What's your favorite time to work out?

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theguy12
theguy12 Posts: 156
in Fitness and Exercise
I am trying to decide on a permanent time of day for my workouts. When is your favorite time to hit the gym?

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EARLY AM - nice time to go to gym, get it done and out of way, but means getting up hours earlier and I am not a morning person - ha ha. PLUS being sweaty/stinky at work (I don't use those big group shower rooms - weird).

LUNCH TIME - pretty empty at gym, get it done during day, but means missing out on an hour of work time every day and having to work 5 more hours a week (we just work through lunch where I work). The sweaty stinky thing comes in again - no group showering for me.

AFTER WORK - too packed, waits for machines and just too hectic to focus.

LATE NIGHT (after 8:30pm) - empty and quiet and a great time to be at gym. BUT often find myself skipping because I am tired or have other things going on in evening.

Replies

  • steve_mfp
    steve_mfp Posts: 170 Member
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    http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/best-time-to-work-out/

    tl;dr

    • Your circadian rhythm is a 24 hour cycle of biological activity set by your internal clock. Your sleep-wake cycle is one of many systems influenced by your circadian rhythm.
    • Your hormonal milieu, gene expression and core body temperature have a circadian rhythm. Together, they result in peak physical condition to train and recover in the late afternoon to early evening.
    • The best time to work out is generally between 14:30 and 20:30 h if you have a regular sleep-wake cycle.
    • You can determine the optimal time to train by monitoring your maximum resting heart rate and training performance.
    • If you can’t train when your body is primed to do so, supplement with caffeine pre-workout and schedule your workouts when you can always train.
  • theguy12
    theguy12 Posts: 156
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    Trying different options - can't decide.
  • alyhuggan
    alyhuggan Posts: 717 Member
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    After a couple of months of getting up at 5am on Wednesdays I decided to switch my routine so it became a rest day, just fit it round your schedule!
  • tlaurenw
    tlaurenw Posts: 17
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    I love going late at night. It's quiet and usually it helps me calm down after a long day.
  • kickivale
    kickivale Posts: 260 Member
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    I went through a phase of trying all different times of the day and it took me awhile to figure out what was best too.
    The thing that stuck with me was one night I got on the treadmill at about 11pm with plans to just walk on an incline and take it easy. But on a whim I pumped it up to start running and it felt really really easy. Like way easier than my morning runs. It was like I was working out my day, it felt super natural. I don't have to get up mega early so it goes well with my schedule too.
    I think thats what you should look for. A gym session where things feel like your body is working with you, not against you. It's your own clock, listen to it! Then try that time of day again and see if the magic repeats :) I bet it will.
  • PurpleDragon87
    PurpleDragon87 Posts: 17 Member
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    First thing in the morning! I like to start my day off exercising because it motivates me to make healthy choices throughout the day!
  • casscamp
    casscamp Posts: 40 Member
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    I feel your struggle with this. I am also trying to find a good time of day to work out. Even though Im not a morning person I am going to try the next couple of weeks to do mornings and see if I can get my body used to it...Good luck! I find the later in the day that I work out, the less likely i am to work out because as you said just too tired. And I refuse to miss any more workouts!
  • rllewell
    rllewell Posts: 234
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    This is a personal decision for you and only you because its your lifestyle. What is the time of day you will consistently exercise 4-6 days a week?

    For me I figured it out a long time ago that first thing in the morning was the time I would consistently go to the gym and work out. It wasn't about when my body would best perform, it was about consistently exercising 4-6 days a week. That is a 5:30 am wake up and I'm exercising no later than 6 am. I do take advantage of the gym showers and go straight to work but know many that just go back home and get ready for work.
  • jjking54
    jjking54 Posts: 113 Member
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    For me it's right after work. And I'm lucky because I get off at 4, and that's about an hour before the gym starts to get really busy (helps that the gym is on the second floor of our four story building too). Gives me time to get my weights in before it gets busy and then I hop on the bike and do an hour of cardio while everyone else is waiting for weight machines.

    Working out right after work helps me decompress after work and before I get home. It's also a great way to work off stress and whatnot experienced during the day.
  • Levesque_7
    Levesque_7 Posts: 104
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    4:30am
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
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    Late night gym goer here. Usually from around 11pm to 1 or 2am.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    For the gym and hitting the weight room, I like going after work. That's when I'm ready to go kick some *kitten* and take some names.

    I do my cardio primarily at lunch during my break...usually riding my bike but I run the stairwell about once per week too.

    When I'm feeling up to it I get up early in the AM to walk the dog...it wakes me up and I usually take nice cup of coffee with me...it's just a leisurely thing to get moving in the morning...I do it more frequently in the late spring and summer and early fall...too cold for me in the winter.
  • mjfer123
    mjfer123 Posts: 1,234 Member
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    When it fits in my daily schedule, some days I go in at 5am some days I go at 5pm. I work during the day.
    I like the morning because the machines and weights are open, compared to nights when the entire after work crowd is there (and in my way, socializing and sitting on equipment while not using them)

    The benefit of going at night is that I'm not dog tired and forcing myself out of bed.
  • theguy12
    theguy12 Posts: 156
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    That is the issue - it doesn't really fit anywhere in my schedule.

    I will find a spot. Testing out early mornings next week. Then testing out lunches the next week.

    I like the idea of getting off an hour early to workout too!!!

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