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New Year, New Logbook: How to Set Up Your Training Journal for 2027
The first pages of your new logbook set the tone for the entire year. Here is exactly what to write before January 1.
Why this matters
A step-by-step guide to setting up a new training journal for the year, covering front-of-book pages, goal setting, current maxes, and how to carry over data from last year.
A new training year deserves a new logbook. But do not just open to page one and start writing sets. The front-of-book pages you set up before your first training session determine how useful the logbook will be twelve months from now. Current maxes, training goals, measurement baselines, and a program plan belong in the first five pages. Here is how to set up each one.
Setup time
20-30 min
Setting up the front-of-book pages takes less than half an hour and pays off all year.
Front pages needed
5
Current maxes, goals, measurements, program plan, and abbreviation key.
Year-end review boost
10x
Lifters with a properly set up logbook produce dramatically better annual reviews.
Page 1
Page 1: Current Maxes and Starting Point
Write your current tested or estimated maxes for every main lift: squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, and any other lifts you prioritize. Include the date each max was set or estimated. If you are using a training max for your program, write both the actual max and the training max.
Below your maxes, record your current bodyweight, any relevant body measurements (arms, chest, waist, thighs), and how long you have been training consistently. This page is your starting line. At the end of the year, you will compare these numbers to your finishing point. The gap between them is your year's progress in black and white.
Page 2
Page 2: Goals for the Year
Write 3-5 specific, measurable goals for the training year. Avoid vague goals like 'get stronger.' Write targets: Squat 365 (currently 335), Bench 250 (currently 225), Deadlift 425 (currently 395). Base these on your actual progress rate from last year.
Add 1-2 process goals alongside the outcome goals. Process goals are things you control: 'Train 4x per week for 48 of 52 weeks' or 'Log every session with RPE' or 'Complete a weekly review every Sunday.' These are the behaviors that produce the outcomes.
Page 3
Page 3: Program Plan and Training Blocks
Map out your training year in blocks. You do not need every detail, just the structure. Example: January-March: 5/3/1 BBB (hypertrophy focus). April-June: 5/3/1 FSL (strength focus). July: deload and max test. August-October: Conjugate (variety). November-December: peaking for December meet.
This plan will change. That is fine. Write it in pencil or accept that you will cross things out. The value is having a roadmap that connects your daily training to a yearly trajectory. Without it, you drift from program to program without direction.
Pages 4-5
Pages 4-5: Abbreviation Key and Reference Charts
Write your exercise abbreviation key on page 4. List every exercise you commonly perform with its shorthand: SQ, BP, DL, OHP, BR, FSQ, RDL, etc. You will add to this list as the year progresses.
Page 5 is for reference charts. If your program uses percentages, write a percentage chart for your current training maxes. If you use RPE, write the RPE scale as a reminder. If you track bands or chains, note your inventory and estimated tensions. These reference pages save you from pulling out your phone mid-session to do math.
Carrying Over Data
What to Bring From Last Year's Logbook
Do not just shelve last year's logbook and start fresh with no connection to the past. Before your first session, spend 10 minutes with your old logbook and extract three things.
First, your ending maxes and bodyweight. These become page 1 of the new book. Second, any lessons or notes you wrote during your annual review. Copy the key findings onto a sticky note inside the front cover. Third, exercise abbreviations you developed last year. Copy the key so you do not reinvent your shorthand.
Your new logbook should feel like a continuation of the story, not a restart. The data from last year informs the goals and decisions of this year.
Action checklist
Deploy it this week
Write current maxes on page 1
Every main lift with the date. Include bodyweight and training max if applicable.
Set 3-5 goals on page 2
Specific numbers for lifts. 1-2 process goals you control (training frequency, logging consistency).
Map your year in training blocks on page 3
Rough outline: which programs, when, and what the focus is for each block.
Build your abbreviation key on page 4
Start with your 10-15 most common exercises. Add new ones throughout the year.
Remember
3 takeaways to screenshot
- ⚡The first 5 pages of your new logbook set the foundation for the entire year. Current maxes, goals, program plan, and reference charts belong here.
- ⚡Base your goals on your actual progress rate from last year, not aspirational numbers. Data-backed goals are achievable goals.
- ⚡Carry over key data from last year: ending maxes, annual review lessons, and your abbreviation key. Continuity beats starting from scratch.
FAQs
Readers keep asking…
When should I set up the new logbook?
The last week of December is ideal. Set up the front pages before January 1 so you can start logging on day one of the new year without setup friction.
What if I do not know my current maxes?
Estimate them from recent training data. If you hit 275x5 on bench recently, your estimated max is around 310. Note that it is an estimate, not a tested number, and plan a max test early in the year to get accurate numbers.
Should I buy a new logbook or keep using the current one?
If your current logbook has pages left, keep using it. A new year does not require a new book. But if you are starting fresh with a new program or want the psychological boost of a clean start, a new logbook is worth it.
How detailed should the program plan be?
Keep it high-level. Program name, approximate dates, and the focus for each block. You do not need to plan individual sessions for September in January. The plan is a roadmap, not a GPS route.
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