Progress Tracking

[bishonen]

Probably the most important part of my training is knowing that I'm making progress. Now, when I worked out primarily at home, I could just leave my weights on the bars, and pick them up whenever I felt like it. I never had to remember what weight I used the day before.

Once I joined a gym, I made myself a pretty little spreadsheet to track what weights I was using, but quickly found that too limiting, as I couldn't record the specifics of each set. Not to mention I felt like a dork walking around with a gigantic Five-Star notebook whilst filling out these sheets.

So yesterday while I was out running errands, I bought a little generic 5" x 3" memo book for less than a dollar. It's perfect for keeping track of everything; stretches, weights, and every single set I do in a day. This makes a huge difference in knowing what to shoot for the next week.

Surprisingly, I've seen very few people around the gym with the same set-up. So what do people here use to chart and track their progress? Notebooks? Mental power? Counting bruises?

 

[louden_swain]

I know exactly what you are saying. Sometimes it is a pain to keep track of records, but boy its worth it! I am like you, I will carry around a small notebook and a mechanical pencil to record everything.

 

[coolcolj]

I think a digital camera could work well for people like me who are lazy, take a snapshot of the weights used per set, and some cameras have audio recording so you could annotate each snapshot

 

[scout420]

In my gym I use to see alot of people righting there stats down as they went along but most where the old people and shit.But since I strted keeping track it does make a big difference I right down all the exercies for that week day by day and as I workout after every set I'll right down weight used and how many sets I completed.This saves me time by knowing what I want to do and in what order, also I know exactly where I left off weight wise so I can just get straight to business.

 

[JOKER47]

I work out at home and have my laptop in the "gym" with an Excel file open. Easier to make changes to weights, reps, and excercises as I go. I just add another page to the book when I fill one up.


Joker

 

[nikkita]

I keep a little notebook somehow the size of the one you bought because I don't like to be carrying around lots of stuff in the gym. There I made annotations on sets, reps, weight, or important comments mainly.
When at home I have lotus worksheet and keep remarks and comments on my routine, diet or anything that may seem important towards my goals.

 

[argent]

I think a digital camera could work well for people like me who are lazy, take a snapshot of the weights used per set, and some cameras have audio recording so you could annotate each snapshot

Well taht seems like a pain in the ass itself.

 

[CyBeRoiDs]

I have used a couple of pieces of software to track nutrition and exercise. Crosstrainer II and Health-RunR are the best I have found, Health-RunR more tuned to Glycemic Index dieting. Both have a database of foods and exercises. You can find them on www.download.com, just do a search on the main page.

CyBeRoiD

 

[b fold the truth]

I keep a training journal...still have the original where I benched 95 pounds...

B True

 

[Ingram]

I keep a training journal...still have the original where I benched 95 pounds...

Must be nice to know you've added a good 20-30lbs to your bench since you started. Hang in there Bro, 135 is right around the corner!