Looking for online Daily Training Log & Monthly Training + Competition Calendar tool...or an iPhone app...What do you like?

Triathlon Forum
1

Does anyone know of an easy-to-use athletic training Excel template (or iPhone app, which would be great) that covers the items below for use in a daily log?

I’m reviewing options right now to help my son and myself in our respective sports, and haven’t found what I’m looking for. If you’ve used a daily training log (online, not paper) that would work for this, I’d be grateful to find out what it is.

Here are the daily log elements I want to include:

HRV wake-up number:
Sleep Duration:
Sleep Quality:

Training Goals for the Day:

Fuel-FOOD - What/When:

Mindset:

Workout Session (fill in all applicable for the day):
Coaches in attendance (if applicable)
Warm Up*(Description, Sets, Reps, Technique notes)
Strength Training (Description, Sets, Reps, Wt, Technique notes)
Cardio Training*(Description, Sets, Reps, Technique notes)
Agility Training*(Description, Sets, Reps, Technique notes)
Cool Down*(Description, Sets, Reps, Technique notes)
Stretching*(Description, Sets, Reps, Technique notes)

Challenges to Work on:

Successes Achieved today:

Also need an easy-to-use Monthly Calendar for high level view of training and competition dates.

The objective with the Monthly Calendar is to plan What training or competition, Where and When…and also to be sure heavy workouts are planned far enough ahead of competition dates, so that enough recovery can take place, to ideally show up fresh instead of injured.

Thanks so much for any suggestions you have firsthand experience with.

P.S. I’d do this in an old-fashioned notebook or planner book (used to do that), but want to be able to enter in and view info with computer or phone, and never be able to lose it! :slight_smile:

2

Not aware of anything to point you towards but I know many coaches use something like Google docs build a spreadsheet to communicate with their athletes and the athletes can communicate workout results or other data to them.

You could do something similar and include or exclude all the data you’d like.

3

Not aware of anything to point you towards but I know many coaches use something like Google docs build a spreadsheet to communicate with their athletes and the athletes can communicate workout results or other data to them.

You could do something similar and include or exclude all the data you’d like.

That’s what I was considering first, just hoping to find something that’s tried and true, so I don’t reinvent. I’ve been looking at Excel templates which I could import into Google Sheets, and of course the Google Cal is quite good. Haven’t looked at training log and calendaring tools, so I’m imagining something will come to my attention that makes me say, “holy sh*t, that’s perfect!” :smiley:

4

Sounds pretty obvious…but TrainingPeaks offers most (if not all) of these features including race goals. Personally I love it. No need to try and build something else.

5

Sounds pretty obvious…but TrainingPeaks offers most (if not all) of these features including race goals. Personally I love it. No need to try and build something else.

I don’t have experience yet, so…Does it offer the ability to create your own training program from scratch, even weight training and plyo’s, and to log notes in the topic areas I listed on a daily basis, or is it limited to using their pre-formulated training programs?

6

Yes. There are freeform notes as well as a workout builder. I’ve never used workout builder as I get all workouts sent.

I’m sure this will handle everything you need. Full version is about $100/yr and totally worth it, but there is a free version with some limited functionality.

7

Yes. There are freeform notes as well as a workout builder. I’ve never used workout builder as I get all workouts sent.

I’m sure this will handle everything you need. Full version is about $100/yr and totally worth it, but there is a free version with some limited functionality.

Cool, will check it out!

8

Does it offer the ability to create your own training program from scratch, even weight training and plyo’s, and to log notes in the topic areas I listed on a daily basis, or is it limited to using their pre-formulated training programs’’

Training Peaks can generate an annual training plan (ATP feature), at least for cycling. It generates target TSS by week based on the goal event you designate in your calendar. It does not give you specific workouts on specific days but it does lay out how hard you should be working, when, and what you should focus on. It works great for cycling but not sure about how it handles (if it does) multi sport.

As for the other stuff you want, Training Peaks does most of it and quite well. It has a calendar you can enter any type of workouts in as well as events and goals. At least for planned workouts that have TSS targets, it will generate a PMC chart for the future showing you what your fitness and fatigue are predicted to be (that is how it does the ATP - you set a target in the future and it lays out a path to get there). Actually, that ability to predict where you will be in the future is the whole point of the program hence the “peaks” in the name. Although admittedly it works best for cyclists with a power meter.

