Create Custom Workouts Using ChatGPT

Preparing Custom Physical Fitness Details

In the ever-evolving world of fitness, personalized workout plans have become a sought-after solution to achieving optimal results. This is where the power of generative AI comes into play. In this tutorial, we will leverage ChatGPT to build a custom workout routine.

Tips for Creating a Custom Workout Routine

When creating a custom workout routine, it’s important to be realistic and aware of the “slow and steady” approach that achieving fitness goals involves. Before using ChatGPT to generate a workout routine to start a fitness lifestyle, it is beneficial to review these tips to get started:

Provide Comprehensive and Accurate Data: Ensure you provide the platform with comprehensive and accurate personal data. This includes information about your fitness level, goals, preferences, health conditions, and any relevant medical history. The more precise the data, the more tailored and effective your custom workout plan will be.

Be Clear About Your Fitness Goals: Clearly define your fitness objectives and the timeframe in which you want to achieve them. Whether it’s weight loss, muscle gain, improved endurance, or overall fitness, expressing your goals helps the AI generate a plan aligned with your aspirations.

Stay Consistent with Tracking and Feedback: Stay consistent with tracking your progress and providing feedback to the AI platform. Regularly update your workout achievements, challenges faced, and any changes in your preferences. This information allows the AI to adapt and refine your workout plan for better results.

Embrace Variety and Novelty: Keep an open mind and embrace the variety of exercises and workouts the AI suggests. Trying new exercises and routines can be exciting and prevent workout monotony. The AI’s ability to introduce novelty can keep your fitness journey engaging and enjoyable.

DISCLAIMER! Any workout, whether generated by ChatGPT or through other means, must NOT negatively impact your health through injury. If at any point an exercise causes pain or discomfort, stop that exercise immediately.

Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to your body’s responses to the workout plan. If you experience discomfort, pain, or fatigue, don’t hesitate to communicate this to the AI platform. Again, the workout suggestions provided should not cause any pain or discomfort. If they do, then modify the workout. ChatGPT will adjust your routine to ensure safety and prevent overtraining.

Combine generative AI with Human Expertise: While generative AI can create excellent personalized workout plans, it’s essential to combine it with the expertise of certified fitness professionals. Seeking guidance from a fitness coach or personal trainer can provide valuable insights and ensure that the AI-generated plan aligns with your unique needs.

Set Realistic Expectations: Keep in mind that no fitness plan, even when personalized, produces instant results. Be patient, set realistic expectations, and celebrate the small victories along the way. Sustainable progress is often the key to long-term success.

Review and Update as Needed: Regularly review your custom workout plan and assess its effectiveness. If your goals or circumstances change, update the fitness goals and personal details provided to the AI platform accordingly to ensure your routine remains relevant and beneficial.

Enjoy the Journey: Most importantly, enjoy the fitness journey. Utilizing generative AI to create a custom workout routine should be an exciting and empowering experience. Embrace the process, stay motivated, and celebrate every step towards a healthier and fitter you.

Organize Your Fitness Data for a Custom Workout

Generative AI collects and analyzes user data to create personalized workout plans that suit individual needs, goals, and preferences. When preparing to use ChatGPT to generate a custom workout, it is important for the data provided to the AI engine to be accurate and diverse to generate effective routines. The following criteria of personal data are essential when creating a custom workout plan:

1. Basic Personal Information:

• Age: Age is a crucial factor as it affects fitness levels, metabolism, and the body’s ability to recover from exercise.
• Gender: Gender can influence exercise choices and training objectives.
• Weight: Body weight helps determine appropriate exercise intensities and calorie expenditure.
• Height: Height is useful for calculating body mass index (BMI) and proportions.

2. Fitness Level and History:

• Current Fitness Level: Information on current fitness abilities and performance helps establish a baseline for workout progression. Especially for beginners, it is recommended to consult with a licensed or certified fitness professional to measure current fitness levels by conducting a supervised fitness test.
• Exercise History: Knowledge of past workout routines and experiences aids in designing suitable exercises and identifying preferences.
• Injuries and Health Conditions: Understanding past injuries and health issues ensures the workout plan avoids exercises that could exacerbate problems.

3. Fitness Goals:

• Specific Objectives: Clearly defined goals, such as weight loss, muscle gain, endurance improvement, or overall fitness, drive the customization process.
• Target Timeframe: Determining the desired timeframe for achieving goals helps structure the workout plan’s intensity and duration.

4. Workout Preferences:

• Exercise Types: Identifying preferred exercise types (e.g., cardio, strength training, yoga) helps tailor the workout plan to the individual’s interests.
• Workout Environment: Whether someone prefers working out at home, in a gym, or outdoors influences exercise choices.

5. Lifestyle and Schedule:

• Daily Routine: Understanding daily commitments and available workout time ensures the plan is feasible and can be integrated seamlessly.
• Rest and Recovery: Information on sleep patterns and stress levels helps in designing appropriate rest and recovery strategies.

6. Medical Considerations:

• Health Conditions: Knowledge of medical conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes, hypertension) enables the AI to avoid exercises that could pose risks.
• Medications: Awareness of any medications being taken can help prevent interference with exercises.

7. Dietary Preferences and Restrictions:

• Food Allergies and Sensitivities: Knowledge of dietary restrictions ensures the AI recommends appropriate nutrition alongside the workout plan.
• Dietary Preferences: Understanding dietary preferences helps suggest meal plans that align with the individual’s tastes.

8. Fitness Tracker Data (Optional):

• Heart Rate: Heart rate data can provide insights into exercise intensity and cardiovascular fitness.
• Steps and Activity Levels: Activity tracking data can be valuable for tailoring daily exercise recommendations.

Note: It is crucial to prioritize user privacy and data security when collecting personal information. Always obtain explicit consent from users to use their data for creating a custom workout plan, and follow data protection regulations and best practices.

Prepare and Generate a Custom Workout with ChatGPT

With our basic personal information gathered and formatted, we are ready to feed the information to ChatGPT.

Prompt:

I would like to provide you with a set of basic personal information. Basic Personal Information:
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

Fitness Level and History:
Current Fitness Level: Moderate - Regularly exercises but looking to improve overall fitness.

Exercise History: Has experience with cardio workouts and basic strength training.

Injuries and Health Conditions: No major injuries but occasional lower back stiffness after long periods of sitting.

Fitness Goals:
Specific Objectives: Increase muscle mass, improve cardiovascular endurance, and achieve a healthier body composition.
Target Timeframe: Aiming for significant progress within 6 months to a year.

Workout Preferences:
Exercise Types: Enjoys a mix of cardio activities like running and cycling, and strength training using free weights.
Workout Environment: Primarily exercises at a local gym but also interested in home workouts.

Lifestyle and Schedule:
Daily Routine: Works full-time, Monday to Friday, with weekends off. Can dedicate 1 hour to workouts on weekdays and more time on weekends.
Rest and Recovery: Typically sleeps for 7-8 hours per night but occasionally experiences stress from work which leads to poor sleep.

Medical Considerations:
Health Conditions: No significant health conditions or medical concerns.

Do you understand this information?

ChatGPT Response:

Yes, I understand the basic personal information, fitness level and history, fitness goals, workout preferences, lifestyle and schedule, and medical considerations provided. Based on this information, I can now assist you with any questions or guidance related to your fitness journey and goals. Please feel free to ask anything you'd like to know or seek advice on how to improve your overall fitness and achieve your objectives.

Prompt ChatGPT to Generate a Custom Workout

Now that ChatGPT acknowledges understanding of the information provided, we may ask it to generate a custom workout. While creating the prompt, additional details may be included to specify workout type, timeframe of workout, workout setting, etc.

Prompt

Thank you. Based on the basic personal information provided, generate a one-hour workout that incorporates upper-body strength training and at least 15 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular exercise.

ChatGPT Response:

You're welcome! Here's a one-hour workout that incorporates upper-body strength training and at least 15 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular exercise, tailored to your basic personal information:

Warm-up (5 minutes):
- Start with 5 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise to raise your heart rate and warm up your muscles. You can do a light jog, jump rope, or use a stationary bike at a moderate pace.

Upper Body Strength Training (35 minutes):
1. Bench Press (Chest): 4 sets x 8-10 reps
   - Lie down on a bench with a barbell or dumbbells, lower the weight to your chest, and push it back up.

2. Bent-Over Rows (Back): 4 sets x 8-10 reps
   - Hold a barbell or dumbbells with palms facing down, hinge at your hips, and row the weight towards your chest.

3. Shoulder Press (Shoulders): 3 sets x 10-12 reps
   - Sit or stand with dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing forward, and press the weights overhead.

