Review of the Best Apps for Tracking Strength Progress

I've been hitting a bit of a wall with my training lately and I think my old paper log just isn't cutting it anymore. I need something that can calculate my 1RM on the fly and maybe graph out my volume over time to help me spot where I'm burning out. What are you lot using these days? Is 'Strong' still the gold standard or has something better come along?

I've been using 'Strong' for years and honestly, I don't see a reason to switch. It's clean, doesn't have a bunch of social media fluff, and the Apple Watch integration is solid. When I'm in the middle of a heavy set in this Texas heat, the last thing I want is to be fiddling with a complex UI.

I actually moved away from Strong and over to 'Hevy'. It feels a bit more modern and the social feed is actually quite motivating—it's like Instagram but just for lifting. Seeing the lads at my local club in London post their PRs definitely helps me push through when I'm feeling a bit lethargic.

Does Hevy have a good plate calculator? I'm terrible at math when I'm tired and I always end up miscalculating my warm-ups.

Yeah, Mike, it’s got a great one. You can even customise it for the specific plates you have in your gym (kilograms or pounds).

I’m surprised nobody has mentioned 'FitNotes' yet. If you're on Android, it’s completely free and has zero ads. It’s not as 'pretty' as Hevy, but for tracking pure strength progress and plateaus, the graphing tools are actually superior. I use it to track my deadlift volume specifically because it handles percentage-based training really well.

I’ve tried a few but I keep going back to 'JuggernautAI'. It’s a bit pricey compared to the others, but since I started using it, I haven't had to think about my own programming at all. It adjusts your daily readiness based on how you slept or how stressed you are at work. Perfect for avoiding that burnout feeling.

NorthernLass, is JuggernautAI strictly for Powerlifting? I do a bit of everything and don't want to be locked into just SBD.

It’s definitely geared towards Powerlifting and Powerbuilding, yeah. If you’re more into general fitness or CrossFit style stuff, it might be a bit overkill for your needs.

I’ve been using 'RP Diet & Training'. It's great if you want to track your macros alongside your lifting. In Canada, it's a bit of a pain with some of the food barcoding, but the training side of the app is top-notch for hypertrophy and muscle growth.

I checked out RP but the UI felt like I was trying to pilot a space shuttle. Way too many buttons for me.

Haha, agreed! I need the 'big button' interface. I think I'm going to give Hevy a try tonight for my leg session. Does it allow for RPE tracking? That's how I usually gauge if I'm nearing burnout.

It does indeed! You can toggle RPE on in the settings. Really helps to look back and see that a weight felt like an RPE 9 three weeks ago but is now an 8.

That’s the key right there. Seeing that subjective progress is just as important as the numbers on the bar for the mental side of things.

Has anyone used 'Gravitus'? I saw an ad for it recently claiming it was the best for social tracking.

I used it for a bit but it felt like it hadn't been updated in years. Hevy has basically taken that spot now for the social aspect.

Totally agree with MapleLeafFan. Don't bother with Gravitus. It's a bit of a ghost town these days.

Well, I downloaded Hevy. I'll report back after my workout. If I don't post, assume I'm trapped under a failed squat because I was looking at my phone too much!

Be safe, Mike! Don't let the app distract you from the actual iron.

I think I’m going to go with 'Stronger by the Day'. It's Greg Nuckols' app. I've always liked his approach to science-based lifting and avoiding plateaus.