What is the best time of day to work out?

By Mert Yerekapan · Updated

The best time to work out is whichever time you'll actually do it consistently. Differences between morning and evening are small, and they don't come close to the difference between showing up and skipping.

What the timing research says

Body temperature and strength tend to peak in the late afternoon or early evening, so some people lift a bit more then. Studies on this show small differences. Morning exercise has some edge in being done before the day takes over, and evening training suits people who feel stiff early.

None of this matters enough to restructure your day around.

Pick based on your life

Morning works well if:

  • Your evenings get crowded or unpredictable
  • You like having it finished
  • The gym is quiet early

Evening works well if:

  • You feel stiff and slow until midday
  • You have more time after work
  • You like a way to unwind after work

Lunchtime works for people with flexible jobs and a gym nearby.

What matters more than the clock

  1. Fixed time. Doing it at 6:30am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday beats a vague plan.
  2. Sleep. If training late makes it hard to fall asleep, move it earlier. A hard session close to bedtime bothers some people and not others, so pay attention to your own sleep.
  3. Food. Don't train starving or completely stuffed. A light snack an hour or so before is enough for most people.

A fixed time is easier to keep when something is expecting you. League of Fitness matches you with someone near your level every day and decides the match once the day is over, so a 6:30am session and an evening one count the same.

If you're switching times

Give it two weeks. Early morning workouts often feel terrible at first and then become normal. If it's still miserable after that, you've learned your answer. Starting to work out in the morning has tips for making the switch.

For the opposite problem, working out when tired after work covers evening slumps.

My take: pick a time, keep it for a month, and only change it if it clearly isn't working.

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