Tip Do You Really Need a Training Log Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Do You Really Need a Training Log Newbies do but how about advanced lifters Here' s why intuition and autoregulation is often best by Chris Colucci April 9, 2018August 18, 2019 Tags Bodybuilding, Tips, Training Train Like Grandma Ask any little old Italian grandma for her sauce recipe and, after she laughs and hits you with the rolling pin, she might say, "A lotta tomato, some basil, some garlic, and a little bit of grandpa's wine." While you're pretty sure she deliberately left out a few ingredients, you might've also been expecting a slightly more useful and specific answer. Maybe you hoped her instructions would sound like it was straight out of a cookbook: "Four cups of diced tomato, one tablespoon dried basil, four garlic cloves, three ounces of wine." But that's not how grandmas cook. They work by feel, not by the book. Sometimes, you need to train like grandma. Training Logs Pros and Cons I used to be pretty convinced that a training log was essential for results. Without being able to flip back a few pages and see what you've done, how do you truly know you've gotten stronger? And by exactly how much? And how quickly or slowly? Keeping a log is absolutely beneficial. It helps beginners aim for basic progressive overload with concrete "more reps or more weight" targets for each workout. Logs can also help advanced lifters re-trace specific steps like exercises, volume, and frequency that lead to big PRs (or big injuries). However, I'm now understanding that a training log isn't mandatory. There's a lot to be said for simply showing up at the gym and playing the workout by feel, not worrying about recording every movement with plans to refer back, analyze, and treat like a puzzle piece within some grand scheme. The biggest benefit is that it forces you to really tune-in to your body and its capabilities for the given day. If 225 is moving slowly, something's off and you shouldn't jump to 275 just because it's what you hit for 6 reps last week. Not having a log to refer to forces you to autoregulate and work within an "every day max," not some pre-determined weight the book says you're supposed to use. If you're training for size, lifting by intuition is almost-definitely how the best-built bodies have trained forever. Some light warm-up sets and then adjust every set depending on how good the burn was. Simple, effective, time-tested, no notebook required. Spend a few weeks, maybe even a couple of months, ditching the training log and treating each workout as a standalone session. Each set and each individual rep becomes that much more important. String enough of those kinds of sessions together and you'll end up improving the quality of every workout in the future. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Ankle Mobility for Muscleheads Poor ankle movement causes problems throughout the body. Here's how to fix yours fast. It Hurts Fix It, Mobility, Tips, Training Kyle Norman April 1 Workouts The Ultimate Program for Body Comp Improvement Tired of looking pretty much the same year after year? If you're ready to make radical changes in your body composition, start here. Bodybuilding, Fat Loss Training, Training Paul Carter November 29 Training Tip Cuban Press for Shoulder Health Do this move to keep your shoulders strong and healthy. Exercise Coaching, Tips Christian Thibaudeau February 8 Training Tip Master the Single-Leg RDL Here's a great way to nail your posterior chain, no heavy barbell required. Training Ryan Sapstead February 18