Best of 2026
Best Apple Watch workout log for lifting
A running app on the watch is not a lifting log. For the gym you want the set you are on, the weight, the reps, and a rest timer you can see without pulling the phone out of a bag. This page is about that job, not about closing rings.
What actually matters on the wrist
The useful watch screen shows the exercise name, the weight, and the reps, with a way to complete the set. If you have to confirm three dialogs, you will go back to the phone by the second exercise.
You can log weight and reps on Apple Watch. The Watch app needs the iPhone nearby. It is not a watch that stores the workout on its own and syncs later.
Can you finish a set from the watch without retyping the whole workout?
Does rest start when the set is done, or do you have to open another app?
Does the iPhone have to be in the same room? For TrackYourLift, yes.
How TrackYourLift fits
TrackYourLift's watch screen is for the set in front of you. The program, the history, and the charts stay on the iPhone, which is the right split: the watch is a logger, not a second copy of the whole app.
Siri shortcuts are part of the iPhone app as well. They are a convenience on top of the log, not a replacement for tapping the set in when the gym is loud.
How to choose
If you already like a log and only want a bigger rest timer, a dedicated timer app is enough. Racked is the rest timer from the same developer, and it is a timer, not a workout log.
If you want the set written down on the watch while you follow a program, use a log that has both. Strong has a long track record with Apple Watch. TrackYourLift adds program sharing and cloud AI on top of wrist logging. Pick the one whose phone app you will still open on Sunday to see if the week worked.
Can I leave the iPhone in the locker room?
No. TrackYourLift's Watch app needs the iPhone nearby. Keep the phone on the gym floor, not in a locker down the hall.
Does the watch replace the iPhone app?
No. You build programs, review charts, and share plans on the iPhone. The watch is there to record the set.
Is Apple Watch logging part of Pro?
Logging is part of the app, which is free to use. Pro and Pro AI are optional upgrades for the larger library, social tools, and cloud AI.