Why You Should Track Your Workouts

by Yuri in Fitness Training

The only way to measure progress is through careful evaluation. Tracking your workouts in a journal or notebook will provide you with firsthand feedback on your progress. Think of a fitness journal as your grade book that allows you to reflect back and see what you have accomplished before the final report card comes out.

Accountability

You will find no greater motivator than yourself once you start tracking your workouts. You can see from week to week how far you have come and what you need to workout. You are also able to determine when it is time to switch up your workouts and strive for newer and greater challenges.

Planning

If you have ever walked into the gym not knowing where to start, then you understand the importance of planning your workouts. Writing down what you plan to do during your training will guide you through your workout and avoid wasted time. Visually seeing what you need to accomplish will also prevent you from walking out before you finish your training.

Progress

Once you start tracking your workouts, you can reflect back to see how far you have come. Take careful note of strength gains with each exercise by writing down how much you lift and for how many sets and reps. Also, note how long you perform cardiovascular exercises and at what intensity. Progress measurements will give you that extra motivation to keep pushing you toward your goals while setting new goals along the way.

Adjusting

Not only does tracking allow you to see progress, but also plateaus. Often when hitting training plateaus, you find yourself ready to give up rather than push forward. The human body has an amazing ability to adapt to change. That is what causes plateaus, or points where you no longer see progress. By identifying these points, you can see where you need to make adjustments. Constantly creating new challenges for you body will keep it guessing and also keep you progressing through changes.

Assessing

While you write down your workouts and diet, also take note of your mood, feelings, and any pain that you feel. Keeping in tune with your emotions as well as any physiological changes is key to knowing how your training affects you. If you are feeling rundown or sluggish, you may need to adjust your caloric intake. If you are feeling amazingly strong, then it’s important to know why. You also need to note exercises that cause discomfort or pain during and after performance. This prevents injury in the future.

Consistency

Performing routine actions greatly benefit your neurological pathways and create more efficiency in your thinking. Logging your workouts and nutrition daily will soon become a habit and part of your standard routine. This allows you to think more clearly when training and also provides a greater vision for you goal. What starts as a way to motivate you in the gym may lead to even bigger goals such as training for a triathlon or planning a big skiing trip.

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