Best time of day to lift

[Veecee]

It's good to go middle afternoon I heard, but that's also the time when it's packed. Seeing that I'm a 140 lb skinny man, I become the beta-male of the gym, unlike the mornings when there's no one there lol.

[408w8lifter]

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Hey all,

I was reading through the Starting Strength FAQ and noticed this statement:

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Question - Should I work out in the morning, in the afternoon or the evening?

This is going to vary from person to person. There is a bit of evidence that suggests weight training is ideal in the later morning/early afternoon timeframe, especially for adults in their 30s or older, but I would worry less about this and more about what works better for you. Some people train best on a stomach without much food, others train best with several meals in their bellies. You need to find out what works in with your time schedule and your meal planning best.

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My question in regard to this is if anyone knows of or can refer me to the material that shows some advantage to a later in the day advantage for the over 30 crowd (I'm 31). Obviously its not a huge factor but I currently work out in the early AM on my way into work, but I can easily shift to mid day.

Thanks,
VR

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The best time is always going to be whatever time will get in the gym with the most consistency. What the study is talking about is peak performance, for example I am much stronger after I have been up 8 hours or so. If I lift in the morning I am pretty weak, at night I'm at my strongest. Some people its the total opposite, but if performance ins't your primary goal consistency is thus whatever time is most conveniant that is your time.

[mike_oxbig]

I find the morning easiest due to metabolism being the highest and also it gives me enough time throughout the day to have proper nutrition post workout wich isn't something I'd be able to accomplish if I worked out at 6pm because I'd be asleep before I could maximize the benefits of what I can eat to help recovery/growth.