What You'll Learn
How to add prescribed activities (activity days) to training programs
How to select activity types, set targets, and write instructions
How prescribed activity statuses work (Draft, Scheduled, Done, Missed)
How auto-matching connects client-logged activities to your prescriptions
How to save a prescription as a reusable template
Step-by-Step Guide
Add an Activity Day to a Program
Open the Program Builder for the client's training program
Click Add Activity Day to insert an activity day into the program
The activity day is added to the program timeline with a position and day number
Activity days sit alongside workout days in the program. They represent days where you want the client to perform a specific physical activity rather than a structured workout.
Select an Activity Type
In the activity day form, click the Activity Type dropdown
Browse the 12 categories: Running, Cycling, Swimming, Strength, Racquet Sports, Team Sports, Combat, Outdoor Adventure, Water Sports, Flexibility, Dance, Other
Or use the search field to filter by keyword (e.g. "trail," "padel," "boxing")
Select the specific activity type
Each category contains multiple specific types. For example, Running includes road running, trail running, treadmill running, and walking. Swimming includes freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, and open water swimming.
Choose the most specific type available. This matters for two reasons: it determines which adaptive metrics are shown to the client, and it affects auto-matching accuracy.
Set Targets
After selecting the activity type, set one or more targets:
Duration: how long the activity should last (e.g. 30 minutes, 1 hour)
Intensity: Low, Moderate, or High
Distance: a distance goal (e.g. 5 km for running, 20 km for cycling)
Pace: a target pace (e.g. 5:30 min/km for running)
Heart rate zone: a target heart rate zone (Zone 1 through Zone 5)
Not all targets apply to every activity type. Gymkee shows the relevant target fields based on the activity type you selected. For example, distance and pace appear for running but not for yoga.
You can set one target or combine several. For a prescribed 5K run, you might set duration to 30 minutes, distance to 5 km, and intensity to Moderate.
Write Instructions
Below the targets, use the Instructions field to give your client detailed guidance. This field supports rich-text formatting using the TipTap editor, so you can:
Add bold and italic text for emphasis
Create numbered or bulleted lists for structured instructions
Add headings to organize longer instructions
Example instructions for a prescribed swimming session:
Warm-up (10 min)
200m freestyle easy pace
4x50m drill (catch-up)
Main set (20 min)
4x200m freestyle at moderate pace, 30s rest between sets
Cool-down (5 min)
100m backstroke easy pace
Good instructions make the difference between a client who knows exactly what to do and one who guesses. Take the extra minute to be specific.
Understand Prescribed Activity Statuses
Every prescribed activity moves through these statuses:
Status | What it means |
Draft | The activity exists in the program but the program has not been sent to the client yet |
Scheduled | The program has been sent. The activity is upcoming and the client can see it |
Done | The client completed the activity (logged manually, synced from a wearable, or auto-matched) |
Missed | The scheduled date passed and the client did not complete the activity |
You can see these statuses in the Program Builder and in the client's Activities tab. Use the Missed status as an intervention signal: if a client misses prescribed activities repeatedly, it may be time for a check-in.
How Auto-Matching Works
When a client logs an activity (manually or via a wearable sync), Gymkee checks if it matches any open prescribed activity for the same day. The matching criteria are:
Same activity type: the logged activity type must match the prescribed type exactly (e.g. "Running" matches "Running," but "Trail Running" does not match "Running")
Same date: the activity must be logged on the same day the prescription is scheduled for
Compatible intensity: the logged intensity must be equal to or higher than the prescribed intensity
If all three criteria match, the prescribed activity is automatically marked as Done. The client does not need to do anything extra.
If the match does not happen automatically (because the client used a slightly different type or logged it a day late), you can manually mark the prescription as complete.
Save as a Template
If you create a prescription you plan to reuse (a weekly 5K run, a yoga recovery session, a warm-up jog), you can save it as a template:
After filling in the activity type, targets, and instructions, toggle the Save as Template option
Give the template a name
Save
The template is now available in the Program Builder sidebar under Activity Templates. You can drag it into any future program without re-entering the details.
Tips
Prescribe activities only when you want to track completion. For general advice like "try to walk more," a message to the client works better than a prescribed activity.
Use intensity levels consistently. If you prescribe "Moderate" for steady-state runs, keep that convention across all your programs so clients know what to expect.
Combine prescribed activities with rest day guidance. A prescribed 20-minute yoga session on a rest day tells the client exactly what active recovery looks like.
When prescribing swimming, always specify the stroke in your instructions. The activity type selector has different stroke options, but additional detail in the instructions helps clients follow your intent.
Check the auto-matching results after the client's first prescribed activity. If it did not match, adjust the activity type or intensity to align with how the client logs their activities.
Common Mistakes
Prescribing with no targets at all. An activity day with no duration, no intensity, and no distance gives the client no guidance. Always set at least a duration and intensity.
Using overly generic activity types. Prescribing "Other" when a specific type exists (like "Padel" or "Hiking") reduces auto-matching accuracy and makes the client's activity history harder to read.
Expecting auto-match to be flexible. Auto-matching is exact on activity type. If you prescribe "Running" but the client logs "Trail Running" because they ran on a trail, it will not auto-match. Choose the type that matches what the client will actually log.
Writing vague instructions. "Do some cardio" is not a prescription. "30 minutes zone 2 running on flat terrain" is. Your instructions should be specific enough that the client can follow them without asking questions.
Forgetting to check the Missed status. A prescribed activity that goes to Missed is a coaching signal. Do not ignore it.
Troubleshooting
Problem: The prescribed activity does not appear in the client's app
Why it happens: The program has not been sent yet, so the activity status is still Draft.
How to fix it: Send the program to the client. Once sent, the activity moves to Scheduled and becomes visible in their Gymkee app.
Problem: Auto-matching marked the wrong activity as Done
Why it happens: The client logged two activities on the same day, and Gymkee matched the first one that fit the criteria.
How to fix it: You can review the match in the activity detail modal. If the wrong activity was matched, there is no automatic way to undo it. Communicate with the client and, if needed, adjust the prescription for next time by being more specific with the activity type.
Problem: Cannot set a distance target for a specific activity type
Why it happens: Not all activity types support distance targets. For example, yoga and boxing do not have a distance field because distance is not a relevant metric.
How to fix it: This is by design. Gymkee shows adaptive target fields based on the activity type. If distance is not shown, use duration and intensity as your primary targets for that activity.
Problem: Instructions formatting looks wrong
Why it happens: The TipTap rich-text editor may behave differently depending on how you paste content. Copying from other editors can bring in unexpected formatting.
How to fix it: Type instructions directly in the editor rather than pasting. If you need to paste, use "Paste as plain text" (Ctrl+Shift+V on Windows, Cmd+Shift+V on Mac) and then apply formatting manually.
Problem: Client completed the activity but status still shows Scheduled
Why it happens: The logged activity did not meet all three auto-matching criteria (same type, same date, compatible intensity), so it was not automatically matched.
How to fix it: Open the activity detail and check which criterion failed. If the client logged the right activity but used a different type name or logged it a day late, you can manually mark the prescription as Done.
Related Articles
Activities on Gymkee: Complete Guide for Personal Trainers: Full overview of the Activities feature
View Client Activities on Gymkee: How to read the Activities tab and weekly summary
Create Activity Templates on Gymkee: How to save and reuse activity prescriptions