Steve Chambers has issued his own advice after years of reading others’ opinions
A Liverpool personal trainer has revealed the best time he believes people should exercise. Steve Chambers, a gym manager at Ultimate Performance, has been in the industry for more than 15 years.
The fitness fanatic said that during this time, he has “come across and read countless studies from all over the world,” all of which promote a “magic” time to exercise. He said that whether it’s academics, opinion pieces, or claims from social media influencers, there is “no shortage of these studies” about the best time to train.
However, Steve, who works at the St Paul’s Square city centre venue, said, “There is no best time to exercise other than the time that works for you”.
READ MORE: Liverpool FC star Mohamed Salah says ‘you have to’ in surprise fitness admissionREAD MORE: Liverpool gym owner on simple sum to work out how much protein you should eat a day
He told the ECHO: “If you’re an Olympic athlete, and you’re looking to make those very marginal gains that might be the difference between a silver and gold medal, then it might be worth forensically exploring different times of the day to train to see if there are any positive benefits.
“However, for the average person wanting to exercise to improve their health, the time of day you train is not going to matter one bit.
“My problem with these studies is that they can cause people to overthink things or believe there is a ‘magical’ or ‘golden’ time to train. So, they can fall into the trap of scheduling their training based on something they’ve read, to the detriment of their work-life balance. And that can cause more harm than good.
READ MORE: Gym owner shares best and worst cheat meals for your diet plan
“What you should focus on is training when you want to, when you feel at your best, and when you can consistently do it, day in and day out, and give it your all.”
Steve said it is important to remember that exercise promotes overall good health, both physically and mentally. Depending on the type of exercise you do, it can build muscle, improve your cardiovascular system, and help reverse chronic conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. It can also produce feel good endorphins and help with anxiety.
Steve added: “The list of benefits that come from exercise is endless. But these benefits will only happen if you train with intensity and enjoyment at a time that works for you.
“My tips when it comes to the ‘best’ time to exercise is to forget studies and data based on other people’s experiences and find a time to train when it suits you, your lifestyle, and your daily schedule.”
Steve’s points to consider
- When are you going to train most effectively?
- When are you going to be able to put the most effort in?
- When are you going to have the most energy?
- When will you be able to train most efficiently and effectively, unencumbered by a busy gym or phone distractions?
He said: “Here’s a good example: Say you’ve got a job that requires you to get up early in the morning, or you’ve got family commitments such as dropping the kids off at school. But you then read a study that recommends training in the morning as the ‘best’ time to exercise, based on a study of other people.
“So, to cram in exercise, you get up an hour or two earlier – perhaps even as early as 4.30 am – in doing so compromising your sleep, which is a disaster because getting a good night’s sleep is a fundamental cornerstone of good health.
“And when you get to the gym, you’re tired, you feel sluggish, and mentally, you may resent having to get up so early to exercise. In those circumstances, are you really going to be exercising at your best? The answer is obviously no.
“So, the single most important thing when it comes to the ‘best’ time to exercise is to figure out what works for your lifestyle and when you can get the most out of that session.”
