Forget Whoop, Apple, Garmin, and all the rest when it comes to lifting weights, I've never found a better solution than a spreadsheet

Date:
Mon, 04 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Description:
As a fitness tech editor, I can personally attest that all the fitness
gadgets in the world can't replace a spreadsheet when it comes to logging weight training.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter I love testing new fitness
tech. Im fascinated by data and metrics, from heart rate to stride cadence during runs, to sleep scores and how theyre aggregated. I wouldnt be in a job testing the best smartwatches and fitness apps if I werent interested in how we as athletes measure progress.

For months now, Ive been making a concerted effort to wind down running (a bit) and increase my strength, testing plenty of gadgets and apps along the way. Whoops workout-building software, for example, is exemplary, as is PUSHs AI-powered plateau-busting workout programming . Thousands of apps and
gadgets clamour for space in my inbox, offering to make programming easy or take the load off so I can focus on what matters. The thing is, I never use any of them for very long, at least during gym workouts. Sure, I might hit
the functional strength training workout profile on my Apple Watch Ultra 3
and use segments to track my rest periods, but when it comes to measuring progress, I never stay with any of the above solutions longer than my
required testing period. Article continues below You may like I swapped my phone for a running watch for a month here are 5 key differences for novices Why Fitbit's Whoop-style tracker is a better fit for the brand than a smartwatch The Apple Watch's most innovative running feature is one you've probably never used

What I have been using instead is something decidedly lower-tech. I write
down my lifts between sets on a notes app, and pop them in a spreadsheet once Im done. (Image credit: 123RF) The spreadsheet has several tabs, one for each workout (push, pull, legs, etc.). On the first column, I put the weeks of my program week 1, week 2, and so on. Across the top, I list movements, from compound (squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, and so on) to isolation (leg curls, bicep curls, etc.). I often switch things up by marking each move (1) or (2), meaning they can be performed on alternate weeks.

In the correct cell of the spreadsheet, I pop the number of kilograms I lifted, times the number of reps, times the number of sets. A cell in my single- arm row column might look like this: (22kgs x5) x3, (24kgs x5) x2.

No AI workout platform has come close to the staying power of this method; while wearables can track your cardio load, calories burned, and effort expended with a reasonable degree of accuracy, Ive never found an interface
on my phone that makes inputting weights easier than my current method, and
is intuitive to track metrics over time. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Below, Ill tell you five simple reasons why the master spreadsheet is something Ill likely continue to keep for the rest of my gym-going career. (Image credit: Future / Matt Evans) 1. It's free No $9.99 / 8.99 / AU$14.99 monthly subscription to power an algorithm, and no ads on a free version. I use Google Sheets, but most laptops and even phones have a pre-loaded spreadsheet application available, whether you use Google, Microsoft , or Apple productivity suites. 2. It's flexible Gyms are busy places, and even though your app says you need to start with the bench press today, perhaps every station is taken by lifters who show no sign of leaving anytime soon.
Do you go into the app and change your program, scroll through the corresponding movement libraries to find something that is available? Do you do a different session, or just swap out your first lift? What to read next Amazfit Helio Strap vs Polar Loop vs Whoop 5.0: Which should you buy? Best spreadsheet software of 2026 The best fitness trackers 2026

Sure, many apps allow you to use a search functionality in an attempt to make things easier, but its still wasting time on your phone during workout selection time, and often the moves are named something different, or the
apps library is incomplete.

Without the rigidity of an apps structure, youre free to change your workout but still able to log your lifts via the spreadsheet. Youll naturally end up with a notation form on the sheet that makes the most sense for you: I put several compound lift options into each session.

During push sessions, I can choose to start with either barbell bench press (I've marked it 1 in my "push" workout tab) or barbell overhead press (which I've marked 2) as my principal compound lift, and if I do the barbell version of one, I follow it up with the dumbbell version of the other. I aim to alternate each week to ensure each muscle group is hit properly, but it
offers me pragmatic flexibility. (Image credit: Getty Images / Francisco Javier Mares Guardiola) 3. You can tailor it to any program Found a cool workout program online you want to try? No need to download a proprietary app or ditch your old one. Simply create a new tab, change the header columns and rows to reflect the program youve chosen, and away you go. 4. You engage with your workouts in a more intentional way How do you do, fellow kids Im friction-maxxing! The phenomenon known as friction-maxxing is, like all the -maxxing derivations, a new word for an old concept. We have become so easily distracted, bombarded with instant-access, low-quality content and
information so readily available, that were trying to redevelop our
tolerances for minor inconveniences to engage with pastimes in a more intentional way.

The technology industry is awash with solutions without problems, and
attempts to move analog hobbies into a digital, algorithmically-controlled space. Sometimes its nice to resist. While I jot down notes on my phone
during rest periods, making time to open my laptop and log my daily lifts encourages me to engage with and reflect on my results and my exercise
without as many notifications or distractions.

This short period of work and reflection helps me to look at my progress (or lack of), and act accordingly. If Ive consistently marked down some failed sets in my dumbbell flys when I try and increase the weight (which, admittedly, I have), I can take a moment to dive into bodybuilding forums, hobby blogs, or YouTube to see what the community recommends. 5. It's easy to chart your progress Its all there for you on your big computer screen: your last eight weeks or whatever of lifting, and that data is all yours.

Have you increased your dumbbell bench press by 5kgs throughout all your
sets? Youll be able to scroll through the entries you wrote for that move and see the numbers go up, be they sets, reps, or weights. You won't get interactive graphs, however, unlike an app (unless you really like plotting your data manually). Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/forget-whoop-apple-garmin-and-all-the -rest-when-it-comes-to-lifting-weights-ive-never-found-a-better-solution-than- a-spreadsheet


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