When’s it best to workout?

I’ve had many questions recently asking “When is it best to workout?”. For a lot of you, I understand how busy your lives can be, often struggling to fit in training at any time of the day, let alone choose if and when it may be. 

Recent research by scientists in Australia concluded that “lifters adapt to whenever they choose to train and their choice should be based purely on the time of day that facilitates long-term adherence.” Having said that, I thought I’d summarise my thoughts on the matter to hopefully help some of you decide what works best for you.

1. First thing in the morning, your spine could be slightly more susceptible to injury. That’s because overnight (without the gravitational forces of standing or sitting upright) your intervertebral discs that separate the segments of your vertebrae absorb fluid. And because they’re full of fluid, they’re less forgiving of rotating, bending and heavy loads. Taking time to allow the fluids to drain properly can better prepare the spine for action, and may be better for those who suffer from a bad back.

2. To get the most out of your strength training, your central nervous system needs to be firing to ensure you’re alert, your proprioception is optimal, and you’re physically ready to lift hard and heavy. For some, this may be easy to achieve with some simple potentiation first thing in the morning. But for those who go to sleep late, lifting heavy first thing in the morning may not be the best option.

3. We’re all unique. It really does come down to the individual as to when they feel at their best to train and when they enjoy training the most. Some people feel their best and strongest earlier in the day, but for those who struggle to get out of bed first thing in the morning, an evening workout can be much better suited to them. If you’re unsure, perhaps do a few weeks of trial and error, seeing whether you feel better in the morning, midday or evening - then base your training on this.

4. One rule I’d apply to almost everyone is to avoid working out too close to bedtime. Good quality sleep is really important to both recovery and general wellbeing. Doing a heavy workout will spike your cortisol levels and generally make you feel more alert, which can cause disruption to your circadian rhythm and affect your ability to fall asleep. If this sounds familiar, try switching your workout to earlier in the day and seeing if it makes a difference, or opting for something a little less taxing on the body later in the day such as yoga or pilates. 

So, the moral of the story is… if you’re wondering what the best time to train really is, you’re generally the best one to judge. There really is no hard and fast rule, so find out what works for you, fits in with your schedule and you’re able to adhere to, and just roll with it!