Use an Exercise Training Diary to Keep Your Workouts on Track
A road map is a very handy tool when you're setting out on a long trip. It helps point you in the direction you want to go and can be a lifesaver when you've strayed off course. An exercise training diary can provide the same help as a road map when you embark on an exercise program. In many ways, it's a lot more informative because it's a daily record of your journey to your fitness goals. So let's take a look at how to get the most benefit from your workout log. 1. Record the Basics Record the date, start and end times, body parts trained, and if you were joined by a training partner. Also be sure to record information about your cardio workouts. 2. It's more than just sets and reps For a weight training log you'll certainly want to record the number of sets and reps you perform for each lift. Also be sure to indicate all warm up sets. This will help you prevent injury and may also indicate if you're doing too many warm up sets. Of course you'll want to record the weight you use for each lift. Unless you have a pretty good memory, it's difficult to remember from one workout to another what weight you used the last time. A training diary takes away the guesswork. Also be sure to indicate if you use any special training techniques such as forced reps, negatives, pyramids, or super sets. A training diary is a great way to uncover if any of these techniques actually work for you or if they're just making you over trained. Also, recording the settings on exercise machines such as seat height and other adjustments can save you a lot of time during your workouts. 3. Details Matter Details do make a difference! In the notes area of your diary page, be sure to record how you're feeling at the start of your workout. Are you tired or are you ready to tear things up in the weight room? Do your muscles pump up quickly as your workout progresses or is the pump avoiding you today? If you workout to music it may be helpful to record the tracks you listened to. This can also have a subliminal effect if you associate a great workout with certain music. 4. Don't forget about nutrition The other half of the fitness equation is diet. It's vital that you record everything that you eat and drink throughout the day. Record the item, amount in grams, and time consumed. You can look up the calories at the end of the day and record the total. 5. Record vital measurements Once a week you should weigh yourself and enter this into your training diary. Putting a tape measure to your neck, upper arms, chest, waist, thighs, and calves is a great way to track your weight training progress. 6. Review your log before each workout Before you begin your workout, take a look back to the last time you trained the same body parts. Take assessment of the maximum weight and reps you did for each exercise. This is the time to mentally challenge yourself to get an extra 2 reps or increase the weight by 5 lbs. 7. Interpreting the data Once you've logged several weeks of training data look back over it to see what kind of progress you've made. Pick one or two major exercises such as the bench press or squats. Have you been able to increase the weights for these lifts on a steady basis or have you hit a sticking point? This is a good time to look for any correlations. Did your body weight begin to drop off around the time you hit the sticking point? If so, then maybe you've begun to over train. Also look back over your nutrition log and make sure you're staying on track with your diet. Maintaining an exercise diary is a little extra work, but it's a commitment to your training program that will pay big dividends by keeping you on the road to training success! Rich Rojas
Elliptical Trainer Reviews and Fitness Ideas
http://www.ellipticalhome.com
MORE RESOURCES:
JoWood announces Wii Yoga for 2009Aussie-Nintendo.com, Australia - 8 hours ago... purchasing Wii Fit, but the product's sales success hasn't stopped Austrian game publisher JoWood jumping on the bandwagon with its own clone, Wii Yoga. ... |
Oneindia |
Yoga For PregnancyOneindia, India - Jul 3, 2008By :Health & Yoga A lady about 25 years old came to the maternity Hospital severely dejected and feeling hopeless. She had a very bad obstetrical history ... |
Are you ready for power yoga?Times of India, India - Jul 3, 2008Be it Kareena Kapoor or Shilpa Shetty in India or Madonna, Posh Spice or Kate Moss in the West, power yoga is what’s making them get the look that’s so in ... |
Relax and Improve Your GenesIvanhoe, FL - Jul 3, 2008It was conducted in two phases and included a variety of relaxation techniques such as yoga, prayer and meditation. The first phase compared gene expression ... |
Yoga switches off your stress genesTimes of India, India - Jul 3, 2008WASHINGTON: Scientists have achieved a significant breakthrough in understanding how relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, and prayer improve health. ... |
Yoga in schools to ease stressHowrah News Service, India - Jul 4, 2008BY AMITA VERMA July 3: A group of private schools in Lucknow is planning to introduce yoga and laughter sessions to help students overcome stress and mental ... |
Yoga - Google News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
10 Best Workout Tips
Top Trainers share their secrets to getting slim, toned and strong in record time. It guarantees that you will see results in no time.
Toning Your Abs - Common Exercising Myths
1. The 'Chew Then Crunch' MythCrunches are good exercises for toning the abs and stomach if done properly and combined with a low fat diet.
15 Quick Tips for People Who Dont Like to Exercise
We've all had days when we don't have the energy to tie our athletic
shoes, let alone bounce around in them. But exercise can give a daily
blast to your mind, body, and soul.
