Journals/Weight lifting tracking

Kohanai
Kohanai Posts: 172 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm starting an oly program in a couple weeks (SO FREAKING EXCITED!!) and I was advised to grab a notebook to keep track of what I do. I was too embarrassed to ask there in front of my people, and am still petty embarrassed... but wtf do I write?

Like, what is the layout for this? Am I just writing goal/actual/important coach notes per workout?

I actually googled this and there are tons of special journals you can buy and make. I have a composition book, and a pen. Do I really need more?

Replies

  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Well...you write what you did. How many sets, the weight, the exercise.

    I kept a journal for a long time but moved to excel and a phone app. My excel sheet tells me what I should do for the day and then I log what I actually did in another app. Which is kind of stupid...I could just put it in the excel.

    You'll want to keep track of your workouts and overload for sure.
  • rdl81
    rdl81 Posts: 220 Member
    Book and pen is fine!! Actually it’s the best!! A proper record
  • jc1961AA
    jc1961AA Posts: 283 Member
    I bought a cheap annual diary (£1 from the pound shop), and write down everything I do, not just the weight lifting, but my runs, bike rides etc. I sometimes go back a few weeks and compare the weight and see where i have progressed, or not. No need to spend too much really
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    All this, and I usually note anything unusual. Like, that lift was harder than usual though weight was the same. Or, my arm felt weird on that lift, twitching muscles. Stuff like that.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited April 2018
    A notebook and pen works better for me than any app I've found.

    I have a grid (drawn by hand) in which I write the date/time of the workout, what exercises I did, how much weight, how many repetitions, and what the RPE (rate of perceived exertion) was for each set. Exercises go down the first vertical column on the left side of the page and then there's a vertical column for each day, exercise by exercise. So if I did 3 sets at 150 pounds with the first being 10 reps at an 'easy' level, the second being 10 reps at a 'moderately hard' level and the third being 6 reps to failure, they would be logged as "E10/MH10/F6", with a '150' in the cell for that exercise to note the weight. And so on down the page for each exercise.

    I have a spot below that where I log whatever cardio I do (30m TRD, 20m BIKE, etc.) and another spot at the bottom of the grid where I can write brief comments for the day.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    Yep, pen and paper for me as well. I tried a couple apps but they were too cumbersome and I like being able to make notes where I want to.
  • Kohanai
    Kohanai Posts: 172 Member
    Thanks a lot everyone, I appreciate the comments. Now I have an idea of the things I should note that are useful and measurable. I'll stick with the notebook and see how it goes!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    edited April 2018
    I actually just jot it down in my planner. I have all my appointments and plans in there too so it’s not dedicated to work outs. I just write down what I did that day (which lifts, weight, how many reps). I don’t take it with me to the gym, I’ll just write it down the following day usually, but my workouts are very simple and easy to remember. I also write down my cardio on my other days. I just like to be able to look back see what I’ve done.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Date. Exercise. weight. Reps. Sets
  • rdl81
    rdl81 Posts: 220 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Date. Exercise. weight. Reps. Sets

    And tempo
  • Wonder_woman13
    Wonder_woman13 Posts: 6 Member
    edited May 2018


    This is what I use, I made copies and make deletions/substitutions/additions as needed.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    rdl81 wrote: »
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Date. Exercise. weight. Reps. Sets

    And tempo

    I have only one tempo haha.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    I actually just got back from my strength session. I use a reporter's notebook (long and thin, spiral bound, with a pen that slides through the spiral). My notes for each exercise were like this:

    Dumbbell Military Press, 15 x 10 x 3, =

    Assisted Pull-Ups, 155 x 10 x 3, ^

    Name of exercise, how many pounds x reps x sets, and whether I should stay or increase weights next time.
  • rdl81
    rdl81 Posts: 220 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    rdl81 wrote: »
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Date. Exercise. weight. Reps. Sets

    And tempo

    Hahaha for those that don’t know what I mean On a squat for example the time lowering / pause at bottom / time moving up / time at top

    I am sure sure there is a more technical way to explain it :-)
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