1. Monitoring & Evaluating Mental / Emotional Factors
Higher PE
Although monitoring and evaluating is an extremely important part of the Cycle of Analysis, it can throw up some problems. This is particularly the case with Mental and Emotional factors which are very subjective and difficult to quantifiably measure. Let's consider how they could be problematic when monitoring and evaluating progress.

2. Reliability of the information
Only the performer truly knows how they feel. This means that no objective test can show how well someone has progressed as it is a consequence of their feelings. This can therefore lead to them lying as they want to impress their coach into thinking that their programme has not been a waste of time. This could lead to their information being inaccurate and unreliable and them not fully developing their initial weakness.

3. Performer does a re-test, their feelings might not be exactly the same as when they first carried it out
This means that a performer could have felt very optimistic when first completing the questionnaire but when it came to the re-test, they may have felt down meaning that their feelings may cloud their judgement. As a result, they would be likely to complete the re-test on a more negative note which might not fully indicate their progress. This can lead to them working on a supposed weakness for longer than necessary.’

4. If the re-test was not carried out in the same conditions as before
It could cause difficulties when monitoring and evaluating the Emotional factor. This means that if the initial test was done at home but the re-test was done at the training ground, the performer may not answer it correctly as they are desperate to get back out and train. This can lead to them rushing it and not having valid comparisons between the two sets of data.’

5. The performer may not fully understand the questions if doing a questionnaire
This means that they may misinterpret what a question is asking of them, fill it out incorrectly and have invalid comparisons. This can lead to them then wrongly identifying further areas for development when they may in fact be a strength.’

6. 'One method I used to monitor my progress was a Training Diary
'One method I used to monitor my progress was a Training Diary.' 'My training diary was set out in a booklet and had a page for each session. At the top of each page it had the date and then it contained spaces for my session goal, a description of what I did, my feelings during the session and my next steps below.' 'Immediately after each session, I wrote down exactly what I did in chronological order without missing anything out. I then recorded how I felt about my session. An example of this was that I felt very bored doing continuous training because it was tedious performing at the same pace for a long time. After doing this, I wrote down my next steps based on how I thought my session went. With the above example, I wrote down that I should change my approach to fartlek training because it would be more interesting with a varied pace.' 'I finished by reading over the information I wrote down and used it to help me set a realistic goal for my next session.'
'The Training Diary was appropriate for monitoring my progress as it was very easy to use and I was able to take it to training with me. This meant that I was able to check it during training to ensure I was using the correct approaches at the correct intensities.' 'The Training Diary was also appropriate because it kept all recorded information inside a booklet. This meant that all information was kept in one place meaning it was unlikely to get lost and easy to find any information on previous sessions.' ' Another reason why the Training Diary was appropriate was because it acted as a permanent record. This meant that I was able to look back at previous sessions and test results to see if I improved. If I found I had, it would have boosted my motivation and confidence levels to keep giving 100% to improve even more.' 'Finally, the Training Diary was appropriate because I was able to complete it immediately after training. This meant that my feelings were still fresh and I could accurately insert information. This therefore enabled me to correctly set my next steps in relation to my performance levels and feelings.'
Training Diary
'The Training Diary was fairly effective in monitoring my progress.' 'It was effective in that it acted as a permanent record which meant I was able to compare my re-tests to my initial baseline data to see if I improved. This was helpful in that it boosted my motivation and confidence levels when I found I had improved.' 'It was also effective in that it kept everything in one place inside a booklet. This was helpful because no sheets were lost and I was able to easily locate information from previous sessions to see how a certain approach worked.' 'However, it was quite limited in that I did not always complete the Training Diary straight after training which lead to me forgetting exactly how I felt. This lead to some of my information being inaccurate and invalid as a result.' 'It was also limited in that I sometimes forgot to take it to training with me which meant that all of my sessions were not recorded. This lead to some important monitoring information being missed out and me not being able to make some necessary changes in future sessions.'
'It is important that you complete the Training Diary immediately after each session. This is because if you did it later, thoughts and feelings from the session may not be fresh in your mind meaning your entries are not valid. However, completing it when information is fresh in your head can lead to you noting this down and help you act on your feelings to make appropriate changes in your next session.' 'It is also important that you take the Training Diary to training with you. This is because if you did not and you forgot what you were doing, you may end up doing the wrong approaches at the wrong intensities. However, taking the Training Diary with you will ensure you are carrying out the correct sessions which will therefore mean you are more likely to be working at your correct level.' 'Another important thing about doing the Training Diary is that you get a coach to check over your entries to ensure they are correct. This is because you may not give yourself enough credit and write only negative comments in your diary. However, having a coach read over your entries can ensure that the information in your diary is correct which can help you accurately track your progress.' 'Finally, it is important that you leave your Training Diary at the training ground or at the gym. This is because if you take it home, you may forget to bring it with you to training which can lead to you missing out sessions or incorrectly completing it later on as the feelings are not fresh in your head. However, leaving it at the gym or the training ground means you can just pick it up, check your session plan and then complete it before your leave to help ensure the accuracy and validity of your entries.'