Training diary - discipline or distraction? Why do it at all?

Both beginners, who have all their programs and goals just in their plans, and professional athletes who want to visually track their results, think about whether or not to keep a training diary. Some argue that this is a waste of time and a framework that limits growth to strictly fixed repetitions and sets. Others claim that this is an effective way to increase the effectiveness of any training. So is there any point in starting? And if so, what should it look like and what should it be allowed to include?

For what

Regularly and responsibly filled out sports training diary:

promotes self-organization and self-discipline;
allows you to visually monitor the effectiveness of classes with the possibility of their further correction (add or remove working weights, increase or decrease cardio load, etc.);
can make you happy if you get good results, or shame you for missing classes - both are equally motivating.

Someone gets so carried away with filling out the diary that they continue to study only to once again enter the numbers in the treasured notebook. With its help, others begin to understand why there was no progress before and what needs to be changed to increase the effectiveness of training. Still others, cultivating strong-willed qualities and discipline, no matter how hard it is, go towards the intended goal, regularly recording results. There are also those who simply like a bright mobile application, data from which can be broadcast on social networks, thereby demonstrating their healthy lifestyle, which is now in fashion.

Free lesson schedule editor

A convenient solution for creating lesson schedules. Open the online editor right now or learn more about its capabilities.

Online editor

Use the editor directly in your browser. No need to download or install anything.

Windows application

Do you need to create documents regularly? Download the program and keep GramotaDel always at hand.

Web application

Are you using Google Chrome or Edge browser? Pin GramotaDel to your desktop as a web application.

Pros and cons

There are also those who argue that a sports training diary is irrelevant, interferes with progress, and is nothing more than self-deception. After all, embellished results can be entered into it.

But for every argument of opponents, supporters give their own arguments in favor.

Keeping a diary is not included in the mandatory training program, such as proper nutrition or adequate sleep.

Possibilities

Convenient text editor

Creating a lesson schedule in our editor is as easy as writing text in Word. To learn more

Download and send

You can download the lesson schedule, as well as send it to print, to your smartphone or Telegram, or by email.

Storage

Add lesson schedules to the Vault for long-term storage. To learn more

Inserting a signature or seal

You can insert your signature or organization seal. If you do not have them in electronic form, we can process the scan for you, removing the white background. To learn more

Use as much as needed

Use the editor without restrictions. You can create as many lesson schedules as you need. We don't limit you in any way.

Lots of fonts

We've added half a hundred different fonts to make your lesson schedules look beautiful.

Components

Now let’s talk about how to make a diary. There are many variations here that are left to the discretion of the athlete himself. There are only recommendations that you can follow. What information (it is better to distribute it into sections or blocks) would be appropriate:

training dates;
exercises;
working weights;
number of repetitions and approaches;
rest time between approaches;
intensity;
anthropometric data;
notes, notes, comments;
meals: KBZHU - daily and separately scheduled for each meal

As for the design, goals and objectives are usually recorded on the first page, as well as incoming anthropometric data:

age;
floor;
weight;
percentage of visceral fat;
height;
chest, waist, hip volumes;
BMI
blood pressure and pulse are in a normal, calm state.

On the following pages:

dates;
training load: exercises, sets and repetitions, intervals, working weights, intensity, distance, etc.;
food diary;
description of well-being.

At the end of each month, it is recommended to create a summary page:

outgoing anthropometric data;
their comparison with the incoming parameters recorded on the first page;
analysis of achievements of goals and objectives;
their adjustment;
formulating new ones.

These are just general recommendations. Something will seem superfluous, something useful - here everyone decides for himself.

Who is it suitable for?

The program is designed to suit most people. There are no very difficult unnecessary or incomprehensible exercises. The training volume and intensity are designed to suit both people with little training experience and those with advanced training experience.

This program is not suitable for complete beginners; if you are a complete beginner, there are other programs for you on the site.