I messed around with HRV a bit and it will sync with some of the HRV apps out there. Obviously, it auto syncs with Garmin and all the other leading fitness computers. It syncs with some of the wireless scales if you are tracking your weight but it is also super easy to hand enter weight, BF, etc in a preset “metrics” screen. The metrics screen also has fields to note your sleep, feelings, etc. You can add unlimited notes to any workout if you have specific things you want to make note of. It has a boatload of preformatted graphs and charts to look at your data.

It might not do everything you want but it will do 80-90% of it and collect all the data you might want to make use of elsewhere for the other stuff. Well worth the $100 a year.

9

I’ve been mucking about with TP (free version) this week as my training sessions are getting more structured on the bike and run. The workout builder seems to work reasonably well for those disciplines, but doesn’t seem particularly well suited to swim practices. At least not that I’ve been able to figure out yet.

Does the paid version have different workout builders for swim, weights, etc, as opposed to the standard one that works for cycling / running?

10

Does it offer the ability to create your own training program from scratch, even weight training and plyo’s, and to log notes in the topic areas I listed on a daily basis, or is it limited to using their pre-formulated training programs’’

Training Peaks can generate an annual training plan (ATP feature), at least for cycling. It generates target TSS by week based on the goal event you designate in your calendar. It does not give you specific workouts on specific days but it does lay out how hard you should be working, when, and what you should focus on. It works great for cycling but not sure about how it handles (if it does) multi sport. …

Shoot, that’s a challenge. My son needs the daily custom workout and logging for track & field training and competition (I’ll get him into cycling later, got him on the indoor bike so far, but it’s only one of many different things he does in training), I’d be using it for cycling. He comes first, his needs are more important than mine.

11

The paid version a pretty big increase in usability over the free version although it does not as far as i know add any special features for additional sports.
I used the free version on and off for a while and thought it kind of sucked but instantly fell in love with Training Peaks once I got the paid version. As i saw it, the free version is basically just a log whereas the paid version unlocks the analysis functionality. It is a pretty big difference. The analytics are much more extensive and you can do a lot more with planning future workouts and goals. You get a fully functional PMC chart and it has the Annual Training Plan creation tool.

Here is a list of the differences. https://help.trainingpeaks.com/hc/en-us/articles/204074014-Basic-vs-Premium-Athlete-Account-for-Athletes

While Training Peaks will work to some extent for any fitness activity, there is no doubt that it functions best for cycling training with a power meter. It runs off data and that is the fullest form of fitness data at this point and time. But that being said, it will track and use whatever data you put into it so if you are just down to heart rate for your running, or estimated TSS for your swimming, it will make good use of that.

12

Does it offer the ability to create your own training program from scratch, even weight training and plyo’s, and to log notes in the topic areas I listed on a daily basis, or is it limited to using their pre-formulated training programs’’

Training Peaks can generate an annual training plan (ATP feature), at least for cycling. It generates target TSS by week based on the goal event you designate in your calendar. It does not give you specific workouts on specific days but it does lay out how hard you should be working, when, and what you should focus on. It works great for cycling but not sure about how it handles (if it does) multi sport. …

Shoot, that’s a challenge. My son needs the daily custom workout and logging for track & field training and competition (I’ll get him into cycling later, got him on the indoor bike so far, but it’s only one of many different things he does in training), I’d be using it for cycling. He comes first, his needs are more important than mine.

If you and your son are doing different activities and have different needs, then why do you want to have both of you on the same platform? I’d be looking at something that suits your cycling for yourself, and something else that suits his track & field (which is a very different beast). If you wind up on the same platform, then that’s a bonus.

13

The paid version a pretty big increase in usability over the free version although it does not as far as i know add any special features for additional sports.
I used the free version on and off for a while and thought it kind of sucked but instantly fell in love with Training Peaks once I got the paid version. As i saw it, the free version is basically just a log whereas the paid version unlocks the analysis functionality. It is a pretty big difference. The analytics are much more extensive and you can do a lot more with planning future workouts and goals. You get a fully functional PMC chart and it has the Annual Training Plan creation tool.

Here is a list of the differences. https://help.trainingpeaks.com/...Account-for-Athletes

While Training Peaks will work to some extent for any fitness activity, there is no doubt that it functions best for cycling training with a power meter. It runs off data and that is the fullest form of fitness data at this point and time. But that being said, it will track and use whatever data you put into it so if you are just down to heart rate for your running, or estimated TSS for your swimming, it will make good use of that.

Thanks.

