What is a training diary for?
- Primarily, the diary is designed to track your training progress, mainly for weight and number of repetitions. Such accounting allows the athlete to improve his level at each lesson, because each week of training must exceed the previous one, without this the athlete’s development is impossible.
- Also, recording the results allows the trainee not to keep the working weight of each exercise “in his head”, but to clearly demonstrate the performance of past exercises. And this allows you not to stay in one place and constantly progress, to be better than in the last training session.
- One more point as a tip for the coach. A journal can help a coach figure out why you are not progressing. Thus, by visually assessing your performance over a certain period, a specialist will identify all errors and help correct them.
Training diary[edit | edit code]
Training diary
- these are records of an athlete’s training program, which are kept with the aim of compiling the most effective methodology, taking into account his own physiological characteristics. The main tasks of the diary include: tracking progress in loads, muscle growth, adaptation (speed, endurance and other qualities), correction of the fitness model’s figure, etc.
Types of diaries:
- Paper personal diary
- entries are made in a standard/student notebook or a special training diary with appropriate design. Many people believe that in the 21st century, a paper diary is old school, and prefer its electronic counterpart; - An electronic diary
is a diary whose entries are recorded and stored on electronic media. Depending on the latter, diaries are divided into: online; - computer programs;
- mobile versions.
How to keep a sports diary
The diary should be filled out at each training session in the gym and directly during the process, and not at the end of the day from memory. That is, you need to complete the approach - and immediately make a recording.
The most basic criteria for keeping a diary are the presence of the names of all exercises in the program, the recommended number of approaches and repetitions, as well as the execution of the exercise in fact: with what weight the exercise was performed and the number of repetitions in each approach.
The oldest and most proven method is keeping a diary in a notebook. There are many options for filling out the fields, and you need to choose the one that is most convenient and understandable for you. For beginners, the format will be easier, since completing three approaches will not be particularly difficult to complete. But for those whose strength training contains 5 or even 8 approaches, you will have to draw more fields and, accordingly, fill them out longer.
Choose the individual, most suitable sample.
Example #1:
Example #2:
Example #3:
You can also print ready-made electronic samples and fill them out manually, or use online diaries. This will simplify the task, because you won’t have to draw the fields manually.
Examples of filling (including samples for downloading)
Depending on the type of profiling of the athlete’s loads, different training diaries are created. A classic training diary involves recording only your results, and you can keep it without outside help right during the lesson.
More complex options involve the need to measure anthropometric data, record time work using a timer, and a huge number of related factors. Such a training diary is often redundant for amateur athletes, but is extremely necessary for professional athletes (for example, bodybuilders, who must remember not only the number of repetitions and weights, but also ensure that the body responds correctly to a new type of training in the long term).
As for CrossFit training, it is important to know how to keep a training diary, because various WODs are used every time and it is almost impossible to monitor your progress without recording the performance in each exercise.
Today there are different ways to keep a diary for training in the gym:
- Online platforms.
- Phone applications.
- Paper (canonical version).
- Use PDF, XLS or Doc template.
Online platforms
- iWorklog.ru - has the most friendly interface and ease of site, which allows you to fill out results even from a low-speed Internet.
- GymPad.ru is a fairly user-friendly interface, lots of exercises with full descriptions and illustrations, and the ability to add your own exercise. You can easily create your own training templates, but you cannot immediately add the number of approaches and repetitions to the exercises. There is also a food diary with a food base, but without breaking it down into meals. You can enter your measurements and build progress graphs based on them.
- Fitmus.com – the interface is more minimalistic. It’s a little less convenient to create your own training templates. Not all exercises have descriptions. There is also a section with nutrition and statistics.
Electronic options
We bring to your attention several ready-made templates and programs that allow you to track your own progress.
- Training diary. Convenient training and nutrition diary for classes. It has a page for training (although a maximum of 5 approaches), nutrition, anthropometry, and even a small database with nutritional supplements and caloric content of popular products.
- Weekly diary. Sports training diary with additional fields for entering nutrition data. Not very convenient for recording the workouts themselves, approaches, repetitions and working weights.
