Nishaana
Workout builder — build your session.
Pick the muscles you want to train and the equipment you have, and this builder assembles a full workout — compound lifts first, then isolation work — with sets, reps and a how-to link for every exercise. Free in your browser, no signup.
Pick at least one target muscle to build a session.
Save this session to NishaanaHow the builder assembles your session
This workout builder filters its exercise library to the muscles and equipment you selected, then orders the session correctly — the heaviest compound lifts first while you are fresh, followed by isolation work as you fatigue. Sets scale with your goal: more per exercise for strength, moderate volume for muscle.
The order is deliberate. Compound lifts like the squat, bench, row and overhead press train the most muscle and demand the most from your nervous system, so the builder always places them first — you want your strongest, most technical sets before fatigue sets in. Isolation exercises such as curls, lateral raises and leg extensions come after, adding targeted volume to muscles the compounds only partly cover.
Your equipment choice swaps the pool. Full gym uses barbells, machines and cables; the dumbbell filter keeps only dumbbell-friendly movements; bodyweight keeps push-ups, pull-ups, dips, lunges and core work. Your goal sets the volume: a strength focus prescribes fewer reps and a bit more rest on compounds, while a muscle focus keeps moderate reps and adds accessory sets. Every exercise links to a full how-to so you can check form, cues and alternatives before you load the bar.
How to use your built session
Warm up to your first compound with two to three progressively heavier ramp-up sets, then work top to bottom through the session as printed. Rest 2 to 3 minutes on compounds and 60 to 90 seconds on isolation work, and keep most sets one to three reps short of failure.
Treat the session as one training day, not a whole program. To turn it into a full week, run the PPL generator or the program generator, which build a complete multi-day plan with progression built in. Swap any exercise you cannot perform for a same-pattern alternative from the exercise library. And to actually progress, log every set: keep the same lifts, beat your previous numbers over time, and the muscle follows. Load the session into the workout tracker and Nishaana pre-fills your sets and tells you the weight to beat.
Related program tools.
Turn a session into a full week, then run it on autopilot.
PPL generator
Build a full week — a push pull legs routine with every session.
OpenProgram generator
A full named program from goal, days, level and equipment.
OpenExercise library
Every exercise with a how-to, cues and alternatives.
Open1RM calculator
Set your working weights from an estimated one rep max.
OpenWorkout builder questions.
How do I build a workout?
Build a workout by choosing your target muscles, then picking two to three heavy compound lifts followed by two to four isolation exercises for those muscles. Do compounds first while you are fresh, aim for 12 to 20 hard sets across the session, and rest 2 to 3 minutes on the big lifts.
How many exercises should a workout have?
A single session usually runs 5 to 8 exercises. Lead with two or three compound lifts that train the most muscle, then add three or four isolation moves for detail and weak points. Fewer than that undertrains the target muscles; many more just adds fatigue without much extra stimulus.
How many sets and reps per exercise?
For most goals, do 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps on compounds and 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps on isolation work. Strength-focused lifters use lower reps (3 to 6) with more rest; muscle-focused lifters use moderate reps (8 to 15). Aim for 10 to 20 hard sets per muscle across the week.
Can I build a workout with just dumbbells?
Yes. Dumbbell presses, rows, shoulder presses, goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts, lunges and curls cover every major muscle. Select the dumbbell filter in the builder and it assembles a full session from dumbbell-friendly exercises only, with the same sets and reps.
In what order should I do exercises?
Do the most demanding compound lifts first, while your nervous system is fresh, then move to isolation work as you fatigue. The builder orders your session this way automatically — heavy multi-joint lifts up top, single-joint accessories after — so you get the most out of your strongest sets.
How long should a workout be?
Most effective sessions run 45 to 75 minutes. Five to eight exercises with proper rest fit that window. If you are short on time, cut an isolation exercise or reduce accessory sets before you shorten rest on the main compound lifts, which need the full rest to keep strength high.
Build it, then track it.
Free in your browser — Nishaana saves your session, pre-fills every set, and tells you the exact weight to beat each time you train.
Try for free