How Top-Earning Fitness Coaches Save 10+ Hours on Program Design to Deepen Client Relationships (And Still Get Their Own Training In)
"Always ask, with every client, what are the biggest things that we need to take care of?" - James FitzGerald, OPEX Founder
The average fitness coach spends 45 minutes programming for each client per week. With 20 clients, that's 15 hours - nearly two full workdays just on program design.
But what if those two days could be redirected toward meaningful client consultations, floor coaching, and maintaining your own fitness? The most successful coaches aren't working less - they're maximizing their impact by working smarter.
Individual design isn't simply about creating personalized exercise programs. As OPEX teaches, it's about taking all the knowledge gained through consultation and assessment and coupling this with principles and creativity to create truly effective programs.
The challenge? Doing this efficiently so you can focus on what matters most - connecting with your clients and developing your craft as a coach.
The True Cost of Inefficient Programming
"Professional coaches move the profession forward by teaching their coaches and clients how to be autonomous in and out of the gym." - James FitzGerald
Let's calculate what inefficient programming is really costing you:
Formula: (Minutes per client × Number of clients × Your hourly rate)/60 = Weekly cost
Example: (45 minutes × 20 clients × $100/hour)/60 = $1,500 per week in time cost
But the real cost goes deeper:
Mental fatigue from repetitive tasks
Reduced creativity in program design
Less time for client communication
Limited ability to scale your business
Input your numbers to see your true programming cost:
Minutes spent per client: [Input field]
Number of clients: [Input field]
Hourly rate: [Input field] = Your weekly programming cost: [Calculated field]
Common Programming Time-Wasters
OPEX's O3 Framework (Ordering, Organizing, and Orchestrating) provides a foundation for efficient program design. Yet many coaches still struggle with:
Starting from scratch each time
Reinventing exercise selections across basic patterns (Squat, Bend, Lunge, Push, Pull, Core)
Manual data entry
Lack of templates and systems
Poor organization of client information
"Programming is usually done within a coaching software (for example, CoachRx), on the gym's whiteboard, or whatever medium you use to deliver training to the client." - James FitzGerald
Sarah, OPEX CCP Coach "I was spending 1 hour per client on programming. After implementing CoachRx systems, I cut that to 20 minutes while improving program quality."
The Systems Solution - How Top Coaches Program Efficiently
"Programming differs from periodization as periodization is the act of adjusting volume and intensity for blocks of time whereas programming is the act of implementing periodization through program design techniques and exercise selection." - James FitzGerald
Template-Based Design
Using foundational templates based on OPEX's periodization framework
Customizing for individual clients using OPEX Gain, Pain, and Sustain principles
CoachRx feature highlight: Access 60+ professional program templates
Shortcut Keys & Quick Entry
Programming shortcuts aligned with movement patterns
Batch programming techniques
CoachRx feature highlight: Keyboard shortcut system saves 2-3 minutes per client
Exercise Library Organization
Smart categorization based on OPEX movement patterns
Quick filtering and selection
CoachRx featurehighlight: Comprehensive exercise library with intelligent tagging
Implementation Guide
"Assess, don't guess. Why? Because assessment offers you the truth... Clients love the truth too because they get to see what you do is personalized and they're on the right path." - James FitzGerald
Week 1: Audit Current Process
Document current workflow
Identify time-wasting activities
Set up OPEX Body, Move, and Work assessments in CoachRx
Week 2: Template Creation
Build templates based on OPEX principles
Set up exercise libraries
Establish Fitness Monitoring Exercise progression system
Week 3: System Implementation
Import templates into CoachRx
Learn keyboard shortcuts
Set up client profiles, priorities, plans
Week 4: Refinement
Monitor time savings
Adjust templates as needed
Fine-tune workflow
From 45 to 15 Minutes Per Client - A Real Success Story
"The process of progression begins with an assessment of a specific individual. Connecting that individual's assessment to their goals and resources provides priorities for progression." - James FitzGerald
Meet Mike R., OPEX CCP Coach:
Before:
45 minutes per client on program design
20 clients
15 hours weekly on programming
Limited time for client consultations
Struggling to maintain personal training
Minimal time for continuing education
After implementing CoachRx systems:
15 minutes per client on program design
40 clients
10 hours weekly on programming
Quality monthly consultations with every client
Consistent personal training schedule
Regular time for professional development
Key impacts:
Deeper client relationships through regular consultations
More engaged floor coaching
Consistent personal fitness routine
Better client retention through increased touchpoints
More time for continuing education
Higher quality programming through focused design time
Take Action Now:
Start your free CoachRx trial to access:
Professional program templates
Efficient programming tools
Assessment tracking
Client management systems
Download our Free Coaching Efficiency Course to learn:
Program design techniques
Time-saving workflow strategies
Practice-building fundamentals
Advanced coaching systems
Access our template library featuring:
Beginner to advanced programs
Strength development
Skill progression
Energy systems development
Don't let inefficient programming hold back your coaching business. Join the top coaches who are scaling their practices while working less.
Ultimate Tech Stack for Fitness Coaches
1️⃣ CoachRx – Your Coaching Command Center.
2️⃣ OPEX CCP – Mentor-Guided Coaching Mastery.
3️⃣ LearnRx – On-Demand Coaching Education.
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