How to log workouts with iMessage and Rudy

Start with the setup instructions

Rudy is a workout logger you message through iMessage. The idea is straightforward: send the details of your sets from the conversation you already have open, then use the web dashboard when you want to browse your history.

Start on the Rudy signup page and follow the instructions to connect your phone. Use the Rudy contact provided during setup. Once connected, keep your workout entries in that conversation so you have one familiar place to send them.

Make the first message unambiguous

Include the exercise name, the weight and unit, and the reps you completed. Plain English is fine. Explicit information is especially helpful for the first exercise of a session, when changing equipment, or when switching units.

For dumbbells, say whether the weight is per hand. For a barbell, use total load including the bar. If a variation matters to your history, include it in the name instead of expecting the logger to infer your setup.

Barbell bench press, 60 kg total, 8 reps

Seated dumbbell shoulder press, 14 kg per hand, 10 reps

Lat pulldown, 45 kg, three sets: 10, 10, 8 reps

Read the confirmation

After sending a set, check Rudy’s reply against what you intended: the exercise, load, units, reps, and number of sets. A message sent is not the same as a verified record. If the reply asks for clarification, answer before treating the entry as finished.

When something is wrong, describe the correction precisely. ‘The last bench set was 6 reps, not 8’ gives a clearer target than ‘that’s wrong.’ Check the follow-up confirmation and your dashboard if you are unsure which entry changed.

If you are logging an earlier workout, state its date explicitly. That helps keep a catch-up entry from being confused with today’s session.

Use the dashboard for the longer view

The conversation is useful for capture. The dashboard is where you can browse your workouts and exercise history. Before a repeated exercise, look back at the previous recorded sets; after the workout, check that your new entry reflects what you completed.

Keep the same naming and unit habits you would use in a notebook. A text interface removes the need to fill out a form, but a clear record still depends on clear details.

Choose the workflow you will actually use

Texting can be a good fit when you want to capture a set without navigating a workout form. A notebook or a spreadsheet may suit you better if you prefer handwriting or building your own views. The useful test is whether you can reliably record a session and find it again.

Rudy keeps the log; your training plan determines the work. Start by recording your next session accurately, then use the history to make your next comparison easier.