5 Best Weight Lifting Journals in 2024

Weightlifting journals are great for both beginners and experienced professionals. They help you record your workouts, progress, and emotions throughout your lifting journey. Writing can be quite therapeutic too, so it can be helpful to write if you’re struggling. So what’s the best weight lifting journal? What should you look out for in a journal? I’ll discuss these and more in this article.

Top 5 Weightlifting Journals Reviewed

If you’re in the market for a weightlifting journal, also called a weightlifting notebook, it’s easy to get confused by the plethora of options on offer. Here’s a list of my top 5 journals for you. I’ll discuss each one in detail with focus on design, functionality, versatility, and price/quality. Here you go…

1. Workout Log Gym – Top Recommendation
2. Fitness Logbook – Runner up
3. NewMe Fitness Journal 
4. SaltWrap Planner 
5. Ultimate Fitness Journal

Product	Total	Design	Functionality	Versatility	Price/ Quality
Workout Log Gym	39	9	10	10	10
Fitness Logbook	38	9	10	9	10
NewMe Fitness Journal	36	10	8	9	9
SaltWrap Planner	35	8	10	8	9
Ultimate Fitness Journal	34	8	9	8	9

1. Top Recommendation: Workout Log Gym

The Workout Log Gym is my favorite lifting journal. It allows you to set goals and helps you track your progress till you achieve those goals. You can record up to 100 workout sessions and you get a full page per session to make a detailed report.

You can add up to 11 exercises per session, with more slots for recording tempo, rest periods, and warm up. It has 2 whole pages dedicated to recording your physical details and max reps to let you look back and appreciate your progress. Let’s have a look at some specific features…

• Print length: 8 in.
• Language: English
• Color: Charcoal gray, peach pink
• Format: Dated
• Material: Paper
• Item weight: 0.2kg
• Binding: Ring-bound
• Item dimensions(L×W×H): 8.27 × 5.91 × 0.71 in³
• Extra stuff included: Customizable with your logo

Design

With a simple cover design that comes in two colors, the log gym remains easy to use throughout. Made with size A5 paper, it’s big enough to accommodate all the information you need to put in and still portable enough to carry around with ease. Like most lifters, the log gym is simple and straightforward, all business and no messing about.

Functionality

The Workout Log Gym is amazing for beginners because it’s easy to navigate, and still amazing for experienced pros with its space for details. You get 100 days, with space for 11 exercises per session and other slots to record tempo, rest periods, and cardio exercises. Each of the exercises gets up to 5 sets too. It’s straightforward, detailed, and effective for keeping record and tracking progress.

Versatility

The Workout Log Gym is designed to serve no matter what kind of workouts you do. Although primarily meant for weightlifting, athletes with other movements can use it too. All you have to do is specify which movements you did, and the rest will fall right in place under it.

Price/Quality 

The Workout Log Gym is built to take as much punishment as you would expect a book to take, while remaining lightweight and easy to carry around. It’s not the cheapest journal on the market, but it provides amazing value for your money. It’s made completely from recycled paper to make it portable without compromising solidity and durability.

2. Runner up: Fitness Logbook

The Fitness Logbook is my second favorite journal for lifting. It's simple to use and built to last a long time. You can track your body measurements, record personal bests, set new goals, and track your progress with the Fitness Logbook. It also offers the extra feature of a workout app that can scan data from your Logbook and sync the information. It's easy to navigate and effective for whatever needs you may have.

• Print length: 8 in.
• Language: English
• Color: Black, berry, blue, emerald, white.
• Format: Dated
• Material: Paper (polypropylene cover)
• Item weight: 0.3kg
• Binding: Journal
• Item dimensions(L×W×H): 8.35 × 6.22 × 0.59 in³
• Extra stuff included: Nil

Design

The Fitness Logbook is designed to be as simple as possible for beginners to easily find their way, but also to be detailed so that you can effectively keep record and track progress.It comes in several colors including black, white, emerald, blue, and berry. It's simple but still elegant.

