By Dayne Hudson
As I often say, in this game we play of making changes to our physiques - every INCH counts!
And another important part of our training to think about is how your body temperate effects your performance.
As you're about to learn, it plays quite an important role.
Here's how to make it work for you.
BODY TEMPERATURE AND STRENGTH FOR YOUR FITNESS LIFE
For the biological systems used in high intensity physical exercise, the optimal temperature is pretty high.
So at what time of the day is it high?
Well, it rises quite fast when you wake up, is low at night, but reaches it's peak in the evening.
And further to another article here on FIT'N'FLEXED about the best time to train - it's the evening that seems to be the best time to pump that iron!
Check out the graph below and you'll see evidence for the idea that the late afternoon/early evening is when core temperature peaks.
To quote from the authors of this research (1):
"Optimal adaptations to resistance training (muscle hypertrophy and strength increases) also seem to occur in the late afternoon..."
In the late afternoon you can expect superior muscular blood flow, flexibility, power, strength, glucose metabolism and more - much better than in the morning (1).
Other reseach points towards the ater afternoon onwards period being superior too (2,3,4).
Interestingly enough, general human performance and alertness is found to be better at this time as well (5), so it's funny a lot of people wrap up work at this time!
A CHANGE OF TIME TO YOUR EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR MORE MUSCLE GROWTH?
Well, maybe so.
If it's possible to change the time in which you hit the gym, then absolutely!
However we must keep in mind that the graph below is for the majority of the population who sleep and wake at around this time.
Shift workers may be better off waiting 6-8 hours for the same effect.
But, now that you know how your core body temperature effects your performance and muscle gains, you can use it to your advantage!
Another inch that really counts.
"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"
REFERENCES
(1) Interactions of cortisol, testosterone, and resistance training: influence of circadian rhythms. Hayes LD, Bickerstaff GF, Baker JS. Chronobiol Int. 2010 Jun;27(4):675-705.
(2) Sedliak M, Finni T, Peltonen J, Hakkinen K. (2008). Effect of time-of-day-specific strength training on maximum strength and EMG activity of the leg extensors in men. J. Sport Sci. 26:1005–1014.
(3). Souissi N, Souissi M, Souissi H, Chamari K, Tabka Z, Dogui M, Davenne D. (2008). Effect of time of day and partial sleep deprivation on short-term, high-power output. Chronobiol. Int. 25:1062–1076.
(4) Squarcini CF et al. Free-running circadian rhythms of muscle strength, reaction time, and body temperature in totally blind people. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013 Jan;113(1):157-65. doi: 10.1007/s00421-012-2415-8. Epub 2012 May 23.
(5) Wright KP Jr, Hull JT, Czeisler CA. Relationship between alertness, performance, and body temperature in humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2002 Dec;283(6):R1370-7. Epub 2002 Aug 15.
