What’s the size of your hand, can fit in your pocket, and can have a massive impact on the transformation of that body of yours?

A gym training diary.

You could pick up a small training journal for a few dollars and it could be the biggest investment you will make in your body. You seriously have no idea how important a diary is when it comes to weight training. It can really be the difference between a struggler session or superhero session in the gym.

In this article I’ll explain why this simple item is crucial for planning and getting the most out of every workout.

I’ll list the six big benefits of buying a small, cheap notebook – and making it your body’s Bible! I’ll also share the key details I jot down in mine, which will help illustrate why a gym training diary can spur you on to improve your performance and make gains in muscle and strength.

The Write Way To Get In Shape

First, let’s start with three questions:

Do you sometimes wander into the gym not knowing what exercise you are going to do first…just wait and see what machines are free?

Do you sometimes struggle for motivation without a training partner?

Or do you even forget how much you lifted in your last workout?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to any one of them then you need a training journal in your life – sharpish. This is honestly one of the most effective gym motivation tips I can give you. Btw, I used to score top marks for those questions – three out of three. Clever lad eh.

You know those people who come into the gym, wander around looking a bit confused, grab the first machine that’s free, pick up a few dumbbells for a bit, and then usually wander out again 20 minutes later? Hardly break a sweat. Yet another mediocre workout.

I was one of those people, well, up until about 6 or 7 years ago. That’s when I decided to go all out – and spend £1 on something that would make me get the finger out. A small pocket sized gym training diary.

Now, when I plan out my workouts in advance I have more focus and commitment, and there is much less chance of me skipping an individual exercise, let alone the gym completely. When I see my results in black and white it fires up my motivation and drives me to do even better next time around.

On the other hand, if I don’t write out exactly what I will do in the gym, or forget to bring my training journal with me then I have a sub-par performance. Guaranteed. There is definitely a mental element to it all. Planning your workouts and keeping record of your performance is hugely important to getting in great shape. In fact, I think it is pretty pointless training aimlessly without a training diary to work from.

The Benefits of Making a Gym Training Diary Part of Your Workout Regime

#1 Laser sharp focus.

To help you stay focused it is extremely important you set goals and consistently try to beat your own personal bests for particular exercises. Don’t worry about what anyone else is lifting, we’re not interested in them. By writing down exactly what you plan to achieve in the gym in advance you are much less likely to be distracted by anything else. It also gives you a definitive plan and sets of targets to aim for, giving your workouts even more purpose.

#2 Accountability.

When you step into the gym your training session should be all about continuous personal improvement – and setting new PB’s. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a training partner. You have the training journal to answer to! It is there to record your score for every exercise – and for some reason that small pile of paper holds you to account. It is your body’s wee Bible. It is your training partner that can’t talk. It can tell you how far you have progressed. It reminds you of exactly how you performed last time around. (The Bible doesn’t lie). And it can guilt trip you into doing even better this time.

#3 Better performance.

The training plan is there in front of you in black and white. So, there will be no skipping the last couple of exercises because then you will have to leave that part blank, or score the exercise out completely, when filling in your training journal. Then the next time you are training you will be reminded of how you cheated yourself last time around. See what I mean about the guilt trips? It naturally makes you want to complete ALL the exercises listed in your journal – and squeeze out a rep or two more than you thought you could.

#4 Staying on track.

You will be surprised how hard it is trying to remember the level of weights you reached or number of reps you completed for all the various exercises you are doing every week. You may go 4 or 5 days between doing bench presses and totally forget what weight you lifted last time around. Usually you would default to a lighter option, meaning you are not pushing yourself hard enough and making gains. The diary is a great reminder for your geriatric brain.

#5 Motivation.

As that journal starts filling up with performances you didn’t think you had in you, it will fire you up big time. Seeing those weightlifting numbers climb as the weeks go past gives you an extra injection of motivation. You will know for certain you are making progress because it is there in black and white. That gives you more confidence, gets you buzzing for your next workout, and automatically provides the motivation you previously struggled to find.

#6 Sense of achievement.

And finally…the rush of endorphins usually makes us feel great after a tough workout, but this is enhanced when you see on paper everything you have just put your body through. And flicking through your notes, seeing where you have started and how far you have come, is amazingly satisfying.

What to Record

• The key pieces of information I include are:
• Date and time (to try and gauge how I perform at different times of the day).
• Gym (I usually train between two and they have different equipment).
• Choice of training system (e.g. Three Set Shocker, Drop Sets…).
• Exercises.
• Number of reps ( and a plus sign if I have exceeded eight reps ).

A training journal is an absolute must have if you are serious about building a better body. My golden rule is to never wander into a gym without an exact plan of your training session and what you intend to achieve. Otherwise, you will have a mediocre workout. And mediocre training equals mediocre results. I will dish out more gym motivation tips in follow-up articles, but advise you start off by following this advice.

Here is a decent 2 x pack of small notebooks for $5.95 on Amazon….perfect training diaries.

So raid the piggy bank and go buy yourself a small pocket sized diary ASAP before you even think about lifting a dumbbell.

Get close to it. Form a deep connection. Give it a pet name if you like. (Mine is called Sandra).

And if you don’t want to spend $1 or $2 on a gym training diary, then you can easily keep a digital note on your mobile phone. (Cheapskate). I much prefer the good old fashioned handwriting way and then flicking through the pages to compare previous workouts and measure success.

Make sure you always pack the journal into your bag, give it your all in the gym, keep note, and expect great results.