Weight Loss, Bodybuilding, and Exercise Tips - Keeping Your Body-fat Low; Part 1 of 10
Ever go to a party and wish you were the guy/girl that was considered the life of the party? They just seem to work every part of the room effortlessly. One minute you see them by the coffee table, then seconds later they are talking to someone by the refrigerator.
Struggling To Keep Your Workout Schedule? So am I!
Sometimes following a fitness program or workout schedule is not quite as do-able as the folks writing the advice make it sound. I suppose the idea is to tell you what you should be doing to achieve your fitness or weight-loss targets, but you know sometimes life gets a bit in the way of all these plans, and there is just no way you can follow your intended program.
Doing vs. Performing: The Difference Between Exercising and Getting Results
Back when I was young and living on my parents' farm, there always seemed to be plenty of tasks that were reserved for the low man on the totem pole. And you guessed it.
Stretching for Health
Lack of flexibility is now seen to be a major cause of general health problems and sports injury and is being linked to everything from stress. back pain, and even osteoarthritis.
How to Find a Gym and Start Exercising
There is hardly a week that passes without an article or study touting the benefits of exercise. Exercise to cure cancer, exercise to lose weight, feel better, livelonger, and stop dementia, the list appears endless.
Pilates: A Challenging and Motivating Exercise Regimen
Pilates is named after its creator Joseph Pilates. It is an exercise regimen that uses machines and special stretches.
Weight Loss and Fitness - Facts not Fiction
The world of weight loss and fitness is certainly vast, and the
American consumer can absolutely get lost in the thousands of
easy effortless and ostly useless ads if not careful. With my
books and research I want to clear the air about the various
myths and false statements regarding our health and fitness that
have clearly muddied the waters for many Americans.
Complete Physical Transformation Using The Purposefully Primitive Fitness Methodology
The Purposeful Primitive approach to the art and science of physical renovation is deceptively simplistic. By using a few basic tools and food purchased from the grocery store, you can radically alter the way you look while simultaneously improving health, vitality and energy levels.
Rotator Cuff: Exercises and Strategies to Prevent Injury
Have you ever experienced a dull ache or sharp pain in your shoulder or upper arm? Maybe you are unable to sleep on one side because your shoulder wakes you up at night. Perhaps, you have discomfort reaching behind your back to tuck in your shirt or grab your wallet.
Get Fit From Home-Part 2
---------------------
Using The Stairs
---------------------Not everybody has stairs in their home, but chances are you know somewhere that you can find a set. Maybe it's a set of bleachers at the high school or a set of steps at a park.
Exercise Intensity
"Physical Fitness"Some physical activities (exercise) are not intense enough to help you meet the FDA recommendations for being physically fit. Although you are moving, these activities do not increase your heart rate, so you should not count these towards the 30 or more minutes a day that you should strive for.
Sets And Reps - The High And Low Weight Workout
Big weights! Wicked pump! I always get caught between two minds whenever I hit my workout at the gym. One side of me says to lift heavy to get big and the other says that form should matter more than my weight poundage.
Incorporating Physical Activity into Your Daily Routine Not as Hard as You Think
You already know that getting at least 30 minutes of exercise each and every day is good for you, but putting that assertion into actual practice is an entirely different matter, right? Contrary to what you might think, making physical activity an everyday habit isn't rocket science. There's no secret code for success waiting to be cracked.
Do You Want To Be A Bodybuilding Champion - The Power Behind The PEN!
IT ALL STARTED ON A TYPICAL NOVEMBER MORNING back in nineteen eighty seven.
Life was changing for me quickly; I just didn't realize it at the time.
Core-Principles: The Function of Functional Training
Okay?okay?okay! Enough already!!! It seems like with every new term, every new invention or just about anything that is seemingly not "Everyday" that we all become flustered and assume we know nothing, which is both a testament to our lack of faith in ourselves and also a reflection of our ever-growing dependence on externals to give us a little reassurance where our natural instincts should be in high gear.My intention with this article is not to offend anyone especially those that whom, without their continual support I would surely be seeking a new line of work, and yes I am referring to my clients, so please don't feel like I'm bashing "you" if I ever refer to any particular individuals or events, no names will be mentioned though.
Fitness Focus: Overcoming Obstacles
If you're like me, the quest to be in shape, manage weight and overall well-being, at times, feels overwhelming. And, as if the quest to be fit isn't hard enough, there's often other obstacles to overcome: health issues, time management, mustering up courage or energy.
Current Recommendations are 30-60 Minutes of Exercise, Everyday?
This is the latest advice to the public and many are surprised at the sheer quantity and confused as to what constitutes exercise.Finding the timeFor those of us with busy lives, fitting this into a day is not easy.
|
