Coming from a weight training background, it amazes me that people do workouts, especially hard workouts, early in the morning after waking. It was well known that strength peaks after 7-10 hours waking time, and you typically saw pro bodybuilders train late afternoon or evening.

The body needs time to get the nervous system activated. Coming off an 8 hour rest then pushing threshold just does not seem like a good idea for wellbeing or gains.

Id say evening work gives the most benefits, by far

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Strava

Do you have any studies to substantiate this "by far" hypothesis? Or just anecdotal broscience?

I've been training in the 4AM to 8AM window for 7 years. Very rarely, if ever, do I leave my hard session of the day for after work. IME, I think too much and it's way easier to bail on a tough session after I get home from work. Early in the morning, my mind shuts up and does the work.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

You can look at this, which looks at circadian rhythms

The best time to work out: there's a science to it (mennohenselmans.com)



found it quickly through a google search but i'm sure there is more. I was in the sport for many years and it was a pretty well acknowledged thing. Easy sessions in the morning i'm sure are fine, but quality workouts are best done later in the day

I will say that things like schedule availability and caffeine use plays a role in when youd want to workout. Im not having a coffee at 6pm lol

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Strava

After harder workouts there is increased metabolic activity. Confirmed. The only benefit is slightly more kcal burned. Not more fitness because of that increased post-exercise metabolic activity. You're not missing out on anything. Except maybe sleep, if your increased metabolic rate increases sleep latency (time taken to fall asleep).

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Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
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by that logic every race should start after lunchtime. right when people hit that after lunch sleepy.

i always try to get my hardest workouts in earliest in the am. cortisol levels are high and my body wants to do the tougher stuff first. as the day progresses my give a damn gradually begins to slip.

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80/20 Endurance Ambassador

Well this is in reference to training, not racing. Workouts will be higher quality if done later in the day is all that i was i was showing. You can certainly do anything whenever you want, your a free man, and im sure most people dont have the luxury of doing a workout at 3pm

I still would probably recommend against doing VO2max type stuff within 1-2 hours of waking, im sure the shear stress of taking the engine from complete rest to redlining very rapidly has negative consequences. Then again, i had a coworker who kept her running shoes next to her bed and would be out for a run within minutes of waking, so whatever floats your boat i suppose

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Strava

“train like you race”.

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80/20 Endurance Ambassador

I think some people take that too literally.

OK, stop right there.

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http://www.jt10000.com/

Ok sorry

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Strava