There is no consensus on what is the best time to train or whether it is preferable to train in the morning or afternoon. In most cases, preferences are given by the customs of each person imposed by family and work obligations. However, there are differences that can make one time or another more convenient for us, as long as we can choose, of course.
Before deciding what is the best time to train cycling, we must start by talking about circadian rhythms. We all function based on a kind of biological clock that regulates the body’s activity throughout the day.
This internal clock is synchronized using daylight and determines body parameters such as the levels of different hormones, body temperature or sleep cycles.
It therefore makes a certain logic that we try to incorporate our training in the phase of the day in which the body is most active and we can obtain the best results from it.
Based on this, it is quite accepted that the hours when the body has greater cardiovascular efficiency are between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. However, circadian rhythms are not the same for everyone.
We all know those who wake up early without an alarm clock, they are tremendously active from first thing in the morning, but after mealtime they fade away to end up in bed early. Or, in the opposite case, those who like to be working until late at night, but who are not a person until almost noon.
Therefore, a general recommendation cannot be established for everyone; we must find the optimal time for our training based on our own circadian rhythm.
On the contrary, training outside of the hours when the body is most active can result in those sessions in which those of us feel without legs, feel tired and each change of pace costs us twice as much.
Train in the morning
Mornings are usually the ideal time for those people who don’t have trouble getting up early and feel active from the moment they get out of bed. For both them and those who don’t, adding activity at this time forces the body to activate, giving us a good dose of energy for the rest of the day.
On a hormonal level, the first hours of the day usually coincide with higher levels of testosterone, so it is a good time to make the most of strength training.
In addition, training first thing in the morning gives us the possibility of introducing some outings on an empty stomach into our routine. A type of training about which there is some controversy but which, apparently, can help improve fat metabolism.
When training in the morning we must take into account that the night before our diet includes a sufficient supply of carbohydrates to have a sufficient energy reserve to face the session. We must also forget about watching the series or movie on duty and go to bed early enough to sleep and recover what corresponds.
Finally, an important detail: after nighttime inactivity, muscles and joints are stiffer and metabolism slows down. Place more emphasis on the warm-up phase to minimize the risk of injury.
Mealtime
Many of those who work part-time usually take advantage of the lunch break to include their workouts. An option that ensures that the body is fully active, both in the case of night owls and day owls.
Training at this time allows us in many cases to reactivate ourselves and release the stress accumulated during morning work. Furthermore, in many cases it is an activity that we can share with office colleagues, which in many cases results in a better work environment and greater empathy.
However, here we have the limitation of the time available, an aspect that we can deal with if we have good training planning: going out to do sets for an hour is not the same as going out just to pedal.
Heat is another problem that we can encounter during the summer months, although, on the contrary, in winter it allows us to enjoy training in daylight.
In the afternoon
As we explained at the beginning, this is the optimal part of the day for the vast majority of people. It is when the body is fully active and the muscles acquire the ideal mobility and temperature to perform at their best.
As with lunchtime, training after work allows us to disconnect from our work activity and redirect the stress of the day. However, on many occasions, many people arrive exhausted at this time of the day, except in very physical jobs, a feeling that is usually more mental than anything else but that requires large doses of motivation to complete the daily training.
In any case, we should not extend the evening sessions too much since we must let the body lower its activation level after training or it is very likely that we will find ourselves having problems falling asleep.