Program in the table:

Week 1 Chest, Legs, Shoulders - strength. Shiroch, hands - pump.
Control no.	Exercise	an approach	repeat	Accent	rest in sec
No. 1 (Gr+shr)
1	Upside down incline barbell press (30 degrees)	4	8	top	120-240
2	Dumbbell bench press	3	10	middle	120-180
3	Meeting hands on the crossover up	3	12	top	120-180
4	Pull-down of the upper block behind the head	3	12	width	60-90
5	Reverse grip lat pulldown	3	15	thickness	60-90
No. 2 (Legs + ladder)
1	Squats with a barbell on your shoulders	3	10	quadriceps	120-240
2	Narrow leg press	3	10	quadriceps	120-180
3	Straight-legged barbell row	3	10	bitz legs	120-180
4	Leg bending on the simulator	3	10	bitz legs	90-180
5	Standing barbell calves	3	10	caviar	90-120
6	Shrugs with a barbell	3	10	ladder	90-120
No. 3 (Shoulders+arms)
1	Seated dumbbell press	3	10	front	120-180
2	Moving the dumbbells to the side while sitting	4	8	average	120-180
3	Bent-over dumbbell chest row with medium grip	4	8	rear	120-180
4	Extension of arms on a block with a cord while standing	3	12	external	45-60
5	Extension of arms on a block while standing, each in turn from behind the head	3	12	long	45-60
6	Hammer curls with dumbbells	3	12	out+brah	45-60
7	Bending your arms on an overhead block behind your head	3	12	int	45-60
Week 2 Shiroch, arms - strength. Chest, Legs, Shoulders - pump.
Control no.	Exercise	an approach	repeat	Accent	rest in sec
No. 1 (Shir + gr)
1	Bent-over dumbbell row	3	10	thickness	120-240
2	Wide grip pull-ups	4	8	Width	120-180
3	Reverse mid-grip chest row	3	10	width\bottom	120-180
4	Dumbbell bench press	3	12	middle	60-90
5	Incline Dumbbell Flyes (30 degrees)	3	15	top	45-90
No. 2 (Legs)
1	Leg press	3	12	quadriceps	90-120
2	Leg extension in the simulator	3	12	quadriceps	45-60
3	Straight-legged dumbbell row	3	12	bitz legs	60-120
4	Leg bending on the simulator	3	12	bitz legs	45-60
5	Soleus on the simulator	3	12	caviar	60-120
6	Shrugs with dumbbells	3	12	ladder	60-120
No. 3 (Arms+shoulders)
1	close grip press	4	8	long	120-180
2	French bench press	3	10	long	120-180
3	Seated arm extension with dumbbells	3	10	external	120-180
4	Bending arms with a standing straight bar	4	8	Inner + outer	120-180
5	Hammer curls with dumbbells	3	10	external+brach	120-180
6	Curling arms with dumbbells one at a time on a Scott bench	3	10	int	120-180
7	Moving your hands to the side on the block	3	15	average	60-90
8	Moving the dumbbells to the side while sitting in a bent position	3	15	rear	60-90
Week 3 Chest, Legs, Shoulders - strength. Shiroch, hands - pump.
Control no.	Exercise	an approach	repeat	Accent	rest in sec
No. 1 (Gr+shr)
1	Bench press on a horizontal bench	3	10	middle	120-240
2	Incline dumbbell press upside down (30 degrees)	3	10	top	120-180
3	Meeting hands on the crossover to the bottom	3	15	bottom	120-180
4	Upper pulley to chest	3	15	width	60-90
5	Straight Grip Lower Block Row	2	20	thickness	60-90
No. 2 (Legs + ladder)
1	Squats with a barbell on your shoulders	4	8	quadriceps	120-240
2	Narrow leg press	4	8	quadriceps	120-180
3	Straight-legged barbell row	4	8	bitz legs	120-180
4	Leg bending on the simulator	4	8	bitz legs	90-180
5	Standing barbell calves	4	8	caviar	90-120
6	Shrugs with a barbell	4	8	ladder	90-120
No. 3 (Shoulders+arms)
1	Seated barbell press	3	8	front	120-180
2	Moving the dumbbells to the side	3	10	average	120-180
3	Bent-over barbell row with medium grip	3	10	rear	120-180
4	Extension of arms on a block with a cord from behind the head	3	12	external	45-60