I really just want a log at this time, since I have my plan already (mostly) done up outside of TP. I’m just creating the workouts a day in advance, which is as far ahead of time as the free version will let you do it, and I can see my weekly stats. Good enough for me at this time.

I’ll consider the paid version if I find that I continue with it over a long period of time.

14

If you and your son are doing different activities and have different needs, then why do you want to have both of you on the same platform? I’d be looking at something that suits your cycling for yourself, and something else that suits his track & field (which is a very different beast). If you wind up on the same platform, then that’s a bonus.

I’m helping him to get structured, and once we settle on something that suits his needs, I’ll adopt it and then I can understand and help him maintain it better by knowing it’s capabilities and limitations. He’s got a lot on his plate, and needs my support. I can easily use whatever the platform is for him to make my cycling/running training workouts too, log them, calendar, etc. I’d rather focus on his needs and adapt to my own. I’m in helper Dad mode for the developing son/athlete first, bike racer and multi-sport student second. I guess what I’m saying is, if I’m going to put effort and time into learning a structured platform and have limited time, I’d like to devote it to helping him as the priority before myself. Using what he’s using will ultimately not just help him, I’m sure I’ll benefit from it as well.

15

One nice thing about using the free version of TP is that if you ever do decide you want to use the paid version, all your past data is in there already.

16

I like beginnertriathlete.com log system… But seems OP is picky and should pay a developer

17

I like beginnertriathlete.com log system… But seems OP is picky and should pay a developer

Nah, not going to dev anything, just want to see if there is anything existing that is better than me just building a spreadsheet template in Google Sheets/Excel. I figure daily custom training lists and logging has been done millions of times, so there must be something flexible out there to adopt. Shouldn’t have to be cycling specific, and really, for an athlete training year-round, even a cyclist, it’d be nice if the daily workout listing/logging is adaptable enough for pre-season, in-season, off-season training and not be so sport specific that you have to use different platforms for different disciplines. Trying to keep things streamlined and simple if possible.

18

Trying to keep things streamlined and simple if possible.

If you are new to workout logging and training analysis, keep in mind that the biggest key to streamlining things is not how your data is stored or even displayed but how it is collected and spread across whatever tools/platforms you use.

The world’s most awesome spreadsheet will always get second place to good tool (or set of tools) that automatically syncs with as many of your data collection tools as possible.

You can petty easily get set up with off the shelf products so you can get an HRV reading in the morning, step on a scale to weigh yourself, go on a 2 hour bike ride, then later that day do a run or swim and when you finally get around to opening your tracking tool all that data is already automatically in there.

If you are going to be a data geek, you’ll want to be spending your time analyzing your data, not typing it into a spreadsheet.

19

Trying to keep things streamlined and simple if possible.

If you are new to workout logging and training analysis, keep in mind that the biggest key to streamlining things is not how your data is stored or even displayed but how it is collected and spread across whatever tools/platforms you use.

The world’s most awesome spreadsheet will always get second place to good tool (or set of tools) that automatically syncs with as many of your data collection tools as possible.

You can petty easily get set up with off the shelf products so you can get an HRV reading in the morning, step on a scale to weigh yourself, go on a 2 hour bike ride, then later that day do a run or swim and when you finally get around to opening your tracking tool all that data is already automatically in there.

If you are going to be a data geek, you’ll want to be spending your time analyzing your data, not typing it into a spreadsheet.

You just perfectly described why I’m looking for a platform or app (or both) solution to cover these needs. :slight_smile:

I really don’t want to use spreadsheets, it’s just all I know will be able to take all of the custom info and not be sport-specific, until I find something else which is better, created by someone who was probably sick of spreadsheets. :smiley:

The coaches my son works with all use notebooks and binders (ex-Olympic athletes, no doubt taught that way from their own old-school coaches, haha). I use Strava and CTS programs for myself (but haven’t been logging in detail of everything I do, just looking at progress in power graphs, segments, monitoring HR, listing interval sets with format and power, etc). My son doesn’t use anything, he justs shows up and trains. He has coaches at school, three different coaches he works with separately outside, and not having visibility of why/what/when/how much, and with whom across the board is a detriment. I’m much easier, I just ride and run for now. So, I’ll help him get set up with something to list his training, notes, data, calendaring, etc, and I’ll use it so I can help him. And in the end, it’ll be good for me, too. I’ll end up using it for cycling, running, swimming when I add that training, and it’ll be my training bible of sorts, just digital and mobile.