What does your training log look like?

Sorry if this has already been covered, I searched but didn't find it.

I've been experimenting with the format of my training log. I wonder if anyone has something that works well for them. Right now, I'm just tracking to a table in a notebook. Each exercise is a row, each date is a column and I log the work that way. Working out 4x per week, I can just squeeze a month onto two sheets of paper.

This is ok, I like that I can see the month all at once. But it's a little crowded for notes.

-Jim

Hi Jim. (As a total nerd) I think is a great question.

Personally I use a tall-ass spreadsheet. Screenshot is below.

Looking at columns left to right: date of session, element, week number in cycle (with sets/reps), checkbox, and five skinny columns to check off sets as I go (sometimes I lose my place). The right column is for any notes I want to make for next time I do that element.

Screenshot...

Right now mine is in the form of a Word document on my computer. Originally I was going to get a notebook, and still might, but for now I'm satisfied with the current format.

For each day I record the start and end time (usually to the nearest 5 min.) of the training session, each exercise that was performed (in a list, sets and reps are noted next to the exercise), and I have a comments section at the end for each day where I record basically just how each exercise felt, any technical issues that need work, etc. Usually I limit this section to comments on the exercises themselves, but if there was something I feel affected my session that day I record that as well.

This format isn't very convenient for viewing extended periods of time at once, but this hasn't really been an issue for me. If I want to review something that I recorded before, it isn't too hard to find (ctrl-f and a date or an exercise name is usually sufficient).

I do Foundation 4x per week, Handstand 2x per week, and have martial arts training 3x per week (I generally only keep detailed recordings for Foundation and Handstand). The log has gotten fairly long since I started keeping it a couple months ago (never kept any training logs before then), but I haven't found it to be an issue so far.

This works well for me at the moment, but I may experiment with other methods in the future.

- Cody

I use a notebook, rather than basing entry on a day, i base it on a week, i put each exercise in its own line  and next to the exercise i write a comment (do i lack mobility in this exercise, did it feel difficult, did i improve from last week, etc. etc.)

mine looks like this 

green color means easy set

yellow means it was harder but not exhausting

orange is hard but i managed to complete set without breaking form

red is unfinished set or finished with form breakup

i made this in libre office (free office suite)

You guys have a much more complicated layout than me.... I just have a word document divided into 7 sections which I update appropriately each Friday.... I take a great deal of satisfaction in manually updating the weeks targets

Thanks guys. Lots of great ideas!

I think I'll change my notebook to more of a day to day log and summarize on the computer in a way that let's me see patterns. The color codes are a great idea.

I tried to squeeze both the strength and mobility into the same chart, but it makes it a little cluttered. For instance, my SPL/PE1 would be green every day, while my SPL/iM1 would be red!

I like to write to myself a lot :-)

OOT means Out Of Time

I like to mark it off as I do it, as I find I get to set 4 and not sure if it is 4 or 5 and even worse I get to set 5 and not sure if it is only 4 and then do another one !

Holy cow, I thought I was the only one.     More often than not I think I am doing an extra set just because I'm not sure...lol

tfeal said:

I like to mark it off as I do it, as I find I get to set 4 and not sure if it is 4 or 5 and even worse I get to set 5 and not sure if it is only 4 and then do another one !

 

My notebook consists of a template that looks pretty much like the weekly planner.    I print it out every weekend and it has room for notes.      

I like your method, tfeal.   I might move more to that way of recording soon.