Top 5 Benefits of Tracking Your Wellness
Performance is no longer about just “showing up”, but about monitoring your performance. Monitoring performance and wellness metrics is not a new trend; elite athletes and sporting teams have been doing this for years. Monitoring of training loads, prevention of injuries and maximising on field performances at the forefront of the monitoring process. Baseline allows athletes to monitor wellness metrics with coaches, keeping close tabs on all performance metrics. The benefits of tracking and monitoring wellness are endless, from preventing injuries to ensuring you get the most out of each and every performance.
1. Prevention of injuries
Science and research in the high performance sporting industry has shown over the years that monitoring wellness metrics such as recovery, specified muscles soreness and fatigue, in conjunction with training loads, can lead to a decrease in the onset of overuse and acute injuries. Trust me when I say, I have seen the proof in this many times working with several high performance athletes. Essentially, when training loads become exceedingly high and overall wellbeing starts to show downward trends, it is time to back off the training. This is not to say stop all together, but by all means give something else a go. For instance, a great non-impact activity that almost everyone can do is swimming and if you can’t do that, walk your laps. No one wants to be out of training due to injury. So take the necessary precautions to improve your overall performances.
2. Prevention of illness
No one likes getting sick, especially if you value your daily training routine. Illness can hold you back for weeks at a time and interrupt improvements. Noticing a decline in wellness metrics in conjunction with decreases in workout performances and scores, can often be an indicator of illness. So if you’re beginning to feel and see the initial effects of illness in your performances, take some time off. You’ll find yourself back sooner and your athletes will thank you for it.
3. Accountability
Monitoring your performances and wellness metrics on a daily basis will make you accountable for every performance. Not only do you as an athlete know how you are feeling, you now also have the proof. So if you know you are not up to completing a workout as programmed, let your coach know. It is more than likely they will have multiple scaled options for you to choose from. If you monitor your wellness properly and take the time to understand your body’s reactions to certain workouts, you will know when a program is too much and therefore when to speak up.
4. Improve recovery times
Training are intense to say the least. I remember all too well my first class- it was ALL legs. Now I consider myself to be a physically active person, however I could not walk for well over a week. By looking into recovery trends following workouts, you begin to understand what movements require longer recovery times. Therefore, instead of partaking in an extra legs sessions for the week, take a walk, go for a swim. Your muscles will thank you for it later on. Participating in less strenuous activities while the muscles are in a recovery phase will often result in shorter recovery times, getting you back into the training sooner.
5. Get the most out of each and every performance
At the end of the day, if you want to get the most out of your performances, take the time to monitor your wellness and track your training volumes. Over time trends will form and you will begin to see the bigger picture of yourself. You’ll know when to give 110% and when to scale back your training. You’ll realise you need to take the necessary time to recover to improve your performances tomorrow. You will start to make changes to your daily routine to improve your overall wellbeing because as you know the performance benefits will follow in the long run.
So remember, rather than just “showing up”, be prepared. Be prepared to work hard, but also be prepared to take a step back, look at your wellness results and make an informed decision on your performances. It will only take a minute out of your day and your body will thank you for it in the long run.
Naomi Wallis
Product Manager
Naomi speaks all things functional movement. She loves it so much, she adopted it into her daily fitness routine. To say sport was ingrained in Naomi is an understatement.
In fact she loved it so much, she went on to study sports science at university and has worked for some of the best NRL teams in the country.
Her world is revolved around sport and she brings this enthusiasm to the table every single day.
