3 Reasons You Should be Training Early

in the Morning

Following on from a short video I shared on Instagram over the weekend (@funfitpics) I wanted to take the opportunity to expand a little on this week’s blog. A common question I get asked is when should I train? or when is the best time of day to train?

Now, of course, the best time to train is when you have the time, whether that is first thing in the morning, during your lunch break or on the way home from work. The worst time to train is when you’re ill or very fatigued. The smartest time to avoid training are immediately after eating, 60-90 minutes after a light should be fine and 2-3 hours after a bigger meal would be wise depending on the intensity of the session. I would also avoid the “home trap”. If you plan on going to the gym or out for a run after getting home from work, you are much less likely to get back out the door and actually do it, you know exactly what I’m talking about, the sofa…

That all being said this week’s blog is about why training in the morning is a really smart idea if you can. Here are three reasons you should think about avoiding the snooze button and pulling on your trainers instead.

1. Confidence Building

If you are uncomfortable in the gym environment and find it intimidating, or if you don’t like the thought of people seeing you jogging or doing your exercise DVD, then doing it early means you can overcome this fear gradually. The gym, running paths and your living room should all be quieter first thing in the morning and so offers you the chance to get started and build that confidence gradually. You can also make your session a little later each week as confidence grows and you are less self-conscious.

This is also a big part of why many clients chose to do Personal Training as it’s totally private and overcomes this all too common barrier to success. This advice absolutely applies to men who are trying to hit the gym and the free weights. This can be a testosterone filled place few will choose to venture, however training early can help you build up the confidence needed. I’m also pleased to say more women than ever before are strength training and quite often outperforming the men.

2. Time and Stress Saving

Training early not only means your session is done and out of the way before the working day or weekend, but it also means your family, partner or friends aren’t going to be vying for your time. This means more of your sessions get completed in their entirety and at the correct intestiy.

Nothing is more distracting than looking at the clock and worrying about being in a meeting, getting back to see the family or trying not to let anyone down. Training early not only eliminates most of this but it carves out some real personal time for your to focus on your goals, health and wellbeing.

It should also, hopefully, go without saying that training earlier also makes it quicker to get your session (if training in the gym) done. Less people mean less waiting time for equipment and that means more gets done in less time and in the correct order.

3. Fat Burning Potential

There are a number of studies that indicated training first thing in the morning on an empty stomach can be beneficial for fat burning potential. This generally applies to strength training as training fasted does not impair your intensity (weights you can lift). This of course depends on the meal you had the night before.

If you are planning on running or performing cardio training then studies indicate that intensity (running speed and or distance) will be reduced along with aerobic capacity. This can be helpful if training for certain events but for most people this will likely impair training. In this case, a small meal or piece of fruit would be more beneficial, as you will train harder and ultimately burn more calories and improve fitness gains.

That being said a short run of 20-30 minutes should still be manageable if you wanted to adopt this approach, depending on the individual.

In my video, (Instagram-@funfitpics) I was heading to the gym early on Sunday morning to do my weekly heavy strength training session. I love this session because the gym is empty, I can focus on my goals, technique and training without any distractions. I also know that when I am done I can grab a health breakfast at my favourite coffee shop and still be ready for the day by 9.30-10.00am, it’s a perfect way to start the day.

Training early could be your new secret weapon.

Andy Strong

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