Guides · 4 min read
How to track gym progress without a spreadsheet
Most people stop logging workouts because it takes longer than the workout. You don't need a spreadsheet. You need a few numbers, the same way, every time.
Record these, every set
- The exercise and the machine. Which leg press, not just "leg press".
- The weight.
- The reps you actually did. Not the reps you planned.
- The machine settings, once per machine.
That's enough to beat last time, which is the whole point.
Ignore these, mostly
- Daily bodyweight swings. Water and food move it by a kilo or more.
- One bad session. Look at three or four in a row.
- Total volume across the whole workout. It goes up when you add exercises, not only when you get stronger.
How to tell if it's working
Pick three lifts you do every week. Every four weeks, look at each one at the same weight. Are you doing more reps, or the same reps faster and smoother? If yes on two of the three, it's working. If none have moved in a month, change one thing: sleep, food, rest between sets, or the program.
Make it fast
Whatever you use, it should take less than five seconds a set. Have last time's numbers in front of you before you start, so the target is obvious. If logging needs you to type with sweaty hands mid-rest, you'll stop doing it.
General information about training, not medical or personalised advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, check with a doctor or physiotherapist first.