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Youregushing sweatas your heart rate spikes.
EF Volart/Getty Images
Surely all this means youre crushing your workout, right?
Not necessarily, physical therapist and strength coachSusie Spirlock, DPT, tells SELF.
Metrics like sweat and soreness are basically your Amazon two-day shipping style of markers for progress, she says.
They might offer instant gratification, but in the end theyre essentially meaningless, if not counterproductive.
No, sweat and soreness dont tell you if your workout is working.
Yes, you might drip more if youre exercising more intensely.
For example, she often finds herself soaked in sweat while some of her running-group friends are barely glistening.
Finally, soreness naturally diminishes the more you work out, thanks to something called the repeated bout effect.
count that days workout as a victory.
You feel better than when you started.
Not all the gains of exercise occur in your muscles, anyway.
Exercises youve done before seem easier.
Say youre doing three sets of 12goblet squatswith a 10-pound dumbbell.
But the next week, the exact same pattern might feel much more manageable.
Thats progress, she says.
Similar concepts apply to cardio.
Or you were able to make them harder.
Picking up a 12-pound weight instead of a 10-pound one for the same movement also means youre building strength.
If youre usingresistance bands, you might swap out a lighter blue band for a heavier purple one.
You feel proud of your trends over time.
Those in-the-moment progressions can feel tiny and barely perceptible from one session to the next.
And, in reality, you dont always see linear progress.
This way, you’re able to feel proud of each days contribution to the bigger picture.
You played with factors like tempo and time under tension.
You hit the muscle groups youd planned on.
Youre standing a little taller.
Alongside that, youll likely feel a surge of confidence.
You feel empowered in a way that transcends fitness.
Reichlin has a client whose mother passed away.
You find everyday tasks easier (and maybe even a bit more fun).
I always think about carrying luggage, Winter says.
I want to be that person.
You slept more soundly that night.
(Heresmore about making the most of the connection).
For Carter, scheduling workouts for early evenings also acts as a cap on her workday.
You felt the right muscles firing.
Another measure of success is a stronger mind-muscle connection, Reichlin says.
That starts by knowing which areas each exercise is intended to work.
(SELFsworkoutscan help break it down for you.)
Then pay close attention to which muscles feel like theyre driving your movement.
Say youre doing reverse lunges.
(And if not, you have a great goal for next time.)
You kept it up for longer.
A similar calculus applies to strength training.
Youre less tired afterward.
And you maintain that energy buzz for longer.
People think, I should be more tired because Im working out harder, Winter says.
Youre looking forward to the next one.
Effective workouts should challenge you, but not to the point of dreading another one.
Thats also one way Townsend measures his success as an instructor.
After her second baby, LaShae developedpostpartum depression.
Moving her body again was a big part of regaining her mental health.
Every day, I felt more like myself, more alive.
Even if youre just a little down in the dumps, movement can lift you up.
A short-term boost of feel-good chemicals like endorphins often follows a run or high-intensity interval session.
You should still seek help from a medical professional if youre overwhelmed or thinking about hurting yourself or others.
(Hereshow to find a therapistthat works for you.)
You took a step in managing a physical condition.
Exercise also benefits people with a wide range of physical ailments, from arthritis to heart conditions.
And while some of these perks add up over time, others can appear after a single session.
You created space for yourself in a tumultuous time.
You made a new or deeper connection with someone else.
Im participating in a culture of health, virtually, she says.
And being part of that culture, that community, feels really good.
These associations dont have to be in real time, either.
Chengsonline programscome with access to a Facebook group.
There, she watches people who didnt know each other at first turn into each others biggest cheerleaders.
Its a big part of why theyre so successful, she says.
You got in touch with music.
Studiesshowcranking up some music can help you work out longer and harder with less effort.
Setting aside time for physical activity is an important commitment to self-care and well-being, Carter says.
If you honor that pledge even when your motivation is low, youre reinforcing your own value and self-worth.
…or you listened to your body and didnt.
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