Athletes Frustrated by Fitness App Bloat
Dedicated athletes and fitness enthusiasts are tired of generic, overly simplistic fitness apps designed for beginners. They crave tools that are streamlined, customizable, and avoid unnecessary features or hand-holding, often leading them to build their own solutions. The current market fails to serve the needs of experienced users.
SOURCES (60)
“Hey everyone. Quick background on me, I'm a paralegal in Toronto and on the side I coach a few people on training and nutrition, because honestly that's the thing I actually love doing. The thing I noticed coaching is that the workouts and the meal…”
“Fair enough. The tracker’s a better idea than most of the hundred, mine included.”
“Ha, fair enough. 101 is a humbling number to get handed 20 minutes in. Genuinely though — of the hundred, did any of them go anywhere? That’d be more useful to know than the feedback I came here for.”
“I’m curious if anyone knows of a good software that lets you train 3-4 people at once whilst still tracking each persons individual workout/program? I’ve been using the notes app for ages and I can run partner sessions pretty easy there but once I get to 3 people, it gets a little hectic tracking everyone’s numbers. submitted by /u/hermanpolonski [link] [comments]”
“That’s exactly what I’m trying to narrow down right now. Liftin is primarily for people who genuinely want to train consistently, but keep going through that cycle of being locked in for a few weeks and then falling off. A lot of them either don’t track at all, use their Notes app, or have tried workout trackers but stop using them because logging becomes another chore. My bet is that if I can make tracking extremely low friction while making consistency/streaks genuinely motivating, I can help”
“An app that tells you what injury you could probably have when you identify the pain regions in your muscles. It should tell what it could be, how to foam roll, how to strengthen and recover.”
“The app is mainly focused on the tracking and sharing aspects (accountability) aspect. So any one with any of their tasks, that they need to track , are our audience. Deliberately choose the winter arc season to get the initial traction.”
“Today I worked on how Kilo handles workouts that weren’t part of the user’s program. People don’t always follow their training plans exactly. A friend might invite them on a run. They might take a class, play a sport, or change their workout because their schedule changed. Those sessions still affect their fatigue, recovery, and progress, even if they weren’t planned. I wanted Kilo to recognize that without rewriting the user’s program every time something changed. In this example, the user resp”
“Quick one, and blunt answers help most. If Two Plates disappeared tomorrow, would you be very disappointed, a bit disappointed, or not fussed? One line on why. If it's very, what's the one thing you'd miss? If it's not, what would you go back to.”
“cool breakdown. the video treadmill vs. one good reddit post ratio is wild. since that worked, have you looked at tools that scan reddit for relevant threads so you don't have to manually hunt for the next one? i use replyhey for that (scores + drafts replies), but even without it, curious how you pick subreddits.”
Appreciate it! Feel free to hop back in this thread or DM me for anything you're running into. In app feedback works as well either via screenshot or shaking your phone.
“Nice, history import is the big one for me. I'll give it a try — programs sound like a solid approach for v1.”
“So I use Gemini. Let's call it Gem for short. I give Gem all of my data each week. I have an ongoing instance that has been given everything I know about me. Nutrition app (all food tracked), steps/activity fitness info, smart scale readings, smart blood pressure readings, sleep tracking, and my workout log book. My supplement stack too. All the data. I have had the best time replacing my internet searches. Warm-ups, workouts, cool downs, specific joint issues, Nutrition plan dialed in based”
“We are testing a new hybrid fitness experience in Vora 33 for people who lift and also run, walk, cycle, or do other cardio. The specific flow we want feedback on is: Vora suggests a strength or cardio session using goals, schedule, equipment, recent training, and recovery. Strength sessions keep previous performance, load, reps, RPE, rest, and form guidance together. Cardio sessions can include a structured plan with warmup, faster stages, recovery stages, and cooldown, plus a live map recorder”
“Hi @PeterK end , First of all, thank you so much for building and maintaining this tool. It has been incredibly useful for cleaning up my swim sessions recorded on Garmin devices. The ability to split incorrectly detected segments or merge ones that were wrongly separated has saved me a lot of manual work. I really appreciate the time and effort you've put into this project. I’d like to suggest a new feature that would address a common issue I (and probably others) face during pool swims. The pr”
“I have not really found a good plugin for that. I use Cronometer, which is a separate app. Integrating some graphs and heatmap for data visualization would probably be a good start!”
“Workout history is imported! I haven't added templates yet since I opted for programs instead which I feel is nicer but but if there is enough interest in it I'll add templates in. Programs are just groups of templates anyways so the way I saw it it was the better move for v1.”
“Does the Strong import bring over workout history too, or just exercises and templates? That's usually the dealbreaker for me when switching trackers.”
