How to Track Your Workouts: Sets, Reps, Volume and Progress
What to record in a workout log, how volume and estimated one-rep max are calculated, how to use effort (RPE), and how to read your progress without obsessing over it.
A workout log turns "I think I'm getting stronger" into something you can see. It doesn't need to be complicated: a few numbers per exercise, written down every time, are enough to show whether your training is working.
What to record
For each exercise in a session:
- Date and exercise. Use the same name every time ("Back squat", not "Squats" one day and "BB squat" the next) so the totals add up.
- Sets, reps and weight. If you change the weight between sets, record each weight on its own line.
- Effort (optional). A quick 1 to 10 rating of how hard it felt (see RPE below).
- Notes. Anything that explains a number: poor sleep, a new grip, a twinge to watch.
For cardio, record the activity, minutes and distance. Pace and speed can be worked out from those.
The useful numbers
| Number | How it's calculated | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Total reps | sets x reps | Work done, including bodyweight exercises |
| Volume | sets x reps x weight | Total load lifted; good for spotting trends over weeks |
| Estimated one-rep max | weight x (1 + reps / 30), the Epley formula | A rough strength estimate you can compare across different rep ranges |
| Workout days per month | count of distinct dates | Consistency, which matters most |
The one-rep max estimate is just that: an estimate, most reliable for sets of about 10 reps or fewer. Use it to see trends, not as a number you need to test.
Effort: RPE in one line
RPE (rate of perceived exertion) is a 1 to 10 rating of how hard a set felt; 10 means you couldn't have done another rep. If a weight that used to feel like an 8 now feels like a 6, you're getting stronger, even if the numbers on the bar haven't changed yet.
Reading your progress
- Look at months, not days. Single sessions bounce around with sleep, food and stress.
- Progress slowly. A common approach is to add a small amount of weight or one rep when the previous session felt manageable at the same effort.
- Consistency first. Twelve workout days a month, every month, beats a perfect fortnight followed by nothing.
- Personal bests are fun, not the goal. Note them, enjoy them, and keep going.
Body measurements are optional
Body weight and tape measurements can be useful, but they fluctuate day to day. If you track them, measure at the same time of day, under the same conditions, and look at the trend over weeks.
Keep it safe
A log isn't a program and isn't medical advice. If you're new to training, returning after an injury or have a health condition, talk to a qualified professional first.
The Workout & Fitness Log spreadsheet does all of the maths above automatically, and is built as a standard .xlsx file that is recalculated and checked for formula errors in LibreOffice Calc.
Or try the free sample first.
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