Best Workout Time - Best Time to Workout Tips

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When is the best workout time?

Discover the best time to workout and why the early bird doesn't catch the workout worm.


Best Time to Workout

When is the best time to workout? Does the early bird catch the workout worm, or are you better being a late-riser and pumping iron with the night owls?

Recent research suggests workouts are best performed in the late afternoon, as this is the most optimum exercise time.

Let me tell you why.

Best Time of Day to Exercise

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So why is late afternoon the best time of day to exercise? Part of our answer can be found in lung function.

Research by The American College of Chest Physicians shows how lung function peaks in late afternoon making this the best time to workout, especially if you suffer from breathing difficulties.

And any other benefits? Body temperature also reaches its peak at this time, which helps reduce the risk of injuries - a first-rate reason for rescheduling your workout.


Photo courtesy of Yinghai

Better to Train after Work

A further reason you might select to switch exercise times is linked to hormones. A second study at the University of Chicago suggests the body responds best to late afternoon workouts leading to an increase of the hormones cortisol and thyrotropin. (Cortisol is produced by the body to manage stress, and thyrotropin stimulates the thyroid gland to regulate metabolism.)

Here is what happened:

Researchers monitored five groups who trained at different times of the day and found those who exercised in the evening had the biggest increase of these two hormones.

This led Dr Orfeu Buxton who led the study to state: "These are signs your metabolism is adapting well to regular exercise and suggests it may be better to train after work rather than in the morning."


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