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Arnold Is Numero Uno
11-18-07, 7:40 pm
I have always trained at home and about 6 months ago i started writing down every date, muscle group, exercises, and reps down in a journal....does anyone else use a journal at a regular gym? should i bring mine to the gym and write down my reps and exercises? or would that be stupid?

thanks guys

ShaqFu
11-18-07, 9:23 pm
I have always trained at home and about 6 months ago i started writing down every date, muscle group, exercises, and reps down in a journal....does anyone else use a journal at a regular gym? should i bring mine to the gym and write down my reps and exercises? or would that be stupid?

thanks guys

Damn dude, 6 months? good for you, I could never do that. My journal was always in my head. If I were you, and I couldn't tell from your post, but what I would do is write out my lift before hand in terms of reps and sets, and then bring that thing with you to the gym and record how many reps and what weight you did. I see nothing wrong with bringing your journal to the gym if you wanna keep a log, but for me, my head is the log. Peace man.
Shaq Fu
PS- just got my 'Arnold is Numero Uno' shirt in the mail the other day, seeing that it's your tag here on the forum, I suggest you get one too, they're fucking sick, lol.

Maccabee
11-18-07, 9:25 pm
I have a journal as well, but I dont bring it with me or write on it every 5 seconds. I just come home and write down what I did.

Tron
11-18-07, 9:26 pm
I keep one in my campus gym. God, I've kept one for... 2 years in a public gym? Used to just keep the stuff in my head but then I would lose track the next week. Writing it down helps you to remember what you have done in the past.

Arnold Is Numero Uno
11-18-07, 10:03 pm
Damn dude, 6 months? good for you, I could never do that. My journal was always in my head. If I were you, and I couldn't tell from your post, but what I would do is write out my lift before hand in terms of reps and sets, and then bring that thing with you to the gym and record how many reps and what weight you did. I see nothing wrong with bringing your journal to the gym if you wanna keep a log, but for me, my head is the log. Peace man.
Shaq Fu
PS- just got my 'Arnold is Numero Uno' shirt in the mail the other day, seeing that it's your tag here on the forum, I suggest you get one too, they're fucking sick, lol.

i have one too, but its way too small now...where did you get ures from? i got mine from dustybrand.com

would it look stupid to write down all my reps in the gym though?

violator
11-19-07, 6:20 am
the logbook is now the foundation of my training program, im lost without it, if im not beating last sessions reps or weights, im not progressing & the log books beating me....so fuck that, im beating the logbook like im its pimp....i dont carry it in the gym, fortunately ive been blessed with an adequate memory, i just review last session before i hit it up & then record it when i get home as i bang my torrent....DC all the way!

billmd1334
11-19-07, 7:37 am
I keep my logbook with me throughout my workout. After every exercise I write down my weight, sets, reps for that particular exercise for the day. I don't think it's stupid at all, how else can you know if you're progressing or not. I know I'm about the only guy at my gym that has one... just another way I'm a little different from the rest I suppose...

RoJoHen
11-19-07, 8:11 am
I am going to start using a logbook when I start my bulk after Thanksgiving. I just made my own using MS Excel and printed out a page for each week.

I can usually remember what I've done, but I figure this might give me something to strive for each time I go to the gym.

carpediem300
11-19-07, 11:18 am
I keep my logbook with me throughout my workout. After every exercise I write down my weight, sets, reps for that particular exercise for the day. I don't think it's stupid at all, how else can you know if you're progressing or not. I know I'm about the only guy at my gym that has one... just another way I'm a little different from the rest I suppose...

Ditto here. Although I see about 3 or 4 others that do the same. All gals I think. It provides a good point of discussion, well, just comments ... attagirl, etc. You know they are serious and they know you are also. Kind of a silent bond thing. I couldn't give a crap what anyone else might think. I am currently translating mine to an excel spreadsheet for ease of posting reasons.

Another point though ... I need to see a week or two backwards in order to make on the spot adjustments to weight/sets/reps/etc. Just this morning, I went back to when I started doing this seriously (2 months) ... and for today (smolov and chest) ... my starting set weights have gone up 40% in those 2 months (total iron lifted certainly much more than that). I hadn't realized this and made for additional motivation.

So yea, I live and die with my book.

Joe

ionacht
11-19-07, 1:53 pm
At risk of sounding like the nerd, I have an Excel sheet that I keep everything on. I print it out, write down my weight and sets as I do them. Then I can enter it back into Excel for safe keeping. I find it a good means of motivation when I can see what I did the week before and what I need to do to better it. I tried keeping everything in my head but it makes it hard to know what you were doing 1,2 or 3 months back.

