Effects of Morning vs Afternoon Training over 4 Weeks on Aerobic Capacity in University Students-Athletes

Background: Aerobic capacity is a crucial factor in enabling athletes to achieve their optimal performance. However, athletes often struggle to achieve optimal aerobic capacity, particularly among student athletes. This is particularly challenging due to the simultaneous demands of academic and training schedules. Therefore, student athletes often train at irregular times and seemingly haphazardly. This is unfortunate, as appropriate training at the right time can positively impact a student-athlete’s aerobic capacity. However, no specific research has examined the effectiveness of morning and evening training on improving a student-athlete’s aerobic capacity. This study examines the effectiveness of morning and afternoon training on the aerobic capacity of student-athletes at a university. Furthermore, the study considers morning and afternoon temperatures as factors influencing a student-athlete’s aerobic capacity. This study used an experimental method with a quasi-experimental design. A 4-week physical fitness training program (3 sessions/week) was implemented for 60 UPI student-athletes (aged 18-21 years), who were divided into two groups based on the timing of their training sessions (morning and afternoon). The Multi-Stage Fitness Test was used to measure the aerobic capacity of the student-athletes, with statistical tests conducted using SPSS Version 29. This study found that a 4-week aerobic capacity-enhancing training program conducted in the morning or evening, effectively increased aerobic capacity (VO 2max) in student athletes. However, the afternoon training program yielded 12% better results than the morning training program (5%). This finding is useful for student athletes to maintain their athletic performance without disrupting their studies.