Why ChatGPT Isn’t Your Best Coach

You’re better off picking up a women’s fitness magazine from the nineties.

As a scientist, I love tech. I’ve been experimenting and helping develop artificial intelligence systems, especially in the realm of women-specific exercise training, for several years. And when it comes to developing workout programs that will get you the results you’re looking for, I’m here to tell you that the popular programs like ChatGPT just aren’t there yet.

Case in point, I’ve heard from women who are using this artificial intelligence assistant to generate workout programs based on my training philosophies as outlined in my books Next Level and ROAR. Here’s one, for example. (If this were one of my courses, I’d invite you to find the mistakes. But I’ll point them out for you here as we go…)

What I put into ChatGPT

Create a Workout schedule using Stacy T Sims recommendations. 

Results from Chat GPT. Overview

Stacy T. Sims is a renowned sports scientist and author who specializes in female physiology and nutrition. Based on her recommendations, here's a workout schedule that focuses on strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT):

Results from Chat GPT. DAY 1: Full-Body Strength Training:

1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (such as jogging, cycling, or jumping jacks)
2. Squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
3. Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Bench press or push-ups: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
5. Pull-ups or lat pull-downs: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
6. Planks: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
7. Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of stretching

What I would actually recommend…

There is also no heavy lifting here and no real focus. (Again, it’s a very generic fitness magazine-style workout.) A day of my programming would look more like the following with the purpose of maximizing muscle strengthening stimulus as well as optimizing fitness by stimulating the various metabolic energy systems.

• Warm up with specific mobilization and range of motion exercises, not cardio, to properly prepare the body for lifting.
• Squats: 5 sets of 6 reps as cluster sets: 2 reps, pause at the top; 2 reps, pause; 2 reps at 80%. After each set, 3 pushups with a 4-second lower. Repeat every 3 minutes until completed.

Then, I would do an EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute) of 4 rounds:

1. Min 1. 5 each side heavy dumbbell bench
2. Min 2. 8 sumo deadlifts
3. Min 3. 12 dumbbell pullovers
4. Min 4. REST
5. Then finish with an AMRAP (as many reps as possible) in 4:30 min. 10m dumbbell walking lunges, 20 ABMat situps, or 10 V-ups.

Results from Chat GPT. DAY 2:  HIIT Cardio

1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (such as jogging, cycling, or jumping jacks)
2. Sprint intervals: 10 rounds of 30 seconds all-out sprints followed by 30 seconds of rest
3. Jumping rope or jumping jacks: 3 sets of 1 minute with 30 seconds rest in between
4. Stair sprints or step-ups: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds with 30 seconds rest in between
5. Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of stretching.

What I would actually recommend…

Not this. For a HIIT workout, I would warm up with 5 minutes of mobility and 5 minutes of a progressive warm-up of the activity the HIIT intervals will be. Then the main set would be 90 seconds at 85%, 90 seconds at 50%, 5 to 6 times, then cool down at a super easy effort for 5 minutes, followed by 5 to 10 minutes of mobility.

OR, I’d recommend a shorter, separate sprint interval training (SIT) session where the warm-up and the cool-down are the same, but the main set is 5 x 30 seconds as hard as possible with 2 to 3 min of complete recovery between.

Results from Chat GPT. DAY 3: Active Recovery and Mobility

1. Light yoga or stretching: 30-60 minutes of gentle yoga or stretching exercises
2. Foam rolling: 10-15 minutes of foam rolling to help with muscle recovery and mobility
3. Walking or gentle cycling: 30-60 minutes of low-intensity cardio to help with active recovery.

What I would actually recommend…

Here’s the one (and only) place we agree!

Results from Chat GPT. DAY 4: Upper Body Strength Training

1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (such as jogging, cycling, or jumping jacks)
2. Overhead press or dumbbell press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
3. Bent-over rows or cable rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Bicep curls or chin-ups: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
5. Tricep extensions or dips: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
6. Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of stretching

What I would actually recommend…

Again, where is the heavier weight? Let’s keep the posterior chain focus from earlier in the week and make this a deadlift day. Like Day 1, a day of my programming would look more like the following with the purpose of maximizing muscle strengthening stimulus as well as optimizing fitness by stimulating the various metabolic energy systems.

Warm up with specific mobilization and range of motion exercises, not cardio, to properly prepare the body for lifting.

Deadlift:

1. 5 sets of 5 reps at 80% as the main set (can also do the sets as 70%, 75%, 80%, 80%, 80%).
2. After each set, 3 jumping pull-ups with a 4 second lower.
3. Repeat every 3 minutes until completed.

Then 4 rounds of EMOM:

1. Min 1: 5 each side heavy kroc rows or pendlay rows (still working on that hinge and hamstring for stability)
2. Min 2: 8 hip thrusts- ~70-75%
3. Min 3: 12m banded monster walks
4. Min 4: REST

Finish with EMOM 4 rounds (4 minutes):

• 10 alternating setback lunges, plank remaining time

Results from Chat GPT. DAY 5: Cardio

1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (such as jogging, cycling, or jumping jacks)
2. Bike sprints: 10 rounds of 30 seconds all-out sprints on a stationary bike followed by 30 seconds rest
3. Burpees or mountain climbers: 3 sets of 1 minute with 30 seconds rest in between
4. Rowing machine or battle ropes: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds with 30 seconds rest in between
5. Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of stretching.

