How to Assess Your Workouts
Friday June 26, 2009
I get a lot of questions from readers about their workouts: Am I doing the right workout? How do I know if I'm doing this the right way?
These questions are impossible to answer because there is no 'right' way to exercise. Go to the gym and talk to 10 different people and you'll find 10 completely different exercise programs.
While you can't always determine the 'perfect' workout program right away, there are some questions you can ask yourself to assess your workouts:
- Do I like what I'm doing? You may not love every part of your program, but you should include some activities you enjoy. If you're riding on a stationary bike and hating every minute of it, that's not a workout you'll stick with. Take this Fitness Personality Quiz if you're having trouble finding things you enjoy.
- Is my program balanced? Doing all cardio and no strength training or all high intensity exercise and no recovery workouts can lead to boredom, burnout and plateaus.
- Am I getting results? Weight loss is certainly one result you might expect, but look at other ideas: Are you getting stronger? Have you increased your endurance? Are you progressing in your exercises? Are you feeling better about yourself and your commitment to exercise?
These are just a few questions to ask yourself if you're not sure you're on the right path. For you veteran exercisers, I'd like to hear from you. How do you assess your workouts? Do you regularly take stock of what you're doing or do you go with the flow, making changes when it makes sense? Leave a comment and tell us more about how to assess our workouts.
Comments
Once a month i evaluate my routine such as increasing weight on various weight machines.Also as a warm up I use the concept2 rowing mach and will do sprints or increase the distance which adds up to more time and more burned calories.Basic program is 40 min rowing,45min resistance work and 20 min back on the rowing mach.works for me.
i guess it really depends on what you are looking to get out of your fitness program. weight loss? 5k race? ms. bodybuilding usa?
I keep a workout log. My goals shift around because I work out six days a week. Yeah, yeah I know but I don’t care. It just suites me and I am fine in terms of health and motivation. Today was easy 40 min precor with 1 min sprints every 10 mins. Then 20 min on the stairmaster (38 flights) and then 75 push ups. 1h 20m
total, cal burn 1000 – as tracked by my polar hrm.
When I’m lifting, I like to feel at least a little bit sore in that body part within the next day or two. No sore means I’m probably not progressing.
When I run I watch my time. If it goes up, then I’m not progressing.
True, it’s not all about always needing to progress. But during those times, I’m not assessing anything anyway!
I have to mix up my workout to keep things interesting. I like to try new activities to keep me from getting bored. Most recently, I tried tennis. I’m not exactly a pro tennis player, but it sure was a great workout!
This is also a response to the question, “Do you lift enough weight during strength training?”.
The bottom line is, what works for me is what counts. I’m doing light weights at high reps, 2 – 10 lbs, 75 reps total. I do a range of weights for each particular exercise, the range depending on the exercise. I also do stomach crunches with hand weights, and push-ups.
The result is that I’ve trimmed the fat off the upper torso over the last 3 ˝ yrs. My torso now tapers down from the shoulders to the waist instead of the opposite; even the “love handles” are gone. My upper body now matches my lower body as far as very little fat and a trim physique. My personal physician last year said I’ve added a lot of muscle – this is someone whom I see two or three times a year and deals with a lot of patients, amazing me that she remembers me from prior visits.
I don’t fret over not doing the accepted or politically correct workout. I believe it’s good to periodically reevaluate the routine, amp up the weights and intensity or even taper off, especially since I’m a senior (> 60 yrs old). I no longer do the bouncing exercises to avoid injury to my joints and weak right arch. My routine has evolved over the last 4 ˝ yrs, and I have achieved a high level of intensity in the workout and a balance with my diet that allows me to maintain a weight level that both my physician and I are comfortable with – slightly high BMI, but fine considering the muscle mass and little fat.
To answer the questions, “Do I like what I’m doing?”, “Is my program balanced?”, and “Am I getting results” is, yes, I firmly believe so.
I’ve said this before in so many words, Paige’s blog has been a valuable resource of information and a reading of what people believe and do. I rank Paige up there with Oprah Winfrey as far as performing a public service not based on profit, but a genuine personal commitment to positive causes and the common good.
First, it is important for one to remember never to abbreviate “assessment”. Having said that, I assess my workouts on a weekly basis and look what I can improve, weight and repetition adjustments, and then which exercises I’d like to swap in and out of rotation to help keep a muscle confusion condition going.
I will lift for 3-4 months at a good level and then plateau, get bored and may quite for a month or so. I work out alone and do enjoy it but do get bored after awhile. If I am increasing the levels I am lifting or reps this keeps me motivated. This has been going on for several years. I am 48 and will go from one body part per day (5 exercises per body part) to one exercise per body part per day doing an overall body workout. Usually ecliptic for cardio 20-30 total workout 1 hour +.I will usually exercise 4-5 days a week.