Best Time of Day For Weight Training
While a universal, ideal time of day to lift weights may not exist, it's possible to evaluate the body's processes and find the characteristics that lead to the most efficient strength training. Researchers have found that peak body temperature is one such characteristic. Circadian rhythm regulates peak temperature, so once people are aware of it they can tailor workouts to achieve the maximum results. While there are some hormonal differences between the genders, men and women do not differ significantly in ideal times for weight lifting.
Circadian Rhythm The hypothalamus controls circadian rhythm, the body's 24-hour daily clock that regulates hormones, sleeping patterns, and body temperature; all of this affects performance in one's workout. This rhythm is mostly innate, but it does respond to cycles of food consumption and to light and dark. Exposure to bright light, with specified intensity, duration, and timing, may advance or delay the phase of some human circadian rhythms. Importantly, researchers have found a more pronounced rhythm in athletes. Circadian rhythms are larger in amplitude in physically fit individuals than sedentary individuals.
Body Temperature Body temperature is key to a productive workout. It begins to rise even before waking. Temperature peaks in the late afternoon and reaches its lowest point very early in the morning, around 4am. Temperature fluctuates by as much as 1 degree F throughout the day. It's significant whether one is a morning person who gets up early or an evening person who gets up later. Body temperature rhythm differs by about 65 minutes between the two types; timing of activity and mood rhythms can differ by several hours.
Different Times of Day for Different Activities Testosterone is at its peak in the morning, which is also when people have the highest cortisol levels and the greatest mental alertness. In the afternoon, the body's pain threshold is at its peak. Toward the late afternoon and evening, body temperature and stamina are at their peaks, but mental focus wanes. Significantly, cortisol decreases throughout the day, so toward the evening men have the highest ratio of testosterone to cortisol; that creates an anabolic, muscle-building state.
Many of these processes peak at different times. Depending on the goal, certain exercises may be more efficient at one time than another. It's also individualized and can differ by a few hours depending on each person's circadian rhythm.
Best for Weight Lifting Research continues to find that muscle strength peaks in the afternoon and correlates to one's peak body temperature. One of the most important reviews of the research states that flexibility, muscle strength, short term high power output, vary with time of day in a sinusoidal manner and peak in the early evening close to the daily maximum in body temperature. According to another study, maximal performance is generally improved by the end of the afternoon, at the peak of the body temperature curve. A study of anaerobic exercise found that power output and capacity were significantly higher in the afternoon and evening. Another study concluded: Improvements in muscle strength after training sessions scheduled in the evening have been found to be 20% higher than those after training carried out in the morning.
Research consistently indicates that late afternoon is best for maximum muscle strength, when people are at their peak body temperatures and their pain threshold is highest. But it still varies by individual. Depending on whether one is a morning or evening person, the best time may be anywhere from early afternoon to early evening. For those seeking the most efficient workouts possible, understanding their circadian rhythm is necessary. The best way to do so is to record body temperature every two hours for about a week. From this data, people will be able to see when their temperature is highest and can adjust workout times accordingly.
Gender Differences Hormone differences mean that men and women have slightly different responses to exercise. Due to testosterone, men have a higher metabolic rate as well as the capacity to build large muscles. Women cannot bulk up like men do, so they should never avoid weight training. They experience the same circadian rhythm that men do. Research has shown that women's circadian rhythm does slightly change as hormones fluctuate throughout their monthly cycles. Even so, other research has shown that women experience the same increased anaerobic performance in the afternoon as men. While hormonal fluctuations may impact women at certain times, for the most part, men and women's ideal times for weight training are not significantly different.
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