How to Tell If Your Training Plan Is Actually Working

Posted by Tommy Halligan on June 29, 2025

Hint: It’s not just about the scale.

1. Progress Isn’t Always Physical Appearance First

It’s easy to assume a training plan is only working when the scales shift or you start to see visible changes. But often, the most meaningful changes happen beneath the surface first, and they show up in how you perform, not how you look.

Early signs your training is working:

You’re lifting heavier or completing more reps
Cardio feels easier or your pace is quicker
Movement patterns or technique feel more natural
You recover faster between sets or sessions

💬 Coach’s Note: Many of our members at The Lab only realise how far they’ve come when they look back at training logs, not the mirror.

🔎 Digging Deeper into Performance Markers

Often, what seems like a small win in the gym is actually your body adapting in meaningful ways:

Lower RPE for the same load or effort
More reps in reserve (RIR), doing more work while feeling further from failure
Improved range of motion, like deeper squats or better control
In aerobic work, higher peak and average watts, or faster pacing with less fatigue
More work completed in the same time, with less perceived exertion

These are subtle but powerful signs of progress. You're not just getting fitter or stronger, you’re becoming more efficient.

💬 Coaching insight: Clients often say, “That felt easier than last time,” even though they’ve done more. That’s a clear win.

🧠 What the Research Says

Helms et al. (2016) highlighted how RIR-based RPE scales reflect progression. As strength improves, the same load feels easier, showing progress even without adding weight.
Pareja-Blanco et al. (2017) showed reduced velocity loss during sets corresponds with better fatigue management and performance.
Bishop et al. (1999) found that trained individuals maintain higher output at the same relative intensity, a hallmark of aerobic improvement.

2. Energy, Recovery, and Motivation Are Key Signals

An effective training plan shouldn’t leave you constantly run down. Instead, you should start to feel better in and out of the gym.

✅ Are you sleeping better?

✅ Is your day-to-day energy improving?

✅ Are your muscles less sore between sessions?

✅ Do you actually want to train again?

If you’re hitting a few of these, your plan is already working, even if aesthetics take longer to show up.

💬 Real-world insight: When energy improves and motivation returns, that’s a major green flag. The body is adapting, not just surviving.

3. Red Flags That Your Plan May Need Tweaking

Progress isn’t always linear, but if you’re seeing the following consistently, something may need adjusting:

🚩 Strength or endurance has plateaued for 4+ weeks

🚩 You’re sore all the time or constantly fatigued

🚩 Poor sleep, low mood, or decreased motivation

🚩 You dread workouts or have lost enjoyment

🚩 You’re training hard but not supporting it with nutrition or recovery

Important note: In most cases, it’s not the program that’s the issue, it’s what’s happening around it. Lack of sleep, poor food intake, high stress, or under-fuelling can all blunt progress far more than a “suboptimal” workout ever will.

We often see clients wanting to change their plan every few weeks. But in reality, the training doesn’t always need to change, the lifestyle around it does.

Enjoyment is also key. If you lose interest or buy-in, that has a much bigger impact on results than the rep scheme ever will.

4. What the Research Says About Progress

Progressive overload is the backbone of long-term results.

It's not just about lifting heavier, it’s about gradually increasing training stress so your body adapts and improves. Let’s explore what the science says:

📚 Schoenfeld (2016) - Resistance Training & Hypertrophy

This meta-analysis explored different forms of progressive overload. It found that greater volume (more reps/sets) tends to lead to more muscle growth, especially in trained individuals. But progression isn’t only about load, manipulating tempo, rest, range of motion, or exercise selection can all create overload.

Takeaway: You don’t need to add weight every week, progression can happen through multiple variables.

📚 Grgic et al. (2018) - Strength Development Timelines

This review showed that beginners often experience strength gains within 2-4 weeks, largely due to neural adaptation. Experienced lifters, however, require more strategic overload and patience to see visible changes.

Takeaway: Fast gains at first are common. Progress after that becomes more subtle, but no less real.

📚 Midgley et al. (2006) - Endurance & VO₂max Progress

This review found that VO₂max can improve in as little as 3-6 weeks, especially in untrained individuals. Gradual increases in intensity and volume are key to progression, without tipping into overtraining.

Takeaway: If aerobic work is feeling easier or your numbers are improving, your body’s adapting.

5. Ask Yourself These Questions

Use this quick self-check to reflect:

Am I performing better in any way?
Is my energy stable or improving?
Do I feel motivated or mentally fresher?
Is my recovery between sessions faster?
Have I noticed small changes in strength, shape, or confidence?

If you’re ticking most of these, your plan is working, even if the mirror hasn’t caught up yet.

Need help making sense of your progress?

We help members at every stage, whether you're just starting or stuck in a plateau. Check out our article What to Expect from The Lab's 6-Week SGPT Kickstart

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Takeaway

There’s more to progress than body composition.

From performance and energy to mood, motivation, and recovery, there are many signs that your body is adapting, even if those changes aren’t visible yet. And more often than not, progress is unlocked by adjusting what happens around training, not the training itself.

The research backs it. Coaching experience confirms it. Keep going, and let consistency do its job.

References

Bishop, D., Edge, J., Thomas, C., & Mercier, J. (1999). Muscle buffering capacity and aerobic fitness are associated with repeated-sprint ability in women. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 80(6), 556–561.

Midgley, A. W., McNaughton, L. R., & Wilkinson, M. (2006). Is there an optimal training intensity for enhancing the maximal oxygen uptake of distance runners? Sports Medicine, 36(2), 117–132.

Schoenfeld, B. J. (2016). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(10), 3024–3032.

Helms, E. R., Zourdos, M. C., & Aragon, A. A. (2016). Application of the Repetitions in Reserve-Based Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale for Resistance Training. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 38(4), 42–49.

Pareja-Blanco, F., Rodríguez-Rosell, D., Sánchez-Medina, L., Sanchis-Moysi, J., Dorado, C., Mora-Custodio, R., & González-Badillo, J. J. (2017). Time course of recovery from resistance exercise with different velocity loss. European Journal of Sport Science, 17(6), 636–643.

Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Davies, T. B., & Mikulic, P. (2018). Effects of resistance training frequency on gains in muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1207–1220.

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