Is it time to begin tracking progress??

Heck yes!!!

How can we label our results as progress if we do not quantize them? By monitoring results, we find a huge advantage towards reaching our goals. So DEFINE your individual goals, and once you get started you will see how easy it is to meet those goals by continually recording progress. In a way, this sets the groundwork to allow progress! For many, figuring out what to track and how to track it can be the hardest part. For those unconvinced the benefits of tracking, take a look at the science:
Locke and Latham's article on Goal Setting Theory
The UN's handbook to progress monitoring and its benefits


Now, let's take a moment first to consider what is worth tracking... What values (numeric or otherwise) are important to you?

-For many people, WEIGHT is the first and most important consideration, so keeping a chart is very helpful in monitoring progress. Unless you are a theoretical physicist who prefers to measure body weight through celestial and gravitational analysis, you might want a scale. I highly recommend finding a scale that incorporates body fat, muscle, bone, and water percentages. Do not expect a scale to have ultimate accuracy in all fields, however. For this tool, we use its consistency to uncover trends. Amazon has some inexpensive options. My personal preference is the Ozeri scale that has great reviews and has been very durable and consistent for me. Take your measurements at the same time and context every day to eliminate reading errors. There are many weight tracking apps and programs available if pen and paper aren't cool enough for ya. Don't be discouraged if your weight doesn't change- muscle weighs more than fat, and we need to find other variables to measure as well to better understand the changes in our body.

-Once we understand the usefulness of monitoring weight, we realize there are other values that are also useful in our quest towards fitness. Many of us would like to include dimensions as well, so tracking BODY FAT PERCENTAGE logically follows. There are many ways to track this, and if you found a body fat scale, you are ahead of the curve. Please remember though, these devices use approximations and are generally consistent, but to have the ultimate amount of accuracy, using a tape measure and/or body fat calipers will allow you to manage your dimensions. Here is an excellent .pdf ready to fill out for tape measurements. And here is a body fat caliper calculator where you simply plug in caliper measurements, they have many detailed methods for you to choose from. A google search will show you a variety of calipers, perhaps the most useful one can be found at Target, including a digital readout to avoid straining the peepers.


What else should we track? In the coming weeks, I will develop a list of measurable quantities that will help you define your goals and develop an action plan towards reaching them. Spoiler: I will discuss range of motion, exercise maximums, heart rates, diet and more...

And now I let you digest this information, and prepare my next post regarding the CONTROVERSY of when to stretch... Are you stretching before your sessions? You should definitely tune in and read what SCIENCE has to offer on the subject!



-Bill