Short answer: A weekly training plan is done in 4 steps: mark the days and the time you have, first place the long session and the quality ones, fill the rest with smooth sessions and leave at least one day off. Below you have the template (also in CSV for Excel or Google Sheets) and an example filled in.
This is a week's template. If you're looking for the whole block plan, read free training plan; and if your problem is matching training with work, organize the week as an amateur.
The template
| Day | Meeting | Duration | Intensity/area | RPE (1-10) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | |||||
| Tuesday | |||||
| Wednesday | |||||
| Thursday | |||||
| Friday | |||||
| Saturday | |||||
| Sunday |
How to fill it in 4 steps
- Availability: type in "Notes" how much real time you have every day. Be honest.
- Key sessions first: the long (usually on weekends) and one or two of quality, separated by mild days.
- Soft filler: the rest, at low intensity. In endurance, most sessions are usually soft (Seiler, 2010, IJSPP).
- Rest: At least one day off or very soft, and force 1-2 days if you fit in.
For the intensity column you need your zones: here we explain how to calculate your heart rate zones.
Filled example (runner with 4-5 days)
It is an indicative example, not a prescription: your coach adapts it to your level and goal.
| Day | Meeting | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest or mobility | — |
| Tuesday | Short series after heating | High (quality) |
| Wednesday | Soft Rolling + Strength | Low |
| Thursday | Soft rolling | Low |
| Friday | Rest | — |
| Saturday | Controlled pace or changes | Medium-high (quality) |
| Sunday | Long throw | Low |
Checklist before giving the week for good
- There are not two intense sessions in a row.
- There's at least one day off.
- The long session does not fall the day after the toughest quality.
- The total load doesn't rise suddenly compared to the previous week.
- You've left room to register the RPE and a note.
If you want to understand how the load accumulates from one week to the next, read the training load guide.
From Excel to the app
The template works, but it has a limit: you don't see what the athlete really did. In TrainingForever the coach keeps the week as a template, applies it to another athlete and adapts to its thresholds; the watch (Garmin Connect and Strava (and export to Coros and Polar)) sends what was done and the athlete registers his RPE in the app, free for him. For the coach there is a free version up to 5 athletes.
If you doubt whether to continue with the spreadsheet or move to a program, in our comparison of free software for coaches you will see what each option includes and where its limit is.
What a coach says: Marc Bañuls
Marc Bañuls, endurance coach with more than 15 years experience. "The week has to fit into the life of the athlete, not the other way around. First I ask what days you have free and then I put the sessions in."The column I look at most is not that of paces, it is that of notes. There it is if the week has worked."
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a weekly training plan?
Mark your availability, first place the long session and the quality sessions, fill in with soft sessions and leave at least one day off.
How many intense days should you have a week?
In endurance, most sessions are usually soft, with one or two quality sessions (Seiler, 2010). Depends on your level.
Can I download the template?
Yes, in CSV to open it in Excel or Google Sheets from the link at the beginning of the article.
Can I use the template with my coach?
Yeah. And if your coach uses TrainingForever, the week comes to your app and your watch synchronizes what was done.
