I’ve written about the best time to train in the past, but here are some additional viewpoints from Russian and Eastern European authorities on the topic:
After sleep, strength is 20-30% lower and will gradually
increase achieving maximum after 3-5 hours upon awakening. Source:
Vorobyev, A.N. (1978). A Textbook On Weightlifting. (W.J. Brice, Trans.). Budapest: International Weightlifting Federation, pg. 167.
Plekhov (1988) recommends that training occurs during the active
part of the day. There are two periods in which work capacity is
elevated: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. These are optimal times
to workout. Source: How to structure training (Chapter 4) from Vozmi V
Sputniki Silu (Moscow, 1988). Soviet Sports Review, 26(2), June 1991, 66-69.
In the book Science of Sports Training by Thomas Kurz
(1991, pg. 60), it states: “According to chronobiological research
conducted by Charles Winget, Charles DeRoshia, and Daniel Holley, the
best time to conduct a strength workout is between 14:00 and 20:30 hours
because the hand grip strength is greater then.” Not only is strength
performance better in the evening claims Kurz, but physical effort is
perceived to be easier in the late afternoon and early evening.
As you can tell, there’s quite a bit of conflicting advice: some
experts say that it’s best to train in the morning, some say afternoon,
and some say evening. The bottom line is to find what works best for you and your schedule, and train then.
