ey,
So, real talk – do you ever find yourself at the gym, doing the same lifts, maybe upping the weights every now and then, but not really knowing how much you’ve progressed? If you haven’t been tracking your lifts, you’re definitely not alone. But here’s the kicker: without a record of your progress, you’re missing out on the most motivating part of your fitness journey – seeing real gains.
The Problem: No Tracking, No Progress
When we don’t write down our results, it’s easy to forget where we started and to overlook how far we’ve come. And, sure, you might feel stronger or notice a difference in the mirror, but you’re leaving a ton of motivation on the table. Without the data, we end up guessing – was that PR last month or two months ago? Was I lifting 95 lbs. or 115 lbs.? Guesswork takes the fun out of seeing your own growth. Also, progress isn’t going to be linear but a huge component of progressively overloading is slowly increasing resistance or volume over time and without tracking your weights, sets and reps, it’s very easy to lose sight of when and where its time to make those subtle increases. Doing this will greatly reduce your risk of a long term plateau.
Why It Matters: The Negative Impact of Not Tracking
No tracking means no real sense of progress, and without progress, workouts start to feel stale. Plus, we humans are notoriously bad at estimating our own improvement as stated above. Make it easier for yourself by taking the guesswork out of it. Skipping this step could be the reason why motivation starts to drop and progress begins to halt – and we can’t have that!
The Solution: 3 Steps to Start Tracking Like a Pro
Here’s how to get the ball rolling:
- Grab a Notebook or App: Don’t overcomplicate this! Get a notebook, a notes app on your phone, or use a fitness tracking app. The key is to make it simple and easy to use every time you train. I know many people who prefer the traditional, tangible method of hand writing notes, many find it helps keep them grounded and focused on the task at hand, but if you prefer the organization of having it neatly packed into an app on your phone that’s readily accessible at the tap of the button, the Strong App is a great option which is free to use.
- Write Down the Essentials: Start with the basics – exercises, sets, reps, and weights. Keep it short and sweet. And if you hit a personal best or felt extra strong, jot it down – this will be awesome to look back on. Knowing your volume and weight is the most important(and if this is the only thing you do that is a GREAT step) but it can also be helpful to jot some quick notes on your feeling and performance on a given day to refer back to as well.
- Set Goals Along the Way: Tracking lets you set mini-goals (think: adding 5 lbs. to a lift every few weeks). Watch how those small wins start stacking up. Hitting these milestones builds a powerful sense of momentum. I can’t tell you how important this one is. Making small and consistent changes over time is what separates the greats from the average person who burns out and inevitably falls off track.
Why This Works
By tracking, you’re not only going to see your own growth – you’ll feel it. You’ll know, “Hey, I’m stronger than last month,” or, “I crushed that last PR!” This habit keeps you fired up, keeps workouts fresh, and most importantly, shows you that what you’re doing is actually working.
And here’s some good news: starting soon, we’ll be printing out the Small Group Personal Training programs for each athlete in the class. This means you’ll have a ready-to-go sheet in hand where you can jot down your lifts, reps, and progress right then and there. No excuses, no forgetting – just easy tracking that’ll let you enjoy all the benefits we talked about here.
Keep lifting, keep logging, and get ready for some serious progress!
Best,
Joey Wolfe
P.S. Ready to step it up? For just $49, try two weeks of unlimited Team Training and Small Group Personal Training. It’s the perfect way to start tracking gains with our community.
