Do you keep a log of your training?

[Veater]

I was wondering if anyone keeps a log of their training. Perhaps you use a diary or a journal, or are registered with an online site which tracks it for you? I know that you can get apps that do the trick too. But some people might prefer to just use their instincts to monitor their progress.

What do you do?

 

[sharkantropo]

Of course. When I had a training habit for anaerobics and aerobics workouts. This is how I kept track of my progress:

• Fill out each section of the log each day to get the full benefit.
  
• Wrote the date (day of week, month, day, year) and time of workout in the appropriate sections.

• Write down in the section marked "Cardio" when completed.
  
• Mood: Somedays I have zero disposition to workout. I wrote these days down to see how can I make up for his in the future.
  
• Exercise: name of the exercise I am performing.
  
• Set #1, Set #2, etc.: Wrote the weight and reps that I did for the first set here. If I did 200 pounds for 10 reps, simply wrote "200 X 10".

• Length Of Workout: Write down how long the workout took from start to finish.
  
• Comments: How did the workout go? What happened that was interesting? Learn anything? Wrote it all here!
  
• How much miles was the ride and location.

 

[Froze]

No, I want to ride for fun and fitness without all the headaches, if I did all that tracking stuff than cycling becomes a chore, a job, and I don't want that right now. I keep my basic stuff like mileage, speed, interval training stuff in my head.

 

[SkerleeWerg]

I just started riding again this weekish, so no lol Great suggestion though, but I'm not really you know, training training. Just getting back into the swing of things, suppose it wouldnt hurt to take a few notes though.

 

[neednoexcuse]

I think the log is one of the most important things that you should keep. I always keep a log of my training sessions.

 

[neednoexcuse]

No, I want to ride for fun and fitness without all the headaches, if I did all that tracking stuff than cycling becomes a chore, a job, and I don't want that right now. I keep my basic stuff like mileage, speed, interval training stuff in my head.

I don't think logs are 'headache'. I can't believe you train without keeping a log. I think you should start keeping a log.

 

[Corzhens]

I am not in training for my riding is for pleasure and health only. But I used to log my rides when I first started to join riding groups. I would time myself when I join and take note of when I left the group (usually to go home). That is not really training but sort of since I wanted to keep track of my riding if I am gaining ground. Included in the log is my stamina if I felt tired or very tired. Sometimes I read the log at night and it excites me with the challenge of the thought that I can still improve.

 

[Froze]

I don't think logs are 'headache'. I can't believe you train without keeping a log. I think you should start keeping a log.

I hear you, and when I use to race we did all of that, and because we did all of that I have an ok brain, not the best brain in the world, but ok enough for me to keep a log in my brain. At this point and time I don't want to come home and spend another 30 minutes or so downloading stuff and reviewing stuff, to me that's work and I don't want that in my cycling life at this time. If I decide, and this a big IF, to go back into racing, which will only happen when I retire if it happens at all, then I'll consider getting a bike computer that does that sort of thing and keep a track of stuff because then I'll be retired and that will be my new job. Right now I have to many jobs, I have my regular job and I have my property business job and I just don't want to add another.

I doubt if that makes sense to anyone, it's just how I'm wired.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Online with Garmin and STRAVA, on the cloud with Bike Journal, hard drive w/DVD backup using BikeLog 2.0 and day planner.

 

[neednoexcuse]

I hear you, and when I use to race we did all of that, and because we did all of that I have an ok brain, not the best brain in the world, but ok enough for me to keep a log in my brain. At this point and time I don't want to come home and spend another 30 minutes or so downloading stuff and reviewing stuff, to me that's work and I don't want that in my cycling life at this time. If I decide, and this a big IF, to go back into racing, which will only happen when I retire if it happens at all, then I'll consider getting a bike computer that does that sort of thing and keep a track of stuff because then I'll be retired and that will be my new job. Right now I have to many jobs, I have my regular job and I have my property business job and I just don't want to add another.

