Tracking your workouts

[PinkPanther]

I am just wondering how many of you do this. I am the only one during my w/o's that I see carrying around a notebook and writing everything down that I do, and I am just wondering how many of you do it. I thought that tracking w/o's would be more of a common thing, but maybe not?? Thanks for any input!

PinkPanther

 

[tzan]

Your gym must be a real creampuff palace.LOL Besides a couple of other people I never notice anyone else at my gym tracking their workouts as well. Not only does it motivate me, but it's also nice to look back in your log and see the progress you've made.

 

[lucidblue]

I used to wait until I got home and then tracked my workouts in an Excel spreadsheet I put together. That got to be a hassle, so I walk around with the notebook now. I've noticed more people at the gym doing it.

 

[d3track]

i have a plan before i get to the gym, an d know exactly what i'm going in to accomplish
besides, i'd probably loose a notebook

 

[PinkPanther]

Well, I'm glad to know that others do this, too! I think I would forget what I had planned out if I just went in there with it in my head. I also do like to be able to look back and see how I have progressed. I was just looking back to day one of starting and it is amazing at how little weight I was doing! Funny...

 

[KillahBee]

I have always used a notebook. I recently decided to make a template on an excel shee for my current program. this way, every exercise is already written down as well as the day and date. All I have to do is print it out and write in the reps and weight ranges I hit. Once I get a good handle on what type of weight I am pulling with each exercise, I will be able to type that into the template also. Now instead of a notebook, all I have is a small sheet of paper to carry around.

 

[Sub-Zero]

I used to wait until I got home and then tracked my workouts in an Excel spreadsheet I put together. That got to be a hassle, so I walk around with the notebook now. I've noticed more people at the gym doing it.

this is what i do.

i tried bringing a notebook my first day, and my friends all made fun of me

 

[PinkPanther]

I have always used a notebook. I recently decided to make a template on an excel shee for my current program. this way, every exercise is already written down as well as the day and date. All I have to do is print it out and write in the reps and weight ranges I hit. Once I get a good handle on what type of weight I am pulling with each exercise, I will be able to type that into the template also. Now instead of a notebook, all I have is a small sheet of paper to carry around.

That is a good idea, too. Maybe I will work on one of those...

 

[KillahBee]

That is a good idea, too. Maybe I will work on one of those...

it's definitely easier than carrying around a big ass notebook and will make it easier to find past workouts, especially if you bind those sheets when you are done with them. eventually I would like to have a computer program-based tracking system, but that will have to wait. For now I need to write things down as they happen.

 

[PinkPanther]

So, you just print out a blank sheet, write in what you do, and then put it in a binder? I really like that idea. It seems like my notebook gets all ratted up after so many uses...Thanks for the input! I am going to make one of these for myself!!

 

[KillahBee]

So, you just print out a blank sheet, write in what you do, and then put it in a binder? I really like that idea. It seems like my notebook gets all ratted up after so many uses...Thanks for the input! I am going to make one of these for myself!!

yeah bro. I am messing around with different ways to store the sheets, and am currently using a binder. I am a pack rat with all bbing related info since knowledge is so damn important in this game. the binder makes it clean and easy to sort through and the sheets are easy to change and to carry. hope it improves your training experience.

 

[coolcolj]

I take notes at the gym and enter it into my computer and up here as well

 

[Buddy_Christ]

made a template on a spreadsheet and printed it out to take to the gym. i'll go back in periodically and plug in numbers from past workouts. makes it easy to track.

need to track what i'm doing week to week with 5x5. i have forgotten from one week to the next what i'm supposed to be doing.

 

[PancakeFiend]

you could try a memo pad, jot down shorthand what exercises you're doing then put the weight right beside, later enter into the computer.

 

[majutsu]

I take notes on a small scrib of paper in my pocket, then put it into a spreadsheet at home. I went through a no-note "intuitive training" period of 3 months recently, and made no progress at all. Back on written training 3 weeks and bench went up 20 pounds same number of reps. It's amazing what a plan and accountability can do.

 

[chewyxrage]

I use one every day.

Couldn't live without it......I would forget or add 10 lbs instead of 5....stupid shit like that.

 

[WalkingBeast]

Now that I keep an online training journal I record all of my workouts. I just write the reps and sets down on a small piece of paper. I also have a written journal that includes my die and a diet journal I post on here as well. I used to write down key sets only, now everything is recorded. It makes a big difference

 

[Dorian'sDisciple]

Now that I keep an online training journal I record all of my workouts. I just write the reps and sets down on a small piece of paper. I also have a written journal that includes my die and a diet journal I post on here as well. I used to write down key sets only, now everything is recorded. It makes a big difference

bump.everything is important.i even include how the set 'felt',how i was feeling that day, psychological factors

 

[PinkPanther]

Thanks for all the posts on this. I am glad to hear that tracking is a more common practice than what I have been seeing. Dorian'sdisciple, I also track how the set felt or if I am not feeling right or have a pain somewhere and the weights aren't quite where they are supposed to be. This way, when I look back, I know what the heck was going on. I too would forget where the heck I'm supposed to be at if I didn't write everything down. I think it would be a lot harder to make progress...for me at least...

PinkPanther

 

[WalkingBeast]

Thanks for all the posts on this. I am glad to hear that tracking is a more common practice than what I have been seeing. Dorian'sdisciple, I also track how the set felt or if I am not feeling right or have a pain somewhere and the weights aren't quite where they are supposed to be. This way, when I look back, I know what the heck was going on. I too would forget where the heck I'm supposed to be at if I didn't write everything down. I think it would be a lot harder to make progress...for me at least...

PinkPanther

Yes. Ill track how I felt, how my injury is healing up, along with bodyweight and many other factors. It can be hell to lose all of your size after an injury or periods of fasting due to unexpected circumstances. But when you can look back in a journal from a few years ago and see how you came through the situation and how long it took, how you were eating etc, itll make it alot easier to get back. Mentally. Its also interesting to see where you were at a few years ago, when you thought you were pretty strong, then compare it to where your at now. I reread my journals all the time for motivation.

 

[SAGAT]

i set goals beforehand for every training day, and check if i meet those goals and write down if i failed or succeeded when i get home.