How Do You Know If You're Training Enough?

Submitted by RonnyT on Tue, 2021-11-23 10:20
"How do I know if I'm training enough?" is a question I see a lot. It seems pretty straightforward. However, the answers might be a little more complex than you expect. So let's look at what training is and how we set objectives for our training goals. Then you can decide if you trained enough.
 
What is Considered Training?
 
It seems simple. But training can mean a different thing to everyone. Consider what Dwayne the Rock Johnson may view as a normal training regime is completely different than what your girlfriend might.
For some people, training might refer to preparing for a bodybuilding or weightlifting competition, a local 5k run, or maybe they even want to be the next Bruce Lee. If we look in the dictionary, the relevant definitions appear: 
 
"The education, instruction, or discipline of a person or thing that is being trained:
He's in training for the Olympics."
Or
"The status or condition of a person who has been trained:
Athletes in top training."
 
Hence, one thing is clear – in order to define what training is, we need to ask ourselves, "what am I training for?". So let's look at some basic training examples:
 
Endurance
 
Endurance training increases your breathing and heart rate. People will frequently refer to endurance training as "cardio."
 
Endurance causes your breathing and heart rate to speed up. Endurance increases your overall fitness while keeping your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy. Increasing your endurance makes it easier to complete many of your daily activities.
 
Exercises for endurance include:
• Running (for distance or speed)
• Swimming
• Cycling
 
Strength
 
Exercises that challenge and build your muscles are known as strength exercises. They are the ones we are typically referring to when we say someone is "strong" - that is, they have enough strength to carry out strenuous activities. "Strength training" or "resistance training" are other terms for these workouts. The following are some examples of strength exercises:
• Weightlifting
• Using machines at the gym
• Bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, squats, crunches, etc.
 
Balance
 
Balance exercises are meant to help you develop or maintain your stability. They're especially common among the elderly. However, younger people might benefit from these activities as well, as they contribute to total muscle strength. Exercises for balance include:
• Yoga
• Tai Chi
• Chi-Gong
 
Flexibility
 
Flexibility exercises help your body stay limber by stretching your muscles. Being flexible allows you to move more freely during other exercises and in everyday activities. Furthermore, a flexible body may be less prone to injury. Exercises to improve flexibility include:
• Yoga
• Stretching
• Pilates
Yoga is particularly popular in the NBA, the NFL, and UFC.
 
Setting Goals
 
To define your fitness aspirations, you must first decide what you want to accomplish. It's crucial to set a manageable goal that's broken down into multiple smaller ones - it's preferable to have ten smaller goals than one large one.
 
The logic is straightforward: tiny goals, often known as milestones, will keep you motivated, proud, and allow you to make adjustments along the road. When we set a lofty goal, such as losing 20 pounds right away, we tend to lose motivation when confronted with such a large figure - especially if success isn't as quick as we'd planned. (It's never that way.)
 
To make sure that your objectives are… rational, try using the SMART method:
§ Specific: What do you want to accomplish?
§ Measurable: How are you going to determine if you meet your goal?
§ Achievable or actionable: Do you have the tools to make this happen? Also, is the goal written in a way that requires you to take action?
§ Relevant or realistic: Does the goal focus on something that's important to you?
§ Time-bound: Do you have a realistic timeline for achieving your goal?
 
The hardest part is being honest with yourself – you're not going to the gym five times a week if you've never gone before. Consider this and discover activities, diets, and goals that are relevant to who you are as a person – with a tiny push outside of your comfort zone.
 
What Should You Think About When Defining Your Goals?
 
The majority of people get this one wrong: the most crucial factor in setting an objective is the why. Whether you want to lose weight, get toned, be more flexible, or get jacked, you must have a good reason for doing it. Most people will respond with, "obviously, I want to look good!".
 
Here's the issue: this is a weak motivation. The truth is that looking good isn't a big enough motivator for people to abstain from junk food, nor is it a big enough motivator for you to wake up and hit the gym by 5 am. If it was that easy, everyone would be able to do it.
 
What is the Source of Your Motivation?
 
A good exercise is to try to search deeper within yourself: what is the source of your initial motivation? For instance, let's say you want to look good. Why? For what purpose? Perhaps sparing some time for self-reflection would reveal that the true motivation for your motivation is the fact that you were bullied as a child. So now you want to seem nice as a form of retaliation against those who have wronged you.
 
This isn't going to work. Motivations that stem from a place of suffering and negativity have a short shelf life. To motivate yourself, try to think of something pleasant and empowering. For example, being healthier and living a longer life for you and your family. Or to act as a leader and set a good example for your kids. Something that is bigger than yourself is the secret to a great "why."
 
The Signs You Aren't Training Enough
 
There are many signs to evaluate if you've trained enough, depending on your goals, experience, and effort applied. In general, it's safe to question yourself when:
• You're not seeing any progress
• your routines appear to be too simple
• Muscle aches and pains are never an issue for you
• Your training sessions are no longer challenging for you
• Or this is the blog you're reading right now.
Keep in mind that "working out too little" may not be exactly what you're looking for. For example, "too little" could mean:
• Going to the gym, performing cardio, but putting the machine to a low setting - your body will not burn that many calories even if you train for an hour.
• You challenge yourself to "go all out" for a short period of time (say, 10 minutes) and then collapse, preventing yourself from making any real progress because you've totally exerted yourself doing something that possibly can set you back in future workouts.
• You select the incorrect workout for your body type, goals, or experience.
Not training enough has more to do with the quality of your workout than the number. 30 minutes, depending on your goals and body type may be sufficient to get good results.
 
How to Change Your Habits for the Best Results
 
Now that we've figured out why you might be feeling like you're not working out enough, here are some tips to help you feel more motivated and fulfilled in your fitness.
 
First and foremost, be certain that you have completed the objectives phase. Be SMART about it, be honest with yourself, and get advice from a fitness professional. A trained professional can really help you put things into perspective and explain what is doable and what is not.
 
Second, carve out time in your calendar to really exercise. And I don't just mean going to the gym. It entails genuinely turning off your devices, being present, and pushing yourself more each day. It's important to remember that it's not how much time you spend at the gym that matters, but how well you use that time.
 
You could also look into supplements to help you see better results. Make sure you don't overdo it, though: no supplement can make up for lack of training.
 
Lastly, pay attention to your body. If you are working out too little, attempt to figure out what is holding you back.