Gym body clock - morning or eve - what's your preference?

[Urbanvoltaire]

I'm toying with changing my gym to one near my work whereby I can do a session 8-9am, shower then be at my desk 9.30,

I normally go to a gym near home 2-3 times a week between 7-9pm for an hour but -

It's always v busy
Taking up my evenings

My question is this - do you have an optimum time of day to train? I'm not a morning person and wondering how energetic I'll be? Or will my body adjust and get with it?

Just curious ;-)

I perform best at about 3-4, which doesn't fit in with my life at all 😂. I have grand plans of getting up earlier and fitting a workout in (currently planning a run in the morning after I've dropped the kids off - that will be about 7:45. I'm more likely to just crawl back into bed). So I tend to exercise in the evening.

Morning definitely, love getting it over with, sets me up for a good day, and I look forward to a nice breakfast afterwards! Evening difficult because of cooking for DD too so I find it harder to get out.

Morning. My performance isn't as good in the afternoon, but I'm less likely to let the day take over and end up not going!

Evening. Every fibre of my being resents every minute of the day that I am awake before 10am, if not midday.

Morning all the way. Ideally about 9, after the school run. It's a right PITA having to go to work!

If I could choose, about 9am is a good time. But on a work day I’d have to be up for a wprlout at 5am which is just not happening. So evenings it is.

Evening. Without a shadow of a doubt. Preferably early evening although kids do tend to get in the way of this preference.

I would have breakfast before, can't exercise on an empty stomach. Then I'll have a snack mid morning. I'm trying out this gym tomorrow so will report back. I'll need to have kit bag ready the night before which I'm good at.

It means my eves will be slightly less hectic.

My performance is at its best 11am-1pm usually. I start to feel fatigued around 5pm-7pm (then perk up around 10pm) but I'm absolutely not a morning person. Which is why I, er, train in the morning (duh! yes I know!)

I train at 6.30am-7am before work (or mid-late morning if I'm not working that day) or 10am at weekends. It's a real struggle but it's the only way I can be certain that work won't interfere with my training - there are always last minute lunch meetings or late evening calls (it doesn't matter whether I block my diary out or not). Plus it's nice to have my evenings free so I can go for an impromptu drink (if not stuck on a conference call!).

The gym seems a little quieter in the morning (compared to evenings). I've realised that I only truly wake up 30 mins into my gym session. This is despite having an espresso before leaving home for the gym. I am also a complete bitch to be around and hate everyone and everything (so please don't get in my way in the gym as I have sub-zero tolerance levels in the early morning). The second half of my workout is much better as I'm almost human by then.

It feels great getting to work at 9am and my training already being done for the day. I feel very virtuous and my colleagues are usually quite jealous.

I train 5 days a week and although mornings are tough at first, once I got into a routine it got easier.

I'm 100% percent not a morning person, yet I find if I can make it to the gym before work it does work best for me. I seem to exercise best before breakfast as well. I cycle 7 miles to work most days and don't need to eat before.

I'm not a morning person, but I definitely prefer to exercise in the morning

I’m a morning gym person 10am is my favourite time for a class!!

I used to do mornings and thought that was my best time but then found that straight after work (with a snack before the gym) was the best timing for me

Morning. I've been a regular runner for about 13 years now, I just cannot run in the evening, it feels like I have lead weights attached to my feet. I've even been at running at 5am with not much problem. I would love to have more energy at night.

I seem to ebb and flow through the day.

In the holidays I have to squeeze in early morning runs and they're OK, but they tend to be limited on length which is just as well as I'm fasted with not much more than a sugary drink for some instant energy.

In term time, I can not seem to get going for a 9-10am run. I have done classes at 10:30, but it seems to be 12 onwards that I can push myself out to run.

I've had many a great Sunday evening run around 5-6pm where my body just "gets it". I'm fulled, warmed up but well over lunch. Unfortunately that slot does not suit having kids as I'm not child-free at that time in terms or holidays.

I have another burst at about 10pm. This was when I did most of C25k when baby was asleep after cluster feeding.

I think it's mainly around food digestion times and finding the sweet spot between being fuelled but not processing food.

Back in the real world of other commitments, I'd go with the earlier start and get the day going on a buzz after the workout. I loved it when I worked near a swimming pool and could squeeze in 30mins of laned swim and get to work freshly showered and exercised.