The need to track your workouts seems to be split right down the middle when it comes to deciding if it helps, hinders or does nothing at all in terms of helping you reach your goal faster and more effectively.
In this article I will discuss what exactly tracking your workouts may look like, the methods used to do so, the pros, cons and also help you decide if you should be tracking your own workouts.
So what does tracking your workout look like?
Well, firstly, it depends on the kind of workout you are doing. You can track almost anything these days that is affected by a workout, heart rate, time, blood pressure, weight lifted, reps performed, distance covered etc. The list is huge and elite athletes will be measuring everything possible to just gain that extra 1% in performance, which can be the difference between first and second. However, unfortunately, we aren’t all elite athletes and many of us share the same goals; to look better and to feel better. Of course there are those of us who also want to be stronger and set a personal best over a set distance. Well, the good news is that tracking your workouts can help you do that. Let’s take a look at how this might be done, in its simplest form.
If you are a fond of lifting weights, you can either go old school with a notebook and pen ( my personal favourite ) or download an app. If you go for the notebook and pen, how might this look in terms of tracking? Well, I feel like the easiest way to show you is with the graph below.
|
Exercise |
Weight used |
Sets performed |
Reps performed |
Rest period |
|
Barbell flat bench |
60kg |
3 |
10,9,9 |
1 minute |
|
Incline fly |
10kg |
3 |
12,12,10 |
30 seconds |
The above is a very simple example of how you would track your workout. As long as you understand what you read and what you have tracked, that is really all that matters. If you are on a push, pull and legs split then you would record each workout and then next time you perform the same workout, try and get either more reps at the same weight, or increase the weight. It's simple progressive overload.
If its cardio you’re wanting to track, it’s a very similar concept. If you are wanting to run a certain distance in a specific time, note down the distance and then the time required to achieve it. Again, this is in its simplest form.
There are some great apps that you can use if you’re a bit more modern than myself. I recommend trying Runtastic ( for runners) , Fitbod, MyTraining and JEFIT.
So, now you know how it works, let's look at some of the pros and cons of tracking your workouts.
Let’s start with the Pro’s:
-
You can be more efficient in your workouts by knowing what lays ahead of you
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Lends accountability to yourself
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Easy to see where changes may need to be if you have hit a plateau
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Keeps you committed to a plan
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Makes it easy to progress week on week by knowing what you have to beat from your last workout
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Can be motivated to see how far you have come
And the Con’s:
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It might become obsessive. Remember working out should always be something you enjoy
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Might become unhealthily competitive. Many fitness tracking apps can be shared on social media and you may find yourself comparing your workouts to others in a negative way
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May detract from your workout if using an app on your phone.
