Best Timings To Workout in Ramadan

Exercising while fasting in Ramadan can be hard and maintaining your physical health is hard too. So, how can you have the best of both worlds?

If you are working out while fasting in Ramadan, make sure to do it smartly so that you don’t only get the benefits but also prevent yourself from getting tired.

“The holy month should not be when you give up on your fitness goals. Rather, make Ramadan a time to recharge so you can hit the gym strong after these four weeks,” says Ahmed Al Sayed, a personal trainer at Fitness First.

Al Sayed focuses on three basic fitness aspects in each work-out: strength training, cardio and flexibility. “The reason I prioritise muscular strength is because a loss of muscle mass will slow down your metabolism. The goal ought to be to avoid both: losing muscle and a drop in your metabolic rate,” he says.

“When it comes to cardio, I recommend a light-intensity session, limited to 30 minutes of slow, steady distance, every other day. Remember, you will be dehydrated, so your body will use your fat storage as a source of energy, especially if you do your cardio before iftar. However, the fact that you’re depleted means your blood pressure might drop at onset or even after, so don’t skip warm-up and cool-down routines.

“Similarly, when you start your resistance training, choose exercises that target the upper body before the lower body to avoid any drop in your blood pressure during or after. The last fitness aspect to focus on is flexibility to avoid any mobility-related issues you might face, especially when you exercise normally again after Ramadan and during the Eid break.”

The best times to workout during the fast could be 90 minutes before Iftar that includes a light workout such as a walk or a light jog as any workout done at this time should be low-key with more resistance training, low repetitions and weights, and lots of stretching. 

The second option is to workout and hour after your Iftar Meals and if you like to rest and stay up at night working out between 11pm and 2am is deal as the food you have consumed would have been settled by then and your body would be fully hydrated.

Lastly if you wake up early, then working out between 3am and 4am is great before your morning suhoor meal as it will not only hydrate you but also energize you throughout the day!

Image Source: Asma ElBadawi Instagram