As far as workout tools, the workout log book is probably the most effective. Cheaper than the latest and greatest in supplements and workout gear, and infinitely more versatile, the training log has been used by everyone from weekend warriors to professional athletes.
How does a workout log book help you perform better?
Beyond helping you keep an accurate record of all of your training, keeping a training log will help you stay motivated, help you stay more consistent in your workouts, and even give you the self-awareness to stick to your workouts over the long term.
Here are four awesome things that happen when you start using a workout log book:
1. You will stick to the plan. The biggest thing most gym goers struggle with isn’t a lack of knowledge. It’s the consistency. Consistency is what keeps you in the gym long after that initial surge of motivation passes. Your exercise log will help you stick to the plan over the long term instead of crushing it at the gym for a couple weeks and bailing out like most people do.
2. You’ll see progress firsthand. Progress is motivation. When you see on paper how you are getting stronger, or more consistent, or simply workout out more often, it’s impossible not to experience a surge in motivation. A properly written record of your workouts gives you the ammo to monitor the progression that fuels motivation.
3. You learn what it takes to be successful. Most gym-goers and athletes don’t have a true understanding of what it will take to achieve their goals. They make “best case” goals where if everything goes absolutely perfectly they will get to where they wanna be. But things never work out this way. Setbacks happen, and the path to our goals end up taking longer than we imagined. As a result, athletes often get discouraged and throw away the goal setting process altogether. A training journal will show you precisely how long and what it takes to achieve that next level performance.
4. Connect the dots in your performance. The way that things like sleep, stress and nutrition affect our performance in the gym and on the playing field isn’t always immediately apparent. By tracking these things—as well as your workouts—you get a clearer idea of what is influencing your training. Simply knowing that you tend to feel exhausted by Thursday or Friday can help you better strategize your sleep and recovery schedule. Similarly, if your workouts are consistently good after a series of healthy meals you can apply that lesson to your overall nutrition plan.
In Summary
Crushing your workouts doesn’t have to be a mystery. Simply by starting and keeping a workout log book you can start seeing the results you have always wanted from yourself in the gym.