Why You Should Keep a Workout Journal

During May and June, I've been trying an experiment of keeping a workout and nutrition journal. It's surprised me how much this has kept me on track.

I'm new to this, so I took some pointers from one of my bodybuilding mentors, Bob Paris, about how to go about it. Bob recommends that in each journal, you start by standing naked in front of a mirror and looking at each part of your body, then assessing as objectively as you can all your physical strengths and weaknesses.

On the first page of my journal, I listed all my physical "strengths:"

SAM'S STRENGTHS:

Trapezius
Quads
Hamstrings
Shoulders
Chest (could be better)
Glutes

SAM'S WEAKNESSES:

Abs
Calves
Back
Forearms
Flexibility
Posture


Then, on the following pages, I list my goals for 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, and 1 month.

Next comes the actual log. There are two parts. On the left side of the notebook, I list my meals for each day. On the right side of the notebook, I list my workout for the day. Every exercise and each weight for each set is recorded. I also list my weight and any notes about the workout that might seem relevant, like my energy levels, how I'm feeling, etc.

The best part of this journal is how cool I feel when I'm in the gym. I feel like I actually have a plan — and a log — of my progress. Unlike most guys and girls who are just drifting aimlessly from exercise to exercise without any real device to track how they're doing. I can actually look back and see how I've pushed myself, how much weight I've increased, and how my diet and sleep patterns can impact both my weight, my energy, and my workouts.

When I ask clients to keep a workout journal for the first time, sometimes they complain that it takes up too much time. This is a lame excuse. It takes only a few more minutes to foster the discipline needed to keep a journal and the benefits it offers are undeniable.

I highly recommend you keep a workout journal. Start today!