Is it true that exercising in the morning is harmful?

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the website makefitness.pro | more details >> I am a swimming coach at a youth sports school and a gym instructor.

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(become an author) Date: 2020-11-11 Views: 3,284 Rating: 4.3

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We will talk about training in general: about cardio training (aerobic exercise) and strength training (anaerobic exercise). Let's consider both cases: is it possible to train on an empty stomach for cardio and for strength training?

From the material you will learn:

1. Disadvantages of training on an empty stomach. 2. Positive aspects of training on an empty stomach.

Research: where is the truth?

Monday, Wednesday and Friday are the days of the week on which 60-80% of athletes train. A popular time period when the gym is packed to capacity is from six to eight in the evening. This is logical, because people go to exercise after work. But do evening exercises work or is it better to exercise in the morning?

Scientists became interested in these points and conducted a group of studies:

1. Experiment No. 1. The study involved 100 men who trained in the morning, at lunch (12:00), in the evening (16:00) and before bed (20:00). The results are as follows:
   • Training guaranteed the greatest effect in the evening due to the active work of muscle fibers.

   Muscle growth is greater after 4:00 pm due to lower cortisol levels in the evening.

As for testosterone, its level is higher in the first half of the day, but against the background of cortisol activity this advantage is offset. Scientists have made sure that the result is maximum between 6 and 8 pm. But you shouldn’t be categorical here. The rhythm of wakefulness and sleep differs for each individual. This means that you should focus first on internal rhythms, and only then on the recommendations of researchers.

2. Experiment No. 2. Scientists did not stop at the achieved result and conducted a study based on body type. It has been found that endomorphs (people with slow metabolisms) should exercise before lunch. This approach guarantees uniform burning of fat deposits. For ectomorphs, evening hours are preferable, when the body has accumulated enough calories to burn.
3. Experiment No. 3. Human life is associated with biological rhythms, on which body temperature, metabolism, blood pressure and a number of physiological functions depend. Research has proven that the best results come from proper adjustment to your own body. For example, if exercising in the morning does not produce results, then you can move your workouts to the evening. The body will immediately tell you whether it is better for it to work in this mode or not.

The research results are as follows:

• Strength increases by 12 days.
• Body temperature reaches the ideal value at 16:00-17:00.
• Resistance to anaerobic stress is better after 16:00.
• After 12:00 stamina increases.
• The risk of injury after 12:00 is 20-25% lower.
• If you exercise 2-3 times a week, your sleep quality will improve.

Why you should exercise in the morning

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Activity distribution

Let's look at what time you can and should train, taking into account the arrow on the dial:

• 05:00. Body temperature is low. This time is suitable for light training (yoga, warm-up).
• 07:00. Morning activity will energize the cardiovascular system and speed up fat burning. Studies have shown that the number of calories burned when exercising in the morning is three times greater than in the evening.
• 15:00. Running in the fresh air strengthens the body. At this time, the heart copes with pumping blood more easily, joints become flexible, and the temperature rises.
• 16:30. This time is suitable for cycling. Pedaling guarantees fat burning (especially in women). The advantage is muscle flexibility, liquid blood.
• 17:00. Working with loads. The body heats up to the maximum temperature. If you pump at this time, you can achieve high testosterone levels. It is believed that after 17:00 a second wind opens in the body.
• 19:00. At this time, it is worth giving yourself to swimming. This can be explained by the activity of reflexes and muscle plasticity.
• 20:00. Evening time is suitable for team sports.

