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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Value of Training Analysis for Over Forty Bodybuilding

By Scott Fisher

Competitive bodybuilders and other fitness experts know that keeping an exercise journal is an important part of their success. An exercise journal allows you to analyze and track your progress. If you are able to analyze how you achieve both forward progress and set backs, you will know how to adjust your training to make yourself stronger, healthier, and better.

Your exercise journal should be a detailed record of the muscle group trained, specific exercises, and how many reps you performed. As an example, you might train your biceps using arm extensions and dips. A typical journal entry would look like this: Triceps- Dips (6 reps), Arm Extensions (12 reps). Also, you should record the time of your total workout and each movement.

The more information you include, the more you will be able to analyze your progress. If you are just beginning with fitness over 40, there is no such thing as too many details. Eventually, you learn how you body responds to strength training and will be able to recognize which information is most helpful to modify your entries accordingly.

Another benefit to journaling is to be able to quickly identify when you overwork a muscle group and correct it. If you overwork a muscle group, especially in the beginning of a session, you will notice that you are unable to do as many reps later in the session. Also, if you notice unusual pain or need an unusual amount of rest you should be able to pinpoint the aspects of your training session that caused the injury. Therefore, you can keep yourself from repeating the injury or causing more damage.

Your warm up routine should also be tracked, including cardio, weights, and stretching. If your muscle gain is not what you expected or if you are sore afterwards, this could be from an inadequate warm up. You will want to compare periods of substantial progress to period of little or none and see how your warm up varied. Then, you will be able to adjust your routine accordingly.

Bodybuilders often chronicle their nutrition in their journals as well, including daily amounts of carbs, proteins, and fat. If you are bodybuilding over 40 this will be important because of your changing metabolism. You should also track the amount of calories you consume and when. If you are not building muscle appropriately, you may not be eating enough calories. If you are gaining unwanted weight, you may have to eat fewer calories or do more cardio.

It is also good to track your energy levels and motivation. Create a numbered rating system to describe your mood. Everyday, especially the day after training, record your number. Pay attention to the days you have the most energy and, more importantly, the days when you feel sore or sluggish. If you notice that changes you have made to your training program overly exhaust you or cause pain, you may have to lower the intensity a bit until your body adjusts.

It does not matter how much you have researched bodybuilding over 40. No one ever starts with a program that is perfect for them. Champion bodybuilders know they can get maximum results if they use exercise journals to track their progress and adjust accordingly. You can use your journal to create a great fitness plan tailored to your body, your life, and your goals. - 17268

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