HEALTHY WAYS TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR WORKOUT
Sep 06, 2022
Being "fit" or "in shape" doesn't just mean having big muscles or a 6-pack. It also means having healthy and happy joints. As a Kinesiologist, I have helped many people over the years that look strong and healthy but are in constant pain! Their arms are toned, but they can't lift up their kids. They can squat twice their bodyweight but they can't comfortably grab the dinner plates at the top of the cabinet. Looking strong is one thing but there's so much more to health than a look.
The "no pain, no gain" methodology, which is a myth that if your muscles aren't experiencing pain, then you must not be working hard enough, brought us to a place where working our bodies into the ground during a workout is the norm. But I'm here to help reverse that mindset.
There are a few other "metrics" that have been normalized by the fitness industry that I'm determined to challenge.
1. The more you sweat, the better your workout
"I didn't sweat much so I guess I didn't workout hard enough"
Sound familiar? Well, I'm happily here to let you know that you can get a great workout without breaking a sweat!
The purpose of sweating as it pertains to exercise is to dissipate body heat in order to help cool the body down. Just standing in a hot room could make you sweat. I've performed many effective workouts without producing a single drop of sweat!
2. The more calories you burn, the more effective your workout
Although it's very tempting with our smartwatches (and trust me, I've been there!), the amount of calories you burn in a workout should never be the determining factor of whether or not your workout was effective (or your main motivator). The quality of your workouts is really what counts toward your fitness and health goals. The best way to burn fat (if this is your goal) is to focus on nutrition, building muscle and recovery.
I think it's important to note as well that thinking of exercise in such a calorie-oriented way may take away from the enjoyment of doing the physical activity, which over time could increase the likelihood of dropping out.
3. If you're not sore after a workout, you didn't work hard enough
It's believed that if we’re not sore then we’re not doing enough during out workouts. But that’s just not true. Many studies show that soreness itself (using a scale from 0 to 10 to assess the level of soreness) is a poor indicator of muscle adaptation and growth.
If you experience light muscle soreness the following day, this just means you got the appropriate amount of work without overdoing it.
4. Workouts need to be 60 minutes
As I always preach, "quality over quantity". If you're moving mindfully and your body feels great after an hour, then that's wonderful. But if you're dragging your feet throughout the hour with a lack of intention or even worse, overworking your body, then an hour can be doing more harm than good or just straight up a waste of your time! Workouts that are 20 minutes can absolutely be effective, especially when performed on a consistent and regular basis!
Here's a few healthier and more accurate ways to measure your workouts:
1. Improved mobility, joint comfort and range of motion immediately after.
This is one of the best indicators of a good workout!
You should be moving with more ease immediately after your workout and not feeling like a ton of bricks. Joint pain immediately after (or the next day) are signals from your nervous system telling you the workout was too much.
Your muscles should feel fatigued and you should feel more mobile. Your joints should not be aching and you should be able to complete your daily tasks without discomfort.
You should feel nice and limber my friends!
2. Light muscle soreness.
Muscle soreness can be a side effect of the stress put on your muscles when you exercise, this is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and it's completely normal. DOMS usually begins within 6-8 hours after a new activity or a change in activity and can last up to 24-48 hours after the workout.
The problem that many people make is going too hard. This can leave tissues like your bones, cartilage and ligaments vulnerable when the muscular system wasn’t equipped to handle the amount of stress endured.
We want to work our muscles just enough to create slight microdamage so our bodies can lay down new tissues (i.e., increase muscle mass). Once again, soreness itself is a poor indicator of muscle adaptation and growth but a little of the "good pain" is ok!
3. Feeling happy and more energetic.
This to me is the most underrated indicator of a good quality workout.
Do you feel exhausted, sore and depleted after a workout or do you step out of the gym feeling strong and energized? Your workouts should make you feel GOOD, both mentally and physically and have you wanting to go back for more. This is key to building a healthy and sustainable relationship with exercise. If you dread your workouts, then it's time to change it up and find something that you do enjoy.
