From the early risers to night owls, everyone seems to have their own natural rhythms, but does an optimal workout window really exist?

 

If you’re consistent in your fitness, you are well on your way to reaching your goals! Let’s not complicate things too much — movement is movement — whether you’re taking four flights of stairs a couple of times of day or you’re lifting weights, it all compounds to help you reach your fitness goals.

 

Sometimes in our consistent fitness routine, we find ourselves in a rut — our diets are dialed, we’re getting enough sleep, and our workouts are consistent, yet our results seem to have plateaued. So, we have to shake things up and explore different avenues.

 

Proven4 is a sports supplement company that has crafted pre workout, intra-workout, and post workout drinks to fuel and assist your body in every phase of your fitness journey. Join us in today’s post as we navigate the optimal time for fitness to perhaps stir and awaken your plateau!

 

 

Is There a Better Time to Work Out?

 

In the health and fitness landscape, there is always a surplus of information — from the timing of your protein consumption after lifting, to the worst, better, and best carbs to eat to better fuel your body. The list could go on and on, and really, there is going to be praise and critique for it all.

 

So, where do you begin to navigate this fitness information?

 

Let’s take a little peek at some research.

 

In an article from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research on the effects of training at a specific time of day, it was found that flexibility and strength are optimal in the late afternoon when your temperature runs a bit higher, and high-intensity exercise is best performed late in the day. You can read the full article here.

 

The takeaway here may seem to favor the night owls while neglecting the early risers, so will the morning people forever be doomed?

 

Not likely!

 

It may take a little adjustment to your workouts, but your body is amazingly adaptable, and you can get a workout in when you need.

 

There’s also another point to consider — if you’re training for a race that will start at 5:00 am, you may want to train in a similar window, and the same goes for a weight lifting competition or cycling race. Really, the most important thing is to listen to your body and accommodate your fitness accordingly, and while there are studies backed by science, outliers always exist!

 

You also have to consider your schedule and lifestyle — these factors dramatically change and impact your training, so getting a workout in when you can is better than not doing it at all! Don’t overcomplicate things!

 

If you are in a space where you can tweak your workout routine, you may want to see what happens when you work out later and if there are any benefits to your fitness goals and results.

 

Trial and error are your best indicators when it comes to getting to know what works best for your body. Try something new and if it’s not working, try something different.

 

The optimal time for a workout may not have been what you expected — the optimal time is when it works best for you! Many times our bodies plateau because we’re stressing over our workouts and doing everything right, seriously!

 

Though you may not feel stress, our bodies do! It then holds on to it and makes training and seeing our gains more difficult as we plateau. So, listen to your body and find a time to move when it feels good and right!

 

There is more to explore on this topic, so stay tuned for part two! In part two, we’ll dive deeper into the advantages of both a morning and evening workout routine — stay tuned!

 

In the interim, fuel your body with workout supplements from P4! If you’re an early riser, we have our Pre workout formula, Pre-Game. And during your workout, P4 energy will help you endure and push through the toughest workout, and round it out with our muscle recovery drink, P4 Recovery Push. Happy fitness!