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Log your training well

0 of 3 complete

  1. 1Posting an exercise update
  2. 2Rating effort with RPE
  3. 3Substituting an exercise
  1. Academy
  2. /Coaching
  3. /Your programme
  4. /Substituting an exercise
Workout Titan

Workout Titan

Written 1 Sept 2026•Revised 1 Sept 2026

Lesson 3 of 3Guide2 min read

Substituting an exercise

When the machine is taken or the movement hurts, log what you actually did and mark it substituted. That keeps your charts honest instead of blank.

Topics: Your programme

In this lesson

  1. How to log one
  2. Why that matters
  3. Choosing a substitute
  4. When something hurts
  5. Substituting every week

Sometimes you cannot do the exercise as written. The rack is occupied, the gym does not have the machine, or your shoulder is sore that day. Substituting is how you log what you did instead, so the work stays on the record and your coach can see it.

How to log one

Post an exercise update as usual, turn on Substituted exercise, and enter the name of what you actually did in the exercise title. Record your sets and reps against that.

The hint on the toggle says the same thing: marking an exercise as substituted logs a different exercise without affecting your charts.

Why that matters

Your progress charts track one movement over time. If you log a leg press under the heading of a back squat, the chart shows your squat jumping by 100 kg. That jump then sits in the chart for as long as the chart exists.

Marking it substituted keeps the work on the record and leaves the trend alone. Your coach still sees exactly what you did, and the line for the prescribed movement stays comparable.

Choosing a substitute

Matching the movement pattern usually works better than matching the muscle. A barbell bench press swapped for a dumbbell bench press is close to the original. Swapped for a pec fly, it is a different exercise doing a different job.

If you are not sure, ask your coach rather than guessing. They set the programme, so they can tell you what fits it, and asking takes a moment.

When something hurts

If you swap a movement because it causes pain, tell your coach directly as well as logging it. Logging the swap is not the same as saying so. Pain that keeps coming back is a reason to stop and get it looked at.

Substituting every week

If you are swapping the same exercise out week after week, that is worth raising. Tell your coach, and they can prescribe something you can do with the equipment you have. It also stops the chart for that movement sitting empty.

Lesson 3 of 3

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