Evening is a good time to lift weight, burn calories, and improve your body shape, whether you want to build muscle or lose weight.
In the evening, your body is active, muscles are supple, and energy levels are higher which helps you lift heavier, move faster, and perform better during the workout.
To make your evening workout effective, I’ve designed two workout routines, one for building muscle and the other for fat loss.
These routines are easy to follow, allow you to train in an organized way, and help you achieve your best shape
About The Evening Workout Program
| Workout Time | Evening (5 pm to 9 pm) |
| Exercise Type | Weight Training |
| Sessions per week | 5-6 days |
| Duration per session | 75-90 minutes |
| Plan A Goal | Promote Strength & Hypertrophy |
| Plan B Goal | Increase Fat Burn & Build Muscle |
| Workout Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Target Gender | Male and Female |
| Target Age Group | 18-40 age |
The Best Evening Workout Routine to Build Muscle
This program involves training five times weekly, three sessions for the upper body and two for the legs.
It allows you to train each muscle group efficiently and helps you build strength and mass.
Here’s how you’ll train throughout the week:
- Monday: Upper Body
- Tuesday: Lower Body
- Wednesday: Upper Body
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Lower Body
- Saturday: Upper Body
- Sunday: Rest
Monday – Upper Body
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-arm Kettlebell Swing | 3 | 15/arm | Full Body |
| 2A Pull-up | 3 | Failure | Back |
| 2B Bar Dips | 3 | Failure | Chest & Tris |
| Military Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | Shoulder |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | Chest |
| 5A Seated Pec Fly | 3 | 12-15 | Chest |
| 5B Single-arm DB Row | 3 | 10/side | Back |
Superset pull-up with dips and pec deck fly with one-arm dumbbell row.
Tuesday – Lower Body
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Leg Swings | 2 | 10/leg | Legs |
| Reverse Lunges | 2 | 10/leg | Legs |
| Back Squat | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8 | Quad & Glute |
| Leg Extension | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 10 | Quads |
| Seated Leg Curl | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 10 | Hamstrings |
| Standing Calf Raises | 4 | 20, 16, 14, 12 | Calves |
Wednesday – Upper Body
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulldown (Prone Grip) | 2 | 10-12 | Back |
| Pulldown (Neutral Grip) | 2 | 10-12 | Back |
| Barbell/Machine Row | 3 | 10-12 | Back |
| Bent-over Cable Fly | 3 | 12-15 | Chest |
| Lateral Raises | 3 | 10-12 | Shoulder |
| Reverse Pec Fly | 3 | 10-12 | Shoulder |
| Barbell Shrug | 3 | 12-15 | Trapezius |
Friday – Lower Body
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hack Squat | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8 | Quads |
| Leg Press | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8 | Quads |
| DB Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8-10 | Hamstrings |
| Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 15-20 | Hamstrings |
| Hip Thrust | 4 | 10-12 | Glutes |
| Seated Hip Abduction | 3 | 15-20 | Adductors |
Saturday – Upper Body
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A Chin-ups | 3 | Failure | Biceps & Back |
| 1B Bar Dips | 3 | 10-12 | Chest & Tris |
| Flat Bench Press | 4 | 10-12 | Chest |
| Push Press | 3 | 12-15 | Shoulder |
| Incline Prone DB Row | 3 | 10-12 | Back |
| 5A Barbell Curl | 3 | 12-15 | Biceps |
| 5B Triceps Pushdown | 3 | 12-15 | Triceps |
Superset chin-ups with dips and barbell biceps curls with bar press down.
Weekly Evening Workout Split for Weight Loss
The evening workout plan for weight loss is slightly different than the muscle-building that you saw above.
It involves both cardio and weight-training exercises. Cardio exercises, such as treadmill, bicycling, and elliptical burn higher calories and improve endurance while weightlifting exercises bolster your bones and joints, increase strength, and build fat-free mass.
Here’s the weekly evening workout split for stimulating weight loss:
- Day 1: Resistance Training
- Day 2: Steady State Cardio
- Day 3: Weight Training
- Day 4: Medium Intensity Cardio
- Day 5: Strength Training
- Day 6: High Intensity Cardio
- Day 7: OFF
Pairing this workout with a low-calorie meal plan will help you increase fat loss and shape your body.
