Benefits Of Keeping A Training Journal
For many years, I elected to not keep a training logbook for purely superstitious reasons! Some years ago, I experienced a nagging injury. At the time, recording a journal became very frustrating because it did not make satisfying reading. So, I abandoned the idea. Shortly after this, the injury corrected itself but from that day on I did not record my training as I did not know how long I would be able to train for!
At the time, I thought it made no sense because I was running the princely time of 10 minutes a day! As my mileage increased, I got out the habit of keeping a log book until recently!
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The Importance Of A Training Log!
A proper log will show you what worked and what didn't. Got an injury? Go back two months and see if you've made any specific changes for that muscle group lately.
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Using one again, has made me realize what valuable information we gain from these books. Without a doubt, we begin to notice patterns in our training performances. We notice when our good and bad days repeat themselves in our log book. This information really helps us prepare for a race because we know when to "back off" from training.
As athletes, backing off is one of the toughest challenges we face. Through the log book we have good evidence of the need to rest. Of course, we can choose to ignore the information but when the proverbial wheels fall off the bus, we have even more reasons to explain our "sudden decline"
I use the words "sudden decline" in inverted commas because there is seldom a sudden decline. The signs are usually there for a while. We either choose to ignore them or we simply have not yet understood what the signs mean. Sudden changes in performance can occur through injury. But, if your log book contains your comments, you can often see the development of the injury over a few days.
This observation brings me to another point. The comments and observations you make as the journal keeper. Record your thoughts and feeling after each session. I believe they are valuable indicators. Take your thoughts seriously because they provide insight into your mental make-up at the time.
When you are tired, mention you were tired and maybe a reason why. When you go back in your journal, you will pick up your mood quite easily. You might even notice your lethargy. Some days we do not feel like training. Its important to identify reasons why... maybe the training load is too much or too intense or you are pressured at work. All these factors influence the training output.
Recording them in your journal helps you be less critical of yourself. This does not mean you now have useful excuses however. It simply provides insight into your current performance levels.
What Can You Keep In Your Journal?
I keep the following information: my waking pulse, weight, number of hours slept, my willingness in training, things like that. I also record what session I did, duration, intensity, average HR, max HR, route I took etc.
Confidence Booster.
Keeping a journal can be quite a confidence booster. When you look back, you notice your progress. You see how much faster you have got over a period of time. Of course, you might also notice that your performance has not improved that much� you may even have "plateaued".
By going back into your journal you can probably find out why. On the confidence issue, I know a number of athletes who certainly gain motivation and confidence from their diaries.
Raynard Tissink is one example. He finds his journal motivating when he looks back at his training progress. It is also a well-known fact, that Comrades king Bruce Fordyce also used his diary to great effect. Bruce also kept detailed notes on his races. You could keep a race journal too. You pick up some interesting trends in your races on drinking, nutrition, conditioning etc.
CLICK TO ENLARGE.
Raynard Tissink.
Motivation.
A journal usually works very well for someone who struggles to maintain motivation or training momentum. However, even if you are self motivated, you still gain some great insight.
Keeping a journal can make or break your training progress. I made this discovery three days in to my first organized fitness program and realized first hand what all those 'fitness gurus' had been talking about. It was a cold, grey Wednesday and I was tired. Maybe I should skip the gym? Surely one day won't hurt?
But when I considered that I would have nothing to report in my journal for that day I was forced to think twice. After weighing up the pros and cons I promptly grabbed my gym bag and headed off, preferring to fill the pages with activity over leaving them blank. This is the first moment I was glad I had listened to the advice and embarked on my journey with journal in hand.
Helps Avoid Sidetracking.
Think of the journal as a road map. It's going to show you the route, help you avoid sidetracking and keep your final destination in focus. Lost your direction? Consult your journal. Can't remember where or why you started? Your journal knows.
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BB.com Workout Journal.
Are you having troubles remembering how much weight you lifted, or how many reps you did yesterday? Maybe you can't remember whether or not you have done enough cardio this week, or if you are making any progress.
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Want to figure out the best foods to give you the best results? In a few weeks you journal will be able to tell you that too. The best thing about it is that it is first hand knowledge from your body; it soon becomes a reference so you can avoid pitfalls and find shortcuts designed for you. It is encouraging to see the pages fill and accurately measure how far you have come.
Gain Focus.
Without a map or a clear game plan it is impossible to get yourself out of a sticky situation. Without a journal it is easier to lose focus and give up. If you don't record it, it can become easier to forget the whole point of what the game is. Good intentions and great ideas become just a passing thought if you fail to write them down.
One Potential Pitfall.
There are definitely a few athletes who are overly analytical about their training. A log book can be cluttered with too much analysis and detail be careful of this! The classic saying "paralysis by analysis" is to be avoided if possible! Remember the primary reason you are training and racing is for enjoyment and relaxation and of course for some results. Use the journal with these central feelings in mind so the journal doe not get you "bogged down"
Happy Journaling!
glenn@valueanalytics.co.za
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