The fitness world is plagued by never-ending debates over just about everything, and one of the most long-standing is the topic of working out in the morning versus the evening.
Not everyone has the same schedule, and what works for one person might not work for another. But is there an actual advantage to one specific time of day?
Working out in the morning
Working out in the morning has a wealth of positive benefits. There’s the opportunity to take advantage of fasted workouts; starting your day on an awesome post-exercise endorphin rush; and of course, the advantage of building discipline from making yourself get out of bed to make it to the gym day after day.
The most obvious benefit to morning workouts is the chance to just get it over and done with. If you can roll out of bed and into your gym gear without even thinking, then you’ve already set yourself up for success.
However, that’s a big “if”. We all know how tempting it is to sleep in and skip the gym— just this once, right? Let’s face it: some of us just aren’t morning people.
One other disadvantage to morning workouts is the preparation required. If you haven’t laid everything for your pre-sunrise weights session out the night before then you’re bound to start the day feeling super stressed.
And if you’re skipping gym sessions because you can’t seem to pull yourself out of bed that early, then you’re probably better off sleeping in and going after work instead.
Working out in the evening
There’s a reason so many people rave about the benefits of working out in the morning. As hard as it is to drag yourself out of bed an hour earlier than usual, working out in the evening has its disadvantages.
First of all, the gym tends to be busier in the evening. It can be difficult to complete your workout when equipment isn’t available and people are in your way. And let’s be honest: a gym full of sweaty people smells a lot worse than an empty one. Just saying!
From a psychological standpoint, your willpower is highest in the morning, not the evening. That means it’s a lot easier to talk yourself out of a workout after a long day, or straight up ditch your session for a more enticing social invitation.
Not to mention that exercising too close to bedtime can make you feel too wired to be able to sleep.
Then again, working out later in the day can be even better than exercising in the morning. Some people claim that working out energises them, but others report that it leaves them feeling depleted. You don’t want to start a day at the office feeling more drained than usual. This makes working out in the evening the more suitable option.
The verdict
There’s no denying that morning workouts seem to have more advantages over evening sessions. But that doesn’t mean it works for everyone.
The most important thing to consider is if working out early in the morning is actually contributing to your health. Maintaining a disciplined exercise regimen is fantastic. But it’s not going to help you if you’re missing out on sleep just so you can get to the gym earlier.
As with most things related to fitness, it all comes down to what is actually going to work with you— not just what the majority of people are raving about.
One thing that will help you smash your workout — no matter what time of day — is to have exercise equipment and accessories that you’re excited to use. Having an interval timer that you can preset your workouts into, or even something completely new like an oxygen mask, keeps your sessions exciting and varied enough to be motivated to turn up to the gym. Don’t hesitate to get in touch and see how our equipment can make your workouts even more dynamic.