Hey Reader,
I want to let know that I am looking for 5 CrossFit athletes struggling with achy joints or poor progress in the gym.
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This week, we’re breaking down the most effective ways to track your recovery—and why most athletes get it wrong.
Too often, recovery is an afterthought.
You push through fatigue, assuming you're fine until performance stalls or an injury creeps in.
The problem? Without a system to measure recovery, you're guessing when to train hard and when to back off.
That’s where tracking recovery comes in.
By monitoring one or more of these key indicators you can optimize training intensity, avoid burnout, and keep making progress.
This Week's Training
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Day 1 - 2/17/2025
A) Power snatch - 8m E2MOM 2 reps - first 4 building, second five same weight across
B1) Front Squat - 20X1; 2 x 1 @ 90%-93; rest 1' and move to B1 (build in 10% increments to last two sets)
B2) Banded Anterior Hip Mobilization - 3 x :30e; rest 1' and move to B1
C) Metcon
3 Rounds for Time
20/18 Cal Row
15 Double Dumbbell Push Press 50/35#
8 Box Jump Overs 24/20"
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Be sure to snap a pic of your training and tag @WillMurtagh_DPT on social!
Deep Dive
5 Ways To Track Your Workout Recovery For Fast Gains
When you think about fitness, it’s easy to focus solely on the hard work and effort you put into your training.
However, your workout recovery is just as or more important as the training itself.
Proper recovery allows your body to repair muscle tissue, replenish energy stores, and adapt to the stress of your workouts.
Without it, you'll find yourself stuck in a cycle of stagnation, or worse, burnout and injury.
Tracking your recovery and knowing where your body stands weekly is essential in preventing these outcomes.
The problem is many athletes struggle to monitor their recovery effectively because they simply don’t know how.
Without it, you’re not giving your body the best chance to repair itself, which affects your next workout and overall progress.
Below, I’ll cover five science-backed methods I've used over the last 12 years to track recovery so you can use them to optimize your recovery and training.
1. Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) refers to the variation in the time interval between your heartbeats.
It may sound complex, but HRV is a simple and highly effective tool for assessing your recovery.
When you're well-rested, your HRV tends to be higher, reflecting better adaptability and recovery from previous training.
On the other hand, if your HRV is low, it suggests that your body is still in recovery mode or experiencing stress, which means you're not fully recovered.
HRV gives you internal insight into how well your body is responding to the demands of your workouts and daily activities.
By regularly measuring HRV, you're able to track your recovery and adjust your training plan as necessary.
How to Track It
To track HRV, measure it daily, preferably first thing in the morning before you get out of bed.
​Many smartwatches make it simple to track your HRV using a light system or a heart rate monitor.
The measurement is quick and non-invasive, and by doing it consistently, you'll establish a baseline HRV for your body.
When you measure your HRV consistently over time, you'll have a clear picture of how your body is recovering after each workout.
Aim to take this measurement daily so you can spot trends and identify when your recovery is on track or needs improvement.
If you notice a downward trend in your HRV, listen to your body and adjust your training for the week.
A decrease in HRV could be signaling that you’ve pushed yourself hard, and more rest may be needed to bring you up to baseline.
Consider reducing your training volume or intensity for a few days and focus on active recovery or lighter sessions.
2. Cyclical Modality Intervals
Tracking performance in repeat workouts, particularly in cyclical modalities like rowing or running, is an effective way to assess your recovery.
By performing the same workout such as with intervals, such as weekly, you can monitor whether your performance stays consistent or declines over time.
For instance, if you’re completing a set of 500-meter rowing intervals, comparing your time-to-completion, pace, or power output each week will give you a clear indication of how well you’re recovering between sessions.
How to Track It
To track performance accurately, choose a standardized workout that you can repeat regularly—such as rowing, running, cycling, or another modality that you can measure in terms of pace or output.
Perform this workout weekly and document key metrics like time-to-completion, pace, or power output.
By comparing these metrics over time, you can get a sense of how your recovery is progressing.
If your performance remains steady or improves over time, it indicates that your recovery is on track, and your body is adapting to the stress of your training.
However, if you notice a decline in performance, such as a slower pace or higher effort for the same output, it could be a sign that your body hasn't fully recovered.
In this case, you may need more recovery time or an adjustment in your training plan.
