A training log can become so detailed that recording it interrupts training. The answer is not to stop logging; it is to prioritize the fields that explain the set.
1. Load
Record the resistance you actually used. For bodyweight, assisted or timed exercises, use the form that best represents the movement. Consistency matters more than inventing a false kilogram value.
2. Repetitions
Count completed repetitions that met your intended standard. If technique changed substantially, a note or honest stop is more useful than an inflated number.
3. Reps in reserve
RIR describes how close the set came to your clean limit. Together, the three values tell a story: what you lifted, how many times and at what effort.
Build the habit first
Enter the values immediately after the set, while the information is fresh. Use previous values as a reference, not a command. If today's warm-up says the target is wrong, adjust and record reality.
Once this core habit is reliable, timers, heart rate, feedback and notes can add context. Without the core, extra metrics are decoration.