Experts Say Most Effective Time To Exercise Is When You Can Commit To Doing It

“‘Whatever keeps you committed and coming, I sincerely believe, is the best time to exercise,’ said Robin Koehler, owner of Curves in Elburn. ‘For most of my clients, the morning works best for their schedules.’ Morning exercise has its benefits. It jump-starts your day. Peg Jordan, author of ‘The Fitness Instinct,’ writes that morning exercise helps you wake up and ready yourself for your day by stimulating your circulation and energy. But for many people, their bodies are not ready to jump into vigorous exercise. One reason lies in the body's connective tissue. Connective tissue, or fascia, wraps around tendons, ligaments, muscles and organs and holds them together. It contracts all the time, but especially during sleep and with age. The stiffness you feel in the morning is fascia that has repaired the microscopic tears that happen with everyday living by shortening up. ‘It's a revolutionary idea in modern physiology that connective tissue shrinks,’ said Paul Grilley in a lecture on connective tissue in ‘Anatomy for Yoga.’ ‘The premise that it does not shrink and that if stretched will cause the joint to de-stabilize is wrong.’ All experts agree that if you don't get around to exercising, then no time of day is better. Morning, afternoon and evening can work for you if it fits your schedule and you will do it on a regular basis. ‘The most important thing is a consistant exercise regime,’ said Richard Cotton, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise.’ ‘It is really (your) lifestyle and what works for (you) that's really important when determining your exercise time.’”

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