With comic book heroes, athletes, and action movie stars now very much in fashion once again, it seems as if the world has once again fallen in love with the muscle-bound hero look which is part of the reason why more and more men and women all over the world are taking pride in their appearance and are heading to gyms to pump some iron and get their bodies in the best possible shape. In truth, weight training is about so much more than simply looking good, as it also provides numerous health and practicality benefits as well. Studies have found that weight training could improve immunity and help protect against illness and disease. It improves mental health, it boosts self-esteem, and it can help protect against injuries and broken bones. There is one question that many people seem to ask when it comes to weight training however, and that is ‘when is the best time of day to weight train’? Well, here we’ll do our best to provide an answer to this question once and for all.
So, when is the best time of day to weight train?
In reality, the simple answer is that there isn’t one. In order to answer this question, we need to first get a better understanding of the individual, and their specific goals and circumstances. Weight training is weight training, and if you are doing the same exercises, with the same intensity, using the same reps and the same weights, the activity is going to be just as effective. It’s like asking ‘when is the best time to wash the dishes’?. As long as the dishes get washed, and as long as you don’t need them at a certain time, washing them in the morning is going to yield exactly the same results as washing them in the evening. It’s what you do before and after that decides exactly when they get done. The same goes for weight training.
Weight training in the morning
Some people prefer to weight train early in the morning, I.E within 90 mins of them waking up and getting out of bed. Often they don’t choose this time because lifting at this time will suddenly mean their bodies are more likely to pile the muscle on. They choose to train early because they may have other commitments such as work or school, and training early means they then get it out of the way and so they can relax and go about their business as normal. The downside to training early is that you will only have one meal inside you as you will have slept all night, so energy levels can be a little low.
Weight training in the day
The most popular time for people to lift weights is between 5 and 7pm. This is simply because this is when they will more than likely have finished at school or work. This is effective as by this time they will have had several meals inside them, and so their energy levels should be pretty high. The only possible drawback is if they expelled too much energy during the day.
Weight training at night
Some people prefer to train at night because gyms are pretty much empty, or are very quiet at least. Others train because they are so incredibly busy during the day. If you weight train at night, you need to ensure your body gets used to training at times when you would normally be sleeping, otherwise you’ll be tired, sleepy, weak, and fatigued, rendering your workout useless. If you do weight train at night, remember to consume a post workout shake and/or meal after your workout just before going to bed. This will fuel your muscles whilst you sleep and will help prevent muscle wastage.
