Why You Should Be Workout Tracking
Maximize Your Fitness Potential with Effective Workout Tracking
Why track your workouts?
Tracking your workouts is an essential step towards achieving your fitness goals. It helps you monitor your progress, identify areas of improvement, and stay motivated. By regularly reviewing your log, you can identify areas where you've made progress and areas where you need to improve. For example, you might notice that you've been consistently increasing the weight you lift on a certain exercise or that you've been taking longer rest times than you'd like. This information can help you set goals and make adjustments to your workouts.
Tracking Options
You can use any method that effectively allows you to track your workouts. There are several options, including:
Paper and pen: A traditional method that is simple and easy to use.
Spreadsheet: A digital option that allows for easy tracking and organization.
Fitness apps: There are many fitness apps available that can track workouts and provide additional features like exercise demos and progress graphs.
Best practices
How to start - Record the date, time, and name name of the workout.
Monday, Feb 28th 2022 - 9:30 AM
Chest & ShouldersWhat to track
Exercise name
Reps and sets
Weight lifted
Notes (optional)
Rest time (optional)
Time spent on cardio (optional)
How to track
Here's an example of what a simple workout log might look like using a paper and pen or spreadsheet:Notes - Notes can help you make adjustments to your workouts as needed. here are some tips:
Be specific: When writing notes, be as specific as possible. For example, if you're experiencing pain or discomfort during an exercise, note where the pain is and what type of pain it is. If you're trying a new exercise, note how it felt and whether it was challenging or not.
Keep it brief: While it's important to be specific, you don't want your notes to take up too much space in your log. Keep your notes brief and to the point.
Use shorthand: To save time and space, consider using shorthand for common terms or phrases. For example, instead of writing out "lower back pain," you could use "LBP." You could even just use symbols like up and down arrows to say “raise the weight next workout”.
Include feedback: If you're working with a trainer or coach, include their feedback in your notes. This can help you remember what they said and track your progress on their recommendations.