Workout morning or night?

[RaiseDaBar88]

I now have the option of working out real early in the morning (5:30), or doing it after school.

Which time is better?

[nothwang]

i would say morning as long as you can get the proper pre and post work out nutrition. this is why i work out in the evenings now.

[Invicta]

I would workout in the evening so you would be sure to have a meal before hand. You should have meal an hour or so before a workout, the early mornings might make that difficult

[nothwang]

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I would workout in the evening so you would be sure to have a meal before hand. You should have meal an hour or so before a workout, the early mornings might make that difficult

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, that's why i switched to evenings. because i have to take medication on an empty stomach first thing in the morning and wait at least an hour before eating. but i have to be to work at 7 am with an hour commute. evening are much better for me now. but i would prefer working out in the morning after having a whey and oats shake!

[NutMeg]

try both times and see what works for you. Some people do better in the morning, others see a peak in strength in the afternoon....

[RaiseDaBar88]

I don't have a problem with nutrition, I get up an hour earlier than my workout to get a meal in, I'm just wondering which time is better from a scientific standpoint...

[Jrdouglas24]

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try both times and see what works for you. Some people do better in the morning, others see a peak in strength in the afternoon....

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aaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAGreed! /forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[littleamazon]

I do better in the mornings but that is because I have to, otherwise, I can't train. I have trained in the afternoon before and liked it.

Amazon

[TheMac]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't have a problem with nutrition, I get up an hour earlier than my workout to get a meal in, I'm just wondering which time is better from a scientific standpoint...

[/ QUOTE ]

Perfect Article for you to read (http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/diurnal.php)

[RaiseDaBar88]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't have a problem with nutrition, I get up an hour earlier than my workout to get a meal in, I'm just wondering which time is better from a scientific standpoint...

[/ QUOTE ]

Perfect Article for you to read (http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/diurnal.php)

[/ QUOTE ]

I've already read that, but didn't get anything from it /forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Could someone explain it within a paragraph?

[ExeeD]

confusing

[CoL]

i haven't read it, although i am really intrigued to, but i'm in the process of doing my exams.

from my own understanding working out that early would be fairly difficult as there is a conflict between stimuli that affect our bodily rhythms.

exogenous stimuli, zeitgebers, such as the alarm clock, or your mom (whatever, heh), tell you to get out of bed. however, other zeitgebers, such as the pitch black skies, especially in winter season, tell us to cabbage ourselves back in bed.
so this leads to a desynchronization of our own endogenous stimuli, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is fine-tuned by light and other zeitgebers. it has been proposed that light inhibits the secretion of melatonin from the pineal gland, which is connected to the suprachiasmatic nucleus that detects light etc. so in darkness, melatonin is released, decreasing your levels of arousal, so you feel sleepy.

but hey, i've worked out in the morning and it felt great. although i've never worked out as early as 5am where the skies are still dark.

[Dauthi]

It means that the best training times are from 6:00 to 7:30, am I right?

There was also a study(Wingate) that said the peak and power were optimal at around 3.

The numbers like 0300 are based on military time, so it would be 03:00 AM, and 1800 would be 18:00, or 6:00 PM

[Adam Knowlden]

[ QUOTE ]
confusing


[/ QUOTE ]

That is why study is required. Everyone wants to a champion body builder, but when they see actual work and study is involved the ones who really want it are few and far between.

[ QUOTE ]
Could someone explain it within a paragraph?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why take the lazy route? Moreover, if you had actually read it, you would see this was done:

1. Increased body temperature during later afternoon/earlier evening exercise, from enhanced peak times of circadian rhythm, should be accounted for when scheduling maximal intensity programs. See: Effect of Plasma Volume on Myofibril Hydration, Nutrient Delivery, and Athletic Performance



2.Increased warm-up before morning exercise should be initialized to ensure proper physiological readiness for intense exercise. See: Mobility Training and the Application of Proper Warm-Up for Bodybuilders. An additional 5-10 minutes of aerobic conditioning and dynamic stretching is recommended.



3.Training and competition should be synchronized to the same time of day. If this is impractical, the athlete may be able to adjust the sleep/wake cycle so that the performance time will coincide with the adjusted peak times for a particular rhythm. This is in agreement with the recommendations of Winget et al. Winget, C.M., C.W. DeRoshia, and D.C. Holley in “Circadian rhythms and athletic performance.” Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 17:498–516.

4.While circadian rhythms continue in the absence of time cues, light imparts the primary external stimulus for sleep-wake schedule in normal environmental conditions. The retina sends signals to the SCN when light weakens. The SNC, in turn, signals the pineal gland, which converts tryptophan into melatonin, causing sleepiness and a decline in body temperature. Concurrently, the brain halts production of histamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin (neurotransmitters associated with arousal). Due to photic reception stimuli of the SNC, training area should be well lit, particularly during night training.

5. AM/PM split trainers would be advised to execute their first session in the AM, utilizing more emphasized warm up protocols, and succession of the second session in the earlier PM (5-7pm), as opposed to late PM (8-11pm).

6. The evidence points to training for enhanced aerobic capacity during the late afternoon. Traditional cardiovascular training or HIIT style training could best be exploited during these hours.

7. Studies utilizing RPEs, or Ratings of Perceived Exertion, are influenced by time of day and these factors should be considered when interpreting the data. In the previously referenced study, the afternoon was the favored time, but data conflicts in this area.

8. Optimal time under tension training should be performed in the mid-afternoon/early evening when neuromuscular and motor skills are a peak state.

9. High intensity body building style programs should be completed in the mid- afternoon/early evening to realize maximum performance. This is the time when metabolic functions are at the utmost. This statement is independent of gender.

10.Lark and Owl prototypes need be considered when using maximal exercise or measuring/executing VO2 max. Once the established stereotype is matched to the athlete, workouts, training programs, or competitions can be scheduled accordingly. Again, a detailed training journal is recommended for careful tracking analysis.

11. 7-8 hours upon awakening, or approximately 12 hours from the middle of the athlete’s night’s sleep, is generally a non-optimal time period to workout. Increased episodes of drowsiness and lapses in concentration are likely (see: Z-Factor II - The Slumber Dynamic).

Peak times for certain performance variables are generally subject to individual differences and will need experimentation by the athlete to find the optimum performance time for these variables. JHR recommends a detailed training journal with an emphasis on describing energy, emotional, and physiological states during the drill timeframe to better hone in on personalized training times

[Dauthi]

It was also summed up here:

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From an overview of the latest studies a general training time recommendation can be given of 1500-1900 hours, or 3PM to 7PM, for body building specific protocols.

However, a personalized circadian rhythm can skew this time frame, and the figures in the practical application guideline should be recalibrated to the athlete’s individualized chronotypes.


[/ QUOTE ]

[Adam Knowlden]

Aww...you made it too easy. I wanted him to have to read it. /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[ExeeD]

hahah NOICE

[Dauthi]

[ QUOTE ]
Aww...you made it too easy. I wanted him to have to read it. /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Well if it soothes your mind I toiled and tried to understand the article, (actually looked up the word circadian) and then found at the bottom a neatly summarized version. /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[RaiseDaBar88]

Ok, what I get from that is that mid-afternoon to early evening hours are best for bodybuilding because your awareness, motor skills, and metabolism are at their peak.

With that said, if I continue to work in the early morning hours, will that hamper my gains?

[ExeeD]

probably will hinder your performance in teh gym to some point

[Adam Knowlden]

Your sleeping patterns can skew the typical norm hours cited in those studies.

In the end, by adjusting your sleeping patterns, one can make themselves into an either "morning or afternoon person".

This will affect your training habits as well.