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Fitness Topics
Keeping track of your workouts keeps you on track.
Keeping track of progress is important. In fact, it is one of the key ingredients to successfully attaining one's health and fitness goals. Most people have heard of and understand the significance of setting goals. Also, most people have a sense of where they are currently at in terms of physical conditioning. But the process, the part that is between the goal setting and the attainment of one's goals, is where many get lost.
Sometimes, it may appear that no changes are occurring after devoting much effort. Also, for many people, too many obstacles seem to interfere with a fitness and activity program. And yet others simply lose interest and fall by the wayside. In order to stay on track, several elements are needed, one of which is that of keeping track of progress. Others elements include knowledge of how to train, enlisting support (workout partner, trainer, understanding family and friends), and proper intensity. Several key methods of keeping track exist.
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For both cardiovascular conditioning and strength training, you have the following:
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heart rate readings, at rest and during exercise (heart rate monitors are perfect guides)
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blood pressure monitoring, again, at rest and during exercise
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(The first two are great for measuring internal, aerobic improvements).
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girth (tape) measurements (chest, arms (flexed and relaxed), waist, abdominals, thighs)
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body fat percentage measurements
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body mass index (BMI)
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weight scale, seldomly — only when observed in conjunction with the prior two measures or the fit of clothing.
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For cardiovascular conditioning, the following are excellent gauges:
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total time performing a particular exercise at a given speed or intensity
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length of time at the highest intensity phase (during interval training), within the total time exercised.
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For strength training, these are great ways:
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number of repetitions performed at a given resistance
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one rep max (1RM)
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For flexibility conditioning, there is
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sit and reach testing — box method
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sit and reach testing — floor method
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Improvements in calisthenic exercises (using your body weight as resistance) are self evident simply by the mere number of repetitions of a given exercise.
In addition to the above measures of progress, it would behoove those who are most serious, particularly those with health conditions, to have blood tests at the beginning of a workout plan and again perhaps every 3 or 6 months later. Exercise has a significant positive effect on cholesterol and triglyceride (blood fat) levels. Many studies have demonstrated that exercise, including strength training, lowers LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels while elevating HDL ('good') cholesterol levels.
For some people, keeping track is difficult without structure. For those who need a little assistance, workout log books may be the solution. One option which I found to be ideal is "Gold's Gym Workout Journal," written by Cathy Sassin and published by Contemporary Books. My reason for selecting this option is due to its detailed breakdown between a) weight training, b) aerobic conditioning and c) nutrition. Furthermore, the weight training segment includes entries for rest intervals and muscle group. These were not included in any of the other seven books I reviewed.
So be sure to keep track of your workouts and stay with the program for the long term. Persistence, after all, is essential to attaining success.
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