Training in the morning or afternoon/ evening

[josh]

Is it more beneficial for your body to train in the morning after a good night’s rest or is it more beneficial in the afternoon, like after work, and you’ve had time to fuel your body? I know a lot of you guys probably do morning and evening routines, but if one workout is only possible which would it be…

 

[PHD]

I think it’s more what works best for you and your schedule. I personally would love to be able to train in a.m. and have my evening free but it just isn’t feesable with my work schedule (work 12-16 hours)
But I love training in the evening because I have fuel from all day of eating.

So to me I think it really comes down to what works for you. Give both a try for 3 weeks and see which one you like best and if it makes a difference in how you are looking.

 

[josh]

As far as scheduling works for me it’s an afternoon workout that fits in my schedule, I work first shift in a factory and at 10 hour days, but I feel the same way about the eating thing… my wife loads up my lunch box with breakfast, snacks, lunch so by the time im done with work i’ve got everything in me that is needed nutritionally for a good workout. If I even tried to do a workout in the morning before work I would have to be up at 2 am… not that I couldn’t do that but I could just see my body lacking due to low food (fuel) and even blood flow…

 

[SemperFi]

It is all life scheduled based and anytime has its advantages/disadvantages. Most have to work, raise a family, sleep and have a certain amount of social time. Depending on your lifestyle and training commitment something may need to give a little to put the time needed into training. I think most individuals, me included, spend too much time in the gym. There is nothing particularly wrong with that but if we have time restraints we might want to look into ways to limit & maximize our gym time so that it has less of an impact on the other areas of our life.

 

[SemperFi]

I would have to be up at 2 am… not that I couldn’t do that but I could just see my body lacking due to low food (fuel) and even blood flow

Lack of proper sleep would be the biggest factor in that choice in my opinion. Not only for life but for recovery/progress.

 

[josh]

I hear you @SemperFi I am one of those guys that has to work, has the family (including a newborn), has the “ok” social life ect… so my routine is always been to exercise right after work immediately, so I still get all the pleasures of being home with the family in the late afternoon / evening. My curiosity is what everybody’s opinion is which one would be, or could be more beneficial, and yes I feel as long as you can at least get one in its better than not at all!

 

[josh]

I hope to get a few more comments but for those of you who did respond, thank you!

 

[Bigmurph6]

There are alot of different variables that go into this question. Its not really just am or pm it has to do with goals, diet, training program, compounds, and supplements.
It can be am pm or 2 a days.
So truly without the exact knowledge about all the above variables you really can’t answer the question correctly except with what phd said with just keep a solid schedule.

 

[SemperFi]

Method (Time + Consistency) = Results

 

[Bigmurph6]

You have to add food to the equation

 

[SemperFi]

That would be part of ‘METHOD’. Method is the multiplier because it incorporates more than one process.

 

[Bigmurph6]

M(T+C)=R

Take us to school

 

[josh]

I like that one

 

[KoJacked11]

Personally I like afternoon workouts compared to early mornings… I have went to workout in the mornings around 5:30am for a few weeks and noticed I couldn’t get as good a workout as I could in the afternoon/evening… so for me it’s afternoon/evening workouts… I think it was a mix of lack of blood flow and not enough food to fuel the workouts in the early mornings… I was bulking tho also so idk I think u could get a good morning workout if u were trying to cut as compared to a heavy bulking workout…

 

[SemperFi]

I think u could get a good morning workout if u were trying to cut as compared to a heavy bulking workout…

@KoJacked11 Out of curiosity specifically why do you believe there would be a difference?

 

[KoJacked11]

@SemperFi Well my thoughts were if you were cutting, intermittent fasting or eating a lot lighter tryin to cut, the morning workouts might be more beneficial to you and your goals rather then if your were trying to gain weight/bulk. I would think it would be easier to get a good cardio session in and/or light weights with a little or no food in your stomach. As compared to a bulk in the afternoon when u have had food and fuel to burn. I’m open to any info or opinions u may have… I’m still kinda new to this.

 

[SemperFi]

Your reasoning makes perfect sense buddy. Thanks for sharing. FYI - A cut does not necessarily mean using light weight/higher reps. I typically always train, whether cutting or bulking, looking for progressive overload or increased time under tension. But I certainly can understand your point.

 

[KoJacked11]

Alright yes! That’s the info I was talking about… I can see working out like that being more beneficial to keeping/gaining muscle while cutting… I’m learning and soaking up what info I can… thanks for the edit!

 

[josh]

I feel I would be on the same page as @KoJacked11

 

[MBTJR1980]

I think as long as you are training and eating to gain than either one can work it all depends on your life schedule and when is a viable option for you to be there consistently. Without consistency then nothing will work regardless of timing