Trainers
How to write a workout program for a client.
A good client program starts before the first exercise. Ask four questions, pick a split that fits their week, then choose exercises, sets, reps and rest, and decide how it gets harder. Here's each step, with examples from real programs.
Key takeaways
- Start with four answers: what the client wants, how many days they can train, where they train, and what they can already do.
- Pick the split from their days: full body for 2 or 3 days a week, upper and lower body for 4, and a split by muscle for 5 or more.
- Build each day around one or two big lifts, then add smaller exercises for the muscles that need more work.
- Give every exercise a rep range, a rest time and an effort target, so the client knows how hard each set should feel.
- Decide how the program gets harder before you send it: more reps inside the range first, then more weight.
A good program answers four questions before it lists a single exercise. What does the client want? How many days can they train? Where do they train, and with what? What can they do today? Get those right and most of the program follows from them.
This guide walks through each step, with examples from the ready-made programs in the Kovo library.
Start with four questions
Ask these in your first session and write the answers down. Every choice below comes back to them.
- What do they want? Getting stronger, building muscle, losing fat or feeling fit for a sport all lead to different programs.
- How many days can they train? Ask for the number they can keep in a busy week, not the number they hope for.
- Where, and with what? A full gym, a home gym with dumbbells, or no equipment at all.
- What can they do today? Which lifts they know, how heavy they go, and anything that hurts. If something hurts, they should see a doctor or physio before you train around it.
Pick a split that fits their week
A split is how the work is shared across the week. The best split is the one your client will keep, so start from the days they gave you.
- 2 or 3 days: full body every session. Beginner Full Body in the Kovo library runs 2 days a week; Full Body 3x runs 3.
- 4 days: upper body and lower body on separate days, like Upper Lower 4x.
- 3 to 6 days for experienced clients: push, pull and legs. Push Pull Legs runs 3 days, or twice through in 6.
- 5 or more days: a split by muscle group can work, but only if they will show up that often.
If a client misses a day, a program that rotates through routines in order keeps them on track. They do the next workout, not the one for that weekday.
Choose exercises for each day
Start each day with one or two big lifts that train several muscles at once: a squat, a hinge like the deadlift, a push like the bench press, or a pull like a row. Then add two to four smaller exercises for the muscles that need more work, like the shoulders, arms or calves.
Pick moves your client can do with their equipment and their skill today. Keep the same main lifts for several weeks, so you both can see them improve. Most sessions work well with four to six exercises; the Kovo library’s workouts have between three and six.
Set sets, reps, rest and effort
The goal sets the numbers. A few starting points from the Kovo library:
- Strength: fewer reps with more rest. Strength 5x5 uses 5 sets of 5 on the big lifts, with 2 to 3 minutes between sets.
- Muscle: more reps with less rest. Push Pull Legs uses 5 to 15 reps, with 1 to 3 minutes between sets.
- Beginners: fewer sets and an easy effort. Beginner Full Body uses 3 sets of 10 to 12 with about 3 reps left in each set.
Give each exercise a rep range, like 8 to 10, instead of one number, and an effort target. Effort says how close to failure a set should go: 80% means stop with about two good reps left. It tells the client how hard to push without you standing there. The glossary explains effort, RIR and RPE in more detail.
Plan how it gets harder
A program works when it gets a little harder over time. The simplest way is to add reps first, then weight. When your client reaches the top of the rep range on every set with good form, they add a small amount of weight next time and start again at the bottom of the range.
Write this rule into your notes for the client, so they know what to do between sessions. Our progressive overload calculator shows the next step for any lift.
Check it before you send it
Before the program goes to your client, read it once more as if you were them.
- Does each muscle get a fair share of sets across the week, with about as much pulling as pushing?
- Does each workout fit the time they have?
- Are the first weights light enough that the first week feels like a win?
- Does every exercise that needs a cue have a short note?
Then pick a start date and send it. Check their first workouts closely and adjust after the first week.
Frequently asked questions
How many exercises should a client's workout have?
Most workouts work well with four to six exercises: one or two big lifts and a few smaller ones. The workouts in the Kovo library have between three and six.
How long should a client's program last?
Long enough to see progress on the main lifts, often 4 to 12 weeks. The programs in the Kovo library run from 4 to 12 weeks.
How do I pick weights for a new client?
Start lighter than you think, with 2 or 3 reps left in each set, and adjust after the first week. In Kovo Trainer you can leave the weight empty, and Kovo picks one from the client's own workouts.
Should every client get a different program?
Not always. Many clients can start from the same program if you change the exercises, days and effort to fit each one. Giving each client their own copy makes that easy.