Necessity of a Training Log?

I don’t know if this is the right forum to post this, so feel free to move it to the appropriate one.

Ive been questioning the need for a training log lately. From what Ive seen, both in videos and in person, the guys at the top of the game don’t really use them. They are more concerned with going in and training the hardest they can on that particular day. For example: I’ve never seen guys in Westside, Metroflex or any other savage gym walking around with training journals and logging their exercises throughout the workout. From what I’ve read, Louie has a stat guy at Westside track the Max effort stuff.

Obviously progressing and getting stronger over time is important, but I honestly never see any of the savages tracking anything.

On the other hand, I think Ed Coan used to have everything programmed ahead of time.

How do you guys feel about it? Is it just personal preference? And I apologize if a thread like this already exists.

Tracking is absolutely beneficial and the biggest and strongest guys at the top are doing it. It doesn’t necessarily mean carrying around a training journal but your maxes and rep PRs for various exercises should be tracked.

Logging can occasionally be an issue for an intermediate who thinks they need to add weight to the bar every time they’re in the gym. So, avoid that pitfall.

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I agree with what you said. You can’t progress every day. The important thing is to get stronger over time.

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I log when I get done with the workout. Perhaps that is the issue.

I don’t see the benefit of NOT logging your training. Still go in, go hard, then log how it went. When things are going well, figure out why. Then they’re not, figure out why. The log will make that easier to do.

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They may not have a notebook and pen, but if you’re watching a video of it it was definitely logged.

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I don’t take my log into the gym. The only “non-programmed” number is generally my PR sets, and I am remember 1 or 2 numbers pretty easily. Especially as I’ve probably fought fairly hard for those numbers.

Logging in some easily accessible form gives you data. Data helps you understand what does or doesn’t work. The vast majority of guys at the top keep some kind of record. That’s how a lot of training systems get developed. The person looks at their log, sees trends in what has worked and uses that as a foundation.

There’s your solution, hire a stat guy to track your workouts for you so that you know if you are making progress. Problem solved.

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