Editor's note: despite the presence of a huge number of different proposals, it is better to understand how to compile a training diary yourself, and to do it in an outdated “paper” form. This will allow you to better understand the ideas of systematization, and most importantly, the written data cannot be rewritten, which will allow you to be honest with yourself until the very end. Also, you will not depend on a third-party site and if it closes, you will not lose all your data.
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Templates for download
You can print in the format most suitable for you. But this also creates certain inconveniences and has its disadvantages.
Example No. 1
You can also print this sample to fill out yourself. By the way, this printed diary in A5 format is distributed free of charge in Samara fitness centers. The disadvantage of a printable template is that for each workout you need to print a new sheet, which is extremely inconvenient.
Example No. 2
The template is designed for recording not only strength indicators, but also cardio load. Convenient table. There are also inconveniences with constant printing. .
Example No. 3
Here you can choose a suitable template in pdf format for printing, which allows you to keep track of your nutrition and workouts, record your exercise goals, and control your load. Another advantage is that it can be downloaded in DOCx format for editing in Word, which means you don’t have to print out the diary. Disadvantage: for each training session there is a new document.
Example No. 4
A template for downloading in Excel format allows you to view your progress on graphs, monitor your nutrition taking into account the KBJU, and find out the number of calories lost. This is the most convenient electronic option, but Excel must be installed on your phone in order to use the diary during class. And this is no longer so convenient.
Why do you need a diary?
Keeping a diary is relevant for both beginners and professionals. Its main goal is to select the most effective training program, taking into account the individual characteristics of a person and other data. It is needed to develop a training plan, monitor the training process and evaluate the results. The diary records the exercises performed, the number of approaches and repetitions, working weights and other information. Thanks to it, you can monitor the dynamics of the effectiveness of the training program and, if necessary, adjust it.
Review of the best applications for iOS (iPhone)
The most convenient option for keeping a diary is an application that can be downloaded for free on your iPhone. Let's look at the top 5 most popular applications on the App Store.
Gym Record: workout diary
Download QR Code
GR: Fitness Trainingstagebook
Developer: Pavel Chernikov
Price: Free+
A convenient interface allows you to keep a training diary, record exercises, combine them into supersets, record weight and repetitions. This journal is not only suitable for strength training, but also for fitness enthusiasts such as yoga and the like. The application is free, but has a limit of up to 10 workouts. The free version can be extended by deleting old entries, but this is a big disadvantage! The application is highly rated by users.
FitNote24 - workout diary
Download QR Code
Trainingstagebook – FitNote24
Developer: Andrey Verevkin
Price: Free+
Free application with the ability to use advanced features in the Pro version. Users are offered built-in training programs. It is possible to view training statistics. It detects rest time, allows you to independently select exercises and combine them into supersets.
Workouts in the gym
Download QR Code
Gym log
Developer: Roman Ventskus
Price: Free+
The application is free, it makes it possible not only to track the working weight and the number of approaches completed, but also offers a choice of ready-made training programs. You can view the history of your own records.
Fitsession
Download QR Code
Fit session: Workout Journal
Developer: Fitsession
Price: Free+
The highlight of the application is the ability to use APPLE WATCH, which even allows you to track your heart rate. The application controls calorie consumption, duration of training and rest. The application catalog contains more than a hundred exercises that can be added to the program. Suitable for fitness and strength training.
Targets - training diary
Download QR Code
Targets - Workout Tracker
Developer: Sergei Ivanov
Price: Free+
Using the application, you can visualize your own progress thanks to color motivation: when progress decreases, the exercises become discolored, and vice versa. User-friendly interface, ability to track progress, plan workouts and combine exercises. In the pro version, a diary of measurements and progress statistics is available.
How to keep a diary and what to write there
You will need:
- Notepad or small notebook (preferably 48 sheets).
- A ruler and a good pen.
- You can use special programs or applications.
You may be more accustomed to using your tablet or smartphone to record your workout results. In addition, today many applications have been developed on all possible platforms, in which training programs are collected for convenience. You just mark what you did and that's it.
