The Brolic field notes
A little clarity.
A better next session.
Practical guides for the things you track. Real examples, useful tools, and methods you can check.
Your free workout log template
Download a free workout log template, see a filled-in example, and learn how to track sets, reps, weight, and progression.
Read guide · 6 min →How many sets per muscle group per week?
Count weekly sets across different sessions and muscle groups. Compare direct, indirect, and half-set totals, then print a weekly summary.
Read guide · 8 min →Best workout tracker apps for lifting
Six workout tracker apps for lifting compared on free tiers, price, auto progression and food logging: Brolic, Hevy, Strong, Boostcamp, MacroFactor Workouts and Fitbod.
Read article · 5 min →Protein-to-calorie ratio
Calculate protein per 100 calories, convert protein grams to calories, check the 10-to-1 rule, and compare two nutrition labels.
Read article · 5 min →BMR vs. TDEE
Learn how BMR, TDEE, and a calorie target relate, with a worked example and a practical guide to activity estimates.
Read article · 5 min →Do you need to train to failure?
Understand training to failure and reps in reserve, compare primary research, and use a worked log to review effort across sets.
Read guide · 6 min →How long should you rest between sets?
Choose rest intervals you can evaluate. Compare primary research on one, three, and five minutes, with a practical workout-log example.
Read guide · 6 min →MacroFactor Workouts vs Hevy
Compare MacroFactor Workouts and Hevy on price, free-tier limits, automatic progression, exercise library, devices, and moving your workout history.
Read article · 6 min →Apps that track food and workouts
Six apps that log meals with macros and lifting with sets and reps in one place, with prices and platforms, plus the popular trackers that only do half.
Read article · 4 min →Best peptide tracker apps
Six peptide tracker apps compared on reminders, site rotation, food and workout logging, platforms and price, with Brolic as the pick for lifters. No dose advice.
Read article · 5 min →MyFitnessPal alternatives for lifters
Six MyFitnessPal alternatives compared on barcode scanning, targets, workout logging, GLP-1 and peptide tracking and price, with Brolic as the pick for lifters.
Read article · 5 min →MacroFactor vs MyFitnessPal
MacroFactor and MyFitnessPal compared on price, free plan, barcode scanning, adaptive targets, workouts and GLP-1 tracking, plus the pick for lifters.
Read article · 5 min →Brolic vs Hevy
Brolic and Hevy compared on workout logging, programs, food tracking, GLP-1, TRT and peptide routines, and what a year costs with a food app added.
Read article · 5 min →Brolic vs MacroFactor
Brolic and MacroFactor compared on food logging, adaptive targets, workouts in one app or two, GLP-1, TRT and peptide routines, and price.
Read article · 5 min →What is a drop set?
Learn what a drop set is, how much weight to drop, what studies found against regular sets, and how to log and count each drop so your sessions stay comparable.
Read guide · 6 min →Double progression: reps first, then weight
How double progression works: build reps across a range, then add the smallest weight increase. Includes the standard and dynamic versions and a worked log.
Read guide · 7 min →JM Press: Barbell Technique, Grip Width and Variants
How to perform the JM press, the grip width to start with, how it differs from a close-grip bench and a skull crusher, and logging its three variants.
Read guide · 6 min →Keenan Flaps: Both Cuffed Cable Variations, Setup and Form
The single-arm cuffed cable lat exercise in both versions, sagittal and frontal: how to tell them apart, cuff fit, pulley height and elbow angle for each.
Read guide · 10 min →Meadows Row: Landmine Setup, Form and Loading
John Meadows' one-arm landmine row: stance beside the sleeve, overhand grip, plate clearance, and the loading convention that keeps the log meaningful.
Read guide · 6 min →Lu Raise: Hand Position, Full Arc and Form
The overhead Lu raise named after Lu Xiaojun: the thumbs-up rotation through the arc, why to start light, and how it differs from a lateral raise.