Functionality

As I've already mentioned, the fitness logbook is straightforward to use and effective for anything you might need it for. It has space for up to 150 workouts and comes in a convenient A5 size. You get up to 12 exercises per session with up to 6 sets per exercise.

You can also track up to 3 cardio exercises. You also get the liberty to get creative with blank pages meant for drawing tables, charts, or writing anything else of your choice. If you workout thrice a week, you get 50 weeks of use!

Versatility

The fitness logbook is more versatile than the previous journal. Its main versatility feature is the blank pages reserved for your personal use. There are no rules holding you back in these pages, instead you're encouraged to get creative so that your journaling experience will be as fun and fulfilling as possible.

Price/Quality

Made from thick 100 GSM paper with a polypropylene cover and steel binding, the fitness logbook is built for the long run. It's strong enough to take harsh treatment, but lightweight enough to be portable. It's cheaper than the previous journal, and offers ridiculous value for money.

3. NewMe Fitness Journal

The NewMe Fitness Journal comes third on my list of favorite lifting journals. It features nutritional facts and lets you track your diet for more than 2 months. It also gives you access to an online body-fat calculator to help you understand your needs. It's not as straightforward as the first two, but is full of useful information and eye-catching illustrations.

• Length: 14/24-inches
• Width: 4.45-inches
• Materials: Elastic/Cotton
• Color Palette: Varies
• Closure: Velcro

Design

This journal strays from the simple and straightforward trend of the first two. It has ample space for keeping records and tracking progress, but is also full of nutritional facts, body diagrams, and charts to help enhance your experience

Functionality

Despite the extra pictures and other visual references, the NewMe Fitness Journal remains simple to use and effective for setting goals and tracking progress. The extra feature of tracking your diet is also quite impressive.

Versatility

By incorporating both workouts and nutrition, the NewMe Fitness Journal has put together a premium package for health and fitness. Beginners especially often neglect diet in their quest for fitness glory. The NewMe is effective for keeping you on your toes to adhere not only to your physical regime, but the best diet as well.

Price/Quality 

It's made from hardcore, bleed-free paper to ensure durability. It also comes with a tough cover and a steel spiral bind to keep it together as long as you need it. It's more expensive than some on this list, but the extra information and features are enough to make it good value for your money.

4. SaltWrap Daily Fitness Planner

The SaltWrap Daily Fitness Planner is the most detailed journal on this list. You can keep steady records with the daily training and nutrition log. You can also measure your progress with a weekly check-in and plan for the coming week with a weekly planner. This is the perfect journal for keeping weight lifting training logs if you're a thorough and meticulous record keeper.

• Print length: 10 in.
• Language: English
• Color: Black
• Format: Dated
• Material: Paper (faux leather cover)
• Item weight: 1.61 lb.
• Binding: Spiral
• Item dimensions(L×W×H): 10.5 × 7.4 × 1 in³
• Extra stuff included: Nil

Design

The SaltWrap planner comes with a simple cover design, and continues with a standard layout throughout the journal. It's nothing stunning to look at, but it's built to minimize distraction and maximize efficiency.

Functionality

The detailed nature of this journal means you know exactly where you are and what you need to do to get to where you want to be. It tracks nutrition and training logs, and encourages you to plan ahead. It can be quite rewarding to build a journaling habit with the SaltWrap planner.

Versatility

Like the NewMe Fitness Journal, the SaltWrap planner pays attention to nutrition as much as physical training. It does, however, omit all the extra images and diagrams to ensure zero distraction.

Price/Quality

By far the most expensive on this list, the SaltWrap planner might seem too expensive. I assure you it provides excellent value for money, though. You get the most detailed look at your fitness training and dieting for 16 weeks. If you can afford it, It's a good way to spend money.

5. Ultimate Fitness Journal

The Ultimate Fitness Journal is the cheapest on this list. You would think this means it's stripped down and plain, but that's not the case. It's still detailed and well organized to help you keep record and track progress. Unlike the others, it lets you track progress by body part too.

