How to Log Workouts Specifically for Strength Gains Instead of Just for Size

The One Metric That Separates Strength from Size

To learn how to log workouts specifically for strength gains instead of just for size, you must stop tracking only sets and reps and start tracking your Top Set's RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion). You're probably here because you've been diligently writing down "Bench Press: 3x10 @ 155 lbs" for weeks, but your max bench hasn't budged. You feel like you're working hard, but the bar isn't getting any heavier. This is the most common frustration I see: confusing the act of *exercising* with the process of *training for strength*.

Logging for muscle size (hypertrophy) is about accumulating volume-more sets, more reps, more total work. It's about the pump and muscular fatigue. Logging for strength is about managing intensity. It’s about the quality and difficulty of your heaviest set. The goal isn't to do a lot of reps; it's to make a few, heavy reps feel easier over time, which forces your body to get stronger. The single most important piece of data for strength is how hard your heaviest set felt. A log without this information is just a diary of your gym sessions. A log *with* it becomes a roadmap for getting stronger. For a 185-pound lifter, it’s the difference between staying at a 225-pound squat for a year and pushing it to 275 pounds.

Stop guessing. Start getting stronger.

Track your lifts with RPE. See your strength grow week by week.

Why Your "3x10" Log Is Making You Weaker

You've been told that progressive overload is the key to results. That's true. But there are two different kinds of progressive overload, and if you're using the wrong one, you'll stay stuck. Logging "3 sets of 10" is a classic hypertrophy model. The goal is to add reps or sets, increasing total volume. For example:

• Week 1: Bench Press 3 sets of 10 reps @ 135 lbs (Total Volume: 4,050 lbs)
• Week 2: Bench Press 3 sets of 11 reps @ 135 lbs (Total Volume: 4,455 lbs)

This works for building muscle size. But it encourages you to use a weight you can handle for high reps, which is often only 60-75% of your actual maximum strength. You're training your endurance, not your peak force production.

Strength logging focuses on intensity. The goal is to increase the weight for a low number of reps. For example:

• Week 1: Squat 3 sets of 5 reps @ 225 lbs (Top Set Intensity: High)
• Week 2: Squat 3 sets of 5 reps @ 230 lbs (Top Set Intensity: Higher)

Here, the primary driver is the load on the bar, not the total volume. The "3x10" model actively works against this by forcing you into a lighter weight class to survive the high reps. You're practicing being good at lifting 135 pounds for 10 reps, not building the raw strength to lift 205 pounds for 1 rep. You now understand the difference between volume for size and intensity for strength. But look at your log from last week. Can you tell me, with 100% certainty, how hard your heaviest set of squats *felt* on a scale of 1-10? If the answer is no, you're not logging for strength-you're just writing down numbers and hoping for the best.

Your progress. Proven with numbers.

Every workout logged. Proof you're getting stronger, not just busier.

The 3-Step Strength Logging Protocol That Actually Works

Forget your old notebook format. This is how you create a log that forces you to get stronger. It’s simple, takes less than 30 seconds per exercise, and removes all guesswork.

Step 1: Focus on Your Core Strength Lifts

You don't need to track every single exercise this way. It leads to burnout. For each workout, pick 1-2 primary compound movements that you want to get strong at. These are your indicators of real progress.

• Push Day Example: Barbell Bench Press (Core Lift), Incline Dumbbell Press (Accessory), Tricep Pushdowns (Accessory).
• Pull Day Example: Deadlift (Core Lift), Pull-ups (Core Lift), Barbell Rows (Accessory).
• Leg Day Example: Barbell Squat (Core Lift), Leg Press (Accessory), Hamstring Curls (Accessory).

Your core lifts get the detailed strength log. Your accessory lifts can be logged with simple sets x reps, as their main job is to support the core lifts and build muscle mass, not drive top-end strength.

Step 2: Log Your Top Set with RPE

This is the most important change. After your heaviest working set (your "top set"), you will assign it a number from 1 to 10 based on how many reps you had left in the tank. This is the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).

• RPE 10: Absolute failure. You couldn't have done another rep.
• RPE 9: You had exactly 1 more good rep left.
• RPE 8: You had 2 good reps left.
• RPE 7: You had 3 good reps left.