What I would actually recommend…

Repeat Day 2’s recommendations, which were:

For a HIIT workout, I would warm up with 5 minutes of mobility and 5 minutes of a progressive warm-up of the activity the HIIT intervals will be. Then the main set would be 90 seconds at 85%, 90 seconds at 50%, 5 to 6 times, then cool down at a super easy effort for 5 minutes, followed by 5 to 10 minutes of mobility.

OR, I’d recommend a shorter, separate sprint interval training (SIT) session where the warm-up and the cool-down are the same, but the main set is 5 x 30 seconds as hard as possible with 2 to 3 min of complete recovery between.

Results from Chat GPT. DAY 6: Day 6: Rest and Recovery

1. Rest day: Take a break from intense exercise and focus on rest and recovery
2. Gentle yoga or stretching: 30-60 minutes of gentle yoga or stretching exercises.

What I would actually recommend…

That’s fine, but I would say PLAY DAY! It gives you permission to really just go out and enjoy yourself.

Results from Chat GPT.  DAY 7: Lower Body Strength Training

1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (such as jogging, cycling, or jumping jacks)
2. Lunges or step-ups: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg
3. Leg press or squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Leg curls or deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
5. Calf raises or jump squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
6. Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of stretching.

What I would actually recommend…

At this point, you know what I’m going to say! Warm-up and cool-down would be as before, and I would make this a Front Squat day, keeping the week’s focus on the posterior chain. We’d mix it up in the main set with supersets of bent-over rows and lateral raises, and finish with an EMOM, including suitcase deadlifts and wall squat holds. We need that heavier weight and variety of stimuli to really maximize our gains. These moderate, repetitive workouts not only don’t do the best job for strength and fitness but also are a recipe for physical and mental burnout.

General ChatGPT Plans Need Work, Too

Just for fun, I did my own little experiment with ChatGPT. I asked the system to build a resistance training program for a 50-year-old woman and then build a resistance training program for a 30-year-old woman.

The exercises were nearly identical: Squat, push-up (with a modified version for the older woman), dumbbell rows, lunges, dumbbell shoulder press, plank, dumbbell deadlift. That’s a very basic list. I would put a preference on using a barbell, not dumbbells, but if she is unfamiliar with resistance training, dumbbells can be a good place to start. Modifications should be across the board, not just for the older woman. And all programs should start with basic mobility and light weights to allow a woman to learn how she moves and prepare the tendons and ligaments for heavier loads.

The main differences between the two programs were the goals, frequency, and sets and reps. A 50-year-old woman’s goals were: Improve overall strength and muscle tone; enhance bone density and joint health, and maintain a healthy weight. She was to perform 2 to 3 sets of each exercise with 8 to 12 repetitions per set and lift 2 to 3 times per week with at least one day of rest in between sessions.

The 30-year-old woman’s goals were: Build muscle strength and definition; improve overall fitness and metabolism, and enhance muscle tone and body composition. She was to perform 3 to 4 sets of each exercise with 8 to 12 repetitions per set and lift 3 to 4 times per week, allowing at least one day of rest between sessions.

This is marginally okay. But really just marginally. And like the plan I went through earlier, it could be pulled from Shape or Fitness magazines from 20 years ago. First, improving muscle power and strength and building muscle are great goals. But I would love to see “improving muscle tone” tossed into the bin at this point. “Toning” is code for “you won’t get big bulky muscles.” Women shouldn’t be afraid of making muscle at any point of their lives especially with age. A 50-year-old woman needs to be making muscle, period. And in this, there needs to be an emphasis on heavier, power-based lifting, as this is shown to improve strength and total muscle mass, whereas, in older women, the higher rep ranges improve muscle size but have only a slight impact on improving strength.

Remember, women who are perimenopausal and postmenopausal do not just lose muscle mass, but have an incredible decrease in overall strength and power (running and cycling speeds gone down and you don’t know why? Hello loss of strength and power!). Heavier lifting also loads the bone in many directions, creating a multidirectional force, stimulating bone growth (density). I would also put in some specific jump training for bone health.

As for the 30-year-old woman, I would put an emphasis on compound movements (barbell), and drop the reps; especially if her goal is building muscle strength and definition. With the higher reps, the primary outcome is muscle hypertrophy (unless the higher reps are done to failure, then there is an accompanying strength with the hypertrophic outcome). When it comes to frequency, I wouldn’t automatically have younger women lifting more days and older women lifting fewer.

The bottom line is when we reach for tools like ChatGPT, we need to remember where the information it gives you is coming from. ChatGPT is not some super intelligent being. That friendly desktop Chatbot is just that–a bot, which is pulling data from existing content, including websites, databases, social media, and other online content resources. This is WHY these programs have all spit out the same generic “3 sets 8 x 10 reps” for everything–that’s what was in all the mainstream fitness media for so many years. Also remember that the algorithms and prompt engineers for AI are primarily male, thus there are no cues for looking for data specific to female physiology.

To be fair, even ChatGPT knows it’s not equipped to replace your trainer. When I asked “Will ChatGPT replace my personal coach and/or strength trainer?” It admitted it wasn’t fully up for the job, noting that it couldn’t provide the personalization, observation, motivation, dynamic adaptation, empathy, holistic advice, or address complex situations like a coach could, ultimately concluding: “While AI tools like ChatGPT can supplement certain aspects of coaching, they are best used as informational resources rather than replacements for human coaches. A coach offers a level of understanding, support, and dynamic interaction that AI technology currently cannot match.”

As scientists and researchers are the ones literally generating the new information to feed these systems, I’d argue that will be true for a very long time.