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Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

ewolo.fitness

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Re: Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

#21

Post by alexchamberlain »

wheresvic1 wrote: post #20
guscost wrote: post #18

Nice work and nice idea, a clean and functional UI can be motivating in and of itself. But definitely rework this part: > To convert from kilograms to pounds, enter the weight in kgs and hit the convert button. To re-enable the button delete and re-add the exercise.

Thank you very much! Yes, it seems that the units are a real pain point. This will be customizable in the next release. Would you believe it if I told you that I myself use Kgs and need to convert every time? I had to make some decisions for an alpha release and this was one of them (I just picked the lower unit as default)!

What if I want to work in kgs?

Re: Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

#22

Post by dyarosla »

wheresvic1 wrote: post #4

A couple of other cool features in the works are - Add goals and ability to track weight - CSV export, take your data and use excel to make your own charts if you're looking for something specific - Youtube links to videos for exercises for proper form. A really cool long term feature would be to use some ML to allow exercise discovery / make workout recommendations based on goals. All feedback is welcome! (Edit: for…

Feedback:

A way to rearrange exercises

A way to change the exercises I do in a workout over time (common practical point many gym trackers miss)

Tracking a down or up set (weight starts at 100lb but next set you do 90lbs)

These are all things you'll run into once you start using tracking/logging apps substantially.

I've worked on my own tracker for these reasons and more, but can definitely attest that features for a logger come best by using it yourself for months to years before committing to new (potentially unimportant) features. Some of the features you mentioned (YouTube vid links for example) are not things you really want or need (and can clutter) a tracker- whose point is to TRACK not TEACH.

Re: Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

#23

Post by meesterdude »

monkaS___ wrote: post #13
meesterdude wrote: post #7

why is it's only merit that it's built with react/redux? Is it not enough to solve a particular problem of workout tracking, that you must do so using the development framework of the day? also: > Account only required if you wish to save your workouts. this is a WORKOUT LOGGER. What am I doing, as a user, if not logging my workouts? There is no other value proposition. Users do not benefit from entering their workou…

> Users do not benefit from entering their workout histories and NOT hitting save Allowing people to try out the product without requiring a signup is an extremely frequent piece of feedback here. Very appreciated.

filling out a form does not allow one to try the product without signup. To deliver on that concept, would require something more akin to a demo account, with preexisting data, that they could add to or explore the existing entires for.

Re: Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

#24

Post by guscost »

wheresvic1 wrote: post #20
guscost wrote: post #18

Nice work and nice idea, a clean and functional UI can be motivating in and of itself. But definitely rework this part: > To convert from kilograms to pounds, enter the weight in kgs and hit the convert button. To re-enable the button delete and re-add the exercise.

Thank you very much! Yes, it seems that the units are a real pain point. This will be customizable in the next release. Would you believe it if I told you that I myself use Kgs and need to convert every time? I had to make some decisions for an alpha release and this was one of them (I just picked the lower unit as default)!

It's more that functional buttons shouldn't just disappear like that. Why not have it change to "Convert to Kgs" when the input is in pounds?

Re: Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

#25

Post by meesterdude »

wry_discontent wrote: post #11
meesterdude wrote: post #7

why is it's only merit that it's built with react/redux? Is it not enough to solve a particular problem of workout tracking, that you must do so using the development framework of the day? also: > Account only required if you wish to save your workouts. this is a WORKOUT LOGGER. What am I doing, as a user, if not logging my workouts? There is no other value proposition. Users do not benefit from entering their workou…

Framework of the day? What world do you live in? React and redux aren't new and they're the standard for almost every frontend job I saw when I was interviewing a few months back.

I didn't say they were new, and I won't deny their penetration. They're great if you're into resume driven development. (I am not)

Re: Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

#26

Post by meesterdude »

wheresvic1 wrote: post #8
meesterdude wrote: post #7

why is it's only merit that it's built with react/redux? Is it not enough to solve a particular problem of workout tracking, that you must do so using the development framework of the day? also: > Account only required if you wish to save your workouts. this is a WORKOUT LOGGER. What am I doing, as a user, if not logging my workouts? There is no other value proposition. Users do not benefit from entering their workou…

Hello and thanks for your feedback! Part of making this service was to learn React/Redux and see how different it is to Angular. I've read quite a bit but there's nothing quite like learning by doing something bigger than a todo app - the front-end is open sourced on Github and I plan on writing a few blog posts on what I've learnt building Ewolo, hence the title. Regarding the text, I wanted to let people know that…

Good to know. If it's more of a technical exploration of implementation, i would prefer you lead with that. This, as the end result of a series of blog posts, would make a lot more sense to me.

But it, in itself, has some glaring product design and marketing issues. In that - it's an afterthought. Which, given that this was a learning experiment, is more palatable for me, than as a service I'm actually expected to signup for and use.

Regarding the current try before signup behavior: i'm not actually trying the app before signing up, when i fill in a form. I'm, filling in a form and then being forced to signup after. Instead, it would be better for users to explore an existing (demo) account's data and tinker with entering results and exploring charts, and then decide to signup if it's good.

If this was a food delivery service, where an account signup could impede potential users from using and where it may not even be required, this approach would make more sense - just let them start using right away. But because it is a collection of data, you would be better off showcasing dummy data.

Re: Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

#28

Post by jefozabuss »

Iphone - Safari (incognito):

- if I switch from kg to lbs via button I will see lbs only for new/re-added exercises with the same kg->lbs button (I can still convert but the label says lbs instead of kg)

- if I register I get error with registration (maybe because of 2letters as full name?) however I hit register again with same data and now account already exists error.

Re: Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

#29

Post by delusionX »

wheresvic1 wrote: post #10
leppr wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally : I don't really care about any of those features, what I'd need to use this service everiday is simply a more polished UX (unnecessary no-timeout notifications, the kg-lb thing, etc).

Excellent, these notifications are starting to annoy me as well and a few people have mentioned the kg-lb thing so I'm definitely going to prioritize that. I think a sensible approach would be to set an account default but still provide the button to allow data input in whatever unit. Or is the button then totally unnecessary? What do you think?

I personally think button is unnecessary. The most people will decide if they want to use lbs or kgs just once in the beginning (maybe it would be ok to create view for choosing right after registration) and this decision is based on metric system which is used in their region. If they want to change it at some point, it'd be still possible to do so in their profile settings.

Re: Show HN: A workout logger written using React/Redux

#30

Post by dirtyaura »

Workout logging is an interesting product/User Interface problem. There are a lot of workout logger apps, but not a single one has emerged as a clear leader in the space. Why is that? Also, a lot of tech savvy people that go to gym, still use the trusted pen'n'paper approach. Why is that?

One reason is that training regimes differ a lot - a single app is unlikely to be a good for strength training (training is build around 3-5 big movements with a few auxiliary exercises), body-building (more movements) and crossfitting.

Other reason is that convenience of pen and paper input is still hard to beat, and for reason or another, people don't get enough value from the digital views to their training history and performance.

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