How do I know that I have trained well?

You’ve had a good workout, worked up a sweat, and then you feel your muscles. That’s good, you think. I’ve completed a great program. But is that really true? How can I know that if I’ve trained well? Fortunately, there are a few indicators.

Heavy sweating alone is not an indicator

When the sweat runs, many believe they have reasonably exhausted themselves. Unfortunately, this is only partially true. Those who exercise regularly have better thermoregulation and sweat much faster and more profusely. Rapid sweating is even a sign of reasonable fitness. Whether you have trained well should be determined by other points.

You should feel good after your workout

It may sound strange at first sight, but it is a good indicator. If you feel good even after the most exhausting training program, you probably did everything right. Even if your muscles are aching and you’re completely out of breath. But if you think crap, what have I done to myself? Then you’ve probably overdone it.

The feeling of good flexibility

It’s not so easy to describe, but I’ll give it a try: Your muscles feel over-acidified and stiff after a workout. Yet they still have good mobility, even the next day. Then that’s another indication that you trained well. Even if you have completely exhausted yourself. This applies to both strength and endurance training.

The last repetitions

To improve continuously, you must test your limits every now and then. This is especially true for strength training. A good indicator is the last repetitions. Ideally, it would help if you chose challenging but doable weights. The last repetitions of an exercise should be difficult for you, but you should be able to do them with good technique. Regularly testing your maximum strength will help you find suitable weights for you.

You improve over time

It doesn’t matter if you do endurance sports, strength training, or, better yet, a combination of both. Progress is only sometimes immediate. But you should see changes over time: You can run the same distance faster without finding it more challenging. You can easily do more push-ups or lift heavier weights. Your body silhouette changes for all to see. All these are indicators that you have trained well. You may need to rethink your training if this is not the case.

You can sleep well at night

One of the best indicators that you have not trained well is poor sleep. If you’re exhilarated, your pulse won’t settle down, or your muscles ache, you’ve definitely overdone it. On the other hand, regular exercise, even strenuous exercise, actually helps you sleep well. If you exercise well, you sleep deeper and can regenerate better and faster.