I doubt if that makes sense to anyone, it's just how I'm wired.

Well, I don't think keeping a log is as difficult as you think. You are thinking it as a hard job but it will take less time than you think. It's really not a 'job' that you call it. The time that you spend in making and managing a log is worth it in my opinion. Many people do it and keep it as a standard record of their training sessions.

 

[9lines]

I never used to track my training sessions till I learnt about it's advantages. A training journal has helped me maintain my training pattern which has improved my competitiveness. It has also made me to be confident whenever I train, with the aim of becoming the best. One is also motivated whenever they keep a training log. It is really important for every cyclist to keep a training log.

 

[zipp2001]

I've kept a training and racing log since I started in 1979 and I'm old school and have it in written form in several binders. I do have a general log in spreadsheet form that just has basic info, where my paper log is more detailed per ride. In my racing days it was a very useful tool, and it still has it's benefits in my older years. Besides its good to sit down on a stormy day and look back once and a while and think back to some of my fun races and old riding partners.

 

[gontxo_nos]

I use Garmin Connect and Strava. Now, I have a Blog where I post all my training .

 

[Chris T]

I was wondering if anyone keeps a log of their training. Perhaps you use a diary or a journal, or are registered with an online site which tracks it for you? I know that you can get apps that do the trick too. But some people might prefer to just use their instincts to monitor their progress.

What do you do?

Yes definitely keep a log of my training. Just mark it on the wall planner , the old fashioned way.

 

[Felt_Rider]

I suppose I would count WKO 3 as the main training log, but I also log on my blog, uploads to WKO 4, Strava Premium, Garmin Connect and Xertonline. Most of these automatically sync to the other applications so I am not actually spending much time uploading data.

Most of these are just to evaluate different training applications.

During my years of competing in lifting I kept hand written logs. It was always helpful to look back at what I was eating and various milestones.

 

[glenncz]

I have a spreadsheet where I keep track of weekly, monthly and total mileage. Along w/ distance for all rides, and then mph and ascent and ascent ft/mi for many of my rides. Then I have another table where I keep course records for about 15 major rides that i do. i use mph as the baseline, not time to track all my rides. The i have another spreadsheet where I have a table for years and months so i can compare how i'm doing to prior years.

 

[pedalbiker]

I was wondering if anyone keeps a log of their training. Perhaps you use a diary or a journal, or are registered with an online site which tracks it for you? I know that you can get apps that do the trick too. But some people might prefer to just use their instincts to monitor their progress.

What do you do?

I race at a pretty competitive level, but I don't keep a log or anything. I did have all my power files, but have lost even those.

At some point you've trained enough that you know what works and what doesn't. I don't need to look back at what I've done in the past to know what I need to do in the future. Besides, it's not wholly relevant anyway. What would work back then isn't going to provide the same stimulus now. I have another season in my legs with thousands more miles and hundreds more workouts. I also have new responsibilities outside of cycling that I have to account for. My training is fluid and dynamic and has to be or I wouldn't do it anymore.

If I do exactly what I did two years ago, the most I'd expect is to reach the same level with the possibility of being at an even lower level due to a lower stimulus. Instead I take this last season's race performances and figure out where I could improve and plan out ways to do that.

 

[LeeW]

Hey there,

I totally get what you're saying about knowing what works and what doesn't based on your past experiences. As a dedicated cyclist myself, I've found that sometimes it's better to trust your instincts and what you've learned from previous training and racing.

That being said, I do think keeping a log or some sort of record can be helpful in tracking progress and identifying patterns or trends in your performance. Even if you don't refer back to it constantly, it can be a useful tool for reflecting on your journey and seeing how far you've come.

Of course, it's also important to remember that what worked in the past might not necessarily work in the future, as you mentioned. Our bodies and abilities change over time, and it's important to adapt and adjust our training accordingly.

In any case, keep up the great work and keep pushing yourself! It's clear that you have a lot of experience and knowledge when it comes to cycling.

Cheers,
LeeW