5	Extension of arms on a block while standing, each in turn	3	15	long	45-60
6	Hammer curls with dumbbells	3	12	out+brah	45-60
7	Bend the arms on the lower block	3	15	int	45-60
Week 4 Shiroch, arms - strength. Chest, Legs, Shoulders - pump.
Control no.	Exercise	an approach	repeat	Accent	rest in sec
No. 1 (Shir + gr)
1	Bent-over barbell row	4	8	thickness	120-240
2	Medium grip pull-ups	3	10	Width	120-180
3	Reverse close grip chest row	3	10	width\bottom	120-180
4	Incline dumbbell press upside down (30 degrees)	3	12	top	60-90
5	Dumbbell fly on a horizontal bench	3	15	middle	45-90
No. 2 (Legs)
1	Leg press	3	15	quadriceps	90-120
2	Leg extension in the simulator	3	15	quadriceps	45-60
3	Straight-legged dumbbell row	3	15	bitz legs	60-120
4	Leg bending on the simulator	3	15	bitz legs	45-60
5	Soleus on the simulator	3	15	caviar	60-120
6	Seated dumbbell shrugs	3	15	ladder	60-120
No. 3 (Arms+shoulders)
1	Dips	3	10	long	120-180
2	Seated French press	3	12	long	120-180
3	Lying dumbbell extension	3	12	long	120-180
4	Bending arms with a standing crooked bar	3	10	Inner + outer	120-180
5	Hammer curls with dumbbells	3	12	external+brach	120-180
6	Curling arms with dumbbells alternately each through the knee	3	12	int	120-180
7	Moving your hands to the side on the block	3	12	average	60-90
8	Moving the dumbbells to the side while sitting in a bent position	3	12	rear	60-90
Week 5 Chest, Legs, Shoulders - strength. Shiroch, hands - pump.
Control no.	Exercise	an approach	repeat	Accent	rest in sec
No. 1 (Gr+shr)
1	Upside down incline barbell press (30 degrees)	4	8	top	120-240
2	Dumbbell bench press	3	10	middle	120-180
3	Meeting hands on the crossover up	3	12	top	120-180
4	Pull-down of the upper block behind the head	3	12	width	60-90
5	Reverse grip lat pulldown	3	15	thickness	60-90
No. 2 (Legs)
1	Squats with a barbell on your shoulders	4	8	quadriceps	120-240
2	Narrow leg press	4	8	quadriceps	120-180
3	Straight-legged barbell row	4	8	bitz legs	120-180
4	Leg bending on the simulator	4	8	bitz legs	90-180
5	Standing barbell calves	4	8	caviar	90-120
6	Shrugs with a barbell	4	8	ladder	90-120
No. 3 (Shoulders+arms)
1	Seated dumbbell press	4	8	front	120-180
2	Moving the dumbbells to the side while sitting	3	10	average	120-180
3	Bent-over dumbbell chest row with medium grip	3	10	rear	120-180
4	Extension of arms on a block with a cord while standing	3	12	external	45-60
5	Extension of arms on a block while standing, each in turn from behind the head	2	20	long	45-60
6	Hammer curls with dumbbells	3	12	out+brah	45-60
7	Bending your arms on an overhead block behind your head	2	20	int	45-60
Week 6 Shiroch, arms - strength. Chest, Legs, Shoulders - pump.
Control no.	Exercise	an approach	repeat	Accent	rest in sec
No. 1 (Shir + gr)
1	Bent-over dumbbell row	3	10	thickness	120-240
2	Wide grip pull-ups	4	8	Width	120-180
3	Reverse mid-grip chest row	3	10	width\bottom	120-180
4	Dumbbell bench press	3	12	middle	60-90
5	Incline Dumbbell Flyes (30 degrees)	3	15	top	45-90
No. 2 (Legs)
1	Leg press	2	20	quadriceps	90-120
2	Leg extension in the simulator	2	20	quadriceps	45-60
3	Straight-legged dumbbell row	2	20	bitz legs	60-120
4	Leg bending on the simulator	2	20	bitz legs	45-60
5	Soleus on the simulator	2	20	caviar	60-120
6	Shrugs with dumbbells	2	20	ladder	60-120
No. 3 (Arms+shoulders)
1	close grip press	4	8	long	120-180
2	French bench press	3	10	long	120-180
3	Seated arm extension with dumbbells	3	10	external	120-180
4	Bending arms with a standing straight bar	4	8	Inner + outer	120-180
