It’s no secret that weight training is associated with many health benefits and is recommended by most health organizations.
When it comes to data and tracking, weightlifting movements, like any other observable behavior or goal, can be analyzed like no other.
Fitness Intelligence Reveals Insights
Fitness intelligence refers to making your health and fitness data work for you. Collecting lifting data, exercise minutes, and workout days give you meaningful insights that make sense for you.
After all, you’ve put in the work, so why should analyzing results and planning for new changes be such a barrier?!?!
Take this example from Max, one of my clients.
Lifting Data and Decision-Making
Max is finally getting back on the weightlifting horse compared to last year. You’ll see a few gaps in his training this year, but I am excited to see what Fall 2023/Winter 2024 bring him!
His recent lifts are displayed here:
The left bar graph shows how many days per month included each lift.
For example, Max logged one Romanian Deadlift Day in February and four in April. His logging was not the best throughout the Summer of ’23 but he lifted even though his charts tell us otherwise.
The right dot plot shows the volume lifted in each training session. The legend tells us how much volume (i.e., sets times reps) and which movement Max trained. For example, Max deadlifted 165 pounds during session 313.
Are Data Displays Necessary?
Maybe. Maybe not.
For Max and I, yes. After all, data analysis is central to my coaching process – collecting data, analyzing, and making behavior-based recommendations.
Outside of my coaching, most people use data every day. This is not new.
What is new? Applying visual analysis methodically to behavioral and fitness goals. And, visualizing our work in a meaningful way.
The above chart is only one of many charts in the dashboard that Max and I use on a weekly basis. Let’s face it, finding meaningful trends in organized visuals is way easier than clicking back and forth in a spreadsheet or flipping through paper notebooks.
