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The Starting Strength Logbook Template: Mastering Linear Progression
Your logbook is not just a diary—it's a contract that tells you exactly what you must do to get stronger today.
Why this matters
Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength program demands perfect consistency: add weight to the bar every single workout. This guide shows how to track the Novice Linear Progression (NLP) and why a physical logbook is the novice lifter's best friend.
Linear Progression is fragile. It relies on perfect consistency. You cannot add 5 lbs to your squat on Wednesday if you forgot what you squatted on Monday. A logbook removes your feelings from the equation and shows you the objective data that drives rapid strength gains.
Novice phase length
3-6 months
Most lifters can add weight every session for 3-6 months with proper tracking and recovery.
Session jump cadence
+5 lbs per workout
The default load increase every workout that only works when you log precisely.
Consistency improvement
+34%
Lifters using structured logbooks complete more workouts vs. those relying on memory.
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The Mathematics of "Adding 5 Pounds"
If you have ever googled "how to get strong," you have found Mark Rippetoe. His seminal program, Starting Strength, is widely considered the gold standard for novice lifters. The premise is simple but brutal: master a handful of compound lifts (Squat, Press, Deadlift, Bench, Power Clean) and add weight to the bar every single time you step into the gym.
This concept is called Linear Progression (LP). However, Linear Progression is fragile. It relies on perfect consistency. You cannot add 5 lbs to your squat on Wednesday if you forgot what you squatted on Monday.
Starting Strength is built on an A/B split, alternating workouts three days a week. Workout A: Squat, Press, Deadlift. Workout B: Squat, Bench Press, Power Clean. The magic of the program lies in the 3x5 rep scheme (3 sets of 5 reps). If you successfully complete 3 sets of 5 reps at 200 lbs today, the program demands you attempt 205 lbs next time.
For the novice lifter, the logbook is not just a diary; it is a contract
It tells you exactly what you must do to get stronger today.
Section
Why Memory Fails the Novice
When you are new, "heavy" is subjective. 185 lbs feels heavy, and 190 lbs feels heavy. If you rely on your memory, you will inevitably repeat the same weight twice because it felt "hard enough" last time.
A logbook removes your feelings from the equation. It doesn't care if you feel tired. It shows you a number—205—and your only job is to hit it. This objective data is what drives the rapid strength gains seen in the first 3–6 months of training.
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Anatomy of a Starting Strength Log Entry
A Starting Strength log needs to be clean. You aren't doing supersets, dropsets, or circuit training. You are doing three big lifts, resting plenty, and going home. Your logbook page needs to track two specific things clearly: The Work Sets and The Warm-Up Ramp.
1. The Warm-Up Ramp
Rippetoe is famous for his specific warm-up protocol (Empty bar, 40%, 60%, 80% of work weight). Many beginners skip writing this down, which is a mistake. Tracking your warm-up sets ensures you don't accidentally fatigue yourself by taking big jumps, or waste energy by doing too many reps.
2. The 3x5 Work Sets
This is the core. You need three clear boxes for your work sets. Unlike other programs where you might aim for 8-12 reps, here you either hit 5, or you don't. The binary nature of the program (Pass/Fail) must be clear in your notes.
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Sample Logbook Layout: Workout A
Here is how a perfectly tracked Starting Strength session looks. Note the precision in the "Notes" section—this is where learning happens.
- Date: Monday, Oct 12 | Bodyweight: 185 lbs | Workout: A
- SQUAT - Target: 225 lbs (Last session: 220 lbs)
- Warm-up: 45x5x2 (Focus on hip drive), 95x5, 135x3, 185x2 (Last warm-up felt fast)
- Work Set 1: 225x5 (Hard, but good depth)
- Work Set 2: 225x5 (Knees caving slightly)
- Work Set 3: 225x5 (SUCCESS)
- OVERHEAD PRESS - Target: 105 lbs (Last session: 100 lbs)
- Work Set 1: 105x5, Work Set 2: 105x5 (Rested 5 mins before last set), Work Set 3: 105x4 (Fail - Bar got forward. Repeat 105 next time.)
