How to Track Your Workouts: Why a Workout Journal is Your Secret Weapon

Why Track Your Workouts?

Walk into any gym and you'll see two types of people: those wandering aimlessly from machine to machine, and those with a clear plan, notebook or phone in hand, crushing their workouts with purpose.

The difference? Tracking.

Workout tracking isn't just for elite athletes or competitive bodybuilders. It's for anyone who wants to make real, measurable progress toward their fitness goals.

The Benefits of Tracking Your Workouts

1. Ensures Progressive Overload

As we discussed in our guide to progressive overload, you need to consistently challenge your muscles to grow. But how do you know if you're actually doing more than last time? You track it.

2. Provides Accountability

When you have to log your workout, you're more likely to actually do it. And do it properly. No more "I think I did 3 sets" – you know exactly what you did.

3. Identifies What's Working

By tracking your workouts alongside your progress (body measurements, photos, strength gains), you can see which exercises and rep ranges work best for your body.

4. Prevents Plateaus

When progress stalls, your training log becomes a diagnostic tool. You can analyze your data to identify issues: Are you doing enough volume? Too much? Not enough variety?

5. Boosts Motivation

Looking back at where you started versus where you are now is incredibly motivating. That squat you struggled with 6 months ago? Now it's your warmup.

What to Track in Your Workout Journal

The Essentials

• Date and time of workout
• Exercises performed (in order)
• Sets, reps, and weight for each exercise
• Rest periods between sets

Advanced Tracking

• RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) – How hard did it feel on a scale of 1-10?
• Tempo – Time under tension for each rep
• Notes – How you felt, any pain or discomfort, energy levels
• Sleep and nutrition – Factors affecting performance

Methods for Tracking Your Workouts

Pen and Paper

The classic approach. Pros: No battery required, no distractions. Cons: Easy to lose, hard to analyze trends, can't easily calculate totals.

Spreadsheets

More organized than paper. Pros: Can calculate totals, create charts. Cons: Clunky to use at the gym, requires manual data entry.

Workout Tracking Apps

The modern solution. Pros: Always with you, automatic calculations, progress charts, exercise history at your fingertips. Cons: Need your phone.

Our recommendation: Use a dedicated workout tracking app like VOLUM. It combines the convenience of your phone with powerful features specifically designed for gym-goers.

How to Start Tracking Your Workouts

Step 1: Choose Your Method

Pick whatever you'll actually use consistently. The best tracking system is the one you'll stick with.

Step 2: Plan Your Workout Before You Go

Don't figure out your workout at the gym. Know exactly what exercises you're doing before you arrive. This saves time and ensures you're following a structured program.

Step 3: Log During Your Workout

Don't wait until after. Log each set immediately after completing it. This ensures accuracy and helps you stay focused on beating your previous numbers.

Step 4: Review Weekly

Every week, spend 10 minutes reviewing your training log. Look for:

• Are you progressing on key lifts?
• Are you hitting your target volume?
• Any exercises you're struggling with?

Step 5: Adjust Based on Data

Use your insights to modify your program. Not progressing on bench press? Maybe add an extra set. Shoulders always fatigued? Maybe reorder your exercises.

Common Tracking Mistakes

1. Being Too Detailed

You don't need to track every single metric. Start simple and add complexity as needed. Track the basics consistently rather than everything sporadically.

2. Not Being Detailed Enough

On the flip side, just writing "chest day" tells you nothing useful. At minimum, track exercises, sets, reps, and weight.

3. Forgetting to Track

Make it a habit. Log your sets during rest periods. If you're using an app, it takes literally 5 seconds.

4. Not Using the Data

Tracking is pointless if you never look at it. Regular review is what transforms raw data into actionable insights.

Why Digital Tracking Beats Paper

While pen and paper has its charm, digital tracking offers significant advantages:

• Automatic calculations – Total volume, estimated 1RM, weekly tonnage
• Progress visualization – Beautiful charts showing your improvement over time
• Exercise history – Instantly see what you lifted last time for any exercise
• Goal tracking – Set targets and get notified when you hit them
• Sharing – Celebrate PRs with friends on social media
• Backup – Your data is safe in the cloud, not in a notebook you might lose

Start Tracking Today

Every workout you don't track is data lost forever. Start today, and in 6 months, you'll have a complete picture of your fitness journey.

Get started with VOLUM for free – the workout tracker built for athletes who take their training seriously.

Track your gains. Crush your goals.