If you experience a drop in performance, consider reducing the intensity or volume of your next workout and allowing more time for recovery.
3. Grip Strength Testing
Grip strength is a simple yet effective indicator of neuromuscular readiness and overall fatigue.
Since grip strength is directly related to your nervous system’s ability to fire muscles efficiently,
it can serve as a quick check of how well your body is recovering from intense training.
A consistently strong grip suggests good recovery, while a noticeable drop can point to fatigue and under-recovery.
How to Track It
To measure grip strength, use a hand dynamometer, a tool designed to assess how much force you can generate with your hand.
Ideally, measure your grip strength in the morning, before your day gets started, when you’re least likely to be fatigued.
Record your readings daily and watch for trends over time.
Tracking consistently will help you understand your baseline grip strength and spot any declines that may indicate that your body needs more rest.
If your grip strength is consistently strong, it suggests that your neuromuscular system is functioning well, and you're recovering as expected.
However, if you notice significant drops in your grip strength, it may be an early sign of fatigue, suggesting that your body has not fully recovered.
If your grip strength drops significantly, it's time to prioritize recovery.
4. Vertical Jump Testing
Vertical jump testing is a valuable tool for measuring neuromuscular fatigue and overall recovery and requires very little equipment.
The height of your vertical jump can provide insight into how well your body is recovering from high-intensity workouts.
A decrease in jump height over time may suggest that your muscles are fatigued and need more recovery time before they can perform at their best again.
How to Track It
To track your vertical jump, perform a standardized jump test each week.
You can use a piece of tape or chalk to swipe at the wall as well as a jump tester or jump mat to measure jump height with more accuracy.
Be consistent with the conditions under which you test, such as the time of day and your warm-up routine, so you can accurately compare results over time.
If your jump height remains consistent or improves, it indicates that you are recovering well and your neuromuscular system is functioning optimally.
However, if you notice a drop in your jump performance, it could signal fatigue, suggesting that you need more time for recovery before resuming high-intensity work.
5. Subjective Recovery Scales
Subjective recovery scales are self-assessment tools designed to help you gauge how your body feels post-training.
These tools allow you to assess factors like fatigue, soreness, mood, sleep quality, and overall readiness to train.
Each one of my 1:1 Pain-Free Performance Clients receives a recovery scale in their CoachRx app every Monday to gauge recovery.
How to Track It
To track your subjective recovery, use validated recovery questionnaires like RESTQ-Sport or the Profile of Mood States (POMS).
Each day, rate how you feel in terms of fatigue, soreness, sleep quality, mood, and your overall readiness to train.
Tracking these metrics regularly will give you an idea of how well your body is recovering and whether you're on track to perform your best in future workouts.
If your scores remain stable or improve, it indicates that your recovery process is working as it should.
Conversely, if your scores decline—such as feeling more fatigued, experiencing increased soreness, or having trouble sleeping—it may signal that you're approaching overtraining and need to adjust your recovery strategy.
If you consistently feel fatigued or notice declining recovery scores, it's important to adjust your training volume and pay attention to other factors like sleep and nutrition.
Wrapping Up on Monitoring Workout Recovery
Tracking your recovery is essential to optimize your performance and avoid burnout or injury.
By tracking indicators like HRV, performance trends, grip strength, vertical jump, and subjective recovery scales, you can gain valuable insights into how well your body is recovering and whether you're ready for the next tough workout.
Choose at least one method to track each week and start adjusting your training based on the data.
Establishing a consistent recovery routine will help you recover better, make steady progress toward your fitness goals, and reduce your risk of burnout, and injury.
If you'd like me to help identify where your strength training is lacking and create a plan to improve it, book a free consultation here.
If you have questions about this week's deep dive or want a topic covered, reply to this email and let me know!
Read more about improving your recovery for CrossFit (HERE)
This Week's Blog Post
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5 CrossFit Recovery Nutrition Tips To Boost Performance
In this article, we’re diving deep into five powerful CrossFit recovery nutrition tips that can help you bounce back faster and train harder.
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Talk to you soon, Reader
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Dr. Will Murtagh, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS, CISSN
Physical Therapist | Remote Fitness Coach
P.S. I'm looking for 5 CrossFit athletes struggling with achy joints and poor progress in the gym.
​Click here for a free consultation on how to train-pain free and look or perform better in under 12 weeks.
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