You killed some workouts this week. They were a great memory. Some were tougher than others but you did them. But wait, how did that 3mile trail run at Mission Gorge in San Diego differ from that run 3 weeks ago? Chances are probably can’t really remember. You would know if you documented it. Aside from jogging (pun intended) your memory it can be a good source of motivation.
Tracking your workouts can be useful to looking back to seeing how things are progressing. It does not have to be that complicated or extravagant. All it could be is the date, what you did & comments about it. Why notes? It is useful to put any information like how crappy you felt, that it was a really hot day or that you felt stronger in that 3 mile run. An example is below.
Another benefit to having this document you already have laid out what you want to do this week…so there is no guessing game on what to do – you have choices. Of course you can add, subtract and multiply the list of workouts.
So keep it simple, or complex. But always have a notes column to remind you about anything particular about the day (temperature was in the 80’s & humid, hung over, had 12 donuts the night before) or how you were feeling during the run (relaxed, low energy..). If it continues to happen maybe you will see a pattern and can see what you are doing wrong. Heck if you wanted to be really comprehensive you could list what you ate the day before to look for some patterns in regards to your diet & performance. Either way tracking your workouts can give perspective on how far you have come, reminding you about anything that affected it or how you felt during it. If you have some specific date you are training for then you can work backwards and set your schedule.
Any questions or inquiries about my personal training & how I can help you reach your goals – feel free to shoot me an email at incrementalfit@gmail.com!
-Damien
