How to Track Progressive Overload in a Notebook

How to Track Progressive Overload in a Notebook

To track progressive overload in a notebook, create four columns: Exercise, Weight, Sets, and Reps. Your primary goal is to increase the total volume (Weight × Sets × Reps) for each exercise over time. This simple, pen-and-paper tracking method is the most reliable way to ensure you are consistently getting stronger and building muscle.

This system works for anyone who lifts weights, from beginners to advanced athletes. It removes guesswork and emotion from your training. Instead of wondering if you're making progress, you have clear, objective data in your notebook. If the numbers are going up, you are improving. If they are stagnant for more than two weeks, you know it's time to adjust your sleep, nutrition, or training variables. This method forces accountability and provides a clear path forward, turning random workouts into a structured, measurable process.

Here's why this works.

Why Tracking Volume is the Only Thing That Matters

Muscles grow in response to one primary stimulus: mechanical tension. The most effective way to measure and progressively increase this tension is by calculating total training volume. Many people mistakenly believe that only lifting heavier weight counts as progress. This ego-driven approach often leads to poor form, stalled progress, and injuries. The truth is that total volume is the real driver of muscle growth.

Consider this example. Lifting 100kg on the bench press for 3 sets of 8 reps equals 2,400kg of total volume. The next week, you might try for 102.5kg but only manage 3 sets of 6 reps, which is 1,845kg of volume. You lifted a heavier weight, but you applied 23% less total stimulus to the muscle. A better approach would be to stick with 100kg and aim for 3 sets of 9 reps, which is 2,700kg of volume. You created more stress and a greater signal for growth without increasing the weight on the bar.

This is the most common mistake we see. People chase a heavier one-rep max at the expense of total work. They sacrifice reps and form, and their volume actually decreases. By focusing on the simple formula of Weight × Sets × Reps, you ensure every workout builds on the last one. It turns your training from a guessing game into a science.

Here's exactly how to do it.

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The 4-Step Notebook Method for Tracking Progress

This method requires nothing more than a simple notebook and a pen. Consistency is more important than having a fancy journal. The goal is to create a clear record of your work so you can make informed decisions about your next session.

Step 1. Set up your log

Before each workout, prepare your page. At the top, write the date. Then, create four or five columns with headings. The essential four are: Exercise, Weight, Sets, and Reps. We highly recommend a fifth column for 'Notes' or 'RPE' (Rate of Perceived Exertion) to track how difficult a set felt.

Here is a clean template you can draw in your notebook:

Workout Date:

Step 2. Record every set accurately

During your workout, write down the numbers for each set as you complete it. Do not wait until the end of the workout, as you are likely to forget the details. If your goal was 10 reps but you only managed 9, write down 9. Honesty is critical for this process to work.

Here’s what a completed entry for a full workout might look like. Let's call this 'Week 1: Push Day'.

Workout Date: 2023-10-23

This detailed log now provides a clear set of targets for your next push day. For Bench Press, the goal is to beat 1380 kg, perhaps by turning that last set of 7 reps into 8.

Step 3. Calculate total volume after each exercise

After you finish all sets for a given exercise, do the simple math. Multiply the weight you used by the total number of successful reps across all sets. For the Bench Press example above, that's 60kg × (8 + 8 + 7 reps) = 60kg × 23 reps = 1,380kg. Write this number next to the exercise. This volume figure is your main performance indicator. Your goal for the next workout is to beat this number.

Step 4. Apply the progression rule

Your notebook now tells you exactly what to do next. The rule is simple: if you successfully hit your target reps and sets for an exercise, you have earned the right to increase the weight. The next time you perform that exercise, increase the weight by the smallest available increment, usually 2.5kg for barbell lifts or the next dumbbell up. If you failed to hit your targets, your goal for the next session is to complete all the prescribed reps at the same weight before increasing it.

Calculating volume for every exercise can be time-consuming. If you find the math tedious, the Mofilo app can be a useful shortcut. It automatically calculates your total volume, saving you the mental math so you can focus on lifting.

What to Expect in Your First 12 Weeks

When you first start tracking your workouts, progress can feel rapid. Beginners often find they can add weight to major lifts like the squat, deadlift, and bench press almost every week. It is realistic to expect to add 2.5kg to these lifts every 1-2 weeks for the first 3-6 months. This is often called 'newbie gains' and is a result of your nervous system becoming more efficient at recruiting muscle fibers.

