How do you add a custom exercise to a workout log?

A custom exercise is an exercise entry that you name yourself when the standard list does not have the movement you did. It helps you record your actual training rather than choosing a close but incorrect name. Keep the name clear, note the equipment or variation, and use the same entry when you repeat the movement. A useful log should make next week's session easier to plan. It should not create a new name for the same exercise every time.

Check the existing exercise list first

Search by the broad movement and the equipment. A "one-arm dumbbell row" may already exist even if you first looked for "single-arm row." If the right exercise exists, use it. If not, make a custom entry with a name you will recognize later. A clear name usually includes the movement and the equipment or important variation. "Supported one-arm dumbbell row" is more useful than "back move." It tells you what to set up next time.

In Helios, the exercise picker has a Custom action. The custom exercise form asks for a name and offers an optional notes field. You can use the notes for a short setup detail, such as the support you used or the handle position. The app can then use the custom exercise in your workout. The exact screen may change as the app develops, so focus on the record you need: a stable name and enough detail to repeat the exercise. You can also keep a paper record if that is easier for you.

Name the exercise for its real setup

Include details that change the movement. A goblet squat and a barbell back squat are different exercises. A high incline push-up and a floor push-up have different difficulty, though you may choose to keep one base name and note the support height. Decide a naming rule and use it consistently. Avoid putting the date or today's weight in the exercise name. Those details belong in the session record, where they can change without creating another exercise entry.

For example, suppose you use a band row anchored at chest height. Name it "standing band row" and note the anchor height in the exercise notes or session note. Record the band and your distance from the anchor with the set. If you later use a seated cable row, create or select that separate exercise. The resistance numbers and setup are not the same. A clear name helps you avoid a false comparison between them.

Record the working sets

After you choose or create the exercise, record the sets, repetitions, and resistance you used. Add a setup note when it affects the comparison. For a step-up, the step height matters. For a band movement, the anchor and band matter. For a machine, the seat or handle setting may matter. A review of resistance training monitoring describes exercise type, load, sets, and rest as parts of the training dose. You do not need to measure every variable, but the main ones make your log useful.

If you did a lighter practice set, label it as a practice set. Do not count it as the same work as a hard set in a later review. If your repetitions differ between sets, record each set as it happened. For example, write ten, nine, and eight rather than "three sets of ten." The accurate record gives you a better next step. You may repeat the same load and aim for steadier sets, rather than adding weight based on a number you did not actually reach.

Keep the name stable over time

When you repeat the movement, select the same custom exercise entry. If the setup changes enough to make it a different exercise, use a new entry or note the variation clearly. For example, a split squat with hand support and a heavily loaded split squat are related, but you may want the support noted because it changes the task. Avoid changing names only for style. A stable history makes it easier to see whether you added controlled repetitions, load, or consistency.

You can review the log after several sessions. Does the exercise still serve your goal? Can you set it up safely? Is the name clear to someone who reads it a month later? The ACSM progression position stand supports gradual training changes that fit the exercise and goal. A clear custom entry makes those changes easier to track. If an exercise causes sharp pain, stop and seek suitable advice rather than using the log to explain it away.

The purpose of a custom exercise is simple: name what you did so you can do it again or make a clear change. Keep the entry short, accurate, and stable. Your next workout should begin with a useful record, not a puzzle about what last week's label meant.

Sources

• Weakley et al.: Training monitoring for resistance exercise

• American College of Sports Medicine: Progression Models in Resistance Training