First, check what you repeated
Twelve push-ups today, ten last week. It is tempting to call that progress immediately. Before you do, check the task: same variation, similar movement range, same number of sets? A total without those details leaves a lot unanswered.
Ebben and colleagues measured 23 people performing push-up variations. Elevating the hands reduced peak ground reaction force. [1] Changing the support changes the task; the study does not provide a conversion between your rep totals.
Keep one line you can understand later
Our suggestion is a short log for one familiar exercise: variation and support height, repetitions in each set, rest between sets, and a few words about effort. Add a change in movement range or deliberate pace when relevant. A notebook is enough.
An invented example: “Hands on the same bench; 10, 9, 8 reps; two minutes between sets; last set demanding.” This is a recording example, not a recommended workout. If you shorten the rests next time, write it down. You will know that the comparison includes a different condition.
Read the result at the right scale
If a similar task feels easier across several sessions, that is useful personal information. If you complete more repetitions under comparable conditions, you have recorded an improvement in that task. Neither observation by itself measures muscle growth or establishes your maximum strength.
ACSM’s 2026 guidance distinguishes strength, muscle growth, and power goals. [2] Decide which question you want your log to answer. “Can I repeat this set more comfortably?” is different from “Have my muscles grown?” A rep total cannot answer both.
When you change the exercise, start a new comparison
Moving from an elevated support to the floor can mean fewer push-ups. Keep separate notes for the two variations rather than treating the lower total as a setback. The next floor session gives you a more relevant comparison than the old bench total.
You do not need to freeze your training to keep tidy records. Change what makes sense for your plan, and label the change. At your next review, choose two genuinely comparable sessions and write one sentence about what changed. If the conditions differ too much, leave the verdict open.