Exercise Library
Build and manage your personal library of exercises with detailed instructions and media.
Exercise Library 💪
Every great program starts with great exercises. Your library is the foundation—build it once, use it forever.
The investment that pays off
Create an exercise properly once, with clear instructions and good media, and you'll use it hundreds of times across dozens of clients.
Why Your Library Matters
| Benefit | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Efficiency | Create once, prescribe infinitely |
| Consistency | Same instructions everywhere |
| Client education | They can review exercises anytime |
| Searchability | Find the right movement in seconds |
Navigating the Library
The main view shows all your exercises:
- List view — More details per exercise
- Grid view — Visual thumbnails for scanning
- Search — Names, descriptions, tags all searchable
- Filters — Muscle group, equipment, difficulty, custom tags
Search is forgiving—typos and variations work. Can't remember if you called it "DB Bench" or "Dumbbell Bench Press"? Either will find it.
Creating Exercises
The Basics
Name it clearly
"Barbell Back Squat" beats "Squat"—be specific enough to differentiate variations
Write the description
Assume the reader has never done this. Starting position, movement pattern, key cues, common errors.
Add categorization
Muscle groups, equipment, difficulty level
Upload media
Images and/or video—visual instruction is everything
Naming That Works
| Approach | Example | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment first | "DB Bench Press - Incline" | Quick scan shows what you need |
| Movement first | "Bench Press (Dumbbell, Incline)" | Groups related movements |
Pick a convention and stick with it. Consistency makes searching predictable.
Categorization
| Category | Examples | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle groups | Chest, Back, Legs, Core | Filter for body part focus |
| Equipment | Barbell, Dumbbell, Bodyweight | Filter by what's available |
| Difficulty | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Match to athlete level |
Tag compound movements with multiple muscle groups. A deadlift? Back, glutes, legs. Makes it findable from any angle.
Adding Media 📸🎬
Visual instruction > text instruction. Always.
For images:
- Clear photos showing key positions
- At minimum: starting position + finishing position
- Clean background, good lighting
For videos:
- 15-30 seconds is usually enough
- Show a few quality reps
- Multiple angles for complex movements
- Slow-motion for technique details
Link vs. upload
You can upload directly or link YouTube/Vimeo. If linking, make sure the video stays accessible—broken links frustrate clients.
Custom Tags
Beyond the standard categories, create tags that match how you think:
| Tag Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Movement pattern | Push, Pull, Hinge, Squat, Carry |
| Program role | Primary lift, Accessory, Corrective |
| Population | Post-rehab, Senior-friendly, Beginner |
| Program | Starter Program, Advanced Strength |
These become powerful filters when building workouts.
Organizing a Growing Library
When Your Library Gets Big
At 50 exercises, it's easy. At 500, organization is survival.
| Strategy | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Consistent naming | Predictable search results |
| Comprehensive tagging | Find from any angle |
| Archive unused | Hide clutter, preserve history |
| Regular review | Quarterly cleanup keeps things fresh |
Archiving
Got exercises you don't use anymore? Archive, don't delete.
- Archived = hidden from normal views
- Still accessible through filtered searches
- Historical workout data stays intact
Using Exercises in Programs
When building workouts, you'll pull from your library:
- Search or browse your library
- Select an exercise — it gets added with default prescription fields
- Specify the prescription — sets, reps, load, rest, tempo, notes
The exercise provides the what (movement + instructions). The workout provides the how much (prescription).
Progressions & Regressions
Link related exercises as a family:
Push-Up on Knees → Incline Push-Up → Push-Up → Decline Push-UpAthletes can see the continuum. If the prescribed movement is too hard, they immediately know what to regress to.
Substitution Suggestions
For each exercise, designate alternatives:
- Similar muscle groups
- Different equipment
- Different demands
Empowers athletes to adapt intelligently when needed.
Maintenance
A living library beats a static one.
| Action | When to Do It |
|---|---|
| Update descriptions | When you find clearer ways to explain |
| Replace media | When you film better content |
| Fix tags | When something's miscategorized |
| Incorporate feedback | When clients are confused |
Updates propagate everywhere—every workout using that exercise reflects your improvements automatically.
Best Practices
The Golden Rules
| Rule | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Write for beginners | Experienced athletes skip what they don't need |
| Include visuals | Video > image > text only |
| Tag comprehensively | Extra minute now = findable forever |
| Quality > quantity | 200 well-documented beats 1000 half-baked |
The litmus test
Could a brand new client perform this exercise safely with only your library entry as guidance? If not, it needs more detail.