For strength gains, your top sets should live in the RPE 8-9 range. This is the sweet spot-heavy enough to stimulate strength adaptation but not so heavy that you risk injury or burnout.

Your new log entry looks like this:

Barbell Squat

• Warm-ups: 45x10, 135x5, 185x3
• Top Set: 1 x 5 @ 225 lbs (RPE 8)
• Back-off Sets: 2 x 5 @ 205 lbs (RPE 7)

This tells you everything you need to know. You hit your target reps (5) at a specific weight (225 lbs), and it was challenging but manageable (RPE 8).

Step 3: Use RPE to Plan Your Next Workout

Your log now tells you exactly what to do next week. No more guessing. Follow this simple logic:

• If your top set of 5 was RPE 7 or less: You underestimated. Add 10 pounds next week.
• If your top set of 5 was RPE 8-9: Perfect. Add 5 pounds next week for the same number of reps.
• If your top set of 5 was RPE 9.5-10: You're at your limit. Next week, use the same weight and aim for the same reps but with better form (aiming for RPE 9). If you hit RPE 10 two weeks in a row, it's time for a deload.

This system creates a feedback loop. The log from today's workout writes the script for your next one. This is the engine of consistent, measurable strength progression.

What Real Strength Progression Looks Like (It's Slower Than You Think)

Switching to this logging method will change how you view progress. It’s not about feeling destroyed after every workout; it’s about the slow, steady increase of numbers in your log.

In the First Month: You'll likely see consistent jumps. Adding 5 pounds to your bench press or 10 pounds to your squat every 1-2 weeks is realistic for an intermediate lifter starting this protocol. It will feel strange because you might be doing *less* total volume than before. Trust the process. The intensity is what matters.

In Months 2-6: Progress will slow down, and this is where your log becomes your best friend. Adding 5 pounds to your bench press might take a full month. This is not failure; this is what real strength training looks like. You will have weeks where the weight on the bar doesn't change at all. But your log might show progress:

• Week 8: Bench Press: 1x5 @ 185 lbs (RPE 9)
• Week 9: Bench Press: 1x5 @ 185 lbs (RPE 8)

This is a huge win. You lifted the same weight for the same reps, but it felt easier. You got stronger. Without an RPE-based log, you would have thought you were plateauing. With it, you know you're ready to add 5 pounds next week.

Warning Signs: If your RPE is consistently at 9 or 10 for multiple weeks, you're not recovering. Your sleep, nutrition, or stress levels are off, or you simply need a deload. A deload week isn't a week off; it's a planned reduction in intensity (e.g., 3 sets of 5 at 60% of your top set weight) to allow your body to recover and come back stronger.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Role of Accessory Exercises

For accessory work like dumbbell curls or lateral raises, you don't need to track RPE. Their purpose is to build muscle and support your main lifts. Logging them with simple sets and reps (e.g., 3x12) is perfectly fine. Focus on good form and getting a pump.

Logging Failed Reps and Plateaus

If you aim for 5 reps but only get 4, log it honestly: "1x4 @ 230 lbs (RPE 10 - failed 5th rep)." This is valuable data. The plan for next time is to reduce the weight by about 10% (to around 205-210 lbs) and work your way back up over a few weeks.

Tracking Rest Periods

For heavy, strength-focused sets, rest is a critical variable. Rest for at least 3-5 minutes between your top sets to ensure full recovery. If you rush, your performance will drop, and your RPE data will be inaccurate. Note your rest time in your log to keep it consistent.

Digital Log vs. Paper Notebook

Either works, but a digital app makes tracking trends easier. An app can automatically calculate your estimated 1-rep max (e1RM) from your top set, which is a powerful motivator. Seeing that number tick up every week proves the program is working, even when the weight jumps are small.

How Often to Test a True 1-Rep Max

Almost never. Testing your 1-rep max is physically demanding, carries a higher risk of injury, and can disrupt your training for a week or more. Instead, rely on your estimated 1-rep max (e1RM) calculated from your sets of 3-5 reps. It's a much safer and more sustainable way to track your peak strength.