When Jason Sawyer, Ph.D., first used ChatGPT to create a resistance training exercise program, he was curious if the AI chatbot would follow the principles and science of resistance training.
“Compared to some of the exercise programs you can pay for and download online, AI did a much better job,” says Sawyer, director and associate professor of Bryant University’s Exercise and Movement Science program.
ChatGPT kicked off its suggested workout with a large compound lift, which — when you have more muscle tissue active — leads to increases in strength; it then followed up with accessory lifts, such as shoulder press, bicep curls, and triceps extensions. When the chatbot listed an exercise, Sawyer noted that short explanations were provided to the user on why they were completing a specific exercise. After 20 minutes of follow up prompts, Sawyer walked away with five workouts for the week.
“Typically, exercise programming takes a lot of time since there are almost an endless number of variations and number of exercises that you can do,” Sawyer says, noting that using AI made the programming process exceptionally fast. “This is especially beneficial for novice exercisers who may not know a lot of exercises.”
Below, Sawyer provides six tips on how to effectively use AI to create an exercise program:
1. Be specific
Specificity is key when you are asking your chatbot to create an exercise program. You want to include the type of exercise program you’re pursuing, your age, gender, and goal. An example prompt would be: Create a resistance training program for a 40-year-old female with the goal of increasing muscle size.
“The output here will be better rather than simply asking AI to create a resistance training program,” Sawyer says. “You can also plug in the number of days per week you have available, and the time you have for each exercise session.”
2. Provide AI with a program length
Exercise programs are typically broken into phases to keep people from plateauing, says Sawyer. A singular phase lasts anywhere from six to eight weeks, with a full program consisting of muscular endurance, muscular hypertrophy, strength, and strength and power.
“Using AI, I generated a linear periodized program, which was six weeks of hypertrophy, six weeks of muscular strength, six weeks of muscular strength, and six weeks of strength and power,” Sawyer says, noting that this is a fundamental program model that individuals can use to prompt their chatbot. “There are other more advanced models you can try, but they're very nuanced and more difficult to write.”
3. Push back for alternatives
Once your chatbot provides you with an exercise program, look over the suggested exercises and take note of movements that may be uncomfortable for your body. For instance, if deadlifting hurts your back, ask AI for an alternative exercise.
“There are always options to work the same muscle groups in a movement pattern that will decrease risk of injury and alleviate almost all pain,” Sawyer says.
He adds that you should factor in access to equipment. If you don’t have dumbbells or resistance bands at home, ask your chatbot for equipment or exercise alternatives.
4. Don't forget rest periods
Rest periods are extremely important and make sure you optimize your training sessions, so it’s important to prompt your chatbot to include rest within your exercise plan.
“Your typical rest period for muscular endurance is 30 seconds or less. For muscular hypertrophy, it'll be between one minute and 90 seconds, and for strength, it’ll be three to five minutes in between exercises,” Sawyer says.
5. Explore nutrition recommendations
If you want to add another layer to your exercise program, consider focusing on nutrition.
“Your workouts and exercise program goal will determine the type of nutritional plan you'll follow,” Sawyer says. “If you want bigger muscles, prioritizing protein intake about one gram per pound of body weight and getting into a calorie surplus is going to help with that. If you’re trying to lean out, then we want to be in a caloric deficit.”
Sawyer suggests exploring the recommendations AI provides as long as they follow basic nutrition principles.
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6. Recognize AI’s limitations
Through his own tests of using ChatGPT to create an exercise program, Sawyer found that the AI was useful for a novice exerciser, but too introductory for seasoned gym goers.
“The movements were typically in the sagittal plane, meaning front and back. It didn't have a lot of lateral (side-to-side) movements and didn't include plyometrics,” Sawyer says. “For more advanced individuals, you could use the programming as a template, but you'd want to add more complex movements and some of that advanced exercise technique.”
Sawyer cautioned that, because exercise programming is a science, there are certain parameters you want to follow – which beginners might not know about.
“You might not understand how your body is going to respond to exercise or the scientific principles that underpin a chatbot’s program,” Sawyer says, noting that it’s important to do some research into exercise science before following a workout plan.
