What times the best time to go to the gym?

debrag12
debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
edited December 4 in Fitness and Exercise
I think my struggle with the gym is going when it's busy, so I need to find a suitable time for me.

What I'm planning is:

After a night shift (8am ish )
After an early shift (2:30pm ish)
Days off either 6am or 11am

What times do you guys find are faorly good for being able to use the equipment you need?

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited October 2016
    I go to a university rec center. Best time is 6 am. Few students are up at that hour. The retirees are up but tend to use mostly machines or the track. The ROTC group uses the gym floor for calisthenics and then usually heads out to run.

    Saturday mornings are surprisingly busy.
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
    I would think MOST gyms would be least busy at the 2:30 time slot. I go early (5 am) and it's crowded with the pre-wrk crowd
  • jennice23
    jennice23 Posts: 17 Member
    If ur off mid day is the best time. Or at opening
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,700 Member
    If you google your gym, you might get a graph that shows you the busy times and less busy times.
  • Red_Pill
    Red_Pill Posts: 300 Member
    I prefer to go at the crack of dawn. That way there's just a handle of people and I feel I've accomplished something of magnitude before people have even woken up. Sometimes evening workouts are cool. There's a sweet spot for me in the evening. Not straight after work but an 2 hours or so after. At the end of the day just get that workout in.
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    edited October 2016
    I go to the Y and the peak times are 8-11am and 4-7pm.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    I go to a small community centre gym that opens at 6. I go then because the gym goers are the 65+ crowd and they don't use the power cage and bench press so I never have to wait for equipment.

  • DisneyDude85
    DisneyDude85 Posts: 428 Member
    Best to ask the front desk people at your gym. They will be able to give you the best answer :)
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    Every gym is a bit different.

    As the comments above indicate, usage varies largely depending on the gym's clientle - - old vs young, when they work or go to class or whatever.

    If you can't gauge usage based on your visits, it would be simplest to ask the staff when the peak hours by day are and work around them.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    Every place is a bit different but common times are before and after work 5AM-8AM, 4PM-7PM. Depending on the location could get a good noon workout crowd.
  • cbusnightowl
    cbusnightowl Posts: 132 Member
    I'm usually at the gym anywhere between 1-4 am (overnight shifts) and there are usually one or two other people there... but there are plenty of times that I'm there by my self.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    I usually go between 9-11am and find that I hardly ever have an issue getting machines. The worst time I've seen is between 4-7pm on weekdays.
  • Golbat
    Golbat Posts: 276 Member
    I go when most people are at work and it's great. I would go at 2:30.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited October 2016
    i think it really depends on the community using that gym. i primarily use two different branches of the public rec system here, and the patterns seem to be very different.

    best thing is probably to find out what's true in your case by going. with that said though:

    in my neighbourhoods, 8 am would be the worst time. i don't like to lift in the mornings but the times that i have gotten in at 6 am, it seemed like the pre-work rush would start at around 7:30.

    it also depends on what equipment you use. my reference frame is for lifting; i never even look at the cardio stuff.
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