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Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

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Re: Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

#151

Post by flkiwi »

surgomat wrote: post #90
Sander_Marechal wrote: post #25

It would be great if the equipment and muscle selection wasn't mandatory. For example, I have a pull-up bar but I have no idea what muscles I can train with it. Why not let me filter on beginner exercises instead?

Mh yeah i didn't expect that but it shows that the current flow assumes a bit too much knowledge up front, I"ve heard similar feedback from others. I'm already planning to make the filters optional, and add things like "beginner-friendly", "popular exercises", "calisthetics", ... Thanks for pointing it out

This is the number one complaint I have with all of these solutions (and my tone here is friendly, not irritated): they assume you're already far along your fitness journey. Watching Apple's iOS updates talk about AI coaches to "help ensure you stay in your max results zone" or whatever ... my dude, that person doesn't need an AI coach. That person is already optimizing by fractions of a performance percentage point. People need, and benefit from, tools and coaching when they're starting from zero.

Re: Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

#152

Post by Rapzid »

RankingMember wrote: post #69
LostMyLogin wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hesitating to write this because I don't want to push back at all on OP but I'm not sure I agree that something like this is a good option for people wanting to get started in weightlifting. I'm not sure it's a good option for anyone really. I applaud OP for the effort but this is recommending some pretty awful workouts. For example if I select back and bi, it's giving me nine different exercises with complete disreg…

Agree. IMO a simple 5x5 is going to be the better option for someone just starting out. Stronglifts is one flavor with a great app that just works and tracks all the little stuff (progression, giving you a specific rest time) and, once you plateau, you can start digging in to other options.

Hardly anybody would recommend 5x5 these days for anyone, much less beginners.

Re: Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

#154

Post by sfblah »

I was interested in making an open-source version of strava, so along the same lines. I hate how strava blocks so many features if you don't pay. The idea was to make a lichess to strava's chess.com.

I'm just not sure if there are people who would want to work on such a thing, though. I built a few pieces, but kind of got stalled out.

Re: Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

#155

Post by surgomat »

koakuma-chan wrote: post #147
repeekad wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the servers can’t handle the high traffic from HN, you can clone the repo and run your own

> I think the servers can’t handle the high traffic from HN It appears to be hosted on Vercel...

database*

Re: Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

#156

Post by surgomat »

marcuskaz wrote: post #27
stephenhandley wrote: post #16

I don't get the pick the muscles thing almost as much as I get the open source fitness thing.

Agree, it seems like a mismatch of features and audience. As someone who doesn't know much about working out or what exercises to do this sounds like a good app. I need help, but picking based on muscles is off. My thought and goals are not by muscle group, but losing weight or getting more toned. Conversely, someone who knows what muscle groups they want to target, probably already has some sense of the exercises to…

great feedback and I agree that (i forgot tbh..) most beginners don't think in muscle groups, but in goals like "lose weight" "feel better", "beginner friendly", etc...

The goal is to make the app more welcoming by offering goal-based (or filters,let's see) entry points like "fat loss" "beginner full-body" or "3x/week routine" and not require anatomy knowledge to get started.

The muscle filter will just be one of many ways to browse, not a gatekeeper i guess. Thanks a lot for highlighting this!

Re: Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

#157

Post by surgomat »

nerevarthelame wrote: post #150

I ran into a handful of technical issues, which are understandable at this early stage. But on a more fundamental level, the exercise recommendation doesn't seem like it demonstrates a good knowledge of fitness program design. So I really would not recommend anyone use it to design a fitness program, at least in the current state. It might be better to focus not on generating routines from scratch for users, but rath…

Wow, Thanks a lot for taking the time to write this seriously. This kind of detailed feedback is incredibly valuable, especially at this early stage. Thanks !

So, yeah you're absolutely right: the exercise suggestion logic is very basic for now, and doesn't reflect proper programming principles (volume, movement patterns, recovery, compound/isolation balance, etc.). It’s more of a discovery tool than a real "smart" coach let's say. I probably need to make that clearer in the current UI.