“Most fitness apps are good at tracking numbers, but personally, seeing another streak counter was never enough to keep me consistent. I wanted missed workouts and bad nutrition days to affect something I could actually see. That idea became Gyminion: a fitness tracker with a virtual pet whose mood and progress are tied to your consistency. I’m a 21-year-old computer engineering student from Turkey, and I built the first version on my own over the last month. Right now, it includes: Workout creat”
“this web app do not relay on ai to generate your protocol and not it gives' you generic strengthening advice , this web app will guide you to do some physical activities (physical assessment test) and then ask you to give right feedback these steps are important to find the root cause then provide you a exercise protocol for your postural deformity , plz try the my work and five your suggestion , for now my web app charge 2 dollars if its still to high for you then just try to take the asses”
“I'll keep you updated on the discord if you'd like to join. Else you can checkout the gitlab until the release comes out”
“not as an apprentiece. 500 is a lot for just a open-source project. I'd be happy to buy the apple developer license but not the 500 for the visuals”
“A good 2-3 minutes in between sets is a good time to log an entry. Or just jot it down on a small notebook then when you get home and are drinking your water, sit down and log your workout using what you wrote down. I've used a few different apps, and this one seems to be pretty damn good. Not as super hand holding and refined as the others (and one that I use is absolutely amazing, but some things still feel beta level), but it's really good. It'll be nice to see it evolve and turn”
“iPhone users can't download it as an app. There're some people that'd like to have it as an app”
“https://preview.redd.it/iixqcvwx4rmh1.png?width=3404&format=png&auto=webp&s=1b00b3afa09f6e98f01ec7a9359e20012e58f69b Here is a quick snapshot of what the app looks like today”
“Yes here is another workout tracker, but here's a quick rundown before you roll your eyes: - It's completely free - It supports Strong and Hevy import - It supports rest timers both in and outside the app - It supports super sets - It has in-app timers for exercises like planks so you don't need to leave the app - Account is not required and data stays local, but you can create an account for sync It's still only in beta but I think at the free tier it's nearly feature comple”
“okay... but maybe another gym app... hear me out! I've been working on creating a gym app that will last forever. It is built around reduction. No endless plans to choose, no scrolling 3400+ exercise options, no social anything. Just one plan, thoroughly thought out, designed to last forever, and zero extra thinking. Additionally, no account needed, no internet connection, no anything extra. It's a four day split: pull, push, legs, auxiliary. Additional mobility exercises at the end of e”
“You type a goal like "run a 10k" or "lose weight" and the app plans your week around it. Workouts, meals with a grocery list, runs with GPS tracking, sleep. Then you just follow the plan and tick things off. The thing I've put the most effort into is keeping it science based. Every number in a plan traces to a published source, the running plans are actually NHS Couch to 5K and Hal Higdon's plans underneath, and where the evidence is thin the app stays conservative in”
“I’m working on a small iPhone fitness app and deciding what timer support belongs in the first release. I’m considering warm-up, running or interval, rest, and cooldown timers. I don’t usually use rest timers, but other people may train differently. If you use workout apps, which timer is genuinely useful to you? submitted by /u/UkrMalt [link] [comments]”
Nice. Which app is it. I would test cause I am in the fitness journey too
“Hey guys, quick sanity check. I’ve been testing out a few different platforms (Trainerize, Everfit, TrueCoach, My PT Hub) to manage client programming and check-ins, and honestly... I feel like none of them fully hit the mark. It seems like you either get an app that's clunky for the trainer, annoying for the client to log into, or missing simple tools (like decent nutrition tracking or good exercise swap logic). What’s your biggest gripe with the platform you're currently using? What is”
“i'm still in school and build small apps using Claude Code, mostly to learn and see if I can make a bit of money on the side. Right now I log my workouts in a spreadsheet, like a lot of people probably do. It works, but logging a set mid-workout on my phone is annoying, and finding the right exercise means scrolling through a messy sheet. Apps like Strong and Hevy fix the logging part but lock your own data behind a subscription. The free ones I've tried don't let you export anything”
“I'm still in school and build small apps using Claude Code, mostly to learn and see if I can make a bit of money on the side. Right now I log my workouts in a spreadsheet, like a lot of people probably do. It works, but logging a set mid-workout on my phone is annoying, and finding the right exercise means scrolling through a messy sheet. Apps like Strong and Hevy fix the logging part but lock your own data behind a subscription. The free ones I've tried don't let you export anything”
“Two separate systems in the app: Steps come from Apple Health, all day, no GPS. That’s what decides whether you hit your goal and add your log to the group fire. Treadmill steps count exactly the same as street steps. Walks use GPS, and only while a walk is actively running. That’s just the drawing on the map. So you can use it without ever starting a GPS walk. You’d lose the map, but the campfire, the streak and the group work the same. Android isn’t there yet, it’s iOS only right now.”
“Occasionally the last session display on the live workout doesn't actually show the latest session. For example today for the leg extensions it didn't show the session from 2 days ago, it showed the set from the 17th of July.”
“The guidance is intentionally advisory rather than something the app forces you to follow. OVRSET already shows the session comparison and a short explanation for why it’s suggesting a particular next step, and users can simply ignore the recommendation. There are also custom progression settings for people who want more control, although you don’t currently edit every generated recommendation as an inline rule. I think your bigger point is spot on though: the website/store currently explains wh”
“Same exercise is the starting point, but it’s a bit looser than just matching the exact rep range. OVRSET looks for a previous session that is structurally relevant to what you did today rather than blindly comparing everything with the most recent workout. Things like the working-set pattern, reps/load/RIR and the type of work being performed matter, and for movements like holds or assisted calisthenics the relevant metrics change accordingly. So if your last session was structured very differe”
“You can configure them using settings under developer & integrations —> external data providers. I don’t have doc for withings but here you can find it for Google health https://codewithcj.github.io/SparkyFitness/features/settings/google-health”
“love the idea... tho the app at glance looