Workout Chart Nomenclature
The Importance of Workout Charts
Workout charts enable repeatable equipment settings and objective evaluation of exercise performance over time. This is extremely helpful in determining the effectiveness of different applications of training principles for accomplishing an individual’s goals. Keeping detailed, accurate records of your workouts and goal-specific measurements will help you fine tune your training.
The amount of information I recommend tracking may seem excessive, but it is necessary for long term evaluation. You may not forget the repetition speed and range, machine settings, or type of bar you used to perform an exercise last week, but you might not remember months or years from now when you are reviewing old workout charts.
Equipment Settings
Consistent equipment settings are required for meaningful comparison of exercise performance between workouts since variations in positioning, alignment, and range of motion resulting from different settings can significantly affect the difficulty of an exercise. For example, the distance between the seat and the pedal is adjustable on some leg press machines. If this setting is not consistent between workouts, the exercise will be harder when the seat is closer and easier if it is further away.
Record equipment settings in the order they are most commonly performed. This enables easier recall when adjusting the equipment, reducing the need to refer back to the chart. This is important for personal trainers since it reduces the amount of time required to move clients between exercises and enables the trainer to focus more attention on the client and less on the workout chart.
For equipment with multiple settings it may also help to write a letter indicating what is being adjusted before the setting number.
Suggested Abbreviations for Common Equipment Settings:
- S - Seat Position
- B - Seat Back Position
- C - Chest Pad Position
- F - Foot Pedal Position or Position of Feet on Pedal
- G - Grip Position or Position of Hands on Grip
- T - Thigh Pad Position
- A - Movement Arm Position (Arms)
- L - Movement Arm Position (Legs)
- J- J-Hook Position on Squat or Power Rack
- P - Pin Position on Squat or Power Rack
- RT - Right
- LT - Left
On some selectorized strength training equipment the starting position of the exercise can be adjusted by placing the selector pin in the weight stack after moving the movement arm to the desired position. This is referred to as pinning-up or gapping the weight stack because it produces a gap between the top plate and the remainder of the weight stack, and is indicated on the workout chart by writing and circling the number of holes visible in the stack pin in that gap.
When using MedX machines, which have a unique compound weight stack design consisting of an upper 2-pound increment and lower 20-pound increment weight stack driven by the same stack pin, the selector pin must be placed in the upper weight stack before the lower weight stack is gapped and pinned. For example, if the workout chart indicates that the MedX chest press requires the weight stack to be gapped five holes and three hundred seventy two pounds of resistance is to be used, after the selector pin for the upper weight stack is placed in the twelve pound plate the movement arm is positioned so that five holes are visible in the stack pin between the top plate and the remainder of the lower weight stack. While holding the movement arm in this position, the selector pin for the lower weight stack is placed in the three hundred sixty pound position. If the desired resistance selection on a MedX machine is too low to select the second plate on the lower weight stack (less than 40 pounds), the weight stack can be gapped by placing the selector pin directly in the stack pin in the bottom hole in the gap.
Some MedX machines also allow the end of the ROM to be set by placing a selector pin in holes in the stack pin between the top plate of the lower weight stack and the intermediate stack plate that the upper weight stack rests on. Place the selector pin in the stop hole where it will abut the intermediate stack plate when the movement arm is in the desired end position. This is referred to as stopping the weight stack and is indicated on the workout chart by writing the number of the stop hole, counting from the top, and circling it twice. The weight stack is typically stopped after it is gapped so if both are performed the stop setting should be written second.
On any equipment that does not have labeled settings, count up from the lowest to the highest or from the closest to the furthest position. For example, when recording the position of J-hooks or safety pins on a power rack without numbered holes, count up from the bottom.
Exercise Names and Abbreviations
Exercise names should include whether barbells or dumbbells are used and if a bar what kind (barbell, dumbbell, EZ-curl, trap-bar, etc.) and the brand and line if a machine is used (Nautilus Nitro, Cybex Eagle, etc.).
When written in the performance box to indicate a substitution, the exercise name should be abbreviated to save space.
Recommended Abbreviations for Common Movement-Related Terms:
- EXT - Extension
- FLX - Flexion
- ROT - Rotation or Rotary (Single Joint)
- ABD - ABduction
- ADD - ADduction
- UG - Underhand (Supinated) Grip
- OG - Overhand (Pronated) Grip
- PG - Parallel or “Neutral” Grip
- MXG - Mixed Grip
- CPD - Compound (Multi-Joint)
- RT - Right
- LT - Left
Recommended Abbreviations for Common Equipment:
- BB - Barbell
- DB - Dumbbell
- TB - Trap Bar (AKA Shrug Bar)
- EZ - EZ-curl Bar
- CM - Cable Machine
If thick bars are used, the diameter should be written before BB, e.g. 2.5″BB.
Recording Exercise Performance
Record your standard repetition speed and repetition range or ranges at the top of your chart. When recording the repetition speed, write the average number of seconds you take to perform the positive, followed by the average number of seconds you pause in the fully contracted position on exercises where it is appropriate, followed by the average number of seconds you take to perform the negative, separated by forward slashes. If you use the standard Nautilus protocol, a 2 second positive, 1 second pause, and 4 second negative, you would record it as 2/1/4. If you pause at the starting position between reps, write the number of seconds for the pause after the negative.