To your specific points:

1. 33 exercises for a single session YES that's overkill, lol.

2. It currently just picks 3 per muscle group, with no upper cap or "contextual logic" let's say, and that'll change soon.

3. I'm already working to "categorize" the exercises by introducing metadata like compound/isolation, primary/secondary muscle groups, movement patterns, and tags for resistance "quality" let's say or "popularity".

4. I’m not sure I fully understood your expectation here. Do you mean you'd like to explicitly exclude certain machines or "types" of equipment, even if others are selected? (e.g. : "I have dumbbells and a pull-up bar, but please exclude all cable or machine-based exercises"). If so, that makes total sense. I'd love to clarify and improve that part of the UI. Thanks.

5. OK

6. Changing equipment doesn’t fully update the list : bug confirmed, I'll fix that. (For the moment yes you have to do it 2 time - render problem).

7. It's high on roadmap. You'll be able to fully edit your routine very soon.

Really appreciate the critique. No ego here I want this to be useful and respectful of good training principles. If you're ever up for helping shape that direction (even just high-level ideas), I'd love your input, what do you say?

Re: Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

#158

Post by beezle »

nerevarthelame wrote: post #150

I ran into a handful of technical issues, which are understandable at this early stage. But on a more fundamental level, the exercise recommendation doesn't seem like it demonstrates a good knowledge of fitness program design. So I really would not recommend anyone use it to design a fitness program, at least in the current state. It might be better to focus not on generating routines from scratch for users, but rath…

Similar take. The UI and lift explanations are nice but the lift selections (when even available) are a bit dubious at best. In some cases, sub-optimal, in other cases out of left field.

My personal suggestion would be to populate the data base with all the standard primary/secondary lifts (bar, dumbell, machines) and let users build their own program. Maybe have an option to suggest alternatives for any given lift.

After that is done, then maybe work out routine creation, hopefully with some general input to the developer from actual trainers.

Also agree, keep the equipment simple/standard and avoid branded machines,etc.

Re: Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

#159

Post by surgomat »

sfblah wrote: post #154

I was interested in making an open-source version of strava, so along the same lines. I hate how strava blocks so many features if you don't pay. The idea was to make a lichess to strava's chess.com. I'm just not sure if there are people who would want to work on such a thing, though. I built a few pieces, but kind of got stalled out.

I love that idea making a "Lichess for Strava" lol.

I totally relate to your frustration so many basic features are paywalled on Strava (i paid...lol) and there's real room for a community-driven, open alternative. Can't encourage you more to continue !

I felt the same way when starting Workout.cool. On the old app, I realized a lot of people want open, transparent tools in the fitness (bodybuilding / weightlifting specially) space.

If you ever feel like picking it back up or want to brainstorm how pieces of what you built could plug into something broader I'd be super happy to chat?

Re: Show HN: Workout.cool – Open-source fitness coaching platform

#160

Post by surgomat »

beezle wrote: post #158
nerevarthelame wrote: post #150

I ran into a handful of technical issues, which are understandable at this early stage. But on a more fundamental level, the exercise recommendation doesn't seem like it demonstrates a good knowledge of fitness program design. So I really would not recommend anyone use it to design a fitness program, at least in the current state. It might be better to focus not on generating routines from scratch for users, but rath…

Similar take. The UI and lift explanations are nice but the lift selections (when even available) are a bit dubious at best. In some cases, sub-optimal, in other cases out of left field. My personal suggestion would be to populate the data base with all the standard primary/secondary lifts (bar, dumbell, machines) and let users build their own program. Maybe have an option to suggest alternatives for any given lift.…

Thanks for the honest feedback.

Yeap ! Once that foundations are stable: introduce routine creation tools, ideally shaped with input from "real" trainers and a free "marketplace" to pick any workout session / program, provided by the community.

I guess we are aligned, lol :) Thanks again !

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