Keep track of those workouts (sets and reps). CrossFit members who logged their workouts most often did significantly more total exercise than those who did so least often, according to a recent Texas A&M University study.
Technique.
The researchers noted six potential benefits associated with logging your workouts:
- It reminds you of your goals. You’re working toward something that’s meaningful to you.
- You experience higher engagement in each workout. You aren’t just going through the motions; you’re trying to improve over time.
- You have proof of achievement. When you do reach a milestone, it’s right there on paper or pixels. It’s now part of your permanent record (but in a good way).
- You feel a growing sense of competence when you see how far you’ve come. Making progress is a great motivator to continue.
- You enjoy it more, which is what happens when you have a written record of achievement and increasing confidence in your abilities.
- You’re more likely to stick with your routine and exercise consistently. Your log isn’t just a record of what you did when you showed up. It’s also a reminder of the times you showed up.
That’s a lot of good reasons.
JR “Hammer Time”
Remember: Individual results may vary. For some people, logging workouts could be a hassle that takes the joy out of their gym time.
So always make sure to ask, “How’s this REALLY working for me?”
That’ll help you know what to do.
PMID: 35564327
Prochnow T, Amo C, Patterson MS, Heinrich KM. I CrossFit; Do You? Cross-Sectional Peer Similarity of Physical Activity Behavior in a Group High Intensity Functional Training Setting. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Apr 19;19(9).