A training record becomes misleading when substitutions are hidden under the original exercise name. If the planned machine was occupied and you used another movement, say so. The session can still be useful, but it asked a different question. Clear labels preserve that distinction and prevent later charts from implying comparisons that the actual workouts do not support.
Create separate entries for meaningful variations. Include the equipment and settings that help identify the task. A cable row and a plate-loaded row may belong to the same broad category without producing directly comparable numbers. Do not treat a change in resistance label as proof of progress when the system and movement have also changed.
Record why the substitution happened if the reason may affect future planning. Repeated unavailability suggests that the routine needs a practical backup or a different order. Choose familiar alternatives with an understandable purpose. Ask for qualified instruction before using unfamiliar equipment or attempting a variation you only partly understand from a short demonstration.
During a review, compare each movement within its own context. Decide whether the substitute should remain a backup or become a considered part of the plan. Accurate data does not require a perfectly identical week. It requires a record honest enough to show where the week differed, allowing flexibility without losing the meaning of the work you completed.