Training access: all workouts unlocked or scheduled only

Should your clients see every workout or only the scheduled one?

It depends on how you coach that person. If the client trains alone and their week changes a lot, let them start any workout from the plan whenever they can. If you run some sessions with them in person, or the order of sessions really matters, limit them to the workout you scheduled for today.

In Trainera this is one setting per client called Training access, with two modes: All workouts unlocked and Scheduled only. The rest of this post explains exactly what each mode does, which clients it fits, and the two settings that sit next to it.

What the two training access modes actually do

The switch lives in the client's profile, both on the web and in the mobile trainer app. The help text in the app sums it up: it controls how the client reaches their workouts, all unlocked anytime or only on the dates you schedule, and it needs an assigned training plan.

All workouts unlocked

The client can start any workout of the assigned plan at any time, in any order. Two things stay closed: workouts they have already completed and rest days. So if Day 3 suits their Tuesday better than Day 2, they just open Day 3.

Scheduled only

The client can start a workout only on the date you scheduled it. In practice that means today's scheduled workout. Tomorrow's session cannot be started early, and a session from a day they skipped cannot be done whenever they feel like it.

Which mode fits which client

Neither mode is better in general. What I see with clients is that the same person can need a different mode in different phases, so treat this as a decision you revisit, not a one-time setup. Here are suggestions for common situations.

The in-person case is the one most trainers ask about. If you coach mostly face to face, read our post on the app setup for in-person personal trainers. For coaches who mix sessions in the gym with online programming, the hybrid personal training model covers how the weeks usually look.

How to change training access for a client

1. Assign a training plan to the client. Without an assigned plan the setting has nothing to control.
2. Open the client's profile on the web or in the mobile trainer app.
3. Find Training access and pick All workouts unlocked or Scheduled only.
4. Tell the client in chat what changed and why. A short message saves you the "why can't I open Thursday's workout?" question.

If you choose Scheduled only, the schedule becomes the rule, so check that the dates in the plan match the client's real week. A plan scheduled for Monday, Wednesday and Friday is useless to someone who can only train on weekends. If you are still building how you deliver programs, our guide on how to create and deliver workout plans to clients online covers the basics.

How to explain the mode to your client

The setting is quick to change. The conversation around it is what makes it work. A few lines you can adapt:

• For Scheduled only with an in-person client: "Your Thursday workout opens on Thursday because we do it together. On the other days, the app shows you what is on for that day."
• For Scheduled only in a structured block: "For the next weeks the order matters, so each workout opens on its day. If a day really does not work, message me and we move it."
• For All workouts unlocked: "You can do the workouts in any order that fits your week. Try to keep a rest day between the two heavy ones."

That last line matters. Unlocking everything gives the client freedom, but they still need a rule of thumb from you on spacing. Without it, some clients will stack the hardest sessions back to back simply because those were free on their calendar.

If a client on Scheduled only keeps asking you to move dates, take it as a sign. Either the schedule does not match their life, or the mode does not. Both are easy to fix once you notice.

Self-created nutrition: the switch next to it

Right next to training access you will find Self-created nutrition. It answers a similar question for food:

• On: the client can build their own meal plans and use the app's default plans.
• Off: nutrition is trainer-managed. The client contacts you for a plan.

The two switches are independent. A common combination is Scheduled only for training plus nutrition off, for a client where you want to control the whole program. Another is All workouts unlocked plus nutrition on, for a self-directed client who mainly wants structure for training and some freedom with food. Neither combination is right for everyone; think about how much each client wants to decide alone.

Session format labels: description, not a lock

When you create a plan, you also pick a session format: In-Person, Online, Hybrid (a mix of in-person and online) or Self-Guided (independent workout plans). This label describes the plan. It does not lock anything by itself.

That is a common mix-up. Labelling a plan In-Person does not stop the client from starting its workouts on any day. If you want that, set the client's training access to Scheduled only. In practice, many trainers pair them like this:

• In-Person plan with Scheduled only, when sessions happen together on fixed days.
• Hybrid plan with All workouts unlocked, when the solo sessions float between appointments.
• Online or Self-Guided plans with whichever mode fits the client's discipline and schedule.

Clients who train in a basement gym or on the road may also need their plan on the phone without a connection. That is a separate topic: see whether clients can train offline in a coaching app.

Mistakes to avoid

• Locking everyone by default. Scheduled only for a client with an unpredictable week usually ends with missed sessions, not better discipline.
• Unlocking everything for a client who rushes. If someone finishes the week's plan by Wednesday, the plan is no longer doing its job.
• Forgetting the calendar. In Scheduled only mode the scheduled dates are what the client can train. Wrong dates mean a blocked client.
• Treating the session format as a setting. It labels the plan; training access controls access.
• Not explaining the change. Clients accept limits much better when they know the reason.

The first weeks are where these settings matter most, because the client is still learning how you work. Our post on the first month of online coaching is a good companion read.

A simple setup for your next new client

Before the first workout, ask yourself three things: will we train together on fixed days, does the order of sessions matter in this block, and how predictable is this person's week? Two yes answers point to Scheduled only; otherwise start with All workouts unlocked. Then decide on Self-created nutrition, label the plan with the right session format, and tell the client how it works. Revisit the choice at the first check-in.

Want to set training access per client? See how Trainera works for trainers.