Log
How to Compare Workouts Without Losing the Context
A clearly labeled sample history shows what to compare across workouts and how to record changes in equipment, weight and repetitions.
By Adrien BlancUpdated
To compare two workouts, first find the same exercise, weight convention and comparable equipment. Then read the reps in each set. A heavier weight or a larger total records a change; the surrounding details help explain what changed.
Read the History Without Losing Individual Sets
The following history is entirely invented. It shows a dumbbell bench press with weight recorded per dumbbell. These are examples for reading a notebook, not customer results or a training program.
| Date | Weight per dumbbell | Reps | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2026 | 16 kg | 10, 9, 8 | Flat bench A |
| 8 September 2026 | 16 kg | 10, 10, 9 | Flat bench A |
| 15 September 2026 | 18 kg | 8, 7, 7 | Flat bench A |
| 18 September 2026 | 18 kg | 9, 8 | Incline bench B; stopped after two sets |
The first two entries use the same weight and number of sets. The total changes from 27 to 29 reps. You can describe that precisely: two more recorded reps at the same weight per dumbbell.
The third entry uses heavier dumbbells with fewer reps. Keep both facts. Summarizing only the rep count would hide the weight change.
The fourth entry changes the bench angle and set count. The incline variation deserves its own exercise entry. Comparing it directly with the flat bench press would mix two movements in one history.
Check Equipment and Settings
For a machine, record its name or a short identifier, followed by the settings you use. “Row, 40 kg” alone doesn’t tell you whether the machine, handle or unit changed.
When the equipment changes, start a new reference. Avoid rewriting old weights to make them fit the new machine. Your history should preserve what you recorded at each workout.
Clear weight and counting conventions matter even if you track only a few exercises. Switching from the weight of both dumbbells to the weight of one can otherwise look like a decrease that never happened.
Separate Planned, Completed and Unrecorded Work
An empty line means neither zero reps nor a completed set. A “3 × 10” target describes what you planned. If you stop a workout early, keep the sets you completed and add “stopped after two sets.”
In Log, the sets proposed for your current workout remain distinct from those you mark as completed. Read your saved workout history when comparing results, rather than a routine you haven’t performed.
If you no longer know an old value, keep that uncertainty in the note. Guessing a missing weight would make the next comparison less reliable.
Leave a Short Observation
A useful note about the sample history could be “same bench; two more reps at 16 kg” or “changed to 18 kg.” It describes the record without promising an outcome or deciding the next weight; for that decision, the article on progressive overload explains when to increase the weight.
For assisted exercises, the number represents assistance, which changes how you read it. The bodyweight, added weight and assistance guide explains how to keep those records distinct.
