Time can pertain to the time of the day as well as the time of the year. In situations that have constant weather conditions, there is no requirement to modify your program. But those exercising in places with changing conditions need to constantly re-assess their environment and make changes accordingly. This would apply even to those who travel or like to exercise in different situations. There are also some that break up their routine into two and work out both morning and evening, due to lack of time.
Time of the day
There are early risers and there are those who sleep at the crack of dawn. Expecting the former to work out in the evening when the day is almost done or the latter to get cracking at dawn with a routine would seem futile and unrealistic. Examine the type of person you are and then make your schedule accordingly to ensure you stick by it.
The Early-Morning Riser:
The positives:
- Yoga and other softer forms like tai-chi seem to have a calming effect in the morning.
- Whether or not you should do exercises after you have bowel movement depends only on whether you are comfortable.
- Eating a light fruit or drinking tea will not hamper your movement. If it is a heavy meal, wait for an hour and a half before working out.
- Look at it this way: the good deed for the day is done.
- Start the day on a charged note by exercising in the morning.
The negatives:
- Late morning risers may not have enough time to work out.
- Those rushed for time may not find it rewarding enough.
- There are some who are terribly inflexible in the morning and need a very long warm up before starting out.
The Late Risers:
The positives:
- Limbering up for them happens sooner than in the morning.
- Very early morning routines might lead to muscle cramps and pulls due to an inadequate warm up period.
- High powered workouts like Karate Step and Kick boxing are generally better executed in the evening hours.
- Evening hours provide an opportunity to spent pent-up anger and frustration.
The negatives:
- You could be too charged up before bedtime to find sleep
- There should ideally be a gap of Ѕ hour before your exercise and meal time, thus delaying your bed time
- Post-meal workouts are a no-no. The body is too busy assimilating the meal to be bothered with providing blood to the extremities, thus making you feel lethargic rather than energetic.
Duration or Timing
Time also pertains to the duration of each activity. Here is a simple chart to follow:
Type of workout Duration per effort (in minutes)
Cardiovascular / aerobic exercise 10-60 (not more than that)
Muscular strength 20-60
Muscular endurance 10-60
Joint and muscular flexibility 10-40
Balance and coordination everyday
Posture training any and every time
Coping with Seasonal Changes
The Cold outdoors
In extreme cold weather exercising outdoors without proper clothing allows heat to escape from the body and puts too much pressure on the cardiovascular system to work harder to provide blood to the extremities. In the cold, beware of frostbites and hypothermia that occur even in high wind chill conditions.
What to do
Cover the exposed areas of your body to prevent frostbites.
Keep the head covered to save the heat from getting dissipated.
Those prone to asthma should warm up well or avoid exposing themselves to the cold outdoors.
Hot & humid environs
When temperatures are high, profuse sweating leads to loss of body fluids. This reduces the amount of blood returning to the heart, resulting in cardiovascular stress as indicated by very high heart rates. Beware of heat strokes and heat exhaustion during these times.
High humidity (over 60 per cent) when added to high air temperatures, impairs the body's ability to dissipate internal heat. This can also lead to heat strokes and heat exhaustion.
What to do
Thus it is sensible to work at medium to low intensities in warmer conditions.
Wear light, loose clothing allowing air to circulate over the skin's surface
Replace fluids furiously and fast before they replace you!
Air pollution
Regular exercise should be avoided in areas with high levels of pollution.
What to do
Try to work out (if you must) either early in the morning or late evening or on weekends to avoid the effects
Take the option of working out indoors
High Altitudes
At moderate to high altitudes, the blood cannot deliver as much oxygen to the exercising muscles. It takes weeks to adapt to major changes in altitude so be careful.
What to do
Decrease your intensity
Increase warm up and cool down periods
Acclimatize yourself to the new conditions
To wrap up, time and timing is a matter of individual choice and personal preference. What's important is to find what suits you best, stick to that and make sure that you exercise regularly.
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