How to Keep a Workout Log Book

When it comes to keeping a workout log, the key is consistency and creating a routine. If you’ve ever asked the question, “How do I log my workout,” you’ve come to the right place for accountability.

The most important things to keep in mind are planning beforehand, what details to track, peripherals that might help you like a fitness watch or other products, and anything else that might motivate you. Let’s get started with how to keep a workout log book!

Prior Planning 

Before you learn how to keep a workout log book, you need to understand that mentally preparing yourself is half the battle. A lot of people find inspiration in upbeat music, but do whatever you need to psych yourself up.

Now that you’re excited about the workout, think about what you plan to do. Whether it’s a notebook or an app on your phone, create a log of the various exercises you want to do, how many sets of each you hope to accomplish, and whatever else your workout will entail.

If you’re not sure the best way to go about it, look up a fitness log example online. It can be a chart or something as simple as check marks, but writing down a log of your workout will keep you accountable. 

You can either write it down as a circuit or a list. The circuit would be something like “Push-ups, crunches, burpees, pull-ups” and restart with push-ups until you’ve hit the desired number of sets whereas a list would just be how many sets and exercises you plan to do.

What to Track During Your Workout

To truly know how to keep a workout log book you need to know what to write down. The best way to log physical training is to keep track of each set that you do and the amount of time you take to rest between them. 

Maybe you planned to do 3 sets of 20 push-ups and you ended up going harder on that final set with 22, but you rested 30 seconds between each set. You can either write it down at the end of your workout or, if you’ll forget, log it during your rest times.

If you’re training to run or just want to build up your cardio, you can also keep track of distance and times. This can be a great way to build confidence, going from a 10-minute mile to an 8-minute mile. Remember to appreciate the small victories!

Specific Training 

A lot of people that need to know how to keep a workout log book are training toward a specific goal or job. Cardio is a big one, as is strength training. There’s not much of a difference between a standard workout log and a strength training log, but the devil’s in the details. 

In this case, the details are usually the amount of weights used during a workout since strength training commonly involves equipment. If you need an example of how to add that extra information, look up a free strength training log to get a starting point.

Fitness Watch 

One of the additions to any workout log that will also give you important feedback is wearing a fitness watch, like a KoreTrak. Depending on which one you use, you can get all kinds of useful numbers like your blood pressure, calories lost, or your weight.

Many fitness watches will also keep track of the distance you’ve travelled, which is incredibly helpful if you’re trying to train for a marathon. Knowing the exact distance that you ran can fuel your motivation if you cut your time by even a few seconds.

Either way, all of those details can be encouraging for a lot of fitness or strength goals and will help you log your workout. They’re also good for staying healthy, since blood pressure is one of the most important numbers you want to stay on top of.

Workout Journal

If you’ve looked up examples and don’t feel like making one yourself, a lot of athletic stores have pre-made workout journals, planners, or logs available to purchase. Not only will they usually have charts and grids already made to fill out, but they’ll have useful information.

They can have inspirational quotes or anything from basic to advanced workout techniques and circuits used by professional trainers, so it might be worth it. Otherwise, you could look up exercises online or subscribe to a program or fitness magazine.

What Else Will Help to Track? 

So many people make New Year’s resolutions to workout and give up or lose interest in a week, and they’re not the only ones. One of the biggest reasons to know how to keep a workout log book is to build confidence.

Numbers don’t lie and by creating a routine of writing everything down you’ll hold yourself accountable and be able to see your progress. However, remember that nothing happens overnight and it takes time but you have to stick with it.

One of the things that might help keep you motivated are to track the dates of your workouts. Being able to look at a calendar and see how many days you’ve exercised can be a good reason not to quit, because it’s a challenge not to end the streak.

It’s important not to burn yourself out, though, so make sure to give yourself an off-day sometimes and let your body rest. The days won’t just give you confidence, they’ll show you what days you were the most active.

That will let you adjust your routine to the days you’re most energized or have the most time to focus on your workout and maximize the results. It’s also encouraged to track the duration of your workouts, because that can also help plan your schedule and make you feel good.

Final Thoughts

To log your workouts, you need to plan ahead of time, track your sets and times, and pay attention to the details. There are also a few things that might aid your workout, but just remember to stay hydrated and celebrate the small victories!