Free template
A workout log template that earns its columns
A training log needs exactly the columns that change a future decision, and no more. Here is the shape, why each column is there, and a sample you can print, copy into a spreadsheet, or skip entirely by using the browser version that fills itself in.
The template
| Exercise | Set | Weight (kg) | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat | W | 60 | 5 | warm-up |
| Back squat | 1 | 100 | 6 | |
| Back squat | 2 | 100 | 6 | |
| Back squat | 3 | 100 | 5 | grindy |
| Bench press | 1 | 80 | 8 | |
| Bench press | 2 | 80 | 7 |
One row per set. Warm-ups carry a W instead of a number so they never sneak into your totals. Date the page, and start the next session by reading the last one.
Why these columns
- Exercise and set number— so “what did I do last time” has an exact answer, set by set.
- Weight and reps — the two numbers progressive overload is made of. If either goes up over weeks, you are progressing; the log is how you know.
- Notes— one honest word (“grindy”, “easy”, “paused”) is tomorrow’s context. Skip it when there is nothing to say.
The version that fills itself in
The FitTools gym trackeris this exact template as an app: last session’s numbers sit beside every set while you train, warm-ups stay out of your stats automatically, and records are spotted the moment they fall. Free in your browser, no account, and your data exports as CSV or JSON whenever you want it — the same columns as the table above.
If you are moving up from another app instead of paper, your existing history can come with you.
Fair questions
- What should a workout log actually record?
- The minimum that makes next session plannable: date, exercise, the weight and reps of every working set, and which sets were warm-ups. Everything else — rest times, RPE, notes — is useful but optional. If a column does not change a future decision, you can drop it.
- Paper, spreadsheet, or app?
- Whichever you will still be using in six months. Paper never runs out of battery; a spreadsheet can compute totals; a purpose-built log shows last session beside each set while you train, which is the moment the information is worth most. The template on this page works for all three.
- Should warm-up sets go in the log?
- Record them, but keep them out of your totals and records — they are preparation, not performance. That is why the template marks them with a W rather than a set number, and why the FitTools tracker excludes them from volume and records automatically.
- How long should I keep old logs?
- For ever — they cost nothing to keep and they are the answer to every plateau question you will ever have. If you use the browser tracker, you can export your whole history as CSV or JSON at any time.
Print the table, or let the browser keep it for you — either way, the log you keep beats the perfect one you do not.
Open the gym tracker