• Print length: 8 in.
• Language: English
• Color: Black, purple, blue
• Format: Dated
• Material: Paper
• Item weight: 0.3kg
• Binding: Journal
• Item dimensions(L×W×H): 8.27 × 5.94 × 0.47 in³
• Extra stuff included: Nil

Design

You can get this journal in any of black, purple, and blue colors. It comes with an efficient design that can take all the details you need to record and track progress. From the simple cover design, you can already tell it's all business.

Functionality

This fitness journal allows you to record up to 100 workouts, which is more than several journals on this list. It lets you set goals, record your training activity, and track progress by specific area of your body. It also comes with a goal tracker to keep you accountable and make sure you're on the right path.

Versatility

You don't get any nutrition tips and information here, but it comes with some cool features too. Letting you track progress by body part allows you to get specific, and there's a blank space for notes where you can write down anything on your mind. You can talk about how you feel on tough days and celebrate wins on good days. It'll make for nostalgic reading later on.

Price/Quality

Being the cheapest on the list, this journal is packed full of value for you. It offers so many awesome features without denting your pocket. It's also lightweight but tough to give you a comfortable experience while lasting for a long time.

Benefits of Using Weightlifting Journals

Now you know what journals to go for, but you might not be completely sold on the idea of keeping a weight training journal in the first place. Here are some benefits that may change your mind.

✅ Accessibility/Ease to Use

Several people use high tech accessories to track their movements and progress, but many can't afford it. This is where journals come in. They're easy to get and use, but also effective. You also don't have to worry about anything with a journal, all you need is a pen and the willingness to write.

✅ Consistency Building 

Writing is said to be therapeutic, and I know it to be true. Sometimes you don't feel like getting up to workout, other times you're enthusiastic and full of energy. Writing down what you need and how you felt is an excellent way to stay consistent. Did you feel weak? Write it down. Were you especially energetic today? Talk about it. Someday you'll look back on everything you've written down with a smile on your face.

What to Look for in a Weightlifting Journal?

When shopping for a weightlifting journal, you want to make sure you get good value for money. Nobody wants to waste money, and the best way to avoid that feeling of regret is to make sure you pick the right journal. Here are some things to look out for…

1. Design

Don't judge a book by its cover, they say, but you would want to check out the design of your prospective journal. Simple and straightforward is usually the best because it removes distractions as much as possible. It's also important that it's a detailed journal so that you can effectively keep record and track your progress.

2. Functionality

Next thing you want to make sure of is functionality. How convenient is it for use? Is it too complicated and difficult to navigate? Will it take you a long time to fill in? What metrics does it track?

All these are questions you should be asking to ensure your journal is actually usable. You want a journal that doesn't take long to fill in accurately and isn't difficult to navigate. Remember that the more functional it is, the better your experience.

3. Price/Quality

Lifting journals are nice, but nobody wants to throw money away on something that won't last as long as it should. Pay attention to quality. What's the cover made of? What kind of binding was used? All these help guide you on whether or not to buy a journal.

FAQ

Are Fitness Journals Worth It?

Yes, absolutely! They help you set goals, keep record of what you're doing, and help you track your progress as you go. They're amazing for beginners and advanced lifters alike because there can be no progress without keeping records.

Is It Better To Have A Digital Or Physical Journal?

A digital journal is nice, but remember that it comes with all sorts of distractions too. Instead of picking up your phone to journal and drifting away to something else, it's best to stash your phone away and focus on your workouts. A physical lifting notebook lets you do that without any distraction.

Wrapping Up

The best weightlifting journal is the one you feel most comfortable using. Several journals will offer you similar features, but the ultimate choice is yours. Go for quality and functionality as much as you can. This will make your journaling experience as amazing as it can get. My top recommendation is the Workout Log Gym, but you can also go for any of the other options.

Now it's your turn. Which of the weightlifting journals caught your eye? What do you think about journaling itself? Is there anything I should've mentioned? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Also read:

• Best Wod Journals

References:

1. 19 Effective Cardio Exercises for a Gym-Free Workout// Verywellfit: https://www.verywellfit.com/step-by-step-cardio-exercises-for-home-workouts-1230827
2. Post-Workout Nutrition: What to Eat After a Workout // Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eat-after-workout