But the content of these programs is not endless. One day you will come across an exercise that is not on the virtual list. And you'll have to skip the entries.
That is why it is better to stick to the classic methods of keeping diaries. No, this is not at all a reluctance to learn something new. If you so choose, you can keep records in electronic format.
The point is different - when you write down everything you have done or planned with your hand, your brain processes information much better than when using gadgets. The so-called motor memory. Therefore, it is better to record the schedule and content of your training by hand.
Next is what we will write down:
- Training schedule.
- Results of the exercises.
- Planned and actual volume of work.
The schedule refers to the chronological distribution of training: on what days are you going to train and at what time. You need to know this. A chaotic visit to the gym leads to the fact that one day laziness will take over. We are developing a habit that will drive you to workout even when you don’t want to exercise (and this will happen more than once).
The results of the lesson (repetitions, approaches, weight) are recorded after performing the exercises, during rest. It is better to draw up a preliminary training plan indicating the number of repetitions, approaches and weights. And upon completion, check off the completion boxes (or mark with crosses what you could not complete).
The volume of work is the total weight lifted per set, for example. Simply put, how much are you going to bench. You can record the volume per approach, per exercise, per workout, etc. Naturally, the actual amount of work may differ from the plan, but you must try to accomplish what was planned.
The diary can also record the intensity of the load, the pace of exercise and other parameters.
A diary is a kind of training calendar. You know that on a specific day you will do specific exercises and the load in them. It's comfortable. If you want, you can create a training diary in connection with your regular calendar.
Review of the best applications for Android
GymKeeper - Training diary
Download QR Code
GymKeeper - Workout Tracker Weight Lifting Gym Log
Developer: GDev
Price: Free+
This app doesn't just stop at conveniently keeping a workout diary, it's also filled with professional programs for any level, regardless of goals. There is also a built-in special calculator that allows you to calculate the weight of sports equipment individually, as well as BMI, calorie intake per day and heart rate for exercise.
GymUp - workout diary
Download QR Code
GymUp - workout notebook
Developer: Iron Lab
Price: Free+
The application does not contain advertising. It has the ability to record results and select individual training programs. Contains more than 500 exercises. You can share results and tips with other users, chat with friends, and record body parameters using photos. There are calculators for calculating 1RM, basal metabolic rate, etc.
Zozhnik's Diary
Download QR Code
Zozhnik's Diary
Developer: Yadrov Sergey
Price: Free+
This is not just a training diary, but an assistant in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including nutrition control, which includes calorie counting, the availability of more than 9,000 products and dishes with detailed chemical composition. It is possible to exchange recipes between users. The application also contains a complete database of exercises and the ability to calculate energy costs.
Calorie counter and workout diary XBodyBuild
Download QR Code
Calorie counter and workout diary XBodyBuild
Developer: XBB
Price: Free+
The training diary will allow you to choose any program and exercises for all parts of the body, depending on the goal for men and women. There is a calorie and nutritional calculator taking into account individual needs - weight gain or weight loss, more than 4,600 types of products, 120 exercises with execution techniques.
ReGYM - training diary (fitness and bodybuilding)
Download QR Code
ReGYM - training diary (fitness and bodybuilding)
Developer: AppsByBros
Price: Free+
Training assistant from fitness to powerlifting. With the help of a diary, you can increase endurance, strength and increase body weight. Convenient to use. It is possible to view training statistics using visual graphs.
The need for a journal entry
The logbook has two purposes:
- Planning your own classes.
- Track progression, analyze and regulate physical activity.
This is viewed as a collection of digital data and noteworthy records. Powerlifting requires fixation of increasing weights. Fitness bikini. For this purpose, you should control the number of approaches and exercises, as well as take measurements of body parts. By appointment, you will be able to analyze the planned training and create a new one, taking into account your training and physiological data.
The journal plays an important role during self-control and independent verification of achievements. If you let the data from your own classes in the gym take their course, you will not be able to soberly assess the effectiveness of the classes and your achievements. Recording data will help track errors, positive results and direct your capabilities in the right direction.
