Workout logging and progression guides
Practical walkthroughs for lifters: logging a session by voice, running progressive overload, moving your routine between apps, and training through a plateau.
Last session
Bench Press
You hit every set. Up 5 lb.
140 lb × 8
1You log a session
2The coach reads it
3Your next weight is set
What is a 5x5 workout, and how do you run one?
5x5 means five sets of five reps at one weight. The classic three-day plan, what weight to start with, when to add weight or deload, and how to log it.
Read →Should warm-up sets count toward volume and personal records?
No: keep warm-up sets out of your personal records, 1RM and working-set count. Counting them in total volume is fine if you always do it. How to log them.
Read →Double progression: add reps first, then weight
Use double progression with a worked 3-set training log. Learn when to add weight, what to do after a big dumbbell jump, and how to record each session.
Read →How long should you rest between sets?
Rest 2 to 5 minutes for heavy strength work, 1.5 to 3 for muscle growth, 60 to 90 seconds on isolation lifts. A table by goal and how to time it.
Read →How many sets and reps should you do per exercise?
Sets and reps explained with a table by goal: 3 to 5 sets of 1 to 5 for strength, 3 to 4 of 6 to 12 for muscle, 15+ for endurance, and sets per week.
Read →How to break a lifting plateau
A stalled lift is usually fatigue rather than weakness. Here's how to tell a real plateau from a bad fortnight, and the deload that actually fixes it.
Read →How to build a push pull legs routine that sticks
A push/pull/legs split done properly, with exercise counts, set ranges and a weekly schedule, plus the mistakes that make people abandon it by week four.
Read →How to log a workout by voice on iPhone
Speak your sets instead of typing them. Here's exactly what to say, how to phrase reps that differ per set, and what to do when the gym is too loud.
Read →How to log supersets and drop sets without wrecking your history
Log a superset as two separate exercises. Log each drop in a drop set as its own set, in order. Examples for pyramids, rest-pause and AMRAP sets too.
Read →How to move your routine to a new gym app without losing it
Switching trackers usually means retyping everything. Here's how to get your routines out, what history you can realistically keep, and what you will lose.
Read →How to track progressive overload without a spreadsheet
Progressive overload fails on record-keeping rather than effort. Here's the minimum you need to log, when to add weight, and when it is the wrong call.
Read →Reps in reserve: what 2 RIR actually means
Understand reps in reserve with an RIR-to-RPE chart, practical examples and a logging method. Learn why the estimate changes and how to compare sessions.
Read →What does 3x8 mean? 3 sets of 8 reps, explained
3x8 means 3 sets of 8 reps at one weight. How heavy to go (about 75% of your 1RM), how long to rest, when to add weight, 3x8 vs 5x5, and sample workouts.
Read →What is a deload week, and when should you take one?
A deload week is a planned lighter week: less weight or fewer sets, same exercises. The signs you need one, three ways to run it, and how to log it.
Read →What is a drop set, and how do you do one?
A drop set is one set taken near failure, then continued at a lighter weight with no rest. How to do one, how much to drop, and how to log it.
Read →A free workout log template you can use today
Download a free workout log as a CSV or printable sheet. Record each set, weight, reps and effort, with a filled example and a clear next-session target.
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