What are gym peak hours?

When is the gym least crowded? When is it most crowded? What time of day? Which day of the week? Which month? That’s a lot of questions, and we have answers based on the latest research.

A survey revealed that 24-hour commercial gyms are least busy (no surprise) in the very early morning: 12 AM to 5 AM.

But if we eliminate those hours from the equation, as with non-24-hour gyms, that survey combined with The Barbell’s own survey using Google Maps “Popular Times” data reveal that the early afternoon: 12 PM to 3 PM and late evening: after 8 PM are the least crowded for most commercial gyms.

This comes with the caveat that gyms at or near colleges as well as private gyms or unique facilities (such as those focused only on personal training or those with a lot of group classes) will have their own peak hours. Also, depending on location, some gyms will see a lunch-hour rush (for example, those near a large employer). Check “Popular Times” for each individual gym.

On weekdays, commercial gyms are most busy in the late afternoon to early evening: 4 PM to 7 PM. This is when people are getting off work or otherwise finishing up their day, and they get a workout in before dinner.

Second most busy is morning: 8 AM to 11 AM. A lot of people want to get up and get to the gym before getting on with the rest of their day. (These hours will be later for gyms near colleges.)

Mondays are the busiest days for gyms, with the peak hours stretching to 4-8 PM. This makes sense as people want to start the work week out strong with a training session. Also, many people follow training splits that make Sunday an off-day. If so, they’ll be sure to make Monday an on-day.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are all about equally busy during the 4-7 PM peak hours.

Sundays are the least busy overall.

Saturdays are the second least busy, though you may want to avoid late Saturday mornings when traffic is heaviest.

Fridays are the least busy weekday. The peak hours are shortened to 4-6 PM, as fewer people want to spend their Friday nights under a squat bar.

You’ve probably heard about the January rush when many people try to keep their New Year’s resolution to get in shape by joining gyms. It’s true. According to research by the gym industry group, the IHRSA, more than 12% of gym members join in January, compared to an average of 8.3% per month for the full year. However, the January bump carries over to February (just over 9%) and March (just under 9%). And there is anecdotal evidence that March edges out January as the busiest gym attendance month of the year. This may be because of a combination of new members and warmer weather with, in many locations, the promise of less clothes in the summer. IHRSA also reports that only 20% of January gym-joiners will still be attending in July, so by the time temperatures really heat up gym traffic should be slower.

Most gyms are packed in the early morning because for most people, it's the only way to fit a workout into their daily work schedule. The typical commercial gym will likely see a second (though smaller) rush around lunch hour, and most gyms are typically the busiest between 4 PM and 7 PM.

There’s no getting around it.

It’s hotter in there, there’s no space in the locker room, and worst of all, all the equipment is taken.

There’s literally nothing more frustrating than getting yourself pumped for a few sets of bench press or a long run on the treadmill only to find yourself standing around waiting for a spot to free up.

One thing you can do, if your schedule allows, is to time your trips to the gym around peak hours.

So when is the gym least and most busy? What are gym peak hours and how can you avoid crowds?

Most gyms are busiest in the mid to late morning (right before people head off to work), around 8 to 10 am, and in the evening (right after work) from around 4 to 7 pm. These are the most common peak times. The slowest gym times are anywhere between these windows — during the work day and late in the evening are less busy.

Gyms on college campuses are a little bit different. They get more crowded as the day goes along, and are usually the most empty or slow in the early to mid-mornings.

Let’s take a closer look at peak hours at the gym and how to deal with a gym that’s too crowded.

A large majority of the gym-going population has a standard, 9-5 (ish) job.

That means their windows for working out will be pretty limited by their work schedule.

Your average gym person has only a few realistic options based on when gyms are open and closed:

Pretty much the only way to work out and not have it interfere with the rest of your life is to wake up early and do it before work.

It sucks if you’re not a morning person, but for a lot of people, this is the only option if they know they’ll have to stay at work late or if they have evening plans that might prevent them from working out later.

It makes sense then that most mornings are pretty busy at commercial gyms. Lots of people flood in to try to get in their workout before heading to the office.

If you don’t like gym crowds, avoid the gym before 11 am.

Because getting up really early is a total downer, even more people choose to squeeze in their workout after work and before they get home for dinner or go out for the evening.

People also use workouts as a way to unwind from a tough day and sweat out some of the stress of the office.

Most gyms will be absolutely packed from around 4 to 7 pm during the week.

Some people can make this work with their schedule, but it’s far less common.

Gyms will typically pick up a little bit around lunch again after the morning rush has died down, but they won’t get nearly as busy.

Some people have a gym super close to their office or have a flexible lunch schedule, but most people in office jobs don’t have time to drive to the gym, get changed, workout, shower, and then get back to the office.

Lunchtime during the week will usually be only mildly busy at most gyms.

The weekend is the great equalizer for working folks.

It’s the one time of the week when their schedule frees up and they actually have time to get to the gym.

Still, no one wants to spend a big chunk of their Saturday holed up in the gym. They want to be out doing fun things with their friends and family.

So most people try to get their weekend workouts in early on Saturday.

