Free Workout Log Template (Printable PDF + Spreadsheet)

A workout log only needs to do one job: show you the number to beat. If you can see what you lifted last time, you know whether to add a rep or a few pounds today, and that's how you get stronger.

The short answer: download the free printable workout log (PDF) or the spreadsheet version (CSV for Google Sheets and Excel). Each row is one exercise: write what you did last time first, then each set as weight × reps. When every set reaches the top of your rep range, add weight next session. Page 2 of the PDF is a filled-in example.

Both files are free, need no email address and are yours to print, copy or edit.

What's in the free workout log template

The printable PDF is one US Letter page per workout (it prints fine on A4 too). It has room for 9 exercises with up to 4 working sets each. The columns are:

The grey Last time column is the part most templates skip, and it's the most useful one. Without it you're flipping back through pages between sets trying to remember what you did on incline press two weeks ago. With it, the number to beat is right next to the box you're about to fill in.

At the top of the page there's space for the date, the workout name (Push A, Legs, Upper 1), your bodyweight and your units.

How to fill in a workout log

1. Before your first set, fill in "Last time." Copy last session's working sets for each exercise. This takes a minute and saves you guessing mid-workout.
2. Set a target. If last time you hit 135×10, 9, 8, today's target is one more rep somewhere: 135×10, 10, 8 is progress.
3. Write each set as weight × reps. "140×10" is faster than separate weight and reps boxes and easy to read later. For dumbbells, write the weight of one dumbbell ("50s").
4. Log working sets only. Warm-ups don't need to be beaten next time, so they just clutter the page.
5. Add a note when something changes. A new grip, a bad night's sleep, a twinge in your shoulder. Two words now explain a bad week later.

Page 2 of the PDF shows a bench press day filled in this way.

A worked example: 7 bench sessions in a log

Here's what a log looks like when you use double progression: pick a rep range (here 3 sets of 8–12), add reps at the same weight, and add 5 lb (about 2.5 kg) once every set hits 12. Estimated 1RM uses the Epley formula, weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30), on the best set of the day.

Three things the log shows you that memory won't:

• Progress before the weight moves. Sessions 1 to 4 all use 135 lb, but total reps climb from 27 to 36. Without a log, those four workouts feel identical.
• When to add weight. Session 4 is the signal: 12, 12, 12 means every set topped the range, so session 5 goes up to 140.
• A dip after a jump is normal. Session 5's estimated max (186.7 lb) is lower than session 4's (189.0 lb), because adding weight costs reps. Two sessions later it's at a new best of 196.0 lb. If you only looked at session 5, you'd think you got weaker.

Want more on rep ranges, how much weight to add and spotting a real plateau? See how to track progressive overload.

The spreadsheet version (Google Sheets and Excel)

If you'd rather type than write, use the spreadsheet template. It's one row per set with these columns:

Date · Workout · Exercise · Set · Weight · Unit · Reps · Reps left (RIR) · Estimated 1RM · Notes

The Estimated 1RM column already has the formula in it, so it fills in as soon as you type a weight and reps. Two example rows show the bench sessions 4 and 5 from the table above.

To open it in Google Sheets: go to sheets.google.com, create a blank sheet, then File → Import → Upload, pick the file and choose "Replace spreadsheet." Leave "Convert text to numbers, dates, and formulas" ticked so the 1RM formula works.

To open it in Excel or Numbers: just open the file. Then save it as .xlsx (or a Numbers file) so your edits and formatting stick.

If you build your own sheet instead, these are the three formulas worth having (row 2, with weight in column E and reps in column G):

Add a filter on the Exercise column and you can see every bench set you've ever logged, in order. That's the spreadsheet's big advantage over paper: searching and charting.

Paper vs spreadsheet vs app

All three work if you use them every session. The trade-offs are practical:

A paper log is the best way to start if you don't like your phone in the gym. The cost shows up after a few weeks: every session starts with copying last time's numbers, and you can't see a trend without drawing it yourself. That copying step is exactly what an app does for you.

Logging the same workout in Liftly

If you want the template's system without the paper, here's how the bench day above works in Liftly:

1. Open the exercise. Last session's weight is already filled in, and last time's reps show as grey hints in each box, so the "Last time" column takes care of itself.
2. Log your sets. Change the weight or reps where you beat last time. When you're repeating a session, "Same as last time" fills last time's numbers in for you.
3. Beat it and see it. Liftly flags a PR when you hit one and charts your estimated 1RM for every lift, so sessions 1–7 above show up as a line going up. Logging is free and works offline.

With Liftly Pro you also get a suggested weight for your next workout once you hit your reps (for example +5 lb on a barbell lift) and a rank for every muscle from Newbie to GOAT, based on your strength for your bodyweight. To see where your numbers stand, check how much you should bench for your weight.

FAQ

Is there a free workout log template?

Yes. The printable PDF and the spreadsheet version on this page are free, with no sign-up. The PDF has a blank page and a filled-in example; the spreadsheet calculates your estimated 1RM for every set.

What should a workout log include?

At minimum: the date, the exact exercise, the weight and reps for every working set, and what you did last time. A short note on how hard the last set felt (reps left in the tank) helps you decide when to add weight.

How do I make a workout log in Google Sheets?

Import the spreadsheet template above (File → Import → Upload), or make columns for Date, Exercise, Set, Weight and Reps, then add =ROUND(E2*(1+G2/30),1) for estimated 1RM. Use a filter on the Exercise column to see one lift's history.

Should I log warm-up sets?

No. Log the working sets you want to beat next time. Warm-ups change from day to day and make it harder to see your real progress.

Is a workout log book better than an app?

A log book is great if you want your phone away, and it's free. An app is faster for the parts a book makes you do by hand: finding last time's numbers, spotting PRs and charting your progress. Many lifters start on paper and switch once they're tired of flipping pages.

How often should I add weight?

When every set hits the top of your rep range, add the smallest step your gym allows: about 5 lb (2.5 kg) on upper-body barbell lifts and 5–10 lb (2.5–5 kg) on squats and deadlifts. Beginners often add weight every week; after the first few months it slows down, which is when a log matters most.