5	Hammer curls with dumbbells	3	10	external+brach	120-180
6	Curling arms with dumbbells one at a time on a Scott bench	3	10	int	120-180
7	Moving your hands to the side on the block	3	20	average	60-90
8	Moving the dumbbells to the side while sitting in a bent position	3	20	rear	60-90
Week 7 Chest, Legs, Shoulders - strength. Shiroch, hands - pump.
Control no.	Exercise	an approach	repeat	Accent	rest in sec
No. 1 (Gr+shr)
1	Bench press on a horizontal bench	3	10	middle	120-240
2	Incline dumbbell press upside down (30 degrees)	3	10	top	120-180
3	Meeting hands on the crossover to the bottom	3	15	bottom	120-180
4	Upper pulley to chest	3	15	width	60-90
5	Straight Grip Lower Block Row	2	20	thickness	60-90
No. 2 (Legs)
1	Squats with a barbell on your shoulders	3	10	quadriceps	120-240
2	Narrow leg press	3	10	quadriceps	120-180
3	Straight-legged barbell row	3	10	bitz legs	120-180
4	Leg bending on the simulator	3	10	bitz legs	90-180
5	Standing barbell calves	3	10	caviar	90-120
6	Shrugs with a barbell	3	10	ladder	90-120
No. 3 (Shoulders+arms)
1	Seated barbell press	3	10	front	120-180
2	Moving the dumbbells to the side	4	8	average	120-180
3	Bent-over barbell row with medium grip	4	8	rear	120-180
4	Extension of arms on a block with a cord from behind the head	3	12	external	45-60
5	Extension of arms on a block while standing, each in turn	3	15	long	45-60
6	Hammer curls with dumbbells	3	12	out+brah	45-60
7	Bend the arms on the lower block	3	15	int	45-60
Week 8 Shiroch, arms - strength. Chest, Legs, Shoulders - pump.
Control no.	Exercise	an approach	repeat	Accent	rest in sec
No. 1 (Shir + gr)
1	Bent-over barbell row	4	8	thickness	120-240
2	Medium grip pull-ups	3	10	Width	120-180
3	Reverse close grip chest row	3	10	width\bottom	120-180
4	Incline dumbbell press upside down (30 degrees)	3	12	top	60-90
5	Dumbbell fly on a horizontal bench	3	15	middle	45-90
No. 2 (Legs)
1	Leg press	3	12	quadriceps	90-120
2	Leg extension in the simulator	3	12	quadriceps	45-60
3	Straight-legged dumbbell row	3	12	bitz legs	60-120
4	Leg bending on the simulator	3	12	bitz legs	45-60
5	Soleus on the simulator	3	12	caviar	60-120
6	Seated dumbbell shrugs	3	12	ladder	60-120
No. 3 (Arms+shoulders)
1	Dips	3	10	long	120-180
2	Seated French press	3	12	long	120-180
3	Lying dumbbell extension	3	12	long	120-180
4	Bending arms with a standing crooked bar	3	10	Inner + outer	120-180
5	Hammer curls with dumbbells	3	12	external+brach	120-180
6	Curling arms with dumbbells alternately each through the knee	3	12	int	120-180
7	Moving your hands to the side on the block	4	12	average	60-90
8	Moving the dumbbells to the side while sitting in a bent position	4	12	rear	60-90
Week 9
Control no.	Exercise	an approach	repeat	Accent	rest in sec
No. 1 (Shir + gr)
1	Bent-over dumbbell row	3	8	thickness	120-240
2	Reverse close grip chest row	3	10	width\bottom	120-180
3	Incline dumbbell press upside down (30 degrees)	3	8	top	120-240
4	Dumbbell fly on a horizontal bench	3	10	middle	120-180
No. 2 (Legs)
1	Leg press	3	12	quadriceps	120-180
2	Straight-legged dumbbell row	3	12	bitz legs	120-180
3	Soleus on the simulator	3	12	caviar	120-180
4	Seated dumbbell shrugs	3	12	ladder	120-180
No. 3 (Arms+shoulders)
1	French bench press with dumbbells	3	8	long	120-180
2	Hammer curls with dumbbells	3	8	external+brach	120-180
3	Moving your arms to the side on the lower block	3	10	average	120-180
4	Reaching the arms back on the upper block while standing	3	10	rear	120-180