Read guide · 6 min →Hatfield Squat: Safety-Bar Setup, Hand Support and Logging
Dr. Fred Hatfield's supported safety-bar squat: rack and hand-support setup, deciding what the arms are for, and logging assistance so numbers stay comparable.
Read guide · 7 min →Helms Row: Bench Angle, Elbow Path and Form
Eric Helms' chest-supported dumbbell row: a bench at about 30°, a near-vertical pull with the elbows tucked for the lats, and how it differs from nearby rows.
Read guide · 6 min →Powell Raise: Side-Lying Setup, Form and Alternatives
The side-lying incline-bench Powell raise: bench angle, why the load stays very light, the torso roll to avoid, and how it differs from a lateral raise.
Read guide · 5 min →Cross-Body Lat Pull-Around: Setup, Form and Variations
The half-kneeling single-arm cable pull for the lats, with a video demo: pulley height, the diagonal elbow path, the torso twist to avoid, and other names.
Read guide · 6 min →Anterior Delt Press (AD Press): What It Is, Setup and Variants
What an AD press is, the near-upright backrest that defines it, how it drifts into an incline press, and the dumbbell, barbell and Smith variants.
Read guide · 7 min →Monastery Triceps Extension: Bench Setup, Form and Logging
Josh Bryant's kneeling bench-supported cable extension: pulley height, arm placement on the bench, rope versus bar, and where the name comes from.
Read guide · 6 min →Zottman Curl: Grip Change, Load and Form
The Zottman curl: lift palms up, turn them over at the top, lower palms down. Where the rotation goes, how light to start, and how it differs from hammer curls.
Read guide · 6 min →Pendlay Row: Dead Stop, Back Angle and Form
The Pendlay row as Glenn Pendlay taught it: reps from a dead stop on the floor, back near parallel, bar to the lower chest. Log it apart from bent-over rows.
Read guide · 6 min →KAS Glute Bridge: Setup, Range and Hip Thrust Differences
The KAS glute bridge is the top part of a barbell hip thrust: bench and foot setup, how far to lower, how the load compares, and logging it apart.
Read guide · 6 min →Kelso Shrug: Setup, Grip and Equipment Variants
Paul Kelso's straight-arm shrug: pull the shoulder blades back, not up. Row-machine and incline-bench setups, the grip question, and logging each version.
Read guide · 6 min →Reverse Nordic Curl: Range, Assistance and Form
The reverse Nordic curl: kneel, keep the hips extended and lean back from the knees. How far to go, how to shorten or assist the range, and what to log.
Read guide · 6 min →Seal Row: Bench Setup, Bar Path and Form
How to set up a seal row bench, where the bar stops, barbell versus cambered bar versus dumbbells, and how it differs from incline and Pendlay rows.
Read guide · 6 min →Larsen Press: Leg Position, Load and Form
The Larsen press: a bench press with the feet off the floor and legs straight, so no leg drive. Safe setup, how much lighter to start, and logging it apart.
Read guide · 6 min →Tibialis Raise: Wall Setup, Foot Distance and Form
How to do the wall tibialis raise: how far out to set your feet, counting reps, the tib bar, machine and kettlebell versions, and what to log.
Read guide · 6 min →Svend Press: Plate Squeeze, Load and Form
The Svend press: squeeze one or two light plates between your palms and press straight out. Why the load stays small, and how it differs from a squeeze press.
Read guide · 6 min →Spoto Press: Pause Height, Load and Form
The Spoto press: stop the bar an inch or two above the chest, hold 1–2 seconds, then press. Starting loads, and how it compares with paused and pin presses.
Read guide · 6 min →B-Stance Romanian Deadlift: Foot Placement, Range and Form
Where to put the back foot, how much weight it takes, how deep to hinge and how to log one set for both legs in the B-stance Romanian deadlift.
Read guide · 5 min →Pendulum Squat: Setup, Depth and Foot Placement
How to set up a pendulum squat machine, where to put your feet, how deep to go and what to log, from Kelly Matthews' and John Meadows' cues.
