Jon’s Question
“Besides physical changes, how can I track training progress?”
My Answer
OK Jon, whether you’re bulking or cutting, tracking physical changes is important. However, other markers are important, too. Here are my top three:
1.
Strength progress. Lifting more weight over time will lead to muscle gain, so it’s worth the effort to keep tabs on strength levels for every exercise in your plan.
Whether you use a paper journal or an app, just track it.
2.
The weight on the bar is one thing. Total reps completed per exercise is another. When you record both metrics, you’re able to calculate and track total training volume.
Training volume equals weight used times reps completed. If training volume is increasing over time, so will the amount of muscle you carry.
3.
Finally, I highly recommend noting the RPE of each exercise. This allows you to make informed decisions on whether you’re ready to move up in weight or reps.
RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion and ranges from 1-10, with 10 being the most exertion.
Like I said earlier, tracking physical changes is important, but so are these three metrics. You will not regret keeping tabs on them.
