How to Use Workout Log to Decide What to Lift

Using a workout log feels productive, but most people use it like a diary instead of a map. You write down what you did, close the book, and hope for the best. This guide gives you a simple system to turn that data into decisions.

Key Takeaways

• The "2-Rep Rule" is the simplest way to decide when to add weight to an exercise.
• If you hit the top of your rep range for two workouts in a row, increase the weight by 2.5-5 lbs.
• Your log objectively identifies a plateau when you fail to progress for 2-3 consecutive sessions.
• Log your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on a 1-10 scale to track effort, not just weight.
• A proper log tells you exactly what to lift before you even touch a weight, eliminating guesswork.
• For compound lifts like squats, add 5-10 lbs; for isolation lifts like curls, add 2.5-5 lbs.

What Your Workout Log Is Actually For

Knowing how to use a workout log to decide what to lift is the single biggest difference between someone who stalls for months and someone who makes consistent progress. You're probably logging your workouts now-jotting down exercises, weights, sets, and reps in a notebook or an app. But then what? You look at last week's numbers and guess. "I did 135 for 8... I feel pretty good, maybe I'll try 145?"

This is the critical mistake. Your workout log is not a diary to record history. It is a set of instructions for your next workout.

Its sole purpose is to enable progressive overload. That's the foundational principle of getting stronger and building muscle. It means doing slightly more over time. "More" can mean more weight, more reps, or more sets. Without a system to guide this process, you're just exercising, not training.

Think of it this way: a log that says "Bench Press: 150 lbs x 8 reps" is incomplete. A useful log entry provides a clear target for next time. It transforms random effort into a structured plan that guarantees you're always pushing for that tiny bit of extra work that forces your body to adapt and grow.

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The "Just Winging It" Method (And Why It Fails)

Let's be honest about what most people do. You walk into the gym, open your log, and see you did 3 sets of 8 on the dumbbell press with 50 lb dumbbells last week. You have no clear rule for what to do today. So, you either grab the 50s again or, if you feel ambitious, you grab the 55s.

This "go by feel" approach is why so many people get stuck. It fails for four specific reasons:

1. Progress Becomes Accidental, Not Intentional. You might get stronger, but it will be sporadic. On days you feel great, you might push yourself. On tired days, you'll do less. This randomness prevents the consistent, week-over-week stimulus your muscles need to grow.
2. You Leave Strength on the Table. More often than not, you are capable of lifting more than you think. Without a clear, objective target, you'll subconsciously default to what's comfortable. You might have been ready for the 55 lb dumbbells two weeks ago, but without a system telling you to move up, you stayed with the 50s.
3. It Creates Frustrating Plateaus. When you "wing it," you tend to repeat the same weights and reps for weeks or even months. You hit a wall and have no idea how to break through it because you have no data-driven strategy. You just keep trying the same thing, hoping for a different result.
4. It Increases Your Risk of Setbacks. Feeling amazing and jumping from a 185 lb squat to a 225 lb squat is a recipe for a bad day. A structured progression based on your log ensures you add weight incrementally, allowing your muscles, tendons, and nervous system to adapt safely. It prevents you from making ego-driven jumps that lead to failed lifts or injury.

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The 3-Step System: From Log to Lift

This is the simple, repeatable system that removes all guesswork. Follow these three steps for every exercise in your program.

Step 1: Set a Rep Range Target

First, for each exercise, define a target rep range for your working sets. This gives you a clear goal. Don't just write down "3 sets of 10." Use a range.

Good starting points are:

• For Strength Focus: 3 sets of 4-6 reps.
• For Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy): 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Pick one range for an exercise and stick with it. For example, you decide your Bench Press goal is 3 sets of 4-6 reps, and your Dumbbell Curl goal is 3 sets of 8-12 reps. Write this at the top of your log page for that exercise. This is your target.

Step 2: Apply the "2-Rep Rule"

This is the most important rule. It tells you exactly when you've earned the right to add weight.

The Rule: If you successfully hit the top number of your rep range on all working sets for two consecutive workouts, you increase the weight in the next session.

Let's walk through an example. Your goal for the squat is 3 sets of 4-6 reps. You're currently using 185 lbs.

