Fitness training plan, tip #5: how to measure your progress

Tip # 5 : How to measure your progress

Should you weigh yourself every day? Pay attention to your Body Fat Index (BMI)? Our experts have tried to find the best way to measure your progress and your fitness level.

• Fat Mass Index

GMI or Body Fat Index is a measurement used to determine whether someone is underweight, healthy, overweight or obese, by considering the individual's height and weight. You can calculate your IMG here .

While it may seem like a simple and convenient tool to analyze a person's fitness level, especially when supervised by a doctor, many criticize that the IMG has its limitations by not taking into account takes into account gender, age and athletic qualities (for equal volume, muscle weighs more than fat).

It is important to know your GMI but it is only one aspect of a person's health conditions.

How can you track your progress in addition to your IMG to have a more global idea of ​​your level? We will give you some ideas below to apply as you wish.

• The visual

An easy technique to implement is to take a photo of yourself in your underwear in the morning on an empty stomach once a month. This will allow you to visually see the progress and even if from one photo to another the difference may not seem obvious, after a few months your photo will be very different from your very first.

• Mobility

Fitness also allows you to improve your mobility and control your body. The caterpillar exercise is an excellent warm-up exercise but also a tool for analyzing a person's level of mobility. The abs, shoulders, hamstrings, and hips are all incorporated into this movement.

When you perform this movement, remember to check the following points:

• Do my hips go down when I go into plank?
• Can I hold the plank without relaxing my shoulders?
• How far can I bring my feet towards my hands without bending my legs?

If these points are not mastered, you will have good feedback on your general mobility skills and you will know the points that you will have to work on.

• Strength/endurance

Some applications allow you to perform quick physical tests. We have chosen the Nike+ Training Club which has two 6-minute programs: “Lean Fit Benchmark” and “Start Up Benchmark” which will make you perform different movements and which will give you an idea of ​​your abilities. These mini-workouts can be done every 3 weeks to measure your progress, whether you are a beginner or already practicing.

• 800m

Regardless of your physical activity and your goals, it is important to have a solid aerobic base. Strength training requires excellent aerobic skills in order to have a healthy heart that can pump and deliver blood to your muscles efficiently. In addition, being in good aerobic condition helps protect your cardiovascular system and helps reduce stress and anxiety.

An 800 meter test is a good tool to measure this. This distance will push you to your limits whatever your fitness level without preventing you from reaching the end for those who do not consider themselves “runners”.

Depending on your level of course, we will consider a good basis for achieving this distance of 4 minutes for men and 4 minutes 30 seconds for women.

• Recovery heart rate

This is your heart's ability to return to your resting heart rate after exercise. You can take this measurement directly after the 800m test. To do this, measure your heart rate for 15'' directly after exercise and multiply the figure by 4 to have a base of 1'. Repeat the measurement 1 minute later. If you have not recovered to at least 12 beats per minute you still have work to do. The heart rate should decrease by about 20 beats per minute until it returns to your resting heart rate.

• Resting heart rate

A low resting heart rate is often associated with athletes who have less need to pump their heart frequently because they have a greater pump volume to deliver oxygen to the muscles. A resting heart rate of 65 beats per minute can be considered a sign of good health.

Today's training:

• Knee raises (1')

• Plank with leg lift (10 and 10)

• Jumped lunges (1')

• Tap-shoulder plank (10 and 10)

3 complete turns to complete

In addition and in order to maximize your results, we offer the following products:

1. 30 min before exercise, take Stimium® PreWorOut Max (2 pods dissolved in 250 ml of water). This product will help you perform more repetitions for longer.
2. If you want to build muscle, then you will need to add Stimium® BCAA Instant (1 scoop in 250 ml of water 30 min before exercise and 1 more after exercise)
3. During exercise, remember to hydrate with Stimium ® boost Powder (1 scoop in 250 ml). The product will also provide you with energy and all the vitamins necessary to perform.
4. In 1h30 following our activity and because we have sweated well, we recharge with Stimium® SPIRU which will help to replenish your vitamin and mineral stocks. And as a bonus, spirulina has a strong antioxidant effect, very beneficial for recovery.
5. If you have cramps, take 2 sticks of Stimium® Mc3 , whose active ingredients will help you eliminate excess lactic acid. Continue to take it for at least 4 days, 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening (optimal course: 8 days)
6. For those who are on a diet and have a little craving, replace a meal or snack with our low-sugar and low-fat protein bars: Stimium® Probar . To vary the pleasures, we have chocolate, coconut, coffee, caramel, peanut (vegan) flavors.
7. In the evening, take Stimium® Iso Hwy (1 scoop in 200 ml of water or milk) to complete your protein intake, essential for muscle building. This whey is lactose-free, sugar-free and lipid-free. No stomach ache and we stay in shape!!

Well done !! if you're here, it's because you've held on all week!! recharge the batteries this weekend and return to the exercises proposed at the start of the week for the one that follows and so on throughout your program (2 months).