What do you consider a "good" workout?

RespectTheKitty
RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
edited November 30 in Fitness and Exercise
What are your criteria to consider a workout a "good" workout? For me, I feel like I have to really push myself to feel like I got the most out of my workout. If I'm not sweating like crazy and my muscles don't feel tired, I consider it merely an okay workout.
Just curious how you guys rank your workouts.
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Replies

  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    One where I lift more that I did last work out.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    To me a good workout is getting through everything on my program for that day. i dont have to be sore or tired or sweaty, i just have to get through all the movements for the day and give it my 100% effort.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    Any workout where I did my best to do what I planned to do. On Saturday I did my routine and was gunning for 3x5x287.5lb squat and only got 5x4x4. It was still a good workout.

    How much I'm sweating has little to do with it as I workout in my garage and if I broke a sweat in 5F weather it would be amazing.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    I can feel it when I get out of the pool---I just feel like I've done my max. It's not easy to describe.
  • Treehugger_88
    Treehugger_88 Posts: 207 Member
    For me its the amount of time plus my sweatiness and tiredness. The workout has to be at least 45 minutes and I need to feel like I've pushed myself to my max and got really sweaty. Otherwise, it just doesn't feel like I did enough.
  • chunky_pinup
    chunky_pinup Posts: 758 Member
    I think if you have made an effort to get off the sofa, it's a "good" thing. Whether it's a walk around the neighborhood, or you're powerlifting record weight. Everyone starts somewhere, and everyone should see the good in their effort!
  • Thisiscaitlin
    Thisiscaitlin Posts: 3 Member
    I like this question, I feel good after workouts. Just not all of the time, sometimes I think "You didn't get tired enough" or "you aren't exhausted, so it must of not been that great." Recently I have been trying to teach myself that my workout doesn't need to be compared to everyone. Realizing that I am doing more just by walking around the block then I would have done not trying at all.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    If I feel good at the end, tired and relaxed and feel like I've stopped thinking, that's a good workout.
  • Kie_Hughes
    Kie_Hughes Posts: 1,004 Member
    When i train to failure and I struggle getting them last few reps out. That to me is a good workout
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    robininfl wrote: »
    If I feel good at the end, tired and relaxed and feel like I've stopped thinking, that's a good workout.

    That's an excellent description. I agree.
  • mjwarbeck
    mjwarbeck Posts: 699 Member
    I have advanced one thing: be it weight on an exercise, reps if keeping weight the same, level or distance on the bike (Cardio). Of course things can affect that day. I am not going to expect that I accomplish that goal for each exercise.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,744 Member
    When after leg day I can barely make it back up the stairs at the gym. Or after upper body I can't lift my arms over my head to fix my hair and my arms are all "noodly" as I'm trying to drive out of the parking lot.

    Clearly, I mean just short-term muscle fatigue and not pushing to the point of injury.
  • MamaMc3
    MamaMc3 Posts: 213 Member
    Every workout is a good workout, but my favorites are when I push myself a little harder than the time before and I am able to get through it.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    When I complete my programmed reps and sets. Simple as that.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    One that builds on previous work done and serves to lay groundwork for the sessions to come.
  • chaosbutterfly
    chaosbutterfly Posts: 71 Member
    Finishing everything I planned to do is a big one, but I agree, when I feel so tired afterwards that I can't think and am not worried about anything, that's a good workout.

    Since getting my FitBit, I also aim to burn 400+ calories. It's an arbitrary number, but I find that if I don't hit it, I feel disappointed in myself, like I didn't work as hard as I could have.
  • Scamd83
    Scamd83 Posts: 808 Member
    Making some sort of progress from the previous like for like session with minimal stopping.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    Willbenchforcupcakes wrote: »
    When I complete my programmed reps and sets. Simple as that.

    This
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
    any
  • Derp_Diggler
    Derp_Diggler Posts: 1,456 Member
    Whatever challenges me
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    If I do everything as planned and feel good during and after, I consider it a good workout. If I hit any PRs or feel particularly pumped or like I really pushed myself, I consider it a great workout.

    I don't factor in sweat. It's temperature regulation. If I sit in a sauna and sweat, I'm not getting a good workout. If I kill it in my garage gym when it's 60 degrees in there and don't sweat a single drop, that doesn't mean I didn't have a good workout.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    My programming and training schedule don't always call for balls to the wall workouts so a good workout is one that builds on my overall training protocol...I tend to look at the protocol overall and what my training is doing long term to help me achieve my fitness goals...going balls out all of the time isn't really going to help me accomplish my overall fitness objectives...I have to allow for rest and I have to allow for less intensive recovery workouts, etc and I have to realize that in the bigger picture, these things are beneficial to my longer term fitness goals...so I really am not thinking about, "ermrgrd I didn't sweat enough on that one"...I have a plan and I stick to the plan as much as possible.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    RespectTheKitty wrote: »
    What are your criteria to consider a workout a "good" workout? For me, I feel like I have to really push myself to feel like I got the most out of my workout. If I'm not sweating like crazy and my muscles don't feel tired, I consider it merely an okay workout.
    Just curious how you guys rank your workouts.

    I would pretty much agree with your description, minus the part about sweat.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,374 Member
    I plan every workout and the good workouts are the ones where I complete the plan, simple as that - sweating, breathing hard, etc do not count (I usually am not breathing hard after a lifting workout but I will definitely be breathing hard after a HIIT workout) - planning the work and working the plan constitutes a good workout.
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    I keep a training log with a rating system for each run as a variety of smiley face. I do a smiley ( :) ) or super smiley ( :D ) if I feel strong, hit target paces, and feel like I could keep going when I get done. So if I nail my easy pace on a recovery run: smiley face. If I finish a speed workout and nail my target paces and feel strong: super smiley.
  • professorhuggins
    professorhuggins Posts: 72 Member
    I work out before going to school (I'm a principal). If I catch myself still taking the occasional deep breath during 2nd period, I know I had an amazing workout.
  • simlovgin960831
    simlovgin960831 Posts: 34 Member
    edited March 2016
    A 30 minute piano practice, followed by a 30 minute yoga session, almost daily. And a habit of always taking the two flights of stairs, at a run, in the assisted living community, where I live. With this, I always feel like I get a good enough workout.
  • ironhajee
    ironhajee Posts: 384 Member
    Each workout you do can achieve a goal or an objective for that day.

    For example some days long distance runners do a recovery run which is a low intensity workout and may not even yield a perceived perspiration.

    Both are good workouts because they achieved a goal for that day. So yeah hope that helps!

    Other days are much more higher intensity with heavy breathing and sweating profusely!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    A good workout to me is just about any workout I did with focus and the best form I can have. Sometimes I can't add weight, sometimes I'm down a rep or can't add a set. That doesn't make it a bad workout and I have to remind myself of that. Focus, preparation, and being consistent are key for me.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    Willbenchforcupcakes wrote: »
    When I complete my programmed reps and sets. Simple as that.

    Just to add, most days I leave training feelin like I could do my whole training session again, yet I hit every rep of every set at the prescribed percentage. Other days it takes 6 hours to feel human again after training because I pushed so hard. Both are good days, because they are moving me forward along the game plan
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