What is the best time of day for strength training?

Strength training is the key to a bodybuilder's success. That's why it's obviously important to get the most out of every workout.

To lift as much weight as possible, you need to be in top physical and mental condition. But at which time of day is that actually the case?

Let's take a closer look at this topic.

Early bird or night owl?

The human body has evolved to function and maintain itself automatically, so the brain can devote more energy to more demanding tasks. We've adapted to certain signals from our environment that help our body trigger specific systems and processes while suppressing others.

The most important signal our body receives from our environment and reacts to is light. This is called the circadian rhythm.

Each of us has our own unique circadian rhythm. What matters most is a certain consistency in our sleep and movement habits. That prevents unnecessary stress and injuries while also improving our performance in various activities.

The biggest difference in circadian rhythm between different people lies mainly in sleep patterns. This is generally divided into two categories: larks and night owls.

Some of us wake up early, motivated and full of energy, the larks. The opposite are the night owls, they wake up later and more slowly and need a few hours to fully function. Broadly speaking, night owls tend to perform better in the late afternoon, while larks hit their performance peak early in the morning. Most of us, however, around 60-70%, fall somewhere in between.

Here are a few interesting points that influence our circadian rhythm:

Morning:

Testosterone is at its highest level (4)
Mental alertness is highest in the late morning (4)
Memory functions best (5)
Body temperature is still low

Afternoon:

Pain tolerance is at its highest (3)
Possible midday slump
Adrenaline and body temperature rise in the late afternoon (4)
Optimal combination of mental and physical performance in the late afternoon (4)

Evening:

Coordination, endurance and body temperature at their highest level (4)
Lung function at its best (6)
Flexibility and strength at their best (7)
Mental focus starts to fade

Night:

From 9pm onward, the body produces additional melatonin to prepare for sleep (4)
Body functions slow down to prepare for sleep

Although these parameters vary a little from person to person, they still give a good initial indication of the best time to do strength training. But now I want to go into a bit more detail on the numerous factors that play a role in effective strength training.

Cortisol

Put simply, cortisol is a hormone we don't want too much of. It promotes fat storage and muscle breakdown. Cortisol levels are highest about two hours after waking up and then slowly decline. That's not a problem though, since your cortisol level spikes during training anyway. That's why, luckily, we don't need to worry about cortisol any further.

Growth hormone

Growth hormone isn't tied to the time of day, it's more related to how long you sleep each day. Growth hormone promotes muscle growth. So getting enough sleep helps your training.

Testosterone

Testosterone is essentially the male hormone. More testosterone means more muscle, which is why steroids work so well. Your testosterone level is highest in the morning, which is why a morning workout supports both muscle growth and fat loss.

Strength & flexibility

More strength means more muscle stimulation, which in turn leads to more muscle growth. Your strength level is therefore an important factor for strength training, less so if you're focused on fat loss.

Flexibility shouldn't be neglected either, since greater flexibility comes with a wider range of motion and lower injury risk.

Both strength and flexibility are highest in the late afternoon.

Pain tolerance

In the afternoon your pain tolerance is highest, so you can push your limits with less discomfort. For bodybuilders, that's extremely important.

Pros and cons of different times of day

Every time of day has its pros and cons. Let's look at them together:

Morning

In the morning you can take advantage of high testosterone levels to build muscle. Your mental focus is also generally at its best at this time of day, letting you complete a more efficient workout because your brain and muscles communicate better.

Afternoon

Afternoons are especially good for strength training if you've hit a plateau. Because your pain threshold is highest at this time, you can use muscle-shock techniques to push yourself further than usual.

Evening

Evening training holds the best potential for a strong performance, because your body is at peak condition for physical activity at this time of day. However, if you train too late, it can disrupt your sleep rhythm, since your body starts preparing for nighttime rest in the evening.

Conclusion - what is the best time of day for strength training?

In my opinion, the afternoon is the best time for strength training, because it offers a good balance of the factors listed above. Your body has a high pain threshold, flexibility and strength are high, and your mental focus has recovered from the midday slump. Plus, you don't risk disrupting your sleep rhythm by training too late.

The big downside is that afternoon training is hard to fit in for many people, since that's when they're at work or at university.

Your best bet is to simply try out different times of day and then decide what makes the most sense for you.

If you'd like, as a personal trainer in Zurich I can build you a training plan that fits your individual daily rhythm best. That way you'll get the best results faster and with less effort. Just send me an email, I'd love to hear from you! Sources:

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