How to use ChatGPT to create an effective workout plan (home & gym) • The Smart Lifter

In my fitness journey that began back in 2014, I’ve dabbled in various workout styles and circumstances.

However, one thing I’ve learned is that constantly thinking about new workout routines can be impractical and time-consuming.

Not to mention, it can lead to a loss of excitement over time.

But fear not, there’s a solution that can revolutionize your fitness regimen: having AI generate a workout plan tailored just for you.

The Ingredients of an Effective Prompt

Before we dive into the world of AI-generated workouts, let’s first understand what makes a prompt effective.

When crafting a prompt, consider factors like gender, fitness goals, available equipment, target muscle groups, and workout intensity.

These details will ensure that the AI understands your unique needs and provides a suitable workout plan.

The prompt has to be adaptable to multiple situations and easy to edit on the fly.

Ensuring a consistent output is also important. That’s why we provided instructions on formatting the exercises.

Each exercise follows this schema:

1. Exercise Name

2. Target Muscle Group

3. Sets and Reps

4. YouTube Tutorial Link

5. Practical Tip

Workout Plan at Home:

After many attempts with different prompts we found this is to be one of the most effective. It’s comprehensive and easy to edit.

The Prompt

You are an experienced personal trainer. Create a personalized home workout based on this data:

Objective:
- Workout Duration: `45min`
- Fitness Goal: `Muscle Tone`

Focus Areas:
- Targeted Muscle Groups: `Total body`
- Workout Style: `Normal sets`

Key Requirements:
- Equipment Available: `a mat and a towel`
- Other Requirements/Preferences: `make it enjoyable`

Routine Structure:
- Exercises effectively targeting the specified muscle groups, ensuring variety and balance.
- Sequenced in a manner that can be easily followed in order.
- Clear format presentation, listing each exercise with its recommended sets and repetitions.

Exercise Details:
1. Exercise Name
2. Target Muscle Group
3. Sets and Reps
4. YouTube Tutorial Link: Format - "https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=[exercise]+tutorial"
5. Practical Tip: For enhancing effectiveness or maintaining correct form.

Routine Considerations:
- The routine should be well-balanced, making sure not to include any exercises that require additional equipment beyond the available equipment listed and the specified workout style.
- Ensure the routine fits within the specified workout duration.
- Include a quick warm-up & cool-down.

The Result

“ Sure, let’s create a personalized home workout routine for you with a focus on muscle tone, targeting the entire body, and incorporating circuit training for abs. Since your workout duration is 45 minutes, we’ll plan accordingly to make the most of your time.

Warm-up (5 minutes):

Start with 2 sets of 30 seconds each of jumping jacks.
Follow that with 2 sets of 30 seconds each of arm circles (forward and backward).
Continue with 2 sets of 15 reps of bodyweight squats.
Finish the warm-up with 2 sets of 30 seconds each of high knees.

Main Workout (35 minutes):

Perform each exercise with proper form and control. Rest for 30 seconds between sets and 1 minute between exercises if needed.

Push-Ups
- Target Muscle Group: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
- Do 3 sets of 12 reps.
- You can find a tutorial on push-ups here.
- Practical Tip: Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
Bodyweight Squats
- Target Muscle Group: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes
- Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
- You can find a tutorial on bodyweight squats here.
- Practical Tip: Keep your knees aligned with your toes during the squat.
Plank
- Target Muscle Group: Core (Abs)
- Do 3 sets of 30 seconds.
- You can find a tutorial on planks here.
- Practical Tip: Maintain a straight line from head to heels and engage your core.
Lunges
- Target Muscle Group: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes
- Do 3 sets of 12 reps per leg.
- You can find a tutorial on lunges here.
- Practical Tip: Keep your front knee at a 90-degree angle when lunging.
Russian Twists (using a mat)
- Target Muscle Group: Core (Obliques)
- Do 3 sets of 12 reps per side.
- You can find a tutorial on Russian twists here.
- Practical Tip: Maintain balance and twist from your waist.
Superman
- Target Muscle Group: Lower back, Glutes
- Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
- You can find a tutorial on the Superman exercise here.
- Practical Tip: Lift both your upper and lower body off the mat.

Cool-down (5 minutes):

Perform stretching exercises for all major muscle groups, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.

Remember to maintain proper form throughout the workout and adjust the number of sets and reps based on your current fitness level. Also, feel free to listen to your favorite music or make the workout enjoyable by adding your own personal touch. This routine should help you achieve your muscle tone goals within your specified workout duration. ”

Every workout is generated with ChatGPT 3.5. We didn’t use 4.0 version since most users don’t have access to it. However, the prompts perform well regardless of ChatGPT version.

Personal Review

The warmup is quick, comprehensive and effective.

The exercises are well chosen, even though if you are a man you might prefer adding more exercises for your upper body.

Add some sets of Triceps Dips with a Chair and you are going to be fine as per muscle stimulus. That exercise always gives me great feelings.

Overall it’s a great routine for a quick home workout with no equipment at all.

Workout Plan at the Gym:

Our intent was to generate an effective prompt that could work in multiple scenarios. After some tweaking from the previous one we got this.

The Prompt

You are an experienced personal trainer. Create a personalized 1 week workout plan based on this data:

Objective:
- Workout Duration: `1 hour`
- Fitness Goal: `Muscle Mass`
- Days Per Week: '3'

Focus Areas:
- Workout Split: '[push, pull, legs]'
- Workout Style: `Normal`

Key Requirements:
- Equipment Available: `[all]`
- Other Requirements/Preferences: `[Machine preference, HIIT cardio]`

Routine Structure:
- Exercises effectively targeting the specified muscle groups, ensuring variety and balance.
- Sequenced in a manner that can be easily followed in order.
- Clear format presentation, listing each exercise with its recommended sets and repetitions.

