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FAQ: Program Workout Templates (PWTs)

This page answers common questions about Program Workout Templates (PWTs) within the OpenLift application.

Q1: What is a Program Workout Template (PWT) in OpenLift? A: A Program Workout Template is a blueprint for a single, specific workout session. It details the exercises to be performed, the baseline number of sets, target repetition ranges (e.g., 8-12 reps), and recommended rest times between sets for each exercise. Think of it as "Leg Day - Phase 1" or "Upper Body Strength Focus." These PWTs are the building blocks that make up a longer ProgramPlan.

Q2: Who creates Program Workout Templates? A: Typically, PWTs are created by administrators, content creators, or experienced coaches within the OpenLift system. They are designed to be well-structured and effective workout routines that can then be assembled into various ProgramPlans.

Q3: Can I edit a Program Workout Template directly? A: End-users (like Sam) generally cannot edit the master ProgramWorkoutTemplates from the catalog. When Sam enrolls in a ProgramPlan, he gets a snapshot of each PWT within that plan (UserProgramPWTSnapshot). This snapshot preserves the template's structure for his specific enrollment.

  • For Coaches: If Sam has a coach using OpenLift's coaching tools (a future platform feature), the coach can make modifications to Sam's snapshotted PWTs by adding exercises (PUAEs) or overriding parameters of existing exercises (PUEOs) within Sam's specific ProgramUserInstance. These changes only affect Sam's version of the program.

Q4: What is a UserProgramPWTSnapshot? A: When you enroll in a ProgramPlan, the system creates a UserProgramPWTSnapshot for every ProgramWorkoutTemplate included in that plan. This snapshot is a personal copy of that template's structure (like its name, description, and a list of its exercise snapshots) as it existed at the moment you enrolled. This ensures that if the master PWT in the catalog is updated later, your ongoing program remains consistent with what you originally signed up for.

Q5: How does a PWT relate to the "Effective Workout" I see when I start a session? A: The UserProgramPWTSnapshot (your personal copy of the template) provides the baseline exercises and their base parameters. When you "start" a scheduled workout, the "Effective Workout" engine takes this baseline and applies several layers to calculate your specific targets for that specific session:

  1. It starts with your UserProgramPWESnapshot for each exercise (which contains the base sets, reps, etc., from the template at enrollment).
  2. It applies any active ProgramPlanWeeklyModifierSnapshots for the current logical week of your program (e.g., a deload week might reduce target reps/sets).
  3. It applies any ProgramUserExerciseOverrides (PUEOs) or ProgramUserAddedExercises (PUAEs) your coach might have set for you.
  4. It considers your ProgramUserInstance's trainingFocusOverrideId (if you've set one) or falls back to the PWT snapshot's default training focus to determine target parameters like RPE, specific rep ranges, etc. The result is a set of precise targetSets, targetRepsMin, targetRepsMax, and targetRestSeconds for each exercise in your WorkoutHistoryEntry skeleton.

Q6: If a PWT in the catalog is updated, does my ongoing program change? A: No. Because you have UserProgramPWTSnapshots, your enrolled program uses the version of the templates that existed when you enrolled. This ensures your training progression isn't unexpectedly disrupted. You would need to enroll in a new version of the ProgramPlan (if offered) to get updated template content.