Why is it important to track our workouts?
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it!” This is the quote that comes to mind when thinking about the importance of tracking our workouts. In other words, if you don’t have a way to measure the work that you are doing, how do you know if you are getting better, and even more importantly, how do you know what areas you should be concentrating on to improve? We all put so much hard work and persistent effort into coming to the gym, working out, and pushing our limits – let’s make sure that the sweat and determination that we are putting in, is paying off over time.
How do you track your workouts?
At Eminence, your membership includes the use of an app called “SugarWOD.” Using a fitness app to track your daily workouts brings our community together, and allows you to manage your workouts for all of our classes in one place - CrossFit, Olympic Weightlifting, Powerlifting, and Zone classes. Among other things, you can add in the number of repetitions you did for a specific workout, how a specific movement was modified for that day, log the weight that you added, indicate how you were feeling, and determine if today is the day to go just a little heavier than you did previously! When repeating a workout, did you get it done quicker? Did you look at your previous notes and strategize your workout to be more efficient? Did your coach have a word of encouragement for you? See how everyone else is feeling, and give them a virtual fist bump of encouragement! At any time should you need help downloading the app, getting into SugarWOD or if you could use some help on how to utilize all the features - all you need to do is reach out to a coach!
The key benefits of tracking your workouts
Here is a quick summary of key benefits to think about.
Getting into the habit of logging in your workout will…
1) Help you monitor your progress and stay motivated.
Immersed in your fitness journey, sometimes we forget to reflect on how far we have come. Especially in a sport like CrossFit, where it seems like there’s always something to get better at, reflecting on our accomplishments and progress (both bit and small) can help us focus on our goals and keep us motivated!
2) Identify strengths and weaknesses to adjust your routine.
Identifying your strengths and weaknesses is a critical part of personal growth and development, and can potentially help you identify areas of improvement. In creating a history of your exercise routine, you can recognize any recurring issues that may have been impeding your progress. For instance, if you've been experiencing a dip in energy levels or feeling more fatigued than usual, having an accurate record of your workouts could offer insights into what may be going on. Similarly, if you notice that you're plateauing or not progressing as expected, you can compare previous workout data to current ones in order to determine where you need to make changes.
3) Help you set realistic and achievable goals.
Setting fitness targets is one thing, but following through with them is entirely another! Without tracking your workout progress, there's no way to determine how far you've come and how much further you need to go before achieving your fitness goals. Keeping records of your exercise routine will allow you to track the frequency, intensity, and duration of your workouts, thus giving you a clear path to set achievable and attainable fitness goals. If you’re new to fitness tracking, a suggestion would be to start with something simple. How many times do you need to work-out per week, in order to meet your long-term goal? Set that target and timeframe, and then after your workout feel good about submitting that workout as “done!”
4) Provide data for an efficient and effective workout.
Did you break up your wall balls in sets of 5 today? Sets of 10? Why did you decide to do things that way for today’s particular workout? The notes that you add to your workout can help you strategize for a more efficient and effective future session! Looking at your workout log, you see that you did a 55-pound power clean last week, and so you know that this week you’d like to try 60. Knowing how you modified a movement and why, can be crucial in helping you with future workout strategies and preparation. Utilizing your workout notes can give you a purpose to push beyond what you completed in the last class, and assist you in attaining the desired goals you are trying to reach.
5) Enable you to measure your success over time.
Once you are clear on your long-term and short-term fitness goals, keeping a record of your workouts will help you track your progress and celebrate your successes. Did you repeat a workout and finish just a little faster? Did you use a slightly heavier weight? Were you able to run farther than you did previously? By tracking your workouts with everything written down in front of you, you have concrete evidence of your accomplishments. And even the smallest milestones in your fitness journey can be a great motivation to continue working and pushing towards better health.
6) Help you establish a routine or habit.
When you have a routine, you know what you need to do and when you need to do it. Documenting your workouts helps you stay focused, without wasting time trying to figure out what you should be doing. A routine will also help you develop consistency, which is important for achieving your long-term goals. Keeping up with your fitness and health requires discipline and self-control, as we all know how much easier it is to sit on the couch than to go to the gym. Tracking your workouts everyday will help you establish a routine, by “checking that box!”
7) Provide accountability for consistency and commitment.
Improving accountability also helps to ensure consistency. Even with the best of intentions, it's easy to get sidetracked with other commitments and neglect your own fitness. However, keeping records of your exercise routine helps hold you accountable as you strive to maintain a consistent fitness program. It helps to ensure that you're maintaining the necessary intensity and frequency of your exercise routine needed to achieve your goals. More so, when you have a record of your previous workouts, you can set up goals to increase the duration, intensity, or frequency of your activities, creating a sense of accountability that helps you stay on track.
8) Enable you to share with a trainer, coach or workout buddy for help and feedback.
Are you feeling great this week? Or are you feeling fatigued? Sharing how you are doing, can help your coaches identify any potential risks or injuries that you may be experiencing. If you’re feeling discouraged, the community and trainers can provide motivation and encouragement to keep you on track! Overall, sharing how you feel can help you get the most out of your workout routine and achieve your fitness goals in a safe and effective way.
Take Advantage of Workout Tracking Today, in order to Maximize Your Health & Fitness Goals!
After each workout, take a second to grab your phone and immediately enter in your score and your notes. It will be beneficial for the future you – and the future you will appreciate it when it’s time to revisit a workout or when you’re taking a moment to reflect on your progress in the gym. Keeping records of exercise routines provides insights into potential weaknesses, helps set achievable goals, improves accountability and consistency, and helps in measuring progress, all of which are critical to long term success. Remember, you can’t manage what you don’t measure!