Arnold Is Numero Uno
11-19-07, 5:37 pm
At risk of sounding like the nerd, I have an Excel sheet that I keep everything on. I print it out, write down my weight and sets as I do them. Then I can enter it back into Excel for safe keeping. I find it a good means of motivation when I can see what I did the week before and what I need to do to better it. I tried keeping everything in my head but it makes it hard to know what you were doing 1,2 or 3 months back.

research shows that this really can motivate you even more...being able to actually see the results via the training journal or on the computer makes you realize that you really are making gains even if you think you dont look bigger

Angst
11-19-07, 5:59 pm
I believe a training journal is a must for all the DC trainers out there, regardless whether they train at home or in a gym. Plus it'll only look "stupid" for the "normal" people, there are more important thing to worry about when you are training.

blueIMlifter
11-19-07, 7:14 pm
i write down every weight and every rep that i hit.

for my new routine i have all the weights i will hit for one month in excel and then i print it out and most of my sets are til failure so i write them down and have something to compare to for the next workouts and so forth.

msktyshha
11-23-09, 9:51 pm
how many of you guys here actually carry a training log with you to gym and jot down everything you do?

t_mh
11-23-09, 10:27 pm
I do.

Alk
11-23-09, 10:27 pm
I started to after this ex-bodybuilder at my gym told me too.

After trying it, it's actually kinda cool to see my progress on paper, as well as in the mirror.

Not many people at my college gym do though, most people there are either cardio bunnies or curl monkeys.

Cstlfx
11-23-09, 10:58 pm
I used to religiously. When it comes to many reps, weights, sets, and exercises, a log is invaluable for remembering everything.

Then I started powerlifting and keeping a log on here. It wasnt about what numbers I got, but what numbers I needed to hit, so I was able to remember everything I needed to for the day.

t_mh
11-23-09, 11:01 pm
I used to religiously. When it comes to many reps, weights, sets, and exercises, a log is invaluable for remembering everything.

Then I started powerlifting and keeping a log on here. It wasnt about what numbers I got, but what numbers I needed to hit, so I was able to remember everything I needed to for the day.

Same here. I'm doing 5/3/1 so I write all the numbers down ahead of time.

The_Legacy
11-23-09, 11:10 pm
I do, it's very helpful, I use to record every workout, but now I post it on my Journey, I keep of a record of my diet and workout routine though. It's very helpful.

ronnie
11-23-09, 11:23 pm
i just use the forum to keep track of my workouts, and just doing that has helped me a great amount. however a log book showing diet, training, rest etc would be an even bigger help.

TigerAce01
11-23-09, 11:27 pm
I only really worry about the weight of my two competition lifts, so there's not much to remember, no need to carry one around with me.

-Ace

BryanSmash!
11-23-09, 11:56 pm
I used to until I started posting my workouts on here. Workbooks I can always misplace, but it's not very likely that I'll accidently throw the internet in the trash can.

Robin
11-24-09, 5:47 am
I can join the club, Im also writing every wheight down I lift and also if its failuer.
I like seeing the progress on papir and in the mirror as mentioned above. And i belive it helps me to see where I need to focus more when the whieghts start to stay I can often see a platue comeing. and adjust my lifts, and It seems to help.

just my 2 cents tough.

But I dont keep any record of my diet, I just eat alot, of the goodstuff :)

MR.TeachFreak
11-24-09, 6:28 am
I have one though all I keep track of is body weight, weight lifted, and reps

msktyshha
11-24-09, 10:59 am
I think I really need a log with me in the gym cause like you all said it helps you track your progress which is extremely important, but it seems kinda weird carrying a log with me around the gym anyways I am thinking of an alternative to a log book, like logging it in my phones notepad or something. Any suggestions?

Alk
11-24-09, 3:52 pm
I think I really need a log with me in the gym cause like you all said it helps you track your progress which is extremely important, but it seems kinda weird carrying a log with me around the gym anyways I am thinking of an alternative to a log book, like logging it in my phones notepad or something. Any suggestions?

Dude don't use a phone at the gym, just get a cheap notebook like most people do, and do what you do best.

gmurphy
11-24-09, 4:17 pm
I have always trained at home and about 6 months ago i started writing down every date, muscle group, exercises, and reps down in a journal....does anyone else use a journal at a regular gym? should i bring mine to the gym and write down my reps and exercises? or would that be stupid?

thanks guys

In my opinion a journal is a must. The way I see it is, if you dont reach the goals that you wanted you can look back and see why. Its easy to say..."im just going to have one cheat meal"... then aftyer the month is over you suddenly realize you had 8 cheat meals/days through the month.
On the other hand if you surpassed your goals you can look back and see what you did that was different to previous! So, unless you have a imazing memory (Which I dont) I think its a great idea for large number of reasons!

msktyshha
11-24-09, 9:12 pm
Dude don't use a phone at the gym, just get a cheap notebook like most people do, and do what you do best.

"fuck your genetics" hahahha loving it man. their used to be one guy in my old gym who used to squat some heavy ass weight and bench near 500 pounds and right after doing that he used to scream "its all about genetticssssss" and Thats what I always wanted to say to him "fuck your genetics"

mcbeast
11-25-09, 7:03 pm
i have one too, but its way too small now...where did you get ures from? i got mine from dustybrand.com

would it look stupid to write down all my reps in the gym though?

Definetely wouldnt look stupid. I bring my marble notebook everytime I go to the gym.Hell Ive got animal logos on it too, lol. Log down pretty much everything I do. I have all my logbooks since the year after I started lifting. Its great to look back and see how far you have come.