You haven’t worked hard in the gym unless you’ve left your sweat on the dumbbells and bench, and are unable to make the stairs, right?
This is correct if you did an HIIT workout, a leg day, or took a pre-workout supplement that allowed you to sweat more.
But do you really believe that sweating determines how effective your workout is?
Here are five factors to consider in addition to sweat when evaluating the effectiveness of your workout.
1. Improved sleep
If you sleep well the night after your workout, it is clear that you had an effective workout. Simply put, working out shocks your body. Every rep you perform is like a shock to your body, and in order to recover, your body craves sleep.
2. Long lasting pump
When we exercise, our heart rate increases, resulting in increased blood flow to our muscles. More blood flow indicates a nasty pump, which causes your muscle to appear fuller and bigger. A pump during or after a workout indicates that you are building muscle while also burning calories.
3. You are hungry
If you feel hungry while working out, it is likely that your body has depleted its glycogen stores. Hunger after a workout indicates that you have pushed yourself to failure and that your body now requires fuel to recover. Moreover, feeling hungry after a workout can be challenging, as you might end up eating junk. So be mindful of your food choices and binge on foods high in protein.
4. You feel better than when you started
Everything from food cravings to missed deadlines has run through your mind while you were exercising. You feel grateful and more clear in your thinking now that you’ve finished working out. Even though your workout is over, you still want to do one more set, this is a sure sign that you had a brutal session because when we enjoy something, we always want more of it. Keep in mind that not all gains are made in muscles!
5. One rep max
When you break your lifting record, for example, if your personal best in deadlift was 180kgs and you did two reps of 180kgs, or you lifted 185 kgs. One rep max is used to test strength, if you were able to hit one rep max, it means you gave everything during the workout. The best thing about hitting a one rep max is that it makes you physically and mentally strong and also boosts your confidence.