Read guide · 5 min →Bayesian Curl: Cable Height, Lean and Elbow Position
Where to set the pulley, how far to stand from the stack, why you lean forward as you curl and how to log one set for both arms in the Bayesian curl.
Read guide · 5 min →Gorilla Row: Stance, Hinge and Floor Contact
Where the kettlebells sit, how to hinge, whether the bells return to the floor and how to count alternating reps in the gorilla row.
Read guide · 5 min →Spanish Squat: Band Setup, Shin Angle and Holds
Where the band goes, how to keep the shins and trunk vertical, holds versus reps and what to log in the Spanish squat, from Greg Everett and Tim McGrath.
Read guide · 5 min →Jefferson Curl: Spinal Roll, Straight Legs and Load
The Jefferson curl: a slow weighted spinal roll from a box. Why it is not a hip hinge, why the legs stay locked, how light to load it and how to log it.
Read guide · 6 min →Z Press: Floor Setup, Bar Height and Form
The Z press as Rob Kearney and Ryan Horton teach it: sit on the floor, legs straight, bar at chin height on pins, push the head through, keep the knees down.
Read guide · 6 min →Single-Leg Calf Raise: Support, Step Height and Reps
How to do the single-leg calf raise on the floor or a step, where the other foot goes, why the knee stays straight, how many reps, and one set for both legs.
Read guide · 5 min →Prone Y Raise: Bench Angle, Arm Path and Form
The prone Y raise on an incline bench: how low to set the bench, the double chin, pinching first, the 45° arm path, where you should feel it and how to log it.
Read guide · 6 min →Cable Y Raise: Pulley Height, Stance and Form
How low to set the pulleys, how far to step back, where the arms start and stop and what to record for the cable Y raise, from two coaches' demonstrations.
Read guide · 5 min →Captain's Chair Knee Raise: Setup, Hip Lift and Progression
How to set up in the chair, why the hips must leave the pad, how slowly to lower, when to move to the leg raise and how to log the captain's chair knee raise.
Read guide · 6 min →Yates Row: Torso Angle, Grip and Form
How upright to stand, underhand or overhand, where the bar meets the body and how to log the Yates row, with Dorian Yates's description and two coaches' cues.
Read guide · 6 min →Lat Prayer: Hip Hinge, Kneel or Stand, and Range
Menno Henselmans' lat prayer, a straight-arm cable pulldown with a hip hinge: pulley height, rope or bar, kneeling or standing, elbow bend and logging.
Read guide · 5 min →Egyptian Lateral Raise: Lean, Range and Per-Side Logging
The leaning single-arm cable lateral raise: how far to lean, where the rep starts and stops, how slowly to lower, and how one set is logged for both sides.
Read guide · 5 min →Katana Extension: Cable Setup, Elbow Angle and Form
The crossed-cable overhead triceps extension: pulley height, how to cross the cables and turn, where the elbows sit, the up-and-out path, and how to log it.
Read guide · 5 min →Pallof Press: Anchor Height, Stance and Brace
How high to set the cable or band, how wide to stand, how to brace and hold the press, and how to log per-side reps in the Pallof press.
Read guide · 5 min →Copenhagen Plank: Lever Length, Holds and Reps
Knee or foot on the bench, how to line up the body, holds versus lift-and-lower reps, how to make it easier or harder and how to log the Copenhagen plank.
Read guide · 6 min →Zercher Squat: Rack Height, Arms and Padding
Where to set the rack, how to hold the bar in the crooks of the elbows, what padding helps, how to stay upright and how to log the Zercher squat.
Read guide · 5 min →Renegade Row: Foot Width, Tempo and Hip Line
How far apart to set the feet, how slowly to row, how to keep the hips level in the plank and how to count alternating reps in the renegade row.
Read guide · 5 min →Cossack Squat: Stance, Depth and Progressions
How wide to stand, where the feet point, how low to go, how to assist or load the Cossack squat and how to log it per side.
Read guide · 6 min →