- DEADLIFT - Target: 275 lbs (1 set of 5 only)
- Work Set 1: 275x5 (Grip is slipping. Use chalk next time.)
Section
Why Paper Beats Apps for Novices
In the Starting Strength community, there is a strong bias toward analog tools. Why?
1. The Learning Curve
As a novice, you are learning how to learn. You are learning how to rest 3-5 minutes without getting bored. You are learning how to brace your core. Fiddling with a shiny app interface distracts you from the internal cues you need to master the lift.
2. Visualization of the Stall
In a physical book, you can see your handwriting change as the set gets harder. You can circle a failed rep in red ink. This physical act of marking a "Fail" is psychologically powerful—it motivates you to eat more and sleep more so you can come back and conquer that weight on Friday.
3. Simplicity
Starting Strength is simple. Your tracking method should reflect that. You don't need graphs of your estimated 1RM or heart rate variability. You need to know if you added 5 pounds. Period.
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Create Your Starting Strength Logbook
Standard lined notebooks work, but they get messy fast. Drawing tables by hand every workout gets tedious, and eventually, you stop doing it. ForgeLogbooks allows you to build a custom logbook that perfectly matches the A/B split structure.
Recommended Build for Novices: Layout: Split Page (allows you to see two workouts side-by-side). Columns: Date, Exercise, Warm-up, Work Sets, Notes. Paper: Heavyweight (so ink doesn't bleed when you sweat on it). Add-on: Add a "PR Tracker" page at the back to list your milestones (e.g., "First 225lb Squat", "First 315lb Deadlift").
Action checklist
Deploy it this week
Record last session's weight
Write the previous workout's weight for each lift before you start.
Log warm-up sets
Track empty bar, 40%, 60%, and 80% warm-ups to avoid fatigue or wasted energy.
Mark work sets clearly
Use three clear boxes for your 3x5 work sets. Mark pass/fail immediately.
Note rest times
Especially as weight gets heavy, record rest duration between sets (e.g., "Rest: 5 mins").
Track bodyweight weekly
Log bodyweight each session to ensure nutrition supports progression.
Be honest about failures
If you got 3 reps instead of 5, write "3". Note why you failed in the notes section.
Remember
3 takeaways to screenshot
- ⚡Linear Progression is fragile—it requires perfect consistency that only a logbook can provide.
- ⚡A logbook removes feelings from the equation and shows objective data that drives rapid strength gains.
- ⚡Tracking warm-up sets prevents fatigue and wasted energy before work sets.
- ⚡The binary nature of 3x5 (Pass/Fail) must be clear in your notes.
- ⚡Paper logs beat apps for novices because they eliminate distractions and provide visual feedback on stalls.
- ⚡When you've stalled three times in a row, your logbook will tell you it's time for intermediate programming.
FAQs
Readers keep asking…
What do I write when I fail a rep?
Be honest. If you were supposed to do 5 reps but only got 3, write "3". Do not cheat the logbook. In the notes section, write why you think you failed (e.g., "didn't eat enough," "bad sleep," "lost focus").
How do I track micro-loading?
Eventually, 5lb jumps become too hard on the Press and Bench. You will need to buy 1.25lb "micro-plates." In your logbook, record the decimals: "102.5 lbs." Do not round up. Precision matters.
Should I track my rest times?
Yes, especially as the weight gets heavy. If you fail a set after resting only 2 minutes, it wasn't a strength failure; it was a fatigue failure. Note your rest times (e.g., "Rest: 5 mins") so you know to repeat that protocol next time.
When do I switch programs?
Your logbook will tell you. When you have stalled (failed to get 3x5) on a lift three times in a row, despite deloading and eating correctly, the Linear Progression is over. That is when you turn the page and start looking at intermediate programs like the Texas Method—but your logbook will make that decision for you.
How many workouts fit in one logbook?
A standard logbook with structured Starting Strength pages can fit 4-6 months of training (approximately 50-75 workouts), covering most of the novice linear progression phase.
Should I track assistance exercises?
Starting Strength focuses on the main lifts, but if you add chin-ups or other assistance work later in the program, log them in a separate section. Keep the main lifts as the primary focus.
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