Your notebook says “press: 12 × 10”. Does that mean a 12-kilogram dumbbell in each hand, 12 kilograms in total, or twelve repetitions with a 10-kilogram weight? A training record can look precise while leaving its most important convention unstated.
Choose a notation that you can understand months later. The aim is to describe what happened, not to make every exercise fit an impressive-looking total.
Label the load and the unit
For dumbbells, state whether the recorded weight is per hand. For a barbell, note whether the total includes the bar. For a machine, identify the machine and its displayed unit or numbered setting; the same stack number on another machine may not represent the same experience.
An invented entry might read: “Dumbbell floor press, 8 kg per hand, 3 sets: 10/10/9 repetitions.” That is easier to interpret than “16 × 10”, especially if you later change equipment.
Record differences that affect the comparison
Include the exercise version, relevant setup and whether the repetitions were performed on each side. If you switch from a bilateral movement to one side at a time, make the change explicit rather than comparing totals as though nothing happened.
Note substantial changes in range, support or tempo when they are part of the programme. A heavier load with a shorter movement is not automatically evidence of the same improvement as completing the original movement under comparable conditions.
Keep the note brief enough to use consistently. You do not need to capture every sensation or turn a normal session into a data-entry exercise.
Use the record with the programme
Follow an appropriate programme and seek qualified guidance for technique or progression questions. Do not add weight merely to make the next line larger, particularly if pain or unusual symptoms occur.
At the next session, read the previous entry before starting. If you cannot tell exactly what it means, fix the notation while the memory is fresh. A useful log helps you repeat or thoughtfully adjust a session; it should not require you to reconstruct it from a mysterious pair of numbers.