Morning training rules

Making the decision to exercise in the morning is a responsible step. But here you should follow a number of rules:

• Exercise after waking up. The main difficulty is to develop the habit of starting training after getting up. At first the body resists, but over time this goes away. The consciousness should expect to awaken, and the body to receive a portion of the load. Before the start, you can drink a glass of water to start the work of your internal organs. Don't forget the importance of a 5-10 minute warm-up.
• Explosive exercise in the morning is the key to health. To disperse blood through the vessels, activate muscle growth and accelerate metabolic processes, include the following options in your training - lunges, jumping squats, jumping, sharp push-ups, and so on.
• Include static exercises aimed at stretching muscles (at least one). The belief that after waking up a person is “wooden” is wrong. History knows thousands of examples of people who easily did the splits even in the morning. The main thing is daily training. The result will come in 3-4 months. Among the stretching exercises, it is worth highlighting spiderman lunges, Hindu push-ups, one-leg squats, side lunges with body fixation in the lower position, and so on.
• Short and sweet. It's worth doing every day. In this case, there is no need to overload the body - 5-10 minutes are enough to start the processes and not harm the internal organs.
• Set goals. You can’t train “just like that.” Classes in the morning should be carried out taking into account the assigned tasks and through orientation to the goal. For women - weight loss, development of legs or buttocks, and for men - muscle gain, additional strength and relief.

Arguments FOR training on an empty stomach

1. Most people can train and progress on an empty stomach.

It's simple: if you eat enough protein, fat and carbohydrates throughout the day, even despite training in the morning on an empty stomach, you will still progress (grow in strength and muscle mass). A supporter of training on an empty stomach in the morning is Stanislav Lindover, who expressed his opinion in the post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGkZxBipxX8/?igshid=3hmdxkyj1r6p.

Please note that this is just an individual's opinion based on their experience and results. There is no scientific evidence in this post. Therefore, everything here is individual, i.e. you may have the opposite picture. And in another post about fasted cardio, he cites scientific studies that such training has its drawbacks (link in paragraph 3).

2. Exercising on an empty stomach reduces your appetite.

. Here I will tell you about my personal experience. Always, when I start training on an empty stomach, 10-15 minutes after the start of the training, my appetite disappears, but productivity remains at a high level. For me personally, training on an empty and full stomach is no different in effectiveness. Regarding appetite: before starting a class, I literally shake from hunger, but as soon as I start exercising, the sensations disappear.

3. Fasted workouts help burn off that last bit of fat.

. This post by S. Lindover (at the very end) says that cardio on an empty stomach is more effective in getting rid of the last remnants of fat when losing weight: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6lAPPFibjX/?igshid=3rffjbj9amae. The last fat, as we know, is fat in problem areas. This is where problems arise.

4. Fasting trains metabolic flexibility.

Metabolic flexibility is the body's ability to obtain energy from various substances in the body. At first, training on an empty stomach will be a little difficult for some: a drop in performance, low quality of training, etc. But over time, the body will adapt to these conditions and begin to obtain energy and fat, for example. Training without food will no longer be inferior to training with a slightly full stomach. Read more about metabolic flexibility, what to eat before training and fasted training HERE.

How to determine the time for classes?

Here it is worth focusing on the following points:

• Choose a convenient time . Each person has individual life circumstances, taking into account which the schedule is formed. Even if the time of 19:00 is suitable in all respects, but there is a risk of not being on time, then there is no need to try - reschedule the training. Please note that food should be taken no later than an hour before exercise. The exception is the morning, when classes are allowed without breakfast.
• Systematicity . If the body is used to training at the same time and going to the gym gives results, then you should not shock the body with regular changes to the training schedule. Periodic adjustments are acceptable, but nothing more. If it turns out that it is not possible to visit the gym at the usual time, then a small shift in the training process will not be a tragedy.
• Focus on your own body . Observe your body and record the times when exercise brings you the most satisfaction.

Results

Now let's summarize for each time:

• Morning. Features: increased testosterone levels, decreased body temperature, minimal serotonin levels, the brain is active and concentrated. Advantages: increased oxygen volume, availability of exercise equipment, no workload in the gym.
• Day. Features - temperature and adrenaline rise, the sensitivity threshold increases, energy level drops. Advantages: availability of daylight, increased rest time between sets, availability of a trainer.
• Evening. Features: Temperature, endurance and coordination at peak. In the evening, lung performance is at its maximum level, joint strength and bone flexibility increase, and mental concentration decreases.

