Free workout log template, with a filled example

Download your workout log

Use the printable sheet for pen-and-paper logging, or open the CSV in your spreadsheet app. Everything is free to download, with no account or email required. The example file contains invented data to show how the columns work; it is not a training plan or a record of someone’s results.

• Printable workout log: A4 PDF
• Printable workout log: US Letter PDF
• Blank workout log: CSV
• Two completed example sessions: CSV

Print the PDF at actual size on the matching paper. Each sheet has room for 16 sets; use another sheet if you need it. In the CSV, keep one row per set and add rows as needed. Neither file calculates totals or imports itself into a workout app.

What should you record after a set?

Start with enough detail to understand the entry a week later. “Bench, 60, 8” makes sense today, but leaves questions if you change units or switch to a different press. Give the movement a consistent name and record the completed set rather than copying the target you hoped to reach.

Context has a purpose. Resistance-training guidance treats load, repetitions, rest periods and exercise selection as distinct programming variables.^[1] You do not have to track every variable in detail, but a note about a changed setup helps explain why two entries may not be directly comparable.

Choose a weight convention and keep it visible

This template uses total load for a barbell, including the bar. If a 20 kg bar carries one 20 kg plate on each side, enter 60 kg. Count the equipment you actually used; not every bar weighs 20 kg.

For dumbbells, the example uses the weight of one dumbbell and labels it “per hand.” Two 20 kg dumbbells are entered as 20 kg per hand, not 40 kg. Other logs may use the combined weight. Either convention needs a clear label: silently changing from one to the other makes the recorded load appear to double. See how to log dumbbell weight for paired and single-arm examples.

For a machine, record the displayed load and enough detail to identify the equipment. A different machine gets a note or a separate exercise name. For bodyweight work, write “bodyweight” in the convention or notes rather than inventing a weight. Keep assistance separate from added load. The spreadsheet’s unit column stays explicit even if every current row uses kilograms.

A filled example: the same exercises, two sessions

These illustrative sessions use the same exercise names, units and load conventions. The CSV includes the individual sets and notes. The table below summarizes only working sets; a 20 kg × 10 bench warm-up is recorded separately on both dates. The sample loads, reps and rest times demonstrate bookkeeping, not a workout prescription.

The bench entries show two more completed reps at the same load across the same number of working sets. Their recorded volume is 60 × 23 = 1,380 kg and 60 × 25 = 1,500 kg. That is a description of the log. It does not, by itself, measure muscle growth or prove what caused the difference.

The row entries also show more reps, but their “per side” convention matters. Do not combine the row’s per-hand figures with total-barbell figures and call the sum a precise comparison of effort. If you want to understand why a volume record can differ from a strength estimate, read estimated 1RM, volume and rep PRs.

Review the log before your next session

• Find the last entry for the same exercise and setup. Check the units and load convention before comparing numbers.
• Read all the working sets, not just the best one. Note completed reps, missing sets and any recorded changes in rest or setup.
• Keep a factual observation: “Two more reps at 60 kg” is more useful than “great session.” If the comparison is uncertain, record why.
• Use your program’s progression rule to decide the next target. A larger total in the log is not an instruction to add weight automatically.

Should warm-up sets go in a workout log?

They can. Label them so you can distinguish preparation from the working sets you intend to compare. This template keeps both kinds in the record; the example’s working-set totals exclude warm-ups. Whatever summary you choose, state what it includes and keep that choice consistent.

What if I miss a rep or forget to record a set?

Enter completed reps, then use the note field for an attempted but unfinished rep. If you cannot remember a set, leave its uncertain value blank and write “not recorded.” Zero and missing information mean different things. Do not fill a gap with the planned number and later mistake it for a completed set.

Can I use this in Excel or Google Sheets?

Yes. Import the CSV as comma-separated text and keep the first row as column headings. It contains plain data, without macros or formulas. If your spreadsheet changes the date display, retain a consistent date format. Make a copy of the blank file before adding your own sessions.

Paper, spreadsheet or app?

Use the format you can keep current during a session. Paper leaves space for quick notes; a spreadsheet makes rows easy to sort. If you want the previous session’s values ready when you log the next set, QuietGains prefills weight and reps from your history and starts the rest timer when you log. You can get QuietGains or keep using these files on their own.