Four Ways to Measure Your Progress At The Gym
What I am about to share with you will either make-or-break your results in the gym. Depending on how much of this information you apply.
It will determine whether your make consistent progress or continue going to the gym every week and see no changes in your strength, fitness or physique.
Gym training can be highly effective — if you know what exercises to do and how to make gains.
It can also be very frustrating — if you don’t know what you’re doing and don’t track your progress.
If you do not track and measure your progress, you have absolutely no way of knowing if you are progressing or not.
Below, I will show you four ways to measure your progress at the gym.
1. Training log or diary
This one is super easy to follow!
If you already have a training program or exercise plan in place, you should be recording and tracking all of your work.
Write down what exercises you performed, how many sets and reps you did, what weight you lifted and how long your rest periods were.
These are the main variables. The meat and potatoes.
You can record a whole bunch of different things, but my advice would be to keep things simple and record only what matters.
Exercises
Weights
Sets x Reps
Rest periods
Those are the basics.
Nail those and then watch how much progress you make over the next few months.
Buy a notepad or journal and start writing all of your training stats down.
2. Use progressive overload
This strategy alone will GUARANTEE progress.
Progressive overload is a training principle which has been around, and will be around, forever. Because it works!
Every single session you must use the progressive overload principle — whereby you make some aspect of your training program more challenging than the previous session.
You can do this by manipulating any of the following variables;
Doing an extra set
Lifting slightly heavier
Adding a pause to the exercise
Doing an extra one (or more) reps
Increasing the Time Under Tension (TUT)
Changing the exercise order
Use accommodating resistance (add bands)
Adjust the tool used (barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell)
Reducing your rest periods
Essentially, you make each session slightly harder than the last.
By following this principle, you will become fitter, stronger and leaner.
Small progressions over a consistent period of time is the secret everyone is looking for!
In my sessions, the goal is to add 1.25 - 2.5kg to the bar, every week.
As long as technique is maintained.
3. Weekly weigh-in
If your goal is weight loss, you have to track your weight. Period.
Don't like jumping on the scales? Get over it.
“Get it and forget it.”
Track it, measure it and then you can adjust your actions/outputs accordingly.
Avoiding the scales and not looking at the number on the screen is akin to burying your head in the sand.
You still weigh what you weigh…
Not knowing how much you weigh won’t change your situation or fix the problem.
Jump on and record the number.
Chart it weekly and see which direction it is trending (up or down).
Then you can take the necessary next steps to move forward and progress.
4. Measurements
Some people "feel" like their clothes are fitting them better or looser (which is great).
This is known as subjective feedback.
You can't quantify or accurately measure it, though.
Girth measurements, however, provide you with an unbiased way of seeing if your body is changing or not.
You take the measurements from the same sites each time and this will illustrate where you are losing fat from.
Tracking your progress doesn't have to be complicated. But you do have to do it.
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”
Don't leave your gym training & results up to chance. Especially when you can control so many aspects of it.
Yes, this does involve some planning and work on your end.
But, there’s no point working hard if what you’re doing isn’t working or helping you become better.
Be smart, plan ahead, record your progress and force your body to change.
Measure. Adapt. Improve.