How to use the pull-up training log
Download the blank CSV. Open it in Excel, Google Sheets or another spreadsheet app. Use one row per exercise per session; if you do both unassisted and assisted work, give each its own row. The file has eight columns and twelve empty rows. Add rows as needed. It has no formulas or automatic training recommendations.
Fill it in while you train
| Column | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Date / session | The date and session type, such as A (unassisted) or B (assisted). Compare A with A and B with B. |
| Exercise and exact setup | Grip, repetition standard, apparatus and assistance. Example: overhand, straight elbows to chin above bar, same green band under right foot. Record the band's identity, not just a color if you own several. |
| Planned reps by set | Write 3 / 3 / 3 for three sets of three. For separate negatives, write 1 / 1 / 1. |
| Completed clean reps by set | Count only reps meeting your standard. 4 / 3 / 2 is nine reps, not a completed 4 / 3 / 3. For negatives, note whether each descent covered the full range under control. |
| Rest between sets | Actual rest, such as 3 min / 3 min. Note rushed breaks. |
| Effort / control notes | Something you observed: last rep slow but full range; final rep would need a kick; pushed harder with feet on last set. |
| Other pulling or recovery changes | Only changes that help interpret the session: climbing yesterday, missed session, unusually poor sleep. Bodyweight can go here if you already track it. |
| Next session: repeat or one change | Name the decision and reason. Repeat 3/3/3; extra first-set rep reduced later reps is enough. |
Worked example: a change that did not add work
This example is hypothetical, not a trainee's results or a forecast. The exercise setup and rest stay the same.
| Entry | Plan | Completed | Observation | Next decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 3 / 3 / 3 | 3 / 3 / 3 | Another clean rep seemed possible after each set | Repeat the target. |
| A2 | 3 / 3 / 3 | 3 / 3 / 3 | Similar effort and range | Try one extra rep in one set. |
| A3 | 4 / 3 / 3 | 4 / 3 / 2 | Last planned rep would have needed a kick | Return to 3 / 3 / 3 for now. Both completed sessions totaled nine. |
The first set improved, even though the planned total of ten was not reached. Returning to the previous target is the conservative choice used in this example; the log alone does not prove that the harder set was unproductive.
If you change band, machine, grip or range, mark a new setup rather than comparing the counts as though the task stayed the same. For a negative-only session, descent control matters more than adding a repetition you cannot lower safely.
For the full session example, return to the plateau article. If you need to choose the exercise first, use the starting-point worksheet.