Saturday during the late morning is definitely a busy time at most gyms.

Sundays are usually a lot quieter and emptier with people at church, watching football, or just taking a day off.

To recap, the least busy & most empty hours at most gyms are:

(I have to give credit to this nifty graphic I found of peak times at the gym. Check it out!)

College kids like to sleep late and stay up late, so take everything I told you above and just shift it forward a few hours.

(They also have a way more flexible and varied schedule throughout the week.)

Most college gyms will be packed in the early afternoon through the evening before kids get ready for dinner and going out.

In the mornings, they’ll usually be a lot quieter. That’s a great time to go to your college gym if you want to beat the crowds.

What if you don’t have much choice of when to go to the gym?

If you have a 9-5 job, you’ll probably be stuck hitting the gym in the morning or the evening like almost everyone else.

But there are a few things you can do to make dealing with a crowded gym a bit easier:

It’s really frustrating when you have one plan going to the gym, but you can’t follow through because it’s too crowded.

Just be ready for this possibility and think of alternative exercises you can do if you can’t get the equipment you need.

For example, instead of a barbell bench press, you could use dumbbells if you can’t get in on a bench station.

If you can’t grab a treadmill, burn some calories on the elliptical, instead.

No offense to anyone, but a lot of people go to the gym to casually screw around. They’ll walk on the treadmill or do some light work on the weight machines while browsing Instagram on their phone.

But if you want to go off the beaten path, try working some of these into your routine:

This stuff is HARD, and most people will avoid these like the plague. These stations will probably be a lot less crowded on average.

If you NEED to bench press, and somebody’s been hogging the bench for a while, just ask them if you can work in.

Yeah, it’s kind of a pain in the butt, but most people will understand. If you ask politely, you’ll almost always get a positive response, or the person will tell you they’re almost done.

(Your asking might encourage them to speed it along.)

What is “working in”? It means taking turns doing one set each on the equipment.

Meaning: They do a set, and then you come in and do a set while they’re resting, and repeat.

It works best for sharing dumbbells or equipment that doesn’t require racking a lot of weights (like the dip and leg raise stand), but you can work in on the bench press or in a power rack, too, in a pinch.

Most good gyms worth their salt will have group fitness classes you can take on-site included with your membership.

If you can sign up for any of these ahead of time, that could be your ticket to a stress-free workout!

Reserve a spot in a spin, yoga, or bootcamp class for a time that works for you. When the class is full, it’s full, and no more people can join and crowd you out.

(Some classes are first come, first serve. Look out for ones you have to reserve.)

This is a great option if you’re flexible about what kind of workouts you do and just want to get a good sweat in without feeling crowded.

Just because you’re frustrated by the crowd doesn’t give you a license to break gym etiquette!

For example, don’t superset (use multiple machines/stations/weights at once) when the gym is really crowded.

Don’t hover over someone while they’re working out — it makes people feel weird.

And always remember to re-rack your weights when you’re done. Just because other people leave them lying around doesn’t mean you can.

If you practice good gym etiquette and treat the people around you well, that good karma will probably come back to you.

The shower answer?

New Year’s Resolutions.

January is the time of year when people decide they’re “finally” going to get into shape.

If you’ve been working out for a while, you’ve probably seen the flood of new people that come to the gym in January. Most of them are gone by February or so.

Please be a good sport about the January rush. I know the crowds are annoying, but the newbies are just trying to improve their lives and health.

Be encouraging, polite, and make them feel welcome!

Because people are desperate to work off the bad decisions they made on the weekend!

All kidding aside, people do usually let themselves drink and eat a little more over the weekend.

When Monday comes around, there’s a little bit of guilt, plus the optimism that comes from wanting to start the next week off on the right foot.

Monday mornings and evenings are definitely one of the busier times of the week at most gyms.

Looking for the busiest or quietest times at Gold’s Gym, Lifetime, Planet Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, and more?

The guidelines above generally hold true for most chains, even 24 hour gyms like Planet Fitness or Workout Anytime.

One nice trick you can try is to Google your local gym branch, and then on the location page, scroll down until you find the Popular Times tab.

I would take this data with a large grain of salt, as it’s not super clear what this chart is based on.

However, it’s a really good starting point if you’re trying to figure out the best time to go to your local Crunch or YouFit, for example.

It will take into account your exact location and the demographics of your gym to determine peak times, giving you a potentially more accurate estimate.

Try it and let me know how it goes!

If you have a flexible schedule, I would highly recommend going to the gym around mid-day (lunchtime) or late at night, if your gym is open.

If not, you’ll probably be better off with the crowds if you go in the morning instead of the evening.

In any case, just be prepared to deal with a little bit of waiting for equipment. Ask to work in, be polite, and mix up your exercises to make sure you can always get in a good workout, no matter how busy things get.

If you’re looking for a good gym to join, check out my interactive quiz. It’s only 6 questions long and is a great start point if you’re gym shopping!

Picture this. You just purchased a gym membership and are excited to get started on your weight loss journey. The next day, you wake up, make a fresh pot of coffee, and head to the gym.

You listen to your music a little too loud on the way there to pump yourself up. You pull into the parking lot and you see the lot is full to the max! You can’t help but sigh because you know all the machines are going to be taken or will have a long line.

Fortunately, the gyms are not busy all day, meaning if you can make it to the gym around their peak times you can avoid all the people. So, when are gyms the least crowded? When are the gym’s busiest times? Let’s find out!

There is a lot of fitness professionals and research supporting that the morning is the best time of the day to get in a good workout and build a healthy immune system.

Additionally, waking up early to hit the gym before work may be the only time of the day they can make it to the gym due to their busy schedules.

With that being said, that means most days of the week the gym will be busiest between 5:30 am and 11 am. On the flip side, if the gym you go to is on a college campus the morning is usually the best time to go.

College students are known to stay up late and sleep all day. Since they are not waking up until 11 am most days, the gym will be quiet and crowd-free. The rest of the students will start rolling in for their workout in the afternoon before getting ready to go out for the night.

Some gyms will start to pick up a little bit around lunchtime as some hard-working professionals roll in to break up their workday. If you are one of the lucky ones that have a flexible lunch break, heading to the gym during your lunch won’t be as bad as going in the morning.

There will still be people there, but you shouldn’t have to wait to use a machine. Consequently, going to the gym between 11 am and 1 pm is usually a decent time to get in a good sweat.

Seeing as how waking up early in the morning is not something the majority want to do on a regular basis, anyone who doesn’t go before or during work will be at the gym after they are done with work for the day.

Many gym-goers say working out after work is a great way to unwind after a rough day implying that gyms will get busy again around 4 pm to 8 pm.

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Seeing as how the weekend is when most business professionals have free time many would assume that the gym will be busy all weekend long. However, this is not always the case. Nobody wants to spend their entire weekend at the gym; therefore, most people try to get to the gym early so they have the remainder of the day to whatever they choose.

If you are trying to avoid a crowded gym on a Saturday, you will want to go after 10 am. If it is Sunday, you can practically go any time of the day and the gym will be fairly slow as the majority of people use Sunday as a day of rest.

Additionally, church-goers will be attending church in the morning, meaning even if they are going to work out on a Sunday, the crowd shouldn’t roll in until after 12 in the afternoon or later.

To sum it up, when it comes to the time of day you will find gyms the least busy is typically mid-afternoon (11 am - 3 pm) or late evening (any time after 7 pm). However, if your gym is located on a college campus, you will want to get to the gym before 11 am to beat the crowd.

Lastly, regardless of where your gym is located, if you are planning on going to the gym on the weekend, mid to late afternoon (2 pm - 5 pm) is typically the best time to get in a shred session.

For the majority, we mentally tell ourselves Monday is the first day of the week. A day we can use as restart the week on the right foot; therefore, if you live a healthy lifestyle, you will most likely want to hit the gym. You may even need to get in a good sweat to make up some bad eating or drinking decisions you may have made over the weekend (No need to feel guilty, the weekends were made for indulging).

Additionally, most people stick to a weekly routine of working out every other day. Since we know they start their week on Mondays, it is safe to assume that Wednesdays and Fridays will be busier than going to the gym on Tuesday or Thursday.

On the contrary, when it comes to the weekend, you can really go either day expecting the gym to not be super busy. Just keep in mind that Saturday mornings can be a busy time for commercial gyms. If you are only going to work out one day of the weekend, make Sunday the day you go because this tends to be one of the slowest days of the week.

We just learned that Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays tend to be the busiest weekdays while Saturday mornings to early afternoon are the busier are the times for gyms on the weekend. Therefore, if you are trying to avoid the crowds, you should consider starting your week on Sunday so the days you go to the gym will be the opposite of the majority.

I have three words for you…“New Year’s Resolutions.” When it comes to setting new year’s resolutions one of the most popular choices is to get in better shape which is why gyms typically see a dramatic increase in attendance for the first 6-8 weeks of the year. During this time, it is hard to find a good time to go to the gym.

The best advice we can give is to tell you to be friendly and courteous to the newbies. They are trying to improve their lives. Plus, they are humans so the majority will stop going to the gym frequently by end of February anyways.

If you have the option to workout from home more during these times, we suggest taking advantage of it and returning to the gym on a regular basis in March.

Even though we have estimated the best days and times to go to the gym, there is no way to prevent any day of the week from being a busy day at the gym. Additionally, the times people attend the gym can vary greatly depending on location.

For that reason, here are some tips to help you deal with the crowds if the gym is busy:

Based on everything discussed above, there is no guaranteed day that the gym will be empty. However, there are some days and times that are better than others. Typically, the slower days and times are Sunday all-day, Tuesday and Thursday mid-afternoon or late in the evening, and Saturday any time after 2 pm.

Remember, if the gym is busy there are ways to work around it without being overwhelmed by the crowd such as taking your workout outside, signing up for a group class, or hiring a personal trainer.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you find the days and times that work best for you! Living a healthy and fit lifestyle can be hard but keeping a regular workout routine, eating healthy, and taking your daily vitamins and supplements.

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