Red Light Therapy Before or After Workout? The Science on Both

You've heard red light therapy is good for muscle recovery. You've also heard it can boost performance. So which is it—and should you do your session before or after the workout?

The honest answer: both work, for different reasons. Pre-workout sessions are about priming your muscles for higher output. Post-workout sessions are about recovery—reducing soreness and getting you back faster.

Here's the research, plus how to choose based on your training goal.

Pre-workout: red light as a performance booster

This is one of the more surprising findings in the photobiomodulation literature. Studies consistently show that 10–15 minutes of red light therapy on muscles, ending 30–60 minutes before exercise, can produce measurable performance gains.

What the research shows

A 2018 systematic review of 16 trials in Journal of Athletic Enhancement concluded that pre-exercise photobiomodulation reliably improves muscle performance, including:

• 3–8% improvement in maximum voluntary contraction
• 10–15% longer time to exhaustion
• Reduced lactate buildup
• Improved oxygen utilization

The mechanism: pre-loading muscle cells with ATP and reducing baseline inflammation before the metabolic stress of training.

Pre-workout protocol

• Timing: 30–60 minutes before exercise
• Duration: 10–15 minutes
• Target: The specific muscles you're about to train
• Distance: 6–12 inches from skin
• Device: Panel like the AWA FX500 works best for full muscle group coverage

Don't do it immediately before—give your body 30–60 minutes to integrate the effects.

Post-workout: red light for recovery

This is the most established use case. Multiple studies confirm that red light therapy after exercise:

• Reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
• Lowers inflammatory markers (CK, IL-6)
• Speeds strength recovery between sessions
• Improves time-to-return-to-training

What the research shows

A landmark 2016 meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials found that post-exercise photobiomodulation significantly reduced muscle soreness 24–72 hours after intense training, with effects strongest at 48 hours—the typical peak of DOMS.

Post-workout protocol

• Timing: Within 1–2 hours after exercise
• Duration: 15–20 minutes
• Target: The muscles you just trained
• Frequency: After every hard training session

What about doing both?

You can—and many serious athletes do.

A morning pre-workout session before a 6 PM training session is technically possible, but the 8–10 hour gap means the pre-workout effect has largely faded by the time you train. For best results:

• Pre-workout session: 30–60 min before training
• Post-workout session: within 1–2 hours after

Just don't go over 20 minutes per muscle group in any single session.

Which to choose if you can only do one

Choose pre-workout if:

• You're training for performance (strength, power, endurance)
• You compete in a sport with measurable output
• You want to push harder during your session

Choose post-workout if:

• You're training for general fitness or aesthetics
• You struggle with recovery and soreness
• You're an older athlete or recovering from injury
• You want to train more frequently

For most people, post-workout is the higher-value session because recovery is usually the limiting factor in progress.

What about cardio specifically?

The research on red light + cardio is encouraging:

• Pre-cardio: improved time to exhaustion (treadmill and cycling)
• Post-cardio: faster reduction in heart rate to baseline
• Both: better day-to-day recovery in endurance athletes

Apply red light to legs (quads, hamstrings, calves) for running or cycling. Apply to back and shoulders for swimming or rowing.

For strength training specifically

Focus on the largest muscle groups you'll train:

• Leg day: quads, hamstrings, glutes
• Push day: chest, shoulders, triceps
• Pull day: lats, rhomboids, biceps

10–15 minutes pre-workout for performance, 15–20 minutes post-workout for recovery.

FAQ

Can I do red light therapy DURING my workout?

Not practical for most people—you'd need to stand still in front of the panel. Some athletes wear LED bands during cardio, but home panels work best stationary.

Does it work for HIIT?

Yes—both pre and post. HIIT generates significant inflammation, so post-workout sessions speed recovery.

Should I do it on rest days?

Absolutely. Rest days are when adaptation happens—red light supports the cellular repair that drives gains.

What about ice baths after lifting?

Recent research suggests cold immersion immediately after strength training may blunt muscle protein synthesis. Red light therapy doesn't have this drawback—it supports recovery without interfering with adaptation.

Do professional athletes use this?

Yes—red light therapy is increasingly common in NFL, NBA, and elite Olympic training facilities for both performance and recovery.

The bottom line

Pre-workout red light therapy primes your muscles for harder output. Post-workout red light therapy speeds your recovery. Both work; choose based on your goal.

The AWA FX500 is the most versatile panel for athletes—covering full muscle groups in one session. FSA/HSA eligible with 60-day returns.