So I heard some of you still don’t track your workouts …
Remember the details of the training block 3 years ago that gave you those amazing gains? No ?
I do, because I have them all logged and it is super easy.
How I Do It
I use a simple Spreadsheet available on Google Docs (choose ‘File’ -> ‘Make a Copy’ or ‘Download as’ to get started).
Just 3 columns (see preview below). Date, Workout, Comment.
Each day I add a new row above the previews day. So the most recent session is always on top.
In the Comment column I answer questions like “How did the weight feel? Light? Heavy? How was the speed of the reps? Was I tired? Did I get too little sleep last night? (So I don’t wonder in 5 years why this session was so bad)”, Did I have some aches and pain? Did I PR? etc.
You get the Idea.
Tip: You get Line breaks within cells by hitting ctrl+enter.
Why It’s Awesome
- searchable
- always available (on Desktop, on the phone)
- plan ahead, (copy & paste)
- compare to past workouts, analyse
- see progress – sometimes it is easy to forget what improvements you made
- extendable – go fancy, track other stats like weight or sleep duration
- export your data in various formats
- free!
If you take one thing away from this site, I want it be this. Start, and what’s more, keep a log in 2013 & for the years to come. It will make you a better athlete in the long run.
Preview
Open it in your Google Docs (choose ‘File’ -> ‘Make a Copy’ or ‘Download as’ to get started)
Start a Training Log! is a post by Gregor from All Things Gym.