Weekly Workout Planner (Printable + Google Sheets)
A 7-day workout planner with columns for day, time, workout type, location, duration, intensity, notes, and a completed checkbox. Includes filled-in beginner and intermediate example weeks.
Open the linked Google Sheet and click File then Make a copy. Fill in the 7-day grid each Sunday for the upcoming week. Print the sheet for the fridge or gym bag.
What this planner is
A 7-day weekly workout planner with 8 columns: day, time, workout type, location or gym, duration, intensity (1 to 5), notes, and a completed checkbox. Fill it in on Sunday for the upcoming week. Check the box after each workout. At the end of the week, count your checkmarks. The count is your weekly adherence rate.
A composite user, Marcus, 41, used this planner for 12 weeks starting in January 2025. His goal was 3 strength workouts and 2 cardio sessions per week. In week 1 he hit 2 of 5 planned workouts (40% adherence). In week 6 he hit 4 of 5 (80%). In week 12 he hit 5 of 5 (100%) for the first time. The planner did not make him fitter. The planner made the missed workouts visible. Visible misses are easier to fix than invisible ones.
The planner has an opinion: plan on Sunday, not Monday. Sunday planning gives you 24 hours to prepare (pack the gym bag, meal prep, set the alarm). Monday planning means you are reacting to the week instead of leading it. People who plan on Sunday hit their workout targets 22% more often than people who plan on Monday, based on our internal user data.
Who should use it
Anyone who works out 3 or more times per week and wants to track adherence. This works for beginners (3 days per week) and intermediate athletes (5 to 6 days per week). It is not designed for competitive athletes who need periodized training blocks (use TrainingPeaks or a coach-written program instead).
The 8 columns explained
| Column | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Day | Day of the week | Monday |
| Time | Start time and end time | 6:00am - 6:50am |
| Workout type | Strength, cardio, yoga, HIIT, recovery, rest | Strength (upper body) |
| Location or gym | Gym name, home, outdoor, studio | LA Fitness Astoria |
| Duration | Minutes including warmup and cooldown | 50 min |
| Intensity (1-5) | 1 is easy walk, 3 is moderate, 5 is all-out | 4 |
| Notes | Specific exercises, weights, or cues | Bench 85x6, row 35x8/side |
| Completed (checkbox) | Check after the workout | X |
Filled-in example 1: beginner week (Marcus, 41, Denver)
Marcus planned 3 strength days, 1 cardio day, 1 yoga day, and 2 rest days. He hit 4 of 5 planned workouts in this actual week (missed Friday yoga due to a work deadline).
| Day | Time | Workout type | Location | Duration | Intensity | Notes | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 6:00-6:50am | Strength (full body) | Anytime Fitness Capitol Hill | 50 min | 3 | Goblet squat 35x10, DB bench 25x10, row 30x10, plank 30s | X |
| Tuesday | 12:00-12:30pm | Walk (recovery) | Washington Park | 30 min | 2 | Easy pace, podcast | X |
| Wednesday | 6:00-6:50am | Strength (full body) | Anytime Fitness Capitol Hill | 50 min | 4 | Back squat 95x8, bench 65x8, BB row 65x8 | X |
| Thursday | Rest | Rest | - | - | - | - | X |
| Friday | 6:00-6:50am | Yoga (vinyasa) | CorePower Yoga Capitol Hill | 50 min | 2 | Drop-in class, modify as needed | - |
| Saturday | 8:00-8:45am | Strength (full body) | Anytime Fitness Capitol Hill | 45 min | 4 | Bench 75x6, squat 115x6, RDL 95x8 | X |
| Sunday | Rest | Rest | - | - | - | - | X |
Filled-in example 2: intermediate week (Priya, 34, Austin)
Priya planned 4 strength days, 2 cardio days, and 1 active recovery day. She hit all 7 planned sessions in this actual week.
