Are You Really Pushing Yourself in the Gym?

One of the most common questions I get is, “How do I know if I’m pushing myself enough in the gym?”

If you’re new to working out, give yourself time to get comfortable with your environment and the movements. It’s totally normal to feel a little uncertain at first. That’s why I highly recommend working with a trainer in the beginning—to ensure you're learning proper technique for both safety and faster progress.

Now, when I say you need to push yourself in the gym to see results—I mean it. But two key things must happen first:

1. You must learn proper technique.

2. You must show up consistently.

Once those foundations are in place, then it’s time to dial up the intensity.

And no, intensity doesn’t mean collapsing in a puddle of sweat after every workout. It means learning how to push yourself appropriately to get the most from your training. This can—and should—be done without leaving the gym totally wrecked.

The goal is to challenge your muscles enough to reach muscle failure or come close to it by the end of your sets. That means you should feel the burn, and you shouldn’t be able to squeeze out many (if any) more reps with good form. If you're comfortable the entire workout, you’re likely not pushing hard enough.

The Power of Tracking

One of the first things I recommend when starting a fitness routine? Track your workouts.

After over 30 years of training, I still write down every set of every workout I do. Why? Because without tracking, you’re just guessing. When you track, you know exactly how many sets, reps, and what weight you used last time—so next time, you can do a little more. Add a rep. Increase the weight. Add a set. That’s progress. And it’s measurable.

If you aren’t tracking your workouts, it’s easy to fool yourself into thinking you’re pushing hard when you’re really just staying in your comfort zone.

How Axis Strength Training Helps

At Axis, we take the guesswork out of training. In our group training sessions, you’ll use an app that has all your workouts written out—you just plug in your weights and make notes as needed.

If you choose 1-on-1 personal training, your coach records every detail of your workouts for you—sets, reps, weights—so they can make sure you’re progressing at the right pace and intensity.

In Conclusion

If you’ve been putting in the time but not seeing the progress you want, start tracking everything. Without it, you’re guessing. And when you're showing up and putting in real effort, you deserve to see real results.

Not sure where to start? Head to axisstrengthtraining.com and book your free intro. It’s just a conversation—about you, your goals, and how we can help you reach them.

No one ever regrets getting in shape. They only regret not starting sooner. So reach out today. Let’s get to work.

Jason Sweet

Axis Strength Training