4. Bicep Curls: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
   - Stand with dumbbells in your hands, palms facing forward, curl the weights towards your shoulders, and lower them back down.

5. Tricep Dips: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
   - Use parallel bars or a sturdy elevated surface, lower your body by bending your elbows, and push back up.

6. Push-ups: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
   - Perform standard push-ups or modify on your knees if needed.

Cardiovascular Exercise (15 minutes):
Choose one of the following options for a vigorous cardiovascular exercise:

1. Running: Run at a fast pace for 15 minutes on a treadmill, track, or outdoors.

2. Cycling: Use a stationary bike or ride outdoors at a high intensity for 15 minutes.

3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Perform alternating periods of intense exercise (e.g., burpees, jumping jacks, mountain climbers) for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of rest. Repeat for 15 minutes.

Cool-down and Stretching (5 minutes):
- Finish your workout with 5 minutes of light walking or slow cycling to gradually lower your heart rate.
- Then, spend 5 minutes stretching your major muscle groups, holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds.

Always perform exercises with proper form to avoid injury, and adjust the weights and intensity based on your current fitness level. Remember to listen to your body, stay hydrated, and allow time for proper rest and recovery between workouts. Enjoy your workout!

Modify a Workout Generated by ChatGPT

The first workout generated by ChatGPT may meet the mark but can be modified if the generated workout needs improvement or accommodation updates.

Modification Prompt

For this tutorial, we will provide an example of a modification to the workout generated by ChatGPT that will update the gear utilized in the workout, and we will request alternative cardiovascular exercises to those listed in the first response.

Prompt

This is a great workout, thank you. I do not have dumbbells available for this workout, please regenerate this workout with alternate gear, or an alternate exercise that does not require gear. Also, please provide different cardiovascular exercise options.

Modified Response

ChatGPT Response:

You're welcome! I'm glad you liked the workout. Let's modify the workout to use alternate gear for the upper body strength training exercises and provide different cardiovascular exercise options. Here's the updated one-hour workout:

Warm-up (5 minutes):
- Start with 5 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise to raise your heart rate and warm up your muscles. You can do a light jog, jump rope, or use a stationary bike at a moderate pace.

Upper Body Strength Training (35 minutes):
1. Push-ups: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
   - Perform standard push-ups or incline push-ups (hands on a raised surface) to target your chest and triceps.

2. Inverted Rows (Back): 4 sets x 8-10 reps
   - Find a sturdy horizontal bar at waist height (e.g., Smith machine bar, TRX straps) and position yourself underneath it. Hold the bar with an overhand grip, extend your legs in front of you, and pull your chest up to the bar.

3. Pike Push-ups (Shoulders): 3 sets x 10-12 reps
   - Assume a push-up position with your hips raised, forming an upside-down V. Lower your head towards the ground and push back up to work on your shoulder muscles.

4. Diamond Push-ups: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
   - Perform push-ups with your hands close together, forming a diamond shape. This targets the triceps.

5. Tricep Dips: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
   - Use parallel bars or a sturdy elevated surface, lower your body by bending your elbows, and push back up.

Cardiovascular Exercise (15 minutes):
Choose one of the following options for a vigorous cardiovascular exercise:

1. Jumping Jacks: Perform jumping jacks continuously for 15 minutes at a high intensity.

2. Burpees: Perform burpees for 15 minutes, alternating between regular burpees and modified burpees (without the jump).

3. Mountain Climbers: Perform mountain climbers for 15 minutes, alternating your legs in a plank position.

Cool-down and Stretching (5 minutes):
- Finish your workout with 5 minutes of light walking or slow cycling to gradually lower your heart rate.
- Then, spend 5 minutes stretching your major muscle groups, holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds.

With this modified workout, you can still target your upper body effectively without using dumbbells. Adjust the number of repetitions and sets based on your fitness level and gradually increase intensity as you progress. Always prioritize proper form and listen to your body during the workout. Enjoy your training!

As we start or enhance our fitness journey with ChatGPT, it is important to do some prep work and organize our basic fitness data before using ChatGPT to generate a workout routine. Be honest and detailed in preparing fitness data so ChatGPT can generate the most accurate and tailored workout program. Apply the format shown in the second section of this tutorial and enjoy the many different workouts ChatGPT can generate. Oh, and best of luck and motivation in the fitness adventures to come!

To see what else you can do with ChatGPT (or generative AI in general), check out some of the articles located here: AI Articles.