Today I’m sharing the things that you should be keeping track of in a training log.
Tracking your workouts and progress is so important if you’re serious about seeing fitness gains, whether that’s running a new 10K PR or increasing your deadlift 1RM. If you don’t already keep a workout log, I suggest you try keeping one.
You can buy training logs, start your own in a notebook, or even log your workouts online on your phone from the gym. They all work, so use whatever makes the most sense for you. Just because a certain method works for me or your best friend, doesn’t mean that it’s for you.
Below and some ideas of what to track in your training log.
Strength training
- reps
- sets
- rest between sets
- weight
- exercises
- how the workout felt
Cardio
- form of cardio (treadmill, outdoor run, bike, elliptical)
- pace, length
- speed
- heart rate
Lifestyle
- hours of sleep
- food intake
- measurements
- weight
- goals
I like to use My Fitness Pal to track my food, though back in the day before smart phones I used to just list my meals in a notebook. There’s lots of other food tracking apps out there if you’re not a fan of My Fitness Pal. I like it because it’s easy to use, I can save recipes in it, and it shoes me my macros for the day. I use the free version, so if you can put up with ads you don’t have to pay for it.
Training logs are valuable in my opinion because you can really focus on your goals. You can plan out a week’s or a month’s worth of workouts. Tracking the weight you use for each specific exercise means that you’ll continue to make progress in getting stronger. You won’t have to try to remember what weight you used last time because you can just look back to see what it was last time.
Do you keep a training log?