Buzz
In today's tech-centric world, there are numerous apps and gadgets that vow to track your gym achievements, running distances, or any other kind of exercise. But despite using some of them, I always rely on my genuine training journal on paper. Yes, a notebook. With a pen. Maybe you should try it as well.
Why bother with a paper training journal?
It’s not just me doing this. Renowned publication The Onion covered the subculture I belong to in their notable exposé, "Guy at Gym Has Precious Little Diary to Keep Track of All His Exercises". I’ve seen top athletes doing the same: Olympian Mattie Rogers shared on Instagram that "really, if you're not writing down your workouts, how you feel, what you feel, what changes you made that day, what’s hurting, good things, bad things, etc., you are missing an important link in your training in my opinion." This post may be older, but I’ve observed her continuing to use paper journals in more recent ones too. She has beautiful handwriting.
Brad Alan Lewis, a gold medal-winning Olympian and rower, drew from his training journals to write his memoir Assault on Lake Casitas. In one chapter, he recalls a time when he felt disconnected from his training and reveals that he wasn’t maintaining any training journals at that point. This moment added emotional depth to the story, showing how he relinquished control of his training to a coach he didn’t trust. Eventually, he parted ways with that coach, stole a boat, teamed up with a former teammate who had been cut from the same team, and triumphed as an underdog in the Olympic Trials. It’s an excellent story and a phenomenal book. But I digress.
I prefer to keep my training journals on paper because a physical book is mine. I can’t forget the password to it. It won’t disappear from the cloud if the app’s company shuts down. I won’t have to wonder which app I used to track my runs—whether it was Runkeeper or Runtastic—or which one I logged my strength workouts in, Fitnotes or Hevy. My journals are all right here on my shelf.
I also choose paper because I’m not limited by what an app’s designer thinks I should track. I can jot down thoughts on the cues I focused on during a lift (“BIG ELBOWS”), include charts with percentages or kg/lb conversions, or write about the workouts I did at home or in the gym. I can underline the lifts that felt smooth and put a squiggly line under those that I barely managed to finish. This level of detail is incredibly helpful when I look back, whether it’s a week later or a year later.
How to begin your training journal on paper
First, get yourself a notebook. The ideal notebook for a training journal should be hardback or stitched because spiral-bound ones get worn out quickly when tossed into a gym bag. You can go fancy with a high-quality hardback like a Leuchtturm, or opt for a budget-friendly version—my favorite is a Michaels store brand that costs around $8, though here’s one on Amazon for $4. Alternatively, grab a composition notebook, which usually costs a couple of bucks and has no spiral binding to worry about. Or simply visit your local craft or stationery store and choose something you’ll actually enjoy using.
Alternatively, you can choose a journal that comes pre-printed with workout-organizing pages. This one includes a section for each exercise, plus areas at the top and bottom of the page to track things like water intake, supplements, bodyweight, macros, and more. Here’s another similar journal with a slightly different design layout.
Are you a runner? This journal allows you to document a week's worth of runs on a single page, including spots to record location, weather, and any aches or pains you might be feeling during each run. Or try this one, which gives each run its own dedicated page, complete with sections for multiple aspects you may want to note down.
How to log your workouts in your training journal
The details you choose to track are up to you, but here are a few things to consider including in your journal:
Time of day
Duration of the workout
Strength exercises performed, along with sets, reps, and weights used
How each exercise felt—was there any pain? Did you feel particularly strong in any movements today?
Rest time between sets
Which muscle groups were targeted during the session
For cardio or running, did you do intervals? Were you following a specific workout plan?
Overall intensity of the session
General feeling of the workout—was it a great day, a bad day, or somewhere in between?
Other factors that may have influenced your performance that day (especially if you're looking for patterns in your good or bad days). Did you eat before working out? Was it a particularly stressful day at work?
Did you work out with a friend, trainer, or coach? If so, who?
What was the main goal of the workout? Did you achieve that goal?
Consider adding more to your training journal beyond just workout logs.
While maintaining this journal, you might also want to document other aspects of your health and fitness. Some people choose to track:
Daily step count
Amount of water consumed
Calories and macronutrient intake
Your weight
Emotional state or mood
Motivational quotes, reminders, or tips for your workouts or life
Ideas for future workout plans or fitness goals
Long-term milestones, such as the time left until your planned marathon next year
Don't forget to use your journal to track your progress and reflect on competition outcomes! If you race, jot down how it went and note any adjustments you'd make for next time. If you achieve a gym goal, record how you warmed up and how you celebrated afterward.