Exercise Details:
1. Exercise Name
2. Target Muscle Group
3. Sets and Reps
4. YouTube Tutorial Link: Format - "https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=[exercise]+tutorial"
5. Practical Tip: For enhancing effectiveness or maintaining correct form.

Routine Considerations:
- The routine should be well-balanced, making sure not to include any exercises that require additional equipment beyond the available equipment listed and the specified workout style.
- Ensure the routine fits within the specified workout duration.
- Include a quick warm-up & cool-down.

The Result

“ Sure, I can help you create a personalized 1-week workout plan based on your objectives and preferences. Here’s a 3-day workout plan focusing on muscle mass, using a ‘push, pull, legs’ split, with a normal workout style, all within a 1-hour duration:

Day 1 - Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps):

Bench Press
- Target Muscle Group: Chest
- Sets and Reps: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Practical Tip: Keep your back flat on the bench and maintain a controlled movement.
- Bench Press Tutorial
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Target Muscle Group: Shoulders
- Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Practical Tip: Ensure your elbows are at a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the movement.
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press Tutorial
Tricep Dips (Machine or Bodyweight)
- Target Muscle Group: Triceps
- Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Practical Tip: Keep your elbows close to your body during the movement.
- Tricep Dips Tutorial

Day 2 - Pull (Back, Biceps):

Pull-Ups (Machine or Bodyweight)
- Target Muscle Group: Back
- Sets and Reps: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Practical Tip: Focus on a full range of motion and controlled movement.
- Pull-Ups Tutorial
Barbell Rows
- Target Muscle Group: Back
- Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Practical Tip: Keep your back straight and engage your lats.
- Barbell Rows Tutorial
Bicep Curls (Machine or Dumbbell)
- Target Muscle Group: Biceps
- Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Practical Tip: Maintain strict form and control the weight throughout the movement.
- Bicep Curls Tutorial

Day 3 - Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Calves):

Squats
- Target Muscle Group: Quads
- Sets and Reps: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Practical Tip: Keep your chest up and knees aligned with your toes.
- Squats Tutorial
Romanian Deadlifts (or Machine Leg Curls)
- Target Muscle Group: Hamstrings
- Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Practical Tip: Maintain a slight bend in your knees and hinge at your hips.
- Romanian Deadlifts Tutorial
Standing Calf Raises (Machine or Dumbbell)
- Target Muscle Group: Calves
- Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Practical Tip: Go for a full range of motion and squeeze your calf muscles at the top.
- Calf Raises Tutorial

Warm-Up and Cool-Down:

Spend 5-10 minutes on a light cardio warm-up, such as jumping jacks or jogging in place.
After your workout, perform static stretches for each muscle group worked, holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds.

Remember to start with weights that are manageable and gradually increase them as you progress. Also, ensure you maintain proper form throughout your exercises to prevent injuries. Feel free to adjust the weights and repetitions based on your current fitness level and preferences. Good luck with your muscle-building journey! ”

Every workout is generated with ChatGPT 3.5. We didn’t use 4.0 version since most users don’t have access to it. However, the prompts perform well regardless of ChatGPT version.

Personal Review

The workout is simple, challenging and enough to stimulate a significant amount of growth if done with high intensity.

ChatGPT lists the core exercises.

This gives you more flexibility to choose a comfortable warm-up & cool-down routine that stays the same at every session.

Here are some warm-up ideas.

Feel free to supplement it with an abs circuit or forearms training at the end of your session.

The Ultimate Workout Plan Generator:

This all-encompassing approach combines the best of home and gym workouts, considering every possible requirement.

It took me several prompt adjustments to reach something easy to edit and consistent.

Replace the fields with the hashtag ’#’ with your data and the job is done.

You are an experienced personal trainer.Create a personalized workout based on this data:

Objective:
- Workout Duration: `#Workout Duration {30min, 45min, 1h, ...}`
  - Fitness Goal: `#Fitness Goal {Muscle Mass, Lose Weigth, Mantainance, ...}`

Focus Areas:
- Targeted Muscle Groups: `[#Targeted Muscle Groups]`
  - Workout Style: `#Workout Style {Home, Gym, Calisthenics, Crossfit, ...}`

Key Requirements:
- Equipment Available: `[#List of Available Equipment]`
  - Other Requirements / Preferences: `[#Other Requirements or Preferences]`

Routine Structure:
- Exercises effectively targeting the specified muscle groups, ensuring variety and balance.
- Sequenced in a manner that can be easily followed in order.
- Clear format presentation, listing each exercise with its recommended sets and repetitions.

Exercise Details:
1. Exercise Name
2. Target Muscle Group
3. Sets and Reps
4. YouTube Tutorial Link: Format - "https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=[exercise]+tutorial"
5. Practical Tip: For enhancing effectiveness or maintaining correct form.

Routine Considerations:
- The routine should be well - balanced, making sure not to include any exercises that require additional equipment beyond the available equipment listed and the specified workout style.
- Ensure the routine fits within the specified workout duration.
- Include a quick warm - up & cool - down.

Copy and paste it in your favorite chatbot or try the prompt here:
https://snackprompt.com/prompt/create-a-personalized-workout-based-on-equipment-and-muscle-groups

Conclusion

In conclusion, harnessing the power of AI to generate workout plans can save you time, maintain your enthusiasm, and lead you toward your fitness goals more effectively.

We had some great results in our attempt! Over time you could make some tweaking to get even better workouts tailored to your specific needs.

This is just the beginning since chatbots are going to become smarter and smarter.

You can easily see how they can start replacing personal training for trivial things now and more advanced stuff in the near future.

I’ll be back for more about the development of AI in the fitness world.

Thank you for reading, train hard, train safe!