JP Mullowney

The alarm clock rings. “Oh God”, you think, “How can I possibly train this early in the morning? I just know this will be a terrible workout, I’ll be so weak”. Ring any bells? Or perhaps you get home from work and think that after all day you can’t possibly perform to your potential during your evening workout. While either of these scenarios may be far too familiar to you, it’s worth considering the science that has been conducted on circadian rhythms (your body’s natural clock) before you put off that New Year’s resolution for another year.

The Science:

In one of only a handful of studies examining the topic, researchers at the University of Rhode Island examined the influence that time of day at which a workout occurred had on the mental readiness, power, and force output (But not swoliness!?) of college aged men. These poor fellows were strength tested at four different times of day, 4:00 (ROUGH!), 10:00, 16:00, and 22:00. Interestingly enough, there were no differences in force output, power, or mental readiness between any of the test times.

The Take Home Message:

So what does this mean for you? Well if you are only able to exercise during the early morning or later in the evening than this research indicates you should achieve the same results as any other point in the day! While lack of a comfortable time to exercise may be a good excuse for many people, don’t let it be yours! This New Year’s, instead of making another excuse, make a commitment to yourself!

References:

Hatfield, D.L, Nicoll, J.X., Kraemer, W.J. (2016). Effects of circadian rhythm on power, force, and hormonal response in young men. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(3), 725-732.

Prepared for the JKC blog by Coach Thomas.

Photo credit: JP Mullowney

I’m 36 Years Old and started with JKC in 2013. In the past I’d often have motivated spurts of a gym routine but they would usually only last a month or so. It’s pretty easy to press the snooze button at 530 am when there’s no one waiting for you. The fact that the guys are always on time/prepared and motivated for your session adds a level of accountability to your shoulders to “get out of bed” and bring your best effort each time. From the pressure free trainers to the camaraderie that you create over time with the individuals you’re working out with, JKC is able to offer an experience many other gyms cannot.

My original reason for joining JKC was to get some sage advice to help with my running. I had been looking for awhile, came across Jon, met for an assessment, and was quite happy with how that all went. Apart from the running specific strengthening and conditioning approaches, JKC is different from other gyms as I am a fan of the small group sessions where everyone has their own goals and individualized programs. As well, the run coaching is super. All the coaches go the extra mile to make sure you get the best out each training session. They are fantastic motivators! My favourite memory is deadlifting 330lbs. Making a lot of great friends and meeting some really cool people is pretty high up on that list, too.

I chose JKC because I was looking for something different. I’ve seen and done the trendy workout programs before, I was looking for something that I knew I could see myself still doing a year from now! JKC has a lot of clients that have been going for years. That was a huge motivator for me! The small group coaching sessions are great and I really enjoy the format. It’s nice having 2-4 people working-out with you during your session. The camaraderie is great, everyone is very upbeat and positive – zero gym judgment!

I originally chose JKC to help me rehab following back surgery. JKC was the first gym where a trainer took the time to help me identify my goals and tailor my workouts to achieve them in a safe and doable manner. 🏋🏼 Jon & Thomas are both highly professional and knowledgeable. 👨🏼‍🎓 With their guidance and informative explanations 🗣 they have enabled me to reach my ever evolving goals. At JKC I’m guaranteed fun 😆, interesting 🙃 and diverse workouts, with Jon & Thomas forever supportive and encouraging. 👏🙌👍👊

I started training at JKC in 2016 because I’ve always had upper back issues that became aggravated through work. I sought out other training and physio, but experienced little to no results. A client of mine happened to be coming to JKC for a similar issue and highly recommended it. I have had great success and haven’t looked back! I always feel like I’m getting programs tailored to my needs and I’m never bored. I’m 30 weeks pregnant now with my second child and have been able to workout through both pregnancies here at JKC. Even on my least mobile days, I felt safe to workout because my programs were specifically modified for my needs.

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