Do you have a pre-planned workout for each day or just go by feel ?

[GiZZmo]

A little thing called memory. Crazy sh*t, I know.

Lmao. BRILLIANT!!!!

[ZoranM]

I track nothing on paper.
Hth.

[23ViciousV]

hell yeah, I have a little routine I been following in my notes on the iphone for the last two months it gives me a little structure. I used to be that guy that would be like what haven't I trained yet, chest & tris?... went to the gym got a good pump on an off day and said good enough, now I just follow the sets and its a lot harder to cheat yourself plus I been seeing more gains than ever before... wonder why

[jd2967]

I do whatever I feel like doing that day.

Edit: Some clarification, I use a much smaller variety of exercises than most programs would have you use. I generally do several low-rep, heavy sets of my main compound exercises. For most isolation movements I'll do one or two big drop sets. I usually end up doing some form of heavy squat four times a week, heavy push/press three times a week, and heavy pulls twice a week. I do things like arms, calves, hamstring curls, raises, bodyweight pullups, etc as I feel like. No cardio and no direct ab work.

[Kwonj]

Usually when I do a workout really quick before work, after school - I just go with the feel. But I have a few days of the week where I workout for 2+ hours and that's where I plan out my circuits and follow it perfectly. Coarse, in these 2 hour workouts I also do some running/sprinting so that takes up a small block of the time bracket. I usually either plan for "upper body" or "lower body".

[CookAndrewB]

A little thing called memory. Crazy sh*t, I know.

You are a better man than me if you can remember all that stuff. I can barely remember what I had for breakfast by the time I go to bed, let alone what weights I used for warm ups, etc. I have years worth of training logs on a shelf in my gym. Tons of data that I can access and analyze when I'm tweaking my training. That is a very valuable tool, IMO. Memory doesn't even come close to that. I take a lot of training notes beyond just the weight on the bar. Special set ups for bands/chains, heights of box squats, whether I wore a belt/wrist wraps for a set, times to complete workouts... it might make me obsessive, but all of that data is important to me. I can also see rest days, reasons for taking a day off, if I was training with an injury, what rehab I did to fix it, etc. When I look back at past workouts, I want to really understand what was going on during that workout.

[chazzy1864]

You are a better man than me if you can remember all that stuff. I can barely remember what I had for breakfast by the time I go to bed, let alone what weights I used for warm ups, etc. I have years worth of training logs on a shelf in my gym. Tons of data that I can access and analyze when I'm tweaking my training. That is a very valuable tool, IMO. Memory doesn't even come close to that. I take a lot of training notes beyond just the weight on the bar. Special set ups for bands/chains, heights of box squats, whether I wore a belt/wrist wraps for a set, times to complete workouts... it might make me obsessive, but all of that data is important to me. I can also see rest days, reasons for taking a day off, if I was training with an injury, what rehab I did to fix it, etc. When I look back at past workouts, I want to really understand what was going on during that workout.

I rmember my sets/reps/weights until I get home, then I update my journal on here. I didnt' mean I memorize everything for my entire life. I just don't need to bring a pen/paper in the gym with me.

But I also don't go near into the depth that you do. But I will jot down my feeling and my general notes for each exercise as well.

[wwarrior2469]

I rmember my sets/reps/weights until I get home, then I update my journal on here. I didnt' mean I memorize everything for my entire life. I just don't need to bring a pen/paper in the gym with me.

But I also don't go near into the depth that you do. But I will jot down my feeling and my general notes for each exercise as well.

Feelings?

[neklobomex]

A little thing called memory. Crazy sh*t, I know.

cool

I've got to look into that

[CookAndrewB]

I rmember my sets/reps/weights until I get home, then I update my journal on here. I didnt' mean I memorize everything for my entire life. I just don't need to bring a pen/paper in the gym with me.

But I also don't go near into the depth that you do. But I will jot down my feeling and my general notes for each exercise as well.

I don't suspect many people go into the depth that I do. I have a bit of training OCD, which is still better than training ADD according to Rippletoast.

Honestly, I think most people think it is enough to remember their max weight from the workout before, and I really don't agree with that. It becomes very hard to compare apples to apples if you can't get your hands on a little more information than "I benched 200lbs yesterday, today I'll do more."

[SwagMorris]

I know what muscles I want to train, and what exercises I prefer to train those muscles, and I have PRs in mind that I would like to set with those exercises. That's as far as I go. If I don't feel like going for a certain PR, working a certain muscle, feel like doing a different exercise, then I do it. I'm a "go with the flow" kind of guy.

[SeamusVega]

Yep. I made up a slideshow with my entire workout program on it, then loaded it onto my iPod. Now when I'm working out I just bring up the day and my program is there in front of me. Including how much I lifted the week before. Helps me keep track.

[DJAuto]

I follow a set plan. The body thrives on structure.

[chazzy1864]

I follow a set plan. The body thrives on structure.

Incorrect. It thrives on confusion.

[TheFuzz1290]

Incorrect. It thrives on confusion.

I do have to quote Tony Horton though, "How do you know where you're going if you don't know where you've been?"

I have 2 planned workouts whenever I walk into the gym. My primary workout is one that falls in line with the day (like back day after chest day), however depending on what equipment is being used, I always have a secondary workout. Without structure, you can't really track your progress.

[epicstory]

i always step into the gym knowing what muscle groups im working out. from there on out if ur an experienced lifter u dont need to pre-plan your workout imo, you'll be able to go with the flow at that point. of course pre-planning/tracking workouts it the best way to ensure that ur making gains all around

[qoohhlt]

Lolz maybe I should start an statical excel on how my muscle stock go up or flat

[doinmiabs]

There's always a plan each workout...but...they 'can' go astray depending on factors such as how I slept the night before and how crowded the gym might be that night. The beautiful thing about working out 5 or 6 days a week is that what you put off today you can do tomorrow.

As far as paper and pen and keeping track of lifts, calories, grams of this and that, etc Umm....nah!

[cory2731]

a failure to plan is a plan for failure.

[blitz042000]

I set up work out routines based on my goals. It is easier to track progress and I know what I have to do going into the gym so I allow myself the right amount of time.

[kenethleclair]

building a body is like building a house...you gotta have a plan...so ditto this!

Yes, set plan...months in advance provided I hit my reps each week.

Your plan is what is known as phuckarounditis.

Most would find going by feel hard to make and track progress.

[TheStreetKing]

I go into the gym with a set routine every training day, However your not going to always be able to increase Reps/Weight or both every workout! Then i go by feel on those days, You cannot gain 10lbs on the bench press every month for 5 years in a row if you could you'd be bench pressing over 700lbs! Have a Plan/Routine and go from there and if you feel like you didn't train enough or hard enough do more! Bodybuilding is a mental game, If your mind is not in it 100% your gonna fail miserably. Remember bodybuilding isn't about how much you bench or squat, Its about how good you look in the mirror unless of course your a hybrid who likes to train both styles which i love to do. Every beginner should be on a routine as far as i'm concerned!

[gycgordon]

A little thing called memory. Crazy sh*t, I know.

advancements in smartphone technology > pen and paper

[Hengman]

Both...sometimes I have to change exercises or the order because people are occupying a bench, rack, etc...

I go by feel for the reps though. Now I'm around 6-8 reps for most of the major exercises.