Getting Started

This guide will walk you through creating your first custom workout plan. You'll have a working plan ready to import into OwnLift in about 5 minutes.

What You'll Need

  • A text editor (any will work — TextEdit, Notepad, VS Code, etc.)
  • OwnLift installed on your iOS device
  • A way to transfer the file (QR code, AirDrop, or cloud storage)

Step 1: Create a New File

Create a new text file and save it with a .yaml extension (e.g., my-plan.yaml). YAML files are plain text, so any text editor will work.

Step 2: Add the Basic Structure

Every plan starts with plan_version: 1 and requires at minimum a title and at least one day with at least one exercise. Here's the simplest valid plan:

minimal-plan.yaml 
plan_version: 1
meta:
  title: My First Plan
cycle:
  days:
    - order: 0
      focus: Full Body
      exercises:
        - name: Push-ups
          modality: strength
          target_sets: 3
          target_reps: 10

Key points:

  • plan_version: 1 — Required, tells OwnLift which format to expect
  • meta.title — Required, the name shown in the app (max 80 characters)
  • cycle.days — At least one day required
  • exercises — At least one exercise per day
  • modality: strength — The exercise type (strength, countdown, stopwatch, or interval)

Step 3: Expand Your Plan

Once you have the basics working, you can add more detail. Here's a more complete example with multiple days and different exercise types:

complete-plan.yaml 
plan_version: 1
meta:
  id: my-custom-plan
  title: My Custom Plan
  description: A personalized workout routine
  author: Your Name
  equipment:
    - Dumbbells
    - Pull-up bar
  daysPerWeek: 3
cycle:
  notes: Rest 60-90 seconds between sets
  days:
    - order: 0
      focus: Push Day
      target_session_length_min: 45
      exercises:
        - name: Bench Press
          modality: strength
          target_sets: 4
          target_reps: 8
          target_notes: Warm up with lighter weight first
        - name: Shoulder Press
          modality: strength
          target_sets: 3
          target_reps: 10
        - name: Tricep Dips
          modality: strength
          target_sets: 3
          target_reps: 12
    - order: 1
      focus: Pull Day
      exercises:
        - name: Pull-ups
          modality: strength
          target_sets: 4
          target_reps: 6
        - name: Barbell Rows
          modality: strength
          target_sets: 3
          target_reps: 10
    - order: 2
      focus: Legs
      exercises:
        - name: Squats
          modality: strength
          target_sets: 4
          target_reps: 8
        - name: Wall Sit
          modality: countdown
          target_duration_sec: 60

Step 4: Import into OwnLift

There are several ways to import your plan:

Option A: QR Code (Recommended)

  1. Generate a QR code containing the YAML text using any QR generator
  2. Open OwnLift and tap "Scan Plan" from the Plans tab
  3. Point your camera at the QR code

Option B: File Import

  1. Save your .yaml file to iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud service
  2. Open OwnLift and go to Plans → Import Plan
  3. Select your file from the file picker

Option C: Share Sheet

  1. Open your .yaml file on your iPhone
  2. Tap the Share button and select OwnLift

Next Steps