06/17/2022
WHEN IS IT BETTER TO TRAIN - IN THE MORNING OR IN THE EVENING?
Regardless of whether training is conducted in the gym or at home, it is important to choose the right time. In many ways, the choice depends on the goal — to burn excess fat or build muscle mass.
Important: Every workout — both morning and evening — should be preceded by a warm-up. It minimizes the risk of injury, as the muscles and ligaments become more flexible, elastic.
Read also: Proper warm-up before training
1. Work on burning fat mass
After waking up, metabolic processes occur in the body at an increased rate, and the sugar content is reduced. Therefore, training in the morning makes fat the main source of energy.
— If you do exercises before breakfast, the body will be able to consume more calories than as a result of training after breakfast. However, if you practice on an empty stomach, you need to approach the matter carefully. Otherwise, you can spend too much effort and quickly run out of steam.
2. Building muscle mass
If you practice in the evening, then the muscles will grow, as well as the indicators of physical strength will increase. These processes are influenced by hormones, primarily testosterone and cortisol: the first helps to build muscle mass, the second, on the contrary, destroys fibers in the muscles.
— In the evening, the testosterone level is increased, especially in comparison with morning indicators. Cortisol, also called the stress hormone, is elevated in the morning and decreases in the evening. Therefore, evening workouts help to gain muscle mass more easily.
3. Dependence on the level of activity
Many people have to spend most of the day almost without moving because of work or study. Usually — sitting at the computer. Low mobility contributes to muscle atrophy. To avoid this, it is recommended to warm up in the evening. Training helps to increase testosterone levels, normalize blood circulation, and maintain muscle tone.
— However, there are a lot of those who have a working day associated with physical exertion and intensive movement. In this case, by the evening there may be no strength left for classes. Then it is recommended to practice in the morning: training will increase brain and muscle tone. The main thing is not to overdo it and not to overexert yourself early in the morning.
4. Dependence on the daily routine
People live in a different rhythm, and the choice of time for classes also depends on this. For example, if a working or school day starts in the morning and lasts until 18 o'clock, then it will not work in the morning hours — the only choice will be the evening. Those who have the opportunity to build a schedule on their own can choose the right time for training themselves.
The main thing is to train at the same time every day, and not haphazardly. Only regularity will help the body to adapt, and the psyche to get used to a certain rhythm.