Workout Log and FGB 6

I recently had a conversation with someone regarding workout logging, a.k.a. journaling. It made me think about my own approach to logging workouts and how others approach this habit.

Personally, the only items I log in my fitness journal are 1 rep PRs, benchmark WOD PRs (i.e. "Fran", "Jackie", etc.), and what I call "milestones" (i.e. new PR in unbroken pull-ups, double-unders, etc.) Everything is logged into Evernote on my IPhone and that info syncs over to my IPad. I will most likely never lose this data because it is all saved electronically.  

In my opinion it is good for beginners to log every workout they do. It gets them into the habit of tracking their data, and it allows them to gauge off of other workouts they have done in the past. 

However, as people progress in CrossFit and start to gain a sense of where their strengths and weaknesses are I do not feel they need to record every workout they do. Instead I suggest recording only strength training sessions and benchmark workouts. That is data that can be easily checked and used for future training session. I suggest this because more often than not we will not see the exact same workout again. What I hate seeing is this:

WOD for CrossFitter X is:

5 squat cleans 

10 push-ups

10 pull-ups

200m run

-5 rounds for time-

CrossFitter X records this workout and the weights used into their journal. Two weeks later this workout comes up and it happens to have squat cleans in it:

12 squats cleans

12 burpees

-AMRAP in 10 min-

CrossFitter X decides to look back in their journal, sees the previous workout with squat cleans, and some how tries to choose her weight based on that other workout. What CrossFitter X fails to recognize is that these are two completely different workouts. Yes, a squat clean is a squat clean but in this situation the rep schemes are different, the time-lines are different, and the other movements in the workout are different. I can't possibly understand how this CrossFitter can use the old data to determine what weight to use. (Again, this is assuming CrossFitter X is a more experienced CrossFitter.) 

Now I realize there are some positives to keeping a journal of every workout, I just think these positives are mostly good for beginners and not really necessary for more experienced CrossFitters.

I'm curious to know what other think about journaling and/or recording every single workout. Please share your thoughts.

Lastly, I've started my Fight Gone Bad 6 fundraising already. This year, for every dollar donated, I will do one burpee (I plan on putting together a small video for this event). My fundraising goal is only $300, but I've always wanted to try 1000 burpees for time :). You can donate at this link, and you can even join my team! 

 T - 1 week until "go time"!