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Starting Strength Logbook – Track Your Linear Progression
Log every rep so linear gains keep compounding
Why this matters
How to design a Starting Strength logbook that captures linear jumps, rest windows, and form cues so you never guess during the novice phase.
Linear progression works only when every workout is documented. This guide shows exactly what to track so your novice phase lasts as long as possible.
Session jump cadence
+5 lbs upper / +10 lbs lower
The default load increase every workout that only works when you log precisely.
Novice phase length
3–9 months
Most lifters can add weight every session this long with tight recovery notes.
Missed-rep clarity
100%
Every miss is tagged with rest, sleep, and cue notes so resets are data-backed.
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Why Starting Strength demands meticulous logging
Rippetoe’s system is brutally simple: add weight to the bar every workout. That simplicity is fragile when you don’t document the last load, rep quality, or cue that made it succeed. A dedicated logbook locks in the exact weight you hit, how it moved, and what needs to change next session.
The novice window is the fastest-growing period you’ll ever experience. Letting guesses creep in—was it 185 or 190 last time?—cuts the run short. Logging keeps every pound accountable.
Zero guesswork
Numbers, cues, and PRs live in one spread so progression remains linear.
Proof of effort
Looking back at filled pages shows how fast 5-lb jumps compound.
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Track when to modify, not just what you lifted
The novice LP moves through clear phases, but you only know when to advance if those phases are logged. Your book needs space to note when you first swapped deadlifts for cleans, when chin-ups entered the plan, and how recovery felt between heavy pulls.
- Phase 1 (2–4 weeks): Squat, bench/press, and deadlift every session.
- Phase 2 (1–3 months): Alternate deadlifts with power cleans as fatigue rises.
- Phase 3 (2–8 months): Add chin-ups and manage recovery between heavy pulls.
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Form notes become coach-ready feedback
Weights alone don’t tell the story. A Starting Strength coach wants to know what happened on rep four. A logbook column for cues—"knees out", "hips shot back", "bar drift"—turns the notebook into a conversation starter and accelerates technical fixes.
When you review a sticky lift, you’ll immediately see which cues worked and which didn’t, so your next session starts sharper.
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What to log every session
Starting Strength prescribes 3x5 for squat, bench, and press, 1x5 for deadlift, and 5x3 for cleans. Recording whether each set hit all five reps, which rep failed, and why is non-negotiable.
- Weight, sets, and reps: mark each set with a check or an "x" and note where a miss happened.
- Rest times: early weeks might need 2–3 minutes, but heavy sessions often demand 4–6. Write the actual rest so you can tie misses to rushed recovery.
- Bodyweight: log weekly so you know whether nutrition is supporting the run.
- Sleep and recovery: jot down hours slept, quality, and any stressors or missed meals.
- Technique cues: record the specific coaching phrases you used or need to remember next time.
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How long the novice phase lasts
Most lifters live inside linear progression for 3–9 months. Younger athletes with strong nutrition might squeeze out a year; returning lifters may exit sooner. Your logbook marks the moment resets repeat and when recovery can no longer keep up.
When you’ve reset a lift two or three times with no rebound, or you need more than 72 hours between sessions, the data shows it’s time to transition individual lifts to intermediate programming.
Transition isn’t failure
Logged resets prove the program delivered; it’s simply time for Texas Method or HLM.
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Starting Strength layout example
Your spread can mirror the A/B rotation. The left page logs Workout A, the right page logs Workout B, each with columns for exercise, sets x reps, weight, and notes. Beneath the grid, reserve lines for rest times, sleep, bodyweight, and cue callouts.
Include a weekly snapshot row so you can see Monday’s squat at 185, Wednesday at 190, and Friday at 195 without flipping pages. Context notes like "bench grip slipped" or "knees out cue dialed" make the progression actionable.
- Workout A grid: Squat 3x5, Press/Bench 3x5, Deadlift 1x5.
- Workout B grid: Squat 3x5, Bench/Press 3x5, Power Clean 5x3 or Deadlift 1x5.
- Sample log: Week 3 jumps from 185 to 195 on squat with checkmarks beside each set.
- Context row: rest duration, sleep hours, bodyweight, and standout cues.
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Build your custom Starting Strength logbook
Template your novice journey with pages designed for this exact program: bold weight columns, rest timers, cue boxes, and reset markers. Whether you print the book or use a PDF on a tablet, the layout keeps you focused on adding weight, not formatting pages.
A purpose-built logbook becomes the proof of work you show a coach and the audit trail you’ll reference when the novice phase ends.
Action checklist
Deploy it this week
Record every load jump
Write the previous session’s weight and the new target before you lift.
Log rest durations
Note actual minutes between sets so you can diagnose misses.
Capture cues and form notes
One line per set keeps technique front and center.
Track bodyweight weekly
Link nutrition trends to performance.
Mark resets and transitions
Circle any 5–10% drops so you know when intermediate programming is due.
Remember
3 takeaways to screenshot
- ⚡Linear progression thrives on precise, session-by-session logging.
- ⚡Rest, sleep, and cue notes explain every PR or miss.
- ⚡A structured logbook shows exactly when to advance to the next phase.
FAQs
Readers keep asking…
How many weeks fit in one logbook?
A layout with three sessions per week across 16–24 weeks covers 4–6 months of NLP and most novice timelines.
Can I add assistance exercises?
Yes—use a notes section to log chin-ups, back extensions, ab work, or arm finisher totals introduced in Phase 3.
What if I need to reset?
Log a 5–10% drop with the date, load, and reason. If a lift needs multiple resets without progress, the log makes it obvious that it’s time for intermediate programming.
Still with us?
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