MUSCLE STRENGTH: Highest in the Afternoon

DemntedCowboy

DemntedCowboy

Well-known member
What is the best time of day to train? Most studies show that muscle strength, power and endurance are greatest between 4pm and 7pm. Muscle temperatures are generally highest at this time, which probably accounts for the difference. A study from Findland showed that daily variations in strength and power cease to exist in people who train in the morning. Researchers examined 27 males who weight trained either in the morning(7am to 9am) or in the afternoon(5pm to 7pm). Initially, all subjects were stronger in the afternoon than in the morning. But these differences disappeared in the morning training group, but not in the evening training group. Thus studied showed that you should train in the morning if you have a morning competition, because morning training will eliminate normal strength differences between early and late times of the day. (Journal Sports Science, published online)
 
Lets see if I can get a few people in here for you: hairygrandpa rtmilburn SFreed Ulfhednar HIT4ME wesb2387 Tank999 DennisTheDane Juicedeez utz BEAST73 Alpha1agreda LeanEngineer coltonwalker Brandinooooo Sparkss blueline438 lifted67 smith_69 Daehlluks FireTitan alphagainz ChocolateClen justhere4comm matt8483 ryane87 nostrum420 mmorso thebigt Dirty Dan Bmac63095 TNlifting Matthersby BloodManor angcd3 habajaba mmorso cwages TheMyth lukehayd thebigt Oconns28 jalfrey bloodnthunder jtmass Martyfnemec christ83189 GrizzleB BOSSMAN chedapalooza BennyMagoo79 Brienn8989 Tbl16 Bman1970 PoSiTiVeFLoW Cgkone LeanEngineer AntM1564 Newth SouthPawSD christ83189 SkRaw85 flandersguy MrKleen73 Whiskey Cscott622 Hyde bloodnthunder Newth love2liftkat stacy1212 RickyBlobby bigbeaph JoePaul39 adammorrow36 Rocket3015 swimfan65 Humble
 
I train the morning. Wife and kids dont like me being gone in the afternoon so i go before anything else. If i miss a morning sesh and go in the afternoon strength feels mostly the same really id say
 
christ83189 said:
I train the morning. Wife and kids dont like me being gone in the afternoon so i go before anything else. If i miss a morning sesh and go in the afternoon strength feels mostly the same really id say
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Wife and kids know I go to the gym in the evening because I am up at 4:15 for work at the hospital Monday-Friday
 
Thanks for the invite. I cannot stand people in the gym... so I train in the early hours. Call it a phobia or a genuine disdain for perfect strangers getting in my way during my routine. It's more of a religious experince for me, or more to the point, don't ****ing talk; look at; watch or bother me while I'm trying to focus. Yeah, It's more like that. Prison stare. lol

:afro:
 
justhere4comm said:
Thanks for the invite. I cannot stand people in the gym... so I train in the early hours. Call it a phobia or a genuine disdain for perfect strangers getting in my way during my routine. It's more of a religious experince for me, or more to the point, don't ****ing talk; look at; watch or bother me while I'm trying to focus. Yeah, It's more like that. Prison stare. lol

:afro:
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I do that too, but in the evening. Eveyone knows, I'm working it aint socialization hour. Lol
 
I always have better workouts in the afternoon, but due to my usual schedule I almost always do early AM workouts.
 
Segansational said:
I always have better workouts in the afternoon, but due to my usual schedule I almost always do early AM workouts.
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Same here. I start work early in the AM and then start my workout around 3:00PM when the gym is absolutely empty. Just me, the weights and some dark metal.
 
I think the important part of this study that gets overlook a lot is that after several weeks of training the strength differences in the two groups disrepair's, so once your body and mind get used to the AM training, both groups are on the same level.
 
Only time I usually have free to train is late evening and it's not ideal. If i get the chance to train earlier then any time from late morning to late afternoon works best. Early morning doesn't seem as effective.
 
BarryScott said:
Only time I usually have free to train is late evening and it's not ideal. If i get the chance to train earlier then any time from late morning to late afternoon works best. Early morning doesn't seem as effective.
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It won't until you, your body and your systems get used to it. 6-8 weeks of early morning training and it will be as effective as PM training !!
 
Rocket3015 said:
It won't until you, your body and your systems get used to it. 6-8 weeks of early morning training and it will be as effective as PM training !!
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I agree with rocket i dont think it makes a difference once you adjust to a different time frame. Ive always worked out in the am. Another plus is that when you work out in the morning and end up with free time in the evening you can work out again! Lol i used to do crossfit 6am then jiujitsu in the afternoon mon,wed,fri then muay thai and mma tues and thursday and just mma on sat
 
I’am stronger in the evening because of eating a healthy Lunch. I take in all my high calorie carbs and fats at lunch time.
 
My feeling on it is that we like to major in minors. The big issue is - what time can you go to the gym CONSISTENTLY? That is way more important than, "Will I get 1% faster gains if I go in the afternoon or in the morning?"

Like you point out, the differences disappear when you have been doing it for a while....which points, again, to being consistent being the biggest factor.
 
Rocket3015 said:
It won't until you, your body and your systems get used to it. 6-8 weeks of early morning training and it will be as effective as PM training !!
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Agreed with this. I guess once you get a routine down and get in the habit of working out at your chosen time, then anytime will work for you. I prefer evenings but that's just me.
 
HIT4ME said:
My feeling on it is that we like to major in minors. The big issue is - what time can you go to the gym CONSISTENTLY? That is way more important than, "Will I get 1% faster gains if I go in the afternoon or in the morning?"

Like you point out, the differences disappear when you have been doing it for a while....which points, again, to being consistent being the biggest factor.
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This is the biggest factor, When can you and will you, Just Do It !!
 
If you train in the afternoon and take your stim pwo will you get any sleep. I train in the mornings.
 
Train in afternoon as well, or whenever I can get in these days-just don’t like doing evening bc the crowds are brutal after 5 here
 
DemntedCowboy said:
What is the best time of day to train? Most studies show that muscle strength, power and endurance are greatest between 4pm and 7pm. Muscle temperatures are generally highest at this time, which probably accounts for the difference. A study from Findland showed that daily variations in strength and power cease to exist in people who train in the morning. Researchers examined 27 males who weight trained either in the morning(7am to 9am) or in the afternoon(5pm to 7pm). Initially, all subjects were stronger in the afternoon than in the morning. But these differences disappeared in the morning training group, but not in the evening training group. Thus studied showed that you should train in the morning if you have a morning competition, because morning training will eliminate normal strength differences between early and late times of the day. (Journal Sports Science, published online)
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U got a link to this? I'd like to read up on this. By the way I lift after work, starting about 530pm
 
I workout 1st thing in morning then go to work...if I waited until after work I would be tired and probably make excuses to miss workouts.
 
thebigt said:
I workout 1st thing in morning then go to work...if I waited until after work I would be tired and probably make excuses to miss workouts.
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I'm tired after work. Thats where Radiate+ comes in to play. Take a scoop after work, and tell me you still got excuses.
 
I haven’t reviewed the study. But most academic research methods have substantial limitations that invalidate the findings. Academics live in a publish or perish environment. So they often publish crap.

Everyone has different biochemistry, genetics, circadian rhythms, motivations.

My recommendation is “just do you!” and forget what the academics say.
 
thebigt said:
I workout 1st thing in morning then go to work...if I waited until after work I would be tired and probably make excuses to miss workouts.
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This is me, for sure !!
 
Definitely have the most strength and energy mid-late morning. Come afternoon, I am pretty useless and have my worst workouts.
 
thebigt said:
nice....very worthwhile occupation-but it doesn't sound very physically demanding.
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It is. Doesnt sound like it, but I order, receive, process, mail out everything from BP monitors to Back Braces to Veterans through out the local area. I also order and deliver all surgical Items for the hospital which means I order it, receive it, and deliver to the OR before Surgery. I also order any and all prosthesis for my department. In other words I do alot of walking every day across the hospital. Not as demanding as being Infantry in Iraq like I used to. But still very demanding mentally and physically.
 
DemntedCowboy said:
It is. Doesnt sound like it, but I order, receive, process, mail out everything from BP monitors to Back Braces to Veterans through out the local area. I also order and deliver all surgical Items for the hospital which means I order it, receive it, and deliver to the OR before Surgery. I also order any and all prosthesis for my department. In other words I do alot of walking every day across the hospital. Not as demanding as being Infantry in Iraq like I used to. But still very demanding mentally and physically.
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props, brother!!!
 
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