Day 1 – Resistance Training
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-arm Kettlebell Swing | 3 | 15/arm | Full Body |
| Dumbbell Squat | 3 | 15-20 | Legs |
| Barbell Push Press | 3 | 10-12 | Shoulder |
| Smith Machine Lunges | 3 | 6-8/leg | Legs |
| Single-arm DB Row | 3 | 10/side | Back |
| Cable Crunches | 3 | 15-20 | Abs |
Day 2 – Steady State Cardio
Exercise at your own pace.
| Exercise | Duration |
|---|---|
| Treadmill Run | 20-minute |
| Stationary Bike | 10-minute |
| Elliptical Trainer | 10-minute |
| Rowing Machine | 5-minute |
Day 3 – Weight Training
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Machine Bench Press | 3 | 15/arm | Chest |
| Single-arm Kettlebell Clean | 3 | 10/side | Upper Body |
| Machine Leg Press | 3 | 15-20 | Quads |
| Single-arm Lateral Raises | 3 | 10/side | Shoulder |
| Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 15-20 | Hamstrings |
| Reverse Pec Deck Fly | 3 | 15-20 | Rear Delt |
Day 4 – Medium Intensity Cardio
Train at moderate intensity, about 60-75% of your maximum heart rate (MHR).
| Exercise | Activity |
|---|---|
| Burpees | 5 burpees x 6-8 sets, 30-45 seconds between sets |
| Mountain Climber | 20 seconds work, 30 seconds rest x 6-8 sets |
| Jumping Rope | 5-minute at your own pace |
| Battle Rope | 15 seconds, 1-minute break x 6-8 sets |
| Treadmill | 15 minutes at an incline positioned |
Day 5 – Strength Training
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lat Pulldown (Prone Grip) | 3 | 15/arm | Chest |
| One-arm Landmine Press | 3 | 10/side | Upper Body |
| Seated Pec Fly | 3 | 15-20 | Chest |
| Barbell Curl + Pressdown | 3 | 12-15 | Arms |
| Hack Squat | 3 | 10/side | Quads |
| Calf Raises | 3 | 15-20 | Calves |
| Cable Crunches | 3 | 15-20 | Abdominals |
Day 6 – High Intensity Cardio
Aim to perform each exercise at 75-90% of your maximum heart rate.
| Exercise | Activity |
|---|---|
| Jumping Jacks | 15 seconds work, 30 seconds rest x 6-8 sets |
| Mountain Climber | 15 seconds work, 30 seconds rest x 6-8 sets |
| Battle Rope | 15 seconds, 1-minute break x 6-8 sets |
| Treadmill | 30 seconds run, 90-seconds rest x 6-8 sets |
| Bicycling | 15 seconds work, 30 seconds rest x 6-8 sets |
| Rowing Machine | 15 seconds work, 30 seconds rest x 6-8 sets |
Evening Workout FAQs
1. Who Can Train in the Evening?
Anybody who wants to get stronger, sculpted, or bigger can train in the evening.
Working out in the evening is more enjoyable as you’re free from your work (assuming you have a daytime job), your body is active, and the gym environment is vibrant.
2. Does Evening Exercise Disrupt Sleep?
It depends on when you exercise. If you exercise closer to your bedtime (less than 2 hours) you’ll have a little trouble sleeping. But if you train 2-4 hours before bedtime, lifting weights doesn’t affect your sleep.1 Frimpong, Emmanuel et al. “The effects of evening high-intensity exercise on sleep in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Sleep Medicine Reviews vol. 60 (2021): 101535. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101535, 2Stutz, Jan et al. “Effects of Evening Exercise on Sleep in Healthy Participants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 49,2 (2019): 269-287. doi:10.1007/s40279-018-1015-0, 3Yue, Tian et al. “Different Intensities of Evening Exercise on Sleep in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.” Nature and Science of Sleep vol. 14 2157-2177. 14 Dec. 2022, doi:10.2147/NSS.S388863
3. Is Exercising in The Evening Better Than Morning?
Weight training is more suitable in the evening while the morning is a good time for cardio.4 Seo DY, Lee S, Kim N, et al. Morning and evening exercise. Integr Med Res. 2013;2(4):139-144. doi:10.1016/j.imr.2013.10.003 However, consistent training is more important than the timing of the exercise. So, don’t let the timing be a reason to delay your workout, train when you get the time.
4. What to Eat Before and After Evening Workout?
Eat a light meal before working out. Aim for a smaller, balanced snack or meal that includes carbohydrates and protein, such as whole-grain bread with peanut butter and banana.
Eat whole-grain slices of bread and cereals to restore energy, consume lean meats, eggs, nuts, legumes, tofu, and reduced-fat dairy to repair muscles, and drink enough water to replace lost fluids after completing your workout.
References
- 1Frimpong, Emmanuel et al. “The effects of evening high-intensity exercise on sleep in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Sleep Medicine Reviews vol. 60 (2021): 101535. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101535
- 2Stutz, Jan et al. “Effects of Evening Exercise on Sleep in Healthy Participants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 49,2 (2019): 269-287. doi:10.1007/s40279-018-1015-0
- 3Yue, Tian et al. “Different Intensities of Evening Exercise on Sleep in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.” Nature and Science of Sleep vol. 14 2157-2177. 14 Dec. 2022, doi:10.2147/NSS.S388863
- 4Seo DY, Lee S, Kim N, et al. Morning and evening exercise. Integr Med Res. 2013;2(4):139-144. doi:10.1016/j.imr.2013.10.003