If the goal is to lose weight, then the morning hours guarantee results. Due to the high level of cortisol and other hormones, metabolic processes are activated and excess fat is burned more quickly. In this case, both light jogging and strength training are allowed. The main thing is not to put too much pressure on the body, but to listen to its sensations.

Exercising in the morning: benefit or harm?

Exercising early in the day is more effective for weight loss than working out in the evening.

Do you remember with horror the morning exercises at the pioneer camp and school physical education in the first lesson? It’s eight in the morning, your eyes are drooping, your arms don’t move, your legs are tangled, and you’re being forced to take cross-country runs and squat until you’re blue in the face. After such a start to the day, you feel disgusting - your heart is pounding, and circles are blurring before your eyes... The heart wakes up - When we sleep, the blood circulates slowly and becomes thick, the heart rests and beats rarely, explains fitness instructor Revaz LUBENETS. So when the alarm clock rings, don't jump out of bed and don't rush to put on your sneakers. “Wake up” yourself gradually. Remember how wise cats and dogs behave when they wake up? They stretch sweetly, preparing their body for the stress. Take an example from them. Open your eyes - stretch. First, open your palms and clench your fists. Extend your arms behind your head. And now the legs: socks away from you - towards you. Perform light twists - legs to the left and arms to the right. Only then roll over to your side, lower your legs off the bed and sit down. Do you like morning runs? Go to a park, square, or get on a treadmill no earlier than two hours after you get out of bed. Have pity on your heart, don’t make it frantic and bleed your morning blood. At the beginning of the day - only light exercise. The best option for the morning hours is light 15-minute exercises. Knead and stretch all muscles and joints. If you only have time to visit the fitness club in the morning, before work, let the workout be gentle. Work out on machines with minimal weights, go to water aerobics, Pilates, yoga, or just swim in the pool. And leave the tedious strength training for the evening. Don’t forget that before morning classes you need to have a good rest - sleep at least 8 hours. What about breakfast? “In my opinion, it’s better not to eat before a morning workout,” says KP expert and presenter on the Domashny TV channel Denis SEMENIKHIN. - Of course, only if you go to the gym an hour and a half after you wake up. But be sure to drink a glass of water or an isotonic drink (a low-carb drink that hydrates the body and restores salt balance). And immediately after class (within an hour) have breakfast. It is best to eat complex carbohydrates, that is, muesli, cereals or vegetables. They are good for the body, giving energy and a feeling of fullness. Keep in mind that if you skip breakfast, you will feel tired, overwhelmed, and lethargic all day. In addition, the lack of morning “feed” slows down the metabolism. There is one more problem. Usually, those who start the day actively develop a beastly appetite. Don't be scared! This is fine. Eat regularly and in small portions. Try to have two snacks before lunch. “This,” explains Denis Semenikhin, “is a sign that the metabolism has activated and the “firewood” (that is, food. - Author) will burn without a trace. Working out early can help you lose weight - In terms of boosting your metabolism for the day ahead and speeding recovery, there is no better time to work out - in his book Fitness Made Easy! says Denis SEMENIKHIN. — If you need to reduce the amount of subcutaneous fat, I prefer morning workouts and try to build a daily routine so as to make them possible. You haven’t eaten all night; after waking up, your metabolism naturally activates, and if you train before breakfast, your body will simply be forced to use its energy reserves to produce energy. Early classes Pro - You have not yet had time to get tired from work. — There aren’t very many people in the club. — After a gentle “awakening” workout and a contrast shower in the morning, you will feel cheerful and cheerful all day long. “Even a simple complex will help you tighten your muscles, lose weight, and improve your complexion in just a few weeks. Con - Hard work on the heart. — It is not recommended to pump up muscles and give the body heavy loads. — You wouldn’t wish falling asleep with a heavy barbell in your hands on your enemy! — Exercising early in the morning is not suitable for everyone. As a rule, only early risers can force themselves to go to the gym at the crack of dawn.