is very difficult for you to be constant in exercising, training first thing in the morning is a good option to start establishing sports routines, as it is more difficult to self-sabotage or give up training to do other things .

Increase energy and vitality

People who train in the morning increase their levels of endorphins and dopamine from the first hour, both responsible for helping us to be in a better mood, active and animated. Sport at the beginning of the day fills us with vitality and energy and allows us to face the daily routine with a much more positive spirit.

Increase muscle mass

Thanks to our hormonal levels, the morning is a good time to train in order to increase muscle mass, although this can also be achieved in the late afternoon.

Exercise in the afternoon is ideal for those who seek to increase muscular endurance and power, because at this time of day our muscles are already warm and ready to withstand greater physical effort , therefore there is a lower risk of injury and muscular discomfort while we can demand more from our body.

On the other hand, it is common that the time you dedicate to physical activity during these hours can be displaced by other things: work meetings, meetings with friends, working late, shopping, etc. If you choose to train in the afternoon, establish a fixed routine and try not to break it. Also avoid training after eating , do it at least 3 hours after eating your last meal.

Doing physical activity in the afternoon is ideal for:

Improve anaerobic endurance

We speak of anaerobic resistance when we perform a high intensity effort in a very short period of time, for example lifting weights, strength exercises, running a sprint , etc. This is the best time of day for this type of training because the muscles are hot and therefore we are more flexible, faster and we can achieve greater power without running so much risk of injury.

Burn fat and speed up metabolism

At the end of the day our metabolism slows down as we ourselves decrease the amount of activities we do and prepare to rest, that is why exercise in the late afternoon is ideal to speed up the metabolism and give it a boost to continue burning. fat and calories effectively. This is a good time to be physically active if your goal is to lose weight.

To reduce stress and tension

After a day of work, there is no better way to disconnect than sport. A great advantage of training in the late afternoon is that we can drain the stress accumulated during the day, relax the muscles and prepare to rest properly and with peace of mind.

To increase muscle mass

Like training first thing in the day, exercising in the afternoon also helps to increase muscle mass since hormonal levels are perfect to promote the generation of muscle with the appropriate activities.

Melatonin is the hormone that helps us regulate sleep cycles, allowing us to rest properly. As the daylight disappears we feel more sleepy and ready to rest, however intense exercise late at night could alter our wakefulness making it difficult to rest.

For this reason, specialists recommend not doing physical exercise, especially of great intensity, after 9 at night, when the body begins to prepare for rest. Considering that exercise activates us, those who choose to play sports late at night may have more difficulty falling asleep and resting properly.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is the best time to exercise? , we recommend that you enter our category of Physical Activity .