How to Create Your First On-Demand Workout Library as a Coach

Building your first on-demand workout library can feel overwhelming, but HubFit’s Workout Studio makes it surprisingly simple. Whether you’re a solo coach launching your first digital offering or scaling an existing practice, this guide walks you through creating a professional and engaging studio that clients will love.

Why Create a Workout Studio?

Before diving into the how-to, let’s talk about the why. A Workout Studio is essentially your Netflix-style workout library: a curated collection of on-demand workouts that clients can access anytime, anywhere. For online coaches, it means:

Passive content: Record once, sell or share with unlimited clients
Better client retention: Clients have something to do between coaching calls
Scalability: Serve more people without adding coaching hours
Professionalism: A polished, branded experience that sets you apart

Ready? Let’s build.

Step 1: Plan Your Studio Theme and Purpose

Start by answering these questions:

Who are your clients? Beginners? Athletes? Busy professionals? The answer shapes everything from workout selection to naming conventions.

What’s your niche? Strength training? Functional fitness? Post-natal recovery? A clear focus helps clients know what to expect and makes organizing content easier.

What’s the overarching narrative? Are you offering a 12-week program? A collection of quick workouts for busy schedules? A recovery-focused library? Your theme informs how clients navigate and engage with your content.

Once you’ve answered these, you’re ready to move forward with confidence.

Step 2: Name Your Studio

Your studio name should be:

Clear: Clients understand what they’re getting (e.g., “30-Minute HIIT Workouts” vs. “The Elite Fitness Hub”)
Brand-aligned: It should reflect your coaching style and values
Searchable: Avoid overly clever names that clients can’t easily find or remember
Flexible: Choose a name broad enough to expand into as your studio grows

Some examples: “Sarah’s Strength Library,” “The Busy Mom Workouts,” “Advanced Core Training,” “Recovery Rituals.”

Step 3: Choose a Cover Image

Your studio’s cover image is its first impression. HubFit lets you upload a custom image that appears when clients browse their Training section.

Best practices for cover images:

High quality: Use professional photography or polished graphics (at least 600x400 pixels)
On-brand: Match your coaching brand’s color palette and aesthetic
Action-oriented: Show movement or energy (a trainer mid-burpee, a client lifting, etc.)
Readable: Keep text minimal. The studio name will appear separately
Relevant: The image should visually communicate your studio’s focus

If you don’t have a custom image, HubFit’s library includes pre-designed templates you can customize.

Step 4: Add Sections to Organize Workouts

Sections are how you organize workouts within your studio. Think of them as folders or categories. Most coaches find 5-10 sections are ideal for keeping things browsable without overwhelming clients.

Common section examples:

“Week 1,” “Week 2,” “Week 3” (for structured programs)
“Upper Body,” “Lower Body,” “Full Body” (for strength-focused studios)
“Under 15 Minutes,” “15-30 Minutes,” “30+ Minutes” (for time-based organization)
“Beginner,” “Intermediate,” “Advanced” (for skill-level progression)

You’ll assign a layout to each section (more on that next), so think about how you want each one to look and function. Sections with fewer workouts often work better with a list layout, while sections with many options benefit from carousel or grid layouts.

Step 5: Select Layouts for Each Section

HubFit offers four layout options for displaying workouts within sections:

List Layout: Clean, simple, text-focused. Great for detailed workout information or when you have many similar workouts. Clients scroll vertically through a numbered or bulleted list.

Large Cards/Carousel Layout: Eye-catching, visual, and perfect for featured workouts. Great for “This Week’s Featured Workouts” or highlighting your best content. Clients swipe horizontally to browse.

Narrow Cards Layout: A hybrid approach. Cards are narrower than the carousel but still visual. Ideal for balanced content libraries where both imagery and descriptions matter.

Grid/Squares Layout: Compact, efficient, modern. Perfect for large workout libraries where you want to show many options at once. Clients tap tiles to open workouts.

The right layout depends on your content volume, target audience, and how you want clients to discover workouts. We’ll dive deeper into this decision in our dedicated layout guide.

Step 6: Import Workouts from Your Library

Now comes the fun part: populating your studio with actual workouts.

HubFit lets you import workouts from your existing workout library directly into any studio. Here’s how it works:

Open your studio and select a section
Choose “Import Workouts”
Browse your workout library and select the workouts you want to add
Arrange them in the order you prefer using drag-and-drop
Save and move to the next section

Pro tip: You don’t need to fill your studio all at once. Build it gradually, testing different sections and layouts as you go. Many coaches start with 15-20 core workouts and expand over time.

Step 7: Arrange and Optimize Your Content

Once workouts are imported, take time to arrange them thoughtfully. HubFit’s drag-and-drop functionality makes reordering simple.

Consider these ordering strategies:

Progression: Easier workouts first, then more challenging ones
Variety: Alternate between different styles to prevent monotony
Frequency: Feature your best workouts prominently, newer ones mixed in strategically
Client request: If you know clients love certain workouts, put them front and center

The goal is to make browsing feel effortless, regardless of which layout you chose.

Step 8: Use Live Preview to Test the Experience

Before sharing with clients, use HubFit’s live preview feature to see exactly how your studio looks on web and mobile.

Walk through the experience as a client would:

How easy is it to find workouts?
Do the layouts feel intuitive?
Does the cover image load properly?
Is the overall vibe aligned with your brand?

Make adjustments as needed. Small tweaks to section names or layouts can dramatically improve the user experience.

Step 9: Manage Client Access

HubFit lets you control who sees your studio with granular access management. You can:

Share with all clients
Share with specific clients or client groups
Set access by membership tier
Create private studios for VIP clients or programs

Decide on your access strategy before launch. Are you offering this to all clients? Bundling it with certain packages? Selling it separately?

Step 10: Go Live and Iterate

Once you’re happy with your studio, it’s time to make it live. Your clients will see it in their Training section on both web and mobile.

After launch, monitor:

Which sections clients visit most
Workout completion rates
Client feedback in your coaching messages
Performance logged by clients (HubFit auto-detects PRs)

Use this data to refine your studio. Add new sections, swap out underperforming workouts, or adjust layouts based on what resonates with your specific clients.

Key Takeaways

Creating your first Workout Studio doesn’t require technical skills or design experience. By following these steps (planning your theme, naming strategically, choosing the right layouts, and organizing thoughtfully), you’ll build a studio that clients actually use.

The beauty of HubFit’s Workout Studio is that you can refine and improve it over time. Start simple, launch, gather feedback, and iterate. Your first studio doesn’t need to be perfect; it needs to exist and serve your clients.

Ready to dive deeper? Check out our guide on choosing the perfect section layout and 10 section ideas that keep clients engaged.

Learn more: Explore the Workout Studio Ultimate Guide for Online Coaches to understand how this feature fits into your overall coaching platform.