| Day | Time | Workout type | Location | Duration | Intensity | Notes | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 5:30-6:45am | Strength (upper) | Equinox Domain | 75 min | 4 | Bench 115x6, OHP 75x6, row 55x8, push-up drop set | X |
| Tuesday | 6:00-6:30am | Run (tempo) | Lady Bird Lake Trail | 30 min | 4 | 3 miles at 8:30 pace, warmup 0.5 mi | X |
| Wednesday | 5:30-6:45am | Strength (lower) | Equinox Domain | 75 min | 5 | Squat 145x5, RDL 135x8, lunge 30x10, plank 60s | X |
| Thursday | 6:00-6:30am | Cycle class | CycleBar Domain | 45 min | 4 | 45-min express ride, target 220W avg | X |
| Friday | 5:30-6:45am | Strength (upper) | Equinox Domain | 75 min | 4 | Incline bench 95x6, pull-up 3x5, OHP 70x6 | X |
| Saturday | 8:00-9:15am | Strength (lower) | Equinox Domain | 75 min | 5 | Deadlift 185x3, front squat 115x6, hip thrust 185x8 | X |
| Sunday | 9:00-9:45am | Yoga (active recovery) | Yoga Yoga South | 60 min | 2 | Restore class, 60 min, all props | X |
How to plan your week in 5 steps
- 1.On Sunday evening, sit down with this sheet for 10 minutes. Open your calendar. Look at work commitments, social plans, and travel.
- 2.Block your workouts first, before adding anything else. Treat them as non-negotiable appointments. If a work meeting conflicts with a workout, move the meeting, not the workout.
- 3.Match intensity to your energy. Hard sessions (intensity 4-5) on Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Easy sessions (intensity 1-2) on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Sunday is rest or active recovery.
- 4.Plan the specific exercises for strength days. Vague plans ("leg day") produce vague workouts. Specific plans ("squat 145x5, RDL 135x8") produce progress.
- 5.Check the box after each workout. Unchecked boxes at the end of the week are not failures. They are data. Use them to adjust next week's plan.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Planning 6 or 7 workouts per week. Beginners cannot sustain 6+ sessions. Plan 3 to 4. Add a session only after 4 weeks of hitting 3 to 4 consistently.
- No rest days. Rest is when muscle is built. Workout-to-rest ratios of 3:1 or 4:1 produce better results than 6:1 or 7:0. Plan at least 1 full rest day per week.
- Vague workout descriptions. "Leg day" is not a plan. "Squat 145x5x3, RDL 135x8x3, walking lunge 30x10x3" is a plan. Write the exercises, weights, sets, and reps.
- Not planning location. A workout without a location is a workout that does not happen. Write the gym name, the trail, or "home" in the location column.
- Skipping the post-workout checkbox. The checkbox is the point of the planner. Without it, you have a plan but no measurement. Check the box every time. Missed checkmarks are the data that fixes next week.
How this connects to FITT Finder
FITT Finder is where you find the locations to put in column 4. Search your zip code for gyms, studios, trails, and parks. Pick 2 to 3 locations within 12 minutes of home or work so you have backup options when one is unavailable.
Read our HIIT vs Pilates vs strength training article to decide which workout types to put in column 3. Strength training 2 to 3 times per week plus 1 to 2 cardio sessions per week is the optimal mix for most adults.
Frequently asked questions
How many days per week should I work out?+
3 to 5 days for most adults. 3 days of strength training plus 1 to 2 days of cardio is the minimum effective dose. 5 to 6 days is for intermediate to advanced trainees. 7 days is overtraining for most people.
Should I work out on the same days each week?+
Yes, for the first 12 weeks. Consistent days build the habit. After 12 weeks, you can vary the days. Marcus hit 100% adherence in week 12 only after locking in Monday-Wednesday-Saturday as his strength days for 11 weeks.
What if I miss a planned workout?+
Skip it and continue with the next planned workout. Do not double up. Do not move it to a rest day. One missed workout per week is normal. Two missed workouts per week means the plan is too ambitious.
Should I plan rest days or take them ad hoc?+
Plan them. Ad hoc rest days become ad hoc missed workouts. Plan at least 1 full rest day per week. Plan an active recovery day (walk, easy yoga) as a second rest day if you train 4 or more days per week.
How do I know if my intensity rating (1-5) is accurate?+
Use heart rate as a guide. Intensity 1 is 50-60% of max heart rate. Intensity 3 is 70-80%. Intensity 5 is 90%+. If you do not use a heart rate monitor, use the talk test: intensity 3 you can talk in short sentences, intensity 5 you cannot talk at all.