When recording the repetition range, write the low and high numbers separated by a dash. If you use a single progression scheme, record your target rep count or time to failure. If you use a different repetition or time range or target for different exercises, record this after the name of each exercise in the exercise column of your chart.
The amount of weight used for an exercise and the number of repetitions or the time the exercise is performed for are recorded in the performance box, also referred to as the weight/repetitions box, separated by a forward slash. The performance box can include more information than just how much weight was used for an exercise and the repetitions performed or time to failure. The style of performance, use of advanced high intensity training techniques, exercise sequence, and more should be recorded.
The tilde character ~ can be written before the repetition count to indicate that a particular number of repetitions were almost performed, or after either the repetition count to indicate that the exercise was performed with poor form and that the weight should not be increased for the next workout even if the upper repetition guide number was achieved.
The plus sign + can be written after the repetition count to indicate that the exact number of repetitions performed is unknown, but more than the number written. The plus sign can also be used to indicate the use of set extension techniques such as forced reps or breakdowns. For example, if you performed 6 repetitions and failed on the 7th, then your training partner helped you perform an additional 2 forced reps, you would record 6+2FR in the repetitions section of the performance box.
If an exercise is performed, but the rep count is not known, record a check mark in the repetitions section of the performance box. If an exercise is skipped, record an X. Do not leave the performance box for an exercise empty for a workout.
A left parentheses ( drawn across the rows of two or more exercises indicates they should be performed as a pre-exhaust, double pre-exhaust, or super-set with no rest allowed in between.
If the exercises are performed out of the written sequence, the performance boxes for each exercise should be numbered in the order of performance in the upper right hand corner.
If an exercise is performed unilaterally, rather than recording the performance of the exercise in separate rows for the right and left sides, the rep count for each can be written in the same performance box divided by a forward slash.
The use of non-standard protocols or advanced high intensity training techniques should be recorded prior to the rep count or TTF.
Recommended Abbreviations for Common High Intensity Training Protocols and Techniques:
- BD - Breakdowns or “Strip Sets”
- FN - Forced Negatives
- FR - Forced Reps
- HY - Hyper
- MC - Max Contraction
- MR - Manually Resisted
- NA - Negative Accentuated
- NO - Negative Only
- RP - Rest Pause
- SC - Static Contraction
- SH - Static Hold
If more than one non-standard protocol or advanced technique is used during an exercise, record the number of reps performed using each protocol or technique separated by a plus sign +. For example, if you performed 7 Rest Pause repetitions followed by 2 negative-only reps, you would record 7RP+2NO in the repetitions section of the performance box.
Body Weight and Weight-Assisted Exercises
If body weight is used for resistance, it should be recorded in the resistance section of the performance box as BW. If a body weight exercise is performed with weight added or subtracted, as when using a dipping belt or weight vest or the Nautilus weight-assisted chin and dip machine, the weight should be written as BW+ or BW- followed by the weight added or subtracted. Body weight should be recorded at the bottom of the column for the workout, indicated by BW. It is important to record this for comparison since changes in body weight affect the total resistance used.
Set Duration or Time to Failure (TTF)
If using SuperSlow, Slow Burn or other protocols specifying a very slow repetition speed the time to failure (or finish), the duration of the set from the start to the point where either muscular failure is achieved or the set is ended, may be a more accurate measure of progress than the repetition count. The slower the movement speed the lower the “resolution” of the repetition count as a measurement. The performance of isometric high intensity training protocols like Max Contraction®, static contractions, and static holds should also be measured by time to failure.
When recording time to failure rather than a repetition count, record the number of seconds from the start of the exercise until the point of failure, whether it is concentric, static, or negative, depending on the protocol used. It is unnecessary to indicate whether the exercise was performed to concentric, static, or negative failure, since that is implied by the protocol or technique used. If the set is not performed to the point of muscular failure, record the number of seconds the exercise is performed.
I prefer the term Time to Failure/Finish to other commonly used terms for set duration because it is the most descriptive of what is being recorded during the exercise - the time from the beginning of the exercise until either muscular failure or the set is finished. I consider Time Under Load (TUL) to be inaccurate because during a set performed to muscular failure the muscles are still under load after muscular failure has been achieved. I consider Time Under Tension (TUT) to be inaccurate since there is always some degree of tension in the muscles, whether performing an exercise or not. Time to Concentric Failure (TCF), Time to Static Failure (TSF) or Time to Isometric Failure (TIF), and Time to Eccentric Failure (TEF) are all more accurate, but it is usually unnecessary to distinguish between them since the protocol used implies the type of muscular failure achieved. The acronym TTF conveniently addresses both sets performed to the point of muscular failure and sets that are ended before failure occurs.
Not to Failure (NTF) Sets
If you normally perform exercises to failure and an exercise is not performed to failure record NTF after the repetition count or set duration.
Other Recommendations
Use a clip board - they’re easier to write on. Storage clipboards are relatively inexpensive and can hold extra workout charts, a stopwatch, mechanical pencils, your car keys, smaller training gear like straps and grippers, etc.
Use high quality mechanical pencils - unlike regular pencils the tips won’t dull or break off leaving you with nothing to write with in the middle of your workout, and most have a pocket clip that can be attached to the workout chart. You can also purchase velcro tabs that can be used to attach a mechanical pencil to your clip board.
Print your workout charts on heavy card stock to better resist wrinkling and tearing.
In addition to keeping a progress chart, a detailed training and nutrition journal can be invaluable in setting and achieving goals and evaluating your training over time.
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