Check-in template
A weekly client check-in template you can use today.
A good check-in takes a client two minutes to fill in and gives you everything you need to adjust next week's plan. Here are the questions to ask, grouped by topic, and how to review the answers.
Short
Ten to fifteen questions, so clients finish it every week.
Consistent
The same questions each week make trends easy to spot.
Measurable
Numbers and scales where possible, words where they matter.
Actionable
Every question should be able to change the plan.
Why a weekly check-in matters
Between sessions you cannot see what a client does. A weekly check-in is how you find out: whether they trained, how they ate, how they slept and how they feel about it. Without it, you only learn a plan is not working when the client stops.
Asking the same questions every week matters as much as the questions themselves. When every answer is in the same format, you can compare this week with last week in seconds and spot a trend before it becomes a problem.
Body metrics
Keep these objective so they can be compared over time.
- Average morning body weight this week
- Waist measurement, taken at the same point each time
- Progress photos: front, side and back, in the same light and pose
Training
Find out what was done and how it felt.
- How many of your planned sessions did you complete?
- Which sessions felt hardest, and why?
- Any pain, niggles or injuries this week?
- Did any lift or exercise improve?
Nutrition
Ask about adherence without judgement, so clients answer honestly.
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how closely did you follow your diet?
- Which meals or days were hardest to stick to?
- Average daily water intake
- Any cravings or hunger you struggled with?
Recovery and lifestyle
These explain most of the weeks where results stall.
- Average hours of sleep per night
- Energy levels this week, from 1 to 10
- Stress levels this week, from 1 to 10
- Average daily steps, if they track them
Mindset and feedback
End with open questions; this is where clients tell you what the numbers cannot.
- What went well this week?
- What got in the way?
- Is there anything you want to change in your plan?
How to review a check-in
Read the numbers first, against last week and the week before, then read the open answers. Pick one or two changes for the coming week rather than rewriting the whole plan, and tell the client what you changed and why. Reply within a day while the week is still fresh.
In Trainer CB you can build this template once as a check-in form, assign it to every client and see each answer next to the client's program, diet and logged sessions. Clients can submit check-ins without limit on every plan, and on Growth, Pro and Agency you are notified as soon as one arrives.
Common questions
- How often should clients check in?
- Weekly works for most coaching. It is frequent enough to catch problems early and light enough that clients keep doing it.
- How many questions should a check-in have?
- Around ten to fifteen. Enough to cover body metrics, training, nutrition, recovery and feedback, short enough to finish in a couple of minutes.
- Can I use this template in Trainer CB?
- Yes. Create a check-in form with these questions, assign it to your clients, and their answers appear on their profile next to their program and diet.
- Is this template free?
- Yes. Copy the questions and adapt them to your coaching; you do not need an account to use them.
Keep exploring
- Client check-insSend check-in forms, get notified when clients submit and review every answer in one place.Learn more
- Progress trackingSee sessions, check-ins and body metrics on one profile, and know who needs you this week.Learn more
- For online coachesRun remote clients from one app: programs, diets, check-ins and chat.Learn more
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