Templates and examples

For clarity, we post an approximate (!) training diary template:

As an example, here is one of the pages from the diary of a jogging athlete:

To demonstrate how different athletes' logs can be, here's an example of a gym log:

Don't forget to build graphs and draw conclusions about progress - this is one of the most important advantages of a sports diary.

Programs and applications

There are different ways to keep a diary:

mobile applications on the phone;
online platforms;
computer programs that are downloaded and installed on a computer or laptop;
classic paper version (notebook, notepad);
computer version: PDF, XLS, Doc, Word, Excel.

Online platforms

Registration required. The best workout diaries that can be kept online are iWorklog, GymPad, Fitmus. Each has its own distinctive features.

Some of the best online platforms for keeping training diaries

iWorklog:

compiling your own sets of exercises that can be made freely available;
calendar of classes indicating working scales and results;
statistics on the progress of physical parameters;
filters to find the desired exercise;
anthropometric data, their statistics;
Android application.

GymPad:

training log;
list of exercises;
creating your own set of exercises;
anthropometric data;
the ability to post photographs demonstrating the achievement of results;
statistics;
notes;
maintaining a personal blog;
general chat, private messages;
export to Excel.

Fitmus:

ease of filling;
extensive product database (you can add your own);
anthropometrics;
additional blocks for notes;
statistics;
ready-made training templates (you can add your own);
lists of basic exercises (you can add your own);
mobile applications for iOS and Android;
export results to any format.

Computer programs

Training diary is a program equipped not only with a log of training and nutrition, but also with tracking of anthropometric data;
Weekly diary - breakdown of each workout into different muscle groups, additional fields (sleep, mood, well-being, pulse, nutrition);
IRoNDooM - calculators, standards, exercises, nutritional recommendations (food, diet);
PowerliftingRu - detailed instructions, progress tracking, help with any step, all data can be output to another format, definition of sports form.

How to determine how many approaches you need to do in an exercise?

And how to start so that the muscles don’t hurt.

Very often you can see such a picture in the hall. A beginner comes and, with his characteristic tenacity, actively (very actively) studies. The next day he cannot move without pain. All the worked muscles hurt a lot.

Especially, for some reason, beginners train their abs intensively. They “pump him up” so much that even then, after a few days, they can’t touch his abs. The abdominal muscles work little in everyday life and therefore respond very strongly to the load. They need to start training in a particularly gentle manner.

One woman was even injured. I came to the second training session and, through the pain, began to do abdominal exercises. At the same time, I received terrible pain and micro-tears in the abdominal muscles. She did not appear in the hall again. Of course, who would want to mock themselves like that?

Therefore, I suggest not to overdo it, especially since there is nowhere to rush. If you are just starting to exercise, or doing a new exercise, or came to the gym after a long break, then start small.

It's best to do two sets with a light to medium weight for you. A light weight is a weight that you can do 15 reps with. If you can’t do 15 repetitions, but you get less, you don’t have enough strength for 15 repetitions, this means that the weight is too much for you.

To begin with, set the weight lower. Do two sets and see how your muscles respond to this training. If by the next lesson the muscles do not hurt, then everything was done correctly. If they hurt just a little), then it is best to first accustom the muscles to such a load. And only then, after several workouts, add the next approach.