Do you know why most amateur athletes don't achieve their self-imposed goals? In most cases, it's not a question of motivation or time. The reason is that the majority of those who train do so without a plan. And by that, I don't mean the training plan, but rather the lack of training documentation.

 

That's why it's so important to track your training

A well-kept training log book or workout journal is like a map that helps you navigate precisely to your destination. In a figurative sense, careful training documentation takes on the function of a navigation system or a road map. Without one, most drivers would only be able to get from A to B quickly with a considerable amount of extra time. It's no different with strength training or CrossFit.

If you have no idea where you stand in terms of performance, you train inefficiently and lose a lot of time. Even worse, uncontrolled action leads to minimal progress and stagnation, which can develop into a real demotivation spiral. For continuous progress, you need progressive overload in every training session. This means that you put a little more strain on your body from session to session. Be it by increasing the number of repetitions or just increasing the training weight by half a kilogram.

But how do you want to reliably monitor and measure these increases if not in a training logbook or workout journal? The human brain is proven to be an unreliable long-term memory in this regard. If you carefully document your performance, you always have an overview of your current performance and are therefore able to make adjustments to your training plan at any time. In addition, a long track record promises additional motivation in difficult phases by looking back at previous performance improvements.

 

Practical Guide - How Training Documentation Works

In the hands of a motivated athlete, a well-kept training diary or workout journal is a real weapon in the fight to achieve sporting goals. Anyone who wants to use this weapon successfully must, however, stick to a few rules, without which even the numerous clear lists and tables in this training log book are of no use.

Define your personal training goal

It all starts with the fundamental question of your personal training goal. You will only be successful if you know why you spend hours sweating in the box or gym. The goal definition is therefore the starting point for tracking. This ultimately determines which data can be documented, monitored and used for performance analysis. Do you simply want to lose weight or achieve the health goals prescribed by your doctor? Then, in addition to the duration of the exercise, the main focus is on monitoring your body weight, body fat percentage, blood sugar and blood pressure values. If, on the other hand, you are aiming to improve your performance as a 200-meter hurdle sprinter or shot putter, distances, running times and performance developments in several consecutive rounds are crucial. In CrossFit or weight training, it is also important to document sets, number of repetitions and weights used. Especially if you are looking for maximum performance or to build muscle, a short note on your daily calorie intake also makes sense.

Start with an inventory

When you pick up your training logbook or workout journal for the first time, you will lay the foundation for achieving your goals by taking a comprehensive inventory. By doing specific exercises and workouts, you will establish a performance benchmark that will then serve as a basis for assessing your training progress. It is important that you select a handful of benchmark exercises that you perform regularly.

In weight training, for example, these are complex basic exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, shoulder presses or the good old pull-ups. In order to obtain accurate comparative values, it is a good idea to determine the "1 Rep Max" and the "5 Rep Max". In CrossFit, on the other hand, specific workouts are predestined for taking stock and monitoring performance. Values ​​such as the "1 Rep Max" are also useful for determining realistic performance data for other training sets using the conversion tables in this training log book.

However, to ensure unbiased results, the conditions for regular performance measurement and documentation must be the same. It is best to always carry out such a test directly after warming up, without pre-tired muscles. Once you have determined your base values, you can begin your path to success.

 

With careful documentation to success

Of course, you don't have to enter every single warm-up set in your training logbook or in the tables in your workout journal. That would be too much of a good thing. Less is more. So limit your documentation to the really important areas. It's best to take your workout journal with you during every training session and use the short breaks to quickly note down the number of repetitions, WOD times or training weight.

This provides a complete documentation of your performance development. You can also use the option of making additional notes in your workout journal or training logbook, such as your mental and physical well-being. In combination with the hard performance data, this also enables a detailed error analysis and training adjustment if necessary.

 

Check your performance data regularly

For long-term success, it is important that your performance curve continues to point upwards in the long term. However, fluctuations in performance depending on your form from day to day are completely normal. However, an analysis of your performance data is recommended at least every 14 days. Why two weeks? It's simple: over such a period, one-off fluctuations even out. These are caused by fatigue, diet or the water content of your body, for example. Have your performances improved during the period under review? Congratulations, then your training seems to be bearing fruit. Nevertheless, there are still adjustments you can make here. Have your performance data not changed significantly during the period under review? Then it's time to intervene. Analyze your entries and your marginal notes, which also have space in your workout journal. Adapt your training by leaving your comfort zone and gradually increasing the intensity to create new growth and development stimuli.

If your performance has deteriorated, a more in-depth analysis makes sense. Factors such as too little recovery time between units, overtraining, an incorrect training approach or too little calorie and protein intake are often the main reasons for the deterioration in performance. Fortunately, thanks to your training or workout journal, these weak points will never go undetected again.

And now we wish you much success in achieving your goals with your personal training or workout journal.