• Workout 1: You get 6 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps. You did not hit 6 reps on all three sets. So, next week, you will use 185 lbs again and try to beat this performance (e.g., get 6, 6, 5).
• Workout 2: You get 6, 6, 6. Great! You hit your target. This is the *first* time.
• Workout 3: You get 6, 6, 6 again. This is the *second* consecutive time. You have now officially mastered this weight.
• Workout 4: It's time to add weight. You increase the load to 195 lbs. Your reps will naturally drop, maybe to 4, 4, 4. Now your goal is to work your way back up to 6, 6, 6 with this new weight.

This system creates a continuous cycle of progress. You master a weight, add a small amount, and work to master the new weight.

Step 3: Know How Much Weight to Add

Adding too much weight is a common mistake that breaks this system. The increase should be small and manageable. The goal is to add the smallest possible increment that still allows you to work within your target rep range.

Here are the standard rules:

• Upper-Body Compound Lifts (Bench Press, Overhead Press, Rows): Add 5 lbs total (2.5 lbs on each side).
• Lower-Body Compound Lifts (Squats, Deadlifts, Leg Press): Add 5 to 10 lbs total.
• Isolation Lifts (Bicep Curls, Tricep Extensions, Lateral Raises): Add 2.5 lbs or 5 lbs total. This is where micro-plates (1.25 lbs) are extremely valuable.

If you add weight and your reps fall below the bottom of your rep range (e.g., you only get 2-3 reps in your 4-6 rep range), the jump was too big. Reduce the weight slightly for your next set or next workout.

What to Do When You Get Stuck (Using Your Log)

Eventually, you will get stuck. Progress is never linear forever. Your log is the tool that tells you you're stuck and gives you a clear plan to get unstuck.

How Your Log Identifies a Stall

A stall isn't a feeling. It's a data point. You are officially in a stall if you fail to add a single rep or any weight to a specific exercise for 2-3 consecutive workouts.

Example: You've been trying to get more than 5 reps on your last set of 185 lb bench press for three weeks in a row, and you keep failing. Your log shows: 6, 5, 5... then 6, 5, 5... then 6, 5, 5 again. This is an objective stall. It's time for a strategic change, not just "trying harder."

The Data-Driven Deload

When your log confirms a stall, the answer is a deload. A deload is a planned period of reduced intensity to allow your body to recover and break through the plateau. Don't just take a week off. Use a strategic deload.

For the stalled exercise, reduce the weight by 10-15% for one week. Perform the same number of sets and reps. It should feel easy. This promotes recovery without losing your technique.

Example: Stalled at 185 lbs on the bench press. A 15% reduction is about 28 lbs. So, for one week, you would do your bench press with ~155 lbs. The following week, you return to 185 lbs, fresh and ready to break the plateau.

The Next Level: Logging RPE

Once you've mastered logging weight, sets, and reps, you can add one more data point: Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). This is a scale from 1 to 10 that measures how hard a set felt.

• RPE 10: Maximum effort, you could not have done another rep.
• RPE 9: You had exactly one rep left in the tank.
• RPE 8: You had two reps left in the tank.

Logging RPE provides crucial context. Lifting 225 lbs for 5 reps at an RPE of 7 is a much better performance than lifting it for 5 reps at an RPE of 9. If your RPE for the same weight and reps is climbing week after week, your log is warning you that fatigue is building up and a deload is needed soon, even before you officially stall.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I can't complete all my reps after adding weight?

That is completely normal and expected. If you add 5 lbs to your bench press and your reps drop from 10 to 7, you are now working in your 6-10 rep range. Your new goal is to work your way back up to 10 reps with this new weight.

How often should I change my exercises?

Only change an exercise if you have stalled on it for 3 or more weeks and a deload did not fix it. You should stick with the same core compound exercises for at least 8-12 weeks, as this is how you measure and drive true strength progress.

Should I log my warm-up sets?

No, only log your "working sets." These are the heaviest sets performed for your target rep range. Logging warm-up sets adds unnecessary clutter and doesn't help you decide what to lift in your next session. Keep your log clean and focused on the data that matters.

What's more important to increase: reps or weight?

Both are forms of progressive overload. Think of it this way: you increase reps to master a weight. Once you have mastered it (by hitting the top of your rep range), you increase the weight to start a new challenge. The weight on the bar is the primary driver of long-term strength.

My gym doesn't have 2.5 lb plates. What do I do?

If the smallest jump you can make is 10 lbs (a 5 lb plate on each side), you will need to work in a higher rep range before making that jump. Instead of adding weight when you hit 10 reps, you might wait until you can do 12 or even 15 reps before attempting the bigger weight increase.