Writing a training programme is a core skill for any personal trainer. A good plan gives your client a clear path to their physical goals. A bad plan leaves them confused and frustrated near the dumbbell rack.
You need a repeatable system for creating these workouts. Staring at a blank spreadsheet wastes your valuable admin time. This guide breaks down the practical process of writing a solid training block for any client.
Assess your client before you write anything
Never write a programme without understanding the person in front of you. You must gather detailed information about their training history and current lifestyle. Ask them how many days they can realistically train. Three days a week is a common and sustainable target for busy professionals.
Find out about any past injuries or current movement limitations. Ask what equipment they can access. A home gym client with a few kettlebells needs a very different plan to someone training at a fully equipped commercial facility. You should also ask about their daily stress levels and sleep habits. A client who sleeps five hours a night cannot recover from a high volume training programme. Match the physical demand to their recovery capacity.
Choose the right training split
The training split dictates how you divide workouts across the week. You must match the split to the client's availability and experience level. A full body routine works incredibly well for beginners training two or 3 days a week. It allows them to practice the main movement patterns frequently.
An upper and lower split suits intermediate clients training 4 days a week. Avoid complex body part splits for general population clients. They do not need a separate arm day to lose weight and build basic strength. Keep the weekly schedule manageable so they actually complete the sessions. If they can only commit to 2 days, write a brilliant two day programme. Do not write a five day programme and hope they find the extra time.
Select the best exercises for their goals
Exercise selection should focus on basic human movement patterns. Every good programme needs a squat, a hinge, a push, and a pull. Pick exercises that fit the client's current technical ability. A barbell back squat is great for an experienced lifter. A goblet squat is much safer for a beginner learning the movement pattern.
Put the heavy compound lifts at the start of the session. Add smaller isolation exercises after the main work is done. Keep the exercise list short and focused. Six to eight exercises per session is plenty for most people. Doing too many exercises dilutes their effort and increases fatigue without adding extra benefit. Substitute machines for free weights if the client feels anxious about barbell exercises in a busy gym.
Assign sets, reps, and rest periods
The numbers you assign tell the client exactly how hard to work. Strength goals require heavier weights and lower repetitions. You might programme three sets of five reps for a main lift like a deadlift. Muscle building goals respond well to moderate rep ranges. Think three sets of eight to 12 reps for exercises like dumbbell rows.
Rest periods are just as important as the reps. Heavy strength work needs 2 to 3 minutes of rest between sets to allow the nervous system to recover. Smaller isolation exercises might only need 60 seconds. Write these rest periods clearly in the programme document. Clients often rush through their workouts if you do not tell them specifically to sit down and rest.
Plan the progression model
A programme must challenge the client over time to force physical adaptation. You need a planned progression model. The simplest method is linear progression. You ask the client to add a small amount of weight to the bar each week. This works perfectly for beginners for the first few months.
Another option is a rep goal system. The client keeps the same weight but tries to complete one more rep than last week. Write these progression instructions in the notes section of their workout. They need to know what success looks like for each session. You can also use tools like Rate of Perceived Exertion to guide their intensity. Tell them to leave two reps in the tank on their working sets to prevent them from training to failure constantly.
Review and adapt the programme
A training programme is a living document. You must review how the client responds to the prescribed workload. Look at their weekly feedback and watch their exercise videos. Ask them if they feel excessively sore or tired in their daily life. You might need to drop a set or two if they are struggling to recover.
A standard training block usually lasts between 4 and 6 weeks. After this period, you can change the rep ranges or swap out a few accessory exercises to keep the stimulus fresh. Do not change the main compound lifts too often. Clients need time to practice and get stronger at the basics. If you use Fettle, you can build and adjust these programmes quickly from a central library of exercises and templates.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a training programme last?
A typical training phase lasts between 4 and 8 weeks. This duration gives the client enough time to learn the movements and progress the weights before their body fully adapts to the stimulus.
How many exercises should I put in a workout?
Aim for five to seven exercises per workout. Start with one or two heavy compound movements and follow up with three or four isolation or accessory exercises.
What if a client misses a workout?
Tell them to continue with the next scheduled session. Do not ask them to squeeze two workouts into one day to catch up. Consistency over a 12 week period is far more important than a single missed session.
