QOTD: How do you know you 'killed it' at your workout?

LadyDeadlift

Ok, SO. A key aspect of Stronglifts is to gain strength over time - so gains are gradual.

BUT -- what are your cues that you've put in a good effort and truly challenged yourself during your workout?

Follow up question: MFP doesn't even associate any calorie burn with weight lifting - how do you know what your true energy expenditure is during a lifting workout?

krokador

I think it depends on the person. I know I killed it when I'm out of breath and feel like sprawling on the floor after my last rep. Usually leave these sessions with a big grin on my face it's a bit like a runner's high. It just hits you. (Usually though it comes after I throw in a finisher of sorts. So not just the main lifts)

As for the calorie count, I log it as the strength training cardio activity. It's probably as accurate as it gets.

Rose6300

As for the calorie count, I log it as the strength training cardio activity. It's probably as accurate as it gets.

When you log this, how do you count the time? Actual time lifting after subtracting out rest periods? For example, if I spend an hour doing my 5x5 with 3 minute rests it seems I should log it as 60 minutes-42 minutes, or 18 minutes. Is this correct?

krokador

I log it as the time actually spent in the gym. Usually include warm-up too since I do bodyweight stuff. And I pace around a lot during my rest times so it's not like I'm completely inactive then. Plus, the calorie count comes back close to what I'd get if I walked, so it's probably under what the reality is anyway.

Rose6300

I log it as the time actually spent in the gym. Usually include warm-up too since I do bodyweight stuff. And I pace around a lot during my rest times so it's not like I'm completely inactive then. Plus, the calorie count comes back close to what I'd get if I walked, so it's probably under what the reality is anyway.

Thanks, good to know. I just stand around and bob my head to my music (I have a set up in my basement) so I think I'm less active than you. Maybe I'll split the difference, i.e., count half my rest time.

hananah89

I know I've killed it when its a struggle to get to my 3rd floor apt and then my 2nd floor office! Oh the stairs....

As for calorie burn, I wear a BodyMedia and use that as my burn. I try and pace between reps instead of just flat out resting too.

Fittreelol

I feel like I've killed a workout if the reps on my heaviest working sets seemed "easy." Easy being relative here! Of course if they were hard and grindy, but was a significant or milestone PR I'd probably feel I killed it too. :laugh:

There's not really an accurate way to measure calorie burn for lifting so it's easiest to take an educated guess 2-300/hour depending on weight and if you're starving or not losing adjust. There are so many factors involved. I've heard another person say BMF is a pretty good estimator, but if you don't have one then the above is fine.

jstout365

If I am in the zone the full workout, feel that form was spot on, lifts went smoothly and still had energy to add some accessor work, then I killed it. Also if I find it difficult to walk up/down stairs or can't raise my arms too high.

I don't really track exercise calories so I can't add anything on that. I used a BMF for a while and it seemed pretty accurate. I've thought about wearing it again, but if I can get my weight moving in the way I want the next few weeks, I won't.

Leadfoot_Lewis

A killer workout for me is one when I increase the weights and hit whatever rep range I set out to do (usually 5 or 8). Also, obviously anytime a weight PR is made, that's pretty killer.

husseycd

I rarely get that "spent" feeling after I work out. I don't know if I'm not hitting it hard enough or not. But I work out consistently and am making good gains and seeing physical progress, so I guess it's all good. I just "kill it" six days a week.

Now, after aerial classes, sometimes my whole body shakes, but that doesn't happen often enough anymore. I've just been doing it too long I guess.

SezxyStef

It's funny for me...

I have two ways to know...

If I have tried to talk myself out of upping a full 5lbs, and I don't and I get all reps and sets in...I know I killed it. Like last night when I tired to talk myself out of squats @ 165...but nailed it...

If I fail on a new weight esp if it's the last set...or the last rep of the last couple of sets...That's when I feel I killed it too...ie last night moved to 200lb DL...got 3.5 reps out but I think I killed it.