As the summer draws near swimming looks like a good idea to get back in shape after all the holidays are over. Not to mention health benefits. You’ve made up your mind, found the best pool; now all that is left to do before you start your sessions is to find the best time for swimming.
If you don’t have the option, don’t worry – swimming any time of the day is far better than no swimming at all. But if you can choose and would like to find out when is the best time to go swimming, this article will try to answer that question. We’ll go through the pros and cons of swimming in the morning, swimming at the lunch time and in the evening. After that, it will be up to you to decide what the best time for swimming is so you can combine it with your wishes and other scheduled tasks.
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What Does The Science Say?
Most of the studies claim that the best time for swimming practice is in the early evening. The temperature of the muscles is at the top late afternoon, which means the metabolic process is increased, and the energy metabolism of the muscles is at a higher level. For better understanding, this means your muscles will get the most out of the session this time of day.
But, this may not be the best time for you. The reason is simple – every organism has its own schedule, every organism works by its own biological clock, and your daily routine has a big influence. For instance, the organism of someone who works 9-to-5 and goes to bed by 11 pm doesn’t work the same way compared to the one of a person who works until 10 pm or 2 am, then sleeps to noon.
Morning Swimming
If you’re a morning person, this may be the best choice for you.
Pros:
- Starting your day with a training session will warm you up and fill you with energy for the whole day.
- If you don’t own a pool and you must visit the local one, doing it in the morning most likely means there won’t be many visitors so you’d have as much space as you need to practice in peace.
- Summer makes it easier because the sun rises early
- Testosterone levels are high in the morning, so doing the work-out and keeping the pace up is quite possible.
Cons:
- Swimming in the morning has a few downsides of its own, and the fact that you’re not warm enough when you wake up and your joints and muscles are still stiff doesn’t make things easier. You’ll have to warm up thoroughly to prepare your body, or you may end up getting injured.
- Sleeping serves to refill the energy and help us get some much-needed rest, but it may take some time before you get it running again, so you may feel weak at first and like you lack the energy
- It requires you to go to sleep earlier than usual, so you get some rest and be completely fresh for the practice, but also to have the energy for work if you have to do it after the practice.
- It may be problematic if you’re not a morning person
- Water may feel colder, but this may also go like a pro argument
Lunch Time Swimming
Pros:
- You’ll be already warmed up after your morning routine, so just a light warm-up will be needed
- It may be quite a great way to relieve the stress if you’ve had an uneasy morning, and if there is a long day ahead of you, you’ll get the energy refill.
- You’ll use your lunchtime for a great physical activity
Cons:
- It may be quite hard to make it work if your day is packed
- You’ll have to find the swimming pool near your office
- You won’t have the time for lunch
- You’ll be in a constant rush which could be stressful
- You’ll have to carry your swim jammers or a swimsuit and swim goggles in your bag to your office, along with the shampoo and towels.
Evening Swimming
We’ve already stated that science says this is the best time to work out. During the evening or late afternoon, your body most often has the most energy, so it is good to use it.
Pros:
- The muscle temperature is the highest and the performance will be better
- You won’t have to think about saving the energy so you could go inside and give it all you got, not thinking about the time needed to recover
- You’ll sleep better
- You’ll remove all the stress and relax your body – simply put the headphones on
Cons
- If the day at the office was hard, you may find it nearly impossible to find the proper motive to go on a physical activity
- Although you’ll most definitely sleep better, falling asleep may be a bit harder because, after a heavy workout, your organism will need some time to get back to its normal state. To avoid it, try to wrap it up at least an hour before you hit the sacks.
Globo Surf Overview
If the question is when the best time to go swimming is, the answer is – all the time. Swimming in the morning is great if you’re a morning person. Swimming during lunch time is great if you can make it work without the stress. And in the evening is great if you have enough energy. Try all of these and once you find what fits you best – go with it! You won’t be sorry. And your lung capacity will be grateful.