GainLogger for Powerlifters: Built for Squat, Bench, and Deadlift Tracking

Powerlifters need per-set weight targets, automatic PR detection on every lift, and a way to log from the wrist during heavy singles. GainLogger for powerlifters delivers all three — on iOS, Android, Apple Watch, and Wear OS — and handles the training-max math between sessions so your programming runs itself.

What is GainLogger?

GainLogger is a strength-focused workout logging app for iOS and Android, built by lifters, with native companion apps for Apple Watch and Wear OS. Free users get core logging and up to 3 templates; Pro adds the progression rules, analytics, and PR detection that structured powerlifting programming demands. GainLogger's full feature set covers every available tool.

The data model is built around structured programming, not casual gym tracking. Each template stores a target weight and rep count per individual set — so a 5/3/1 day with warmup sets at 60%, 70%, and 80% of training max plus a top working set sits inside a single exercise block exactly as your program calls for it. You configure those numbers once during template setup. After that, GainLogger shows the correct load for every set, every session, with no manual recalculation between training blocks.

The free plan is permanent and requires no credit card. Pro adds the powerlifting-specific layer: progression rules, the Records Hub, per-exercise charts, and workout analytics.

Key features for powerlifters

GainLogger covers seven functional requirements of barbell programming — per-set weight targets, automatic progression, instant PR detection, estimated 1RM charts, session analytics, wrist-based logging, and supersets — and each one maps directly to a specific problem powerlifters face when running structured programs. Here is what each delivers in practice.

1. Automatic progression rules (Pro). Define an increment and a trigger condition — for example, "add 2.5 kg when all target reps are completed across two consecutive sessions." GainLogger applies the update to your template automatically before the next training day. Rules run independently per exercise, so bench can advance faster than squat if that is what your program requires.

2. Auto PR detection and milestones (Pro). The Records Hub fires a PR notification the moment you log a new best on any lift, across every rep range. A new 3-rep max on squat registers as prominently as a competition single. There is no manual tagging — GainLogger catches new bests in real time.

3. Per-set weight and rep targets (free). Every set in a template carries its own load and rep target. Warmup sets, opener attempts, second attempts, and third attempts can each carry different weights inside the same exercise block — stored and displayed exactly as your program specifies.

4. Apple Watch and Wear OS apps (free). Log sets, rest timers, and session completion directly from your wrist. Between heavy attempts, you don't pick up your phone — the watch handles the full logging flow on its own.

5. Per-exercise progress charts (Pro). Every tracked lift gets a dedicated view: estimated 1RM trend over months, total volume per session, and set-by-set breakdowns. Use the e1RM trendline to confirm a training block is delivering gains at the rate your meet prep requires.

6. Workout analytics (Pro). Session-level data — total volume, top sets, training duration — aggregated into charts that show load trends over weeks and months. Useful for identifying volume spikes before they become recovery problems.

7. Supersets (Pro). Pair a competition lift with an accessory movement in one block. GainLogger handles the rest timer between both exercises so you stay organized during higher-frequency accessory work without losing track of where you are in the session.

Free vs Pro for powerlifters

GainLogger's free plan covers the core logging workflow, including per-set weight targets and Apple Watch support — enough to run a basic powerlifting program and evaluate whether the app fits your training style. The progression automation and analytical tools that serious powerlifters rely on are in the Pro tier.

Feature	Free	Pro
Workout logging	✓	✓
Per-set weight & rep targets	✓	✓
Apple Watch + Wear OS companion apps	✓	✓
Community template browsing	✓	✓
Templates	Up to 3	Unlimited
Session history	Up to 10 sessions	Unlimited
Automatic progression rules	—	✓
Auto PR detection (Records Hub)	—	✓
Per-exercise progress charts	—	✓
Workout analytics	—	✓
Supersets	—	✓

Pro costs $35/year (roughly $2.92/month) or $3.99/month, with a 14-day free trial on the annual plan. See GainLogger's free and Pro plans to compare both tiers before committing.

Who Is GainLogger for Powerlifters Best For?

GainLogger for powerlifters fits three distinct training situations: percentage-based programmers who need automation between training blocks, meet prep athletes tracking e1RM trajectory through a full cycle, and competitive lifters who want wrist-based logging during sessions that demand total concentration on the bar.

• Lifters running 5/3/1, Sheiko, or conjugate. Per-set targets let you build warmup loads alongside working sets in the same template. Automatic progression rules (Pro) advance your training max when the required sets are completed, so there is no manual recalculation heading into the next training block.

• Meet prep athletes monitoring e1RM trajectory. The per-exercise progress charts (Pro) plot your estimated one-rep max across a full training cycle. If the trendline is flat with eight weeks to a meet, you have data to justify a programming change before it affects what happens on the platform.

• Lifters who log with a smartwatch. Heavy singles and near-maximal triples require complete mental focus. Logging from an Apple Watch or Wear OS watch between attempts keeps your phone in your bag and your attention on the lift.

Frequently asked questions

Does GainLogger track estimated 1RM automatically?

Yes, with Pro. GainLogger calculates estimated 1RM from every set you log and plots the trend over time in the per-exercise progress charts. Every lift in your template gets its own chart — squat, bench, deadlift, and any accessory movement you track. No separate calculator is needed; the data comes directly from your logged sessions.

Can I use GainLogger to run 5/3/1?

Yes. GainLogger's per-set target system stores different weights and rep targets for each set within an exercise block. A 5/3/1 session with warmup percentages and a top AMRAP set maps directly onto a GainLogger template. Pro's automatic progression rules can then advance the training max automatically when the top-set conditions are met, removing the manual calculation step between training cycles.

Does GainLogger detect PRs automatically?

Yes, with Pro. The Records Hub fires a PR notification the moment a new personal best is logged — across every rep range, not just all-time one-rep maxes. A 2-rep PR on deadlift triggers the same alert as a 1-rep max. No manual tagging is required; GainLogger captures it the instant the set is logged.

Is GainLogger available on Android?

Yes. GainLogger is available on both iOS and Android with full feature parity across both platforms — the same Pro features, pricing, and logging experience on either device. Android users also have access to the native Wear OS companion app for wrist-based logging, while iOS users have the Apple Watch app.

Verdict

Powerlifters who need per-set weight targets, automatic progression that advances training maxes without manual math, and instant PR detection across every lift will find GainLogger built for exactly that workflow. GainLogger for powerlifters runs on iOS, Android, Apple Watch, and Wear OS — start free with no credit card, then unlock the full powerlifting feature set through GainLogger's free and Pro plans.

Last updated July 2026.