After about 12 weeks, progress will naturally slow down. You will not be able to add weight every single session. At this point, your notebook becomes even more valuable. You will need to focus on increasing reps before you increase weight. For example, you might spend two or three weeks working your way from 3 sets of 8 reps to 3 sets of 10 reps before you feel ready to add more weight. This is normal and a sign that you are moving from a beginner to an intermediate lifter.

If you find your numbers have not improved for three consecutive sessions on a specific lift, you may have hit a plateau. This is a good time to review your log. Are you sleeping enough (7-9 hours)? Is your nutrition on point (sufficient protein and calories)? Sometimes, the solution is to take a 'deload' week, where you reduce your training volume by about 40-50% to allow your body to fully recover before pushing hard again.

Advanced Tracking for Long-Term Gains

After several months, simply adding weight or reps every week becomes challenging. This is where more nuanced tracking methods, recorded in your notebook, become essential for continued progress. Your logbook evolves from a simple record of what you did to a strategic tool for planning your next move.

Implementing Double Progression

Double progression is a structured way to manage increases in reps and weight. It's a perfect system for intermediate lifters. Here’s how to track it in your notebook:

1. Choose a Rep Range: Select a target rep range for an exercise, for example, 8-12 reps.
2. Progress Reps First: Start with a weight you can lift for 3 sets of 8 reps. Your goal over the next few sessions is to stay at that same weight but increase the reps. First, you might get 9, 8, 8. The next week, 9, 9, 8. You continue this until you can successfully complete all sets at the top of the rep range (e.g., 3 sets of 12 reps).
3. Progress Weight Second: Once you have successfully hit 3 sets of 12 reps with clean form, you have *earned the right* to increase the weight. In your next session, you increase the weight by the smallest increment possible (e.g., 2.5 kg) and drop back to the bottom of the rep range (3 sets of 8 reps). The cycle begins again.

Tracking Effort with RPE and RIR

As you get more advanced, the weight on the bar doesn't tell the whole story. How *hard* a set felt is just as important. This is where Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) or Reps in Reserve (RIR) comes in.

• RPE: A scale of 1-10 rating the difficulty of a set. RPE 10 is a true maximum-effort set with no more reps possible. RPE 8 means you could have done 2 more reps.
• RIR: Simply the number of reps you had left in the tank. An RPE 8 is equivalent to 2 RIR.

Adding an RPE/RIR column to your log provides invaluable context. If you did 3 sets of 5 reps at 100 kg last week with an RPE of 7, and this week you did the same weight and reps but with an RPE of 6, you have gotten stronger. The load didn't change, but your ability to handle it did.

Logging Other Overload Variables

Progressive overload isn't just about weight and reps. Your notebook can track other variables that contribute to muscle growth:

• Rest Periods: Decreasing rest time between sets is a form of overload. You can add a note: "Reduced rest from 90s to 75s."
• Tempo: Slowing down the eccentric (lowering) phase of a lift increases time under tension. A note like "3-second negative on all reps" is a valuable data point.
• Exercise Variation: Swapping to a more challenging variation (e.g., Paused Squats instead of regular Squats) is a way to create a new stimulus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's more important for progressive overload reps or weight?

Total volume (Weight × Sets × Reps) is most important. Increasing reps at the same weight is a valid and often safer way to progress than adding weight too quickly. A good strategy is to work within a rep range, like 8-12 reps, and only add weight once you can hit the top of that range for all your sets. This is known as the double progression method.

How do I track progressive overload for bodyweight exercises?

For bodyweight exercises, you can progress by adding reps, adding sets, or slowing down the tempo of each repetition to increase time under tension. You can also move to a more difficult variation of the exercise, such as moving from a standard push-up to a decline push-up. All of these variables can be tracked in your notebook.

How often should I increase the weight?

Increase the weight only when you can complete all of your target sets and reps with good form. For beginners, this might be every week. For intermediate and advanced lifters, this might only happen every 2-4 weeks. Let your performance, as recorded in your notebook, dictate your progression.

You read this far. You're serious.

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