Cardio training - does the ideal time exist?

Running, Nordic walking or orbitrek exercise are often the strategies of choice aimed at weight loss. Many regular cardio exercisers wonder whether it is better to exercise in the morning or in the evening to get satisfying results. So let's find out if there is an ideal time for cardio training.

• What is cardio training?
• What are the benefits of cardio training?
• Cardio training - how often to exercise?
• Cardio training - morning or evening?
• Do you do cardio training on an empty stomach, or maybe after weight training?
• Is there an ideal time for cardio training?

What is cardio training?

Aerobic (aerobic) training is commonly referred to as cardio training or endurance exercise. Cardio training involves rhythmic physical activity that engages large muscle groups for an extended period of time (such as 30-60 minutes). When performing cardio training, skeletal muscles obtain energy mainly from aerobic metabolism, which is why it is called aerobic exercise. Types of physical activity that count as cardio training include, but are not limited to, brisk walking, Nordic walking, running, swimming, cycling, mountain trekking, dancing, aerobics, skipping, and exercise on an orbiter, stepper and rowing ergometer (known as an exercise rower).

What are the benefits of cardio training?

Studies conducted clearly show that cardio training, performed regularly, has a beneficial effect on a person's mental and physical health. Systematic cardio training plays an important role in preventing the development of overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal ailments and some types of cancer. In addition, the beneficial effects of regular cardio training include improved cardiorespiratory fitness and overall physical fitness, weight reduction, lower blood pressure, and normalization of the body's carbohydrate and lipid metabolism parameters (including: reducing blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL fraction and triglycerides). Systematic cardio training also contributes to increased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly known as good cholesterol due to the transport of cholesterol from peripheral tissues to the liver. In addition to this, systematic cardio training improves psychophysical well-being and cognitive functioning (including: memory, reasoning, judgment and thinking performance), relieves stress-related tensions, and has a positive effect on sleep and overall quality of life.

Cardio training - how often to exercise?

According to current recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of high-intensity physical activity should be performed weekly to maintain the body's good mental and physical health and prevent premature death. A cardio workout of about an hour should therefore be done at least 3 times a week, or 5 times if a person prefers shorter exercises that take up a maximum of 30-45 minutes. Any physical activity is better than none at all, so all previously physically active people should gradually increase the amount and intensity of cardio training. However, the current WHO guidelines do not specify the preferred time for cardio training (morning, afternoon or evening), nor the nutritional status (fasting or after a meal).

Cardio training - morning or evening?

Current scientific evidence suggests that the time of day at which cardio training is performed can affect changes in body weight and composition, as well as energy expenditure, total energy intake and physical performance. Some studies have shown that people who regularly performed cardio training in the morning lost significantly more body weight and fat mass compared to those who did the same amount of exercise in the evening. In contrast, other researchers found that evening cardio training resulted in greater fat mass loss compared to morning exercise, or observed no significant differences in weight and body composition change after several months of morning and evening exercise. The discrepancies in the results of previous studies do not allow us to categorically state that cardio training in the morning is clearly better than in the evening. There is considerable inter-individual variability in response to exercise, and the very time of cardio training can affect 24-hour energy balance differently.

Do you do cardio training on an empty stomach, or maybe after weight training?

A sizable number of people perform cardio training on an empty stomach or right after weight training with the hope of getting the best possible results in terms of fat reduction**. Studies conducted indicate that fasted cardio training does not significantly result in greater weight or fat mass loss, while it can be successfully used as part of a healthy lifestyle in people who enjoy fasted training**. It is suggested that all gym-goers with the intention of developing explosive strength (i.e., high strength in a short period of time) should avoid combining cardio with resistance training in a single exercise session, as this may undermine skeletal muscle strength gains. A few minutes of cardio exercise, on the other hand, is an excellent way to stimulate blood circulation, speed up heart rate and raise body temperature as part of a warm-up before strength training.

Is there an ideal time for cardio training?

In light of the current state of knowledge, it is far more important to regularly perform strength training and/or cardio training in the recommended amounts than to focus one's attention on the time of day when training should take place. For practical reasons, professional and amateur athletes who regularly compete in competitions held at specific times are advised to perform cardio training at the time of day when they ultimately plan to achieve the best possible athletic result. Recreational trainees, on the other hand, should first and foremost enjoy regular cardio training and match its timing with their other professional and personal life activities. In this case, it does not matter much whether cardio training is done in the morning, afternoon or only in the evening, for the most important thing is the regularity of training.

Sources:

• Chtourou H, Souissi N.: The effect of training at a specific time of day: a review. J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Jul;26(7):1984-2005.

• Ammar A, Chtourou H, Souissi N.: Effect of Time-of-Day on Biochemical Markers in Response to Physical Exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Jan;31(1):272-282.

• Brito LC, Marin TC, Azevêdo L, et al: Chronobiology of Exercise: Evaluating the Best Time to Exercise for Greater Cardiovascular and Metabolic Benefits. Compr Physiol. 2022 Jun 29;12(3):3621-3639.

• Schroeder EC, Franke WD, Sharp RL, et al: Comparative effectiveness of aerobic, resistance, and combined training on cardiovascular disease risk factors: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2019 Jan 7;14(1):e0210292.

• Creasy SA, Wayland L, Panter SL, et al: Effect of Morning and Evening Exercise on Energy Balance: A Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2022 Feb 15;14(4):816.