Separate shoulder exercise variations and equipment settings before comparing sessions.
Name the variation
Keep an overhead press, machine press and lateral raise as distinct records. Add a custom name when an existing label does not describe the movement you performed.
Record equipment consistently
For dumbbells, say whether the weight is per hand. For a machine, keep the seat and handle settings in a note.
Compare records without predicting growth
A change in recorded repetitions or volume describes logged performance. It does not measure shoulder size or establish an ideal routine. This guide does not prescribe exercises, loads or set counts.
Keep shoulder variations identifiable
A seated dumbbell press and a standing press should not become one ambiguous “shoulders” entry. In a hypothetical session, two 12 kg dumbbells used for 10 repetitions can be recorded as 12 kg per hand, with that convention noted. Do not later enter 24 kg for the pair under the same convention without explaining the change. Keep a cable lateral raise distinct from a dumbbell lateral raise; their displayed loads are not interchangeable measurements.
Record a substitution without hiding it
If your planned machine is occupied, record the exercise you actually use under its own name. A note such as “substituted cable variation” preserves the context without rewriting the whole session. When reviewing the month, compare like variations before drawing conclusions from a chart. This guide concerns records, not shoulder rehabilitation, exercise technique or a recommended number of sets. Those decisions require guidance appropriate to your own circumstances.