Whether you're a student, worker or both, your regular day most likely starts early, too early to exercise in the morning. So is it true? Is the morning really the best time to jump on that treadmill or climb a tree? (yep, I did say that, branches make for good pull-up bars you know) Nope, the morning isn't exactly the best time of the day to work out and oh, don't get me wrong, the morning isn't bad at all (for those who like their mornings), just not optimal (according to recent studies).
The NYT's reported that between 4 and 7 p.m. is the time to be exercising for reasons such as: your muscles are more flexible partly from your body's temperature (muscles are warmed up from regular daily use). Hormones play a role as well, specifically the ratio between testosterone and cortisol which was found to be optimal during these hours. They're important because of their role in muscle-building.
But here it comes, the other side of the story, not everything is always set in stone you know. Other studies have shown people's bodies adapt to their training routine (i.e. the time of day you train). From these study they found (not surprisingly) that you perform better during the time of your normal training. So if you're competing in a particular sport whether it's football, basketball or running a marathon, train during the time of day you plan on competing for optimal performance.
NYT's notes that with all this research, the ideal time to exercise is yes, late afternoon, but the advantages are minuscule. Personally I think it's best to train at all different times of the day. It seems practical to train your body to perform best no matter the time. Routines are sometimes nice, but mix things up, "trick" your body when you train, don't bore it. You'll improve more that way, so train hard and enjoy it!
- Joe Cannato
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