Nowadays, for many of us, including yours truly, ChatGPT and other chatbots have become go-to tools for drafting ideas, finding answers, and, in some cases, even seeking medical advice or companionship, much like using Google for search. While Google’s results are generally more reliable because they are drawn from databases, chatbot-generated content relies on pattern recognition from large amounts of training data. When no clear pattern exists, chatbots can sometimes go off track and “make up” information. This behavior is commonly known as hallucination.
What I find useful about chatbots like ChatGPT is that they can proofread my drafts, clean them up, and adjust the tone to make them clearer and more reader-friendly.
Prompt Shapes Content
In a recent Women’s Health article, Andi Breitowich, writer and graduate student, highlights advice from ChatGPT-certified trainers on crafting effective prompts for ChatGPT’s personalized workout programs, a point I found particularly interesting. AI tools like ChatGPT are becoming increasingly common in gyms, helping users create personalized workout plans and answer fitness questions. While ChatGPT can generate workout routines quickly and affordably, the quality of its recommendations depends largely on how well the prompt is crafted.
Alex McBrairty, CPT, a certified personal trainer and the founder of A-Team Fitness, told Women’s Health, “ChatGPT can harness the power of the internet to consolidate massive amounts of information in a matter of seconds, so when used correctly, this can save a person hours of research and produce incredibly customized workout results“.
According to Adam Shuty, CSCS, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and the founder of Atomic Total Fitness, to get a high-quality workout plan from ChatGPT, provide detailed information as if filling out an intake form for an elite coach.
If you want AI to give you a high-quality workout plan, you have to pretend you’re filling out an intake form for an elite, high-level coach. The better the details, the smarter the plan.
– Adam Shutty, a certified strength and conditioning specialist
Breitowich suggests that creating a workout plan should include six key points: age and experience, fitness goals, type of plan and format, schedule and timeline, equipment, and health considerations. Key highlights are outlined below:
- Age and experience (background): A personalized workout plan starts with understanding an individual’s personal background. This includes their age and prior training experience, whether they are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced trainee. Health considerations are also crucial—any injuries, physical limitations, pregnancy, or medical conditions should be noted to ensure the plan is safe and effective.
- Fitness goals: Clearly defining fitness objectives is the next step. Goals can vary widely, from gaining strength, toning muscles, or losing weight, to reducing pain, improving athletic performance, boosting energy, supporting postpartum recovery, or rehabilitating from an injury. Knowing these objectives helps tailor every aspect of the plan to deliver meaningful results.
- Workout plan design: The structure and content of the workout plan are equally important. This includes deciding the type and format of training—such as upper-, lower-, or full-body routines—and outlining all details, including warmups, main exercises with sets and reps, rest periods, form cues, substitutions, progression tips, cooldowns, recovery guidance, and safety instructions. A well-designed plan ensures balance, progression, and injury prevention.
- Schedule & resources: Finally, scheduling and available resources shape how the plan is implemented. This covers how many days per week workouts will take place, the duration of each session, and a rough timeline for achieving fitness goals. Access to equipment also influences exercise selection and modifications, making it essential to match the plan to what is realistically available.
Prompt examples
In the article, Breitowich provides a few examples for after Shuty and McBrairty offer customized fill in the blank brackets prompt examples for workout plans via ChatGPT.
“I’m a(n) [insert age]-year-old with [insert training experience] and want a workout plan to help me accomplish [insert goals]. Act like an evidence-based strength coach and create a [insert type of workout plan and formatting details] lasting [insert timeline]. I can work out [insert scheduling details] per week, have [insert equipment available], and have [insert health considerations].
Below is another pre-written prompt example for beginners looking to build strength, that can be completed it by copying and pasting.
I’m a true beginner and want a strength training plan to help me stay consistent. Create a [4/8/12]-week full-body workout plan using simple movement patterns (squat, hinge, push, pull, and core).
Source: Women’s Magazine
- Age: [ ]
- Schedule: I can exercise [days/week]
- Equipment: [full gym / dumbbells up to a certain weight / resistance bands / bodyweight / etc.]
- Health considerations: [existing injuries / postpartum / postmenopause / etc.].
- Details to include: warmup, main work reps/sets, rest times, form cues, substitutions, progression tips, and cooldown, along with recovery guidance. Also include a ‘safety notes’ section with red flags and when I should stop or seek medical guidance.
Key Consideration
Shutty told Women’s Health that ChatGPT can create customized workout plans, but it’s important to consider individual needs and limitations. “AI can generate a strong program, but it can also over-confidently hand you something that’s a little too spicy for your shoulder, your knees, your postpartum core, or your current recovery bandwidth.”
AI software can account for general dos and don’ts around existing injuries and conditions, but it has no way of gauging discomfort level, swelling, or other variables that a human coach can monitor and adjust to keep you safe.
– Alex McBrairty in Women’s Health
Breitowich emphasizes consulting a human trainer for personalized workout plans, especially if you have injuries, medical conditions, or chronic pain. The bottom line is that while technology like chatbots offers quick solutions but real-life resources shouldn’t be overlooked. A bot can help you only getting started, but it can’t replace human observation and guidance.
Acknowledgement: The summary section of this post was generated using AI writing tools as part of my experimental learning process. For more information, please refer to the original article listed below.