Turtle data
Monday is the busiest workout day, and nearly 1 in 3 workouts start before 9am
Key findings
Among about 280 UK women syncing workouts to Turtle (January to September 2026), 17% of workouts started on a Monday and 13% on a Saturday. 32% of workouts started between 5am and 9am. Source: Turtle Method member data, turtlemethod.com/data/when-women-work-out/.
of workouts start between 5am and 9am; Monday is the busiest day
Monday is the busiest day of the week for women's workouts, and the early morning is the busiest time. Among about 280 UK women whose watches synced workouts to Turtle in 2026, 17% of workouts (walks aside) started on a Monday, against 13% on a Saturday and 13% on a Sunday. That's about 35% more on a Monday than on a Saturday.
Workouts other than walks, UK women, Jan to Sep 2026
Source: Turtle Method member workout data · CC BY 4.0
Before 9am is the peak
Nearly 1 in 3 workouts (32%) started between 5am and 9am, and 54% were under way before noon. After-work sessions, from 5pm to 8pm, made up 19%. Walks follow a similar shape, with the early slot the busiest (26% of walks) and a second bump after work.
| Time of day | Workouts | Walks |
|---|---|---|
| Early, 5am to 9am | 32% | 26% |
| Morning, 9am to noon | 22% | 16% |
| Lunch, noon to 2pm | 9% | 13% |
| Afternoon, 2pm to 5pm | 12% | 16% |
| Evening, 5pm to 8pm | 19% | 21% |
| Late, 8pm to 5am | 7% | 8% |
Each column adds up to 100%, give or take rounding. Every cell covers at least 50 women.
What the research says
Gym visits rose at the start of a new week, month and year, and after other "fresh start" dates.
Dai H, Milkman KL, Riis J (2014). The fresh start effect: temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior. Management Science. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1901
Adults are advised to do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus activities that build strength on at least two days.
UK Chief Medical Officers (2019). UK Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines. Department of Health and Social Care. www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-uk-chief-medical-officers-report
Questions people ask
What day do women work out most?
Monday: 17% of UK women's workouts started on a Monday, against 13% on a Saturday and 13% on a Sunday.
What time of day do women exercise?
Most often early: 32% of workouts started between 5am and 9am, and 19% between 5pm and 8pm.
Method
Workouts synced from Apple Health, 1 January to 30 September 2026, for women with a UK (GBP) account, start times in UK time. Walks are counted separately because many are recorded automatically. Women only, staff accounts excluded; every group shown has 50 or more women and sizes are rounded. This shows a pattern, not a cause. Full methodology.
Cite this
Free to use with credit and a link to the source page. The figures and chart on this page are licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Journalists: for another cut of the data (aggregates only, same rules), contact scott@turtlemethod.com. More data on the Turtle data hub.
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