Training in AM versus training in the PM

Recently we asked what time of the day you prefer to train. The majority, 57%, said they prefer to train in the evening.

Let’s have a look at the benefits for training in the morning and training in the evening.

Morning

One thing commonly mentioned about morning training is usually there is no distraction and people who train in the morning usually do this to get it done. Depending on where you live, sometimes training in the morning means beating the heat which can make the difference on how you feel during and after a session. There are lots of studies out there that have scientifically demonstrated some great benefits of training in the morning:

• Increase alertness post exercise due to hormones, cortisol. This in turn can help boost your energy levels post exercise and make you feel ready to tackle the day.

• Improve attention, visual learning and decision-making from just 30mins of exercise in the morning.

• Improved mood – nothing like that runner’s high and feeling great for the start of the day with the release of all those endorphins.

• A positive influence on your food choices for the rest of the day by choosing healthier foods after morning exercise.

• Exposing yourself to early light exposure (natural light) can help to increase melatonin levels at night and improve deep sleep.

• Improved blood pressure.

Evening

Training in the evening usually has the advantage of finding a training buddy and making you more accountable to get the sessions done - especially when you don’t feel like it. Like training in the morning, there is research that has demonstrated the benefits for evening training:

• Your body temperature is highest around 4-5pm. Some research has shown due to your body temperature being warmer, training in the evening demonstrated a reduced injury rate compared to those who trained in the morning. The physiotherapist in me believes there are many varied, contributing factors that contribute to risk of injuries.

• Your body has increased strength and endurance in the afternoon. This can lead to:

  • An advantage to gaining more muscles mass.

  • With increased time to exhaustion, you can improve your VO2 Max.

• Stress relief – use the time and exercise to unwind and destress from a hard day.

• Improve deep sleep with moderate exercise – be careful as high intensity exercise 90mins before bed has shown a negative effect on sleep.

For me personally, I like to train in the morning because I am more likely to get it done. During the day things tend to pop up which reduces my available time to train, providing the excuse to not do it. Sometimes, I find it hard to motivate myself after work and to get my butt moving once I’m home! Pending what I have for training, I do have to schedule some sessions in the afternoon/evening. It’s ok to mix it up and sometimes it’s best to schedule your training when it fits so you can maintain consistency.

As a coach though, I would highly recommend if your race is a particular time in the morning, then do a few sessions a week at this time. Making it a habit can help to train your bodily functions which will assist with your get up and refine your prep time before you race. There is nothing worse than the urgent need to go to the toilet during any race no matter what distance it is!