Why You Should Keep a Paper Study Journal (and How to Create One)

In the digital age, there are many apps and devices that promise to accurately track your gym progress, mileage, or any other type of exercise you do. But even when I jump between them, I always keep my actual training log on paper. You know, in a notepad. With a handle. And maybe you should too.

Why keep a training diary on paper?

First of all, it’s not just me. The famed publication The Onion documented the subculture I’m a part of in its landmark investigation, Guy at the Gym Has a Precious Little Diary in Which He Records All His Exercises . I’ve noticed that elite athletes do this too: Olympian Matty Rogers wrote on Instagram that “really, if you don’t record your workouts, how you feel, what you feel, what changes you made that day, what you have it hurts, that’s good.” things, bad things, etc., in my opinion, you are missing an important link in your learning.” Old post, but I’ve seen her use paper journals in more recent posts. She has very beautiful handwriting.

Another Olympian, gold medal rower Brad Alan Lewis, wrote his memoir , Assault on Lake Casitas, based in part on his training diaries from that time. In one chapter, when he was feeling particularly disconnected from his training, he wrote that he didn’t keep any training logs at all. It was a telling detail in the emotional arc of the story as he handed over the reins to a coach he didn’t really trust. He ended up quitting that coach, stealing a boat, teaming up with a player cut from the same team, and returning to win the Olympics by defeating an underdog. It’s a good story and a damn good book. But I digress.

I keep a training diary on paper because the paper book belongs to me . I can’t forget my password for it. It won’t disappear from the cloud when the company that makes it goes bankrupt. I won’t look back on the year I set a personal best and wonder if I tracked my runs in Runkeeper or Runtastic, or if I recorded my strength training in Fitnotes or Hevy. I have all my training magazines on my shelf.

I also use paper because I’m not limited by what the app designer decided I should track. I can jot down notes that I thought about during an exercise (“Big Elbows”), attach tables of percentages or kilogram/pound conversions, or write down what workouts I did at the gym or at home. I can highlight the exercises that were performed well and cross out the ones that I barely managed to complete. I find all of this incredibly helpful looking back, whether it’s a week later or a year later.

How to start keeping a workout diary on paper

First, you’ll need a notepad. The best notebook for a workout journal is something hardbound or bound, because spiral bindings tend to get ruined when you toss them in your gym bag. You might like a nice hardcover like Leuchtturm , or opt for a knockoff—my favorite is the Michaels store brand, which costs about $8, but here’s one from Amazon for $4 . Or grab an essay pad ; it’s two or three dollars and you don’t have to worry about the spiral binding. Or, you know, go to your local craft store or office supply department and pick out something you really like.

Or get a journal with pre-printed sheets to help organize your workout. There ‘s a line for every exercise you do, with areas at the top and bottom of the page to track your water intake, supplements, body weight, macros, and more. Here is a similar magazine, but with a slightly different design.

Are you a runner? This one-page journal outlines the week’s runs with areas to note location, weather, and whether you experience any aches or pains for each. Or try this one , which gives each run its own page and has multiple areas for different aspects you might want to keep notes on.

How to Track Your Workouts in a Workout Log

What you choose to track is up to you, but consider dedicating space for some or all of these pieces of information:

• Times of Day

• How long did the training last?

• Strength exercises you performed, including reps, sets, and weight for each.

• How did the exercises feel: did something hurt? Did you feel particularly good about mastering a skill today?

• How long did you rest between sets?

• What muscle groups did you work that day?

• In terms of running or cardio, did you do intervals? Did you have a specific training protocol that you followed?

• How intense was the workout overall?

• How did the workout feel overall: was it a good day, a bad day, or an average day?

• Other factors that may have affected your workout that day (especially if you want to look for patterns on those good and bad days). Did you eat before the gym? Was it a stressful day at work?

• Did you work out with a friend, trainer or coach? If so, who?

• What was the purpose of the training? Did you feel like you achieved this goal?

What to track in your training log besides workouts

While you’re keeping this diary, you might want to track other aspects of your health or fitness. Some people like to track:

• Steps taken every day

• How much water did you drink

• Your calories and macros

• Your weight

• Your mood

• Quotes, tips or reminders about the energy you want to bring to your workouts or your life.

• Ideas for future workouts or goals

• General deadlines, such as how much time is left until the marathon you have planned for next year.

And don’t forget to use your journal to record your progress and celebrate your competition results! If you are running a race, write down how it went and what you would do differently next time (if anything). If you reach a gym goal, write down how you warmed up before it and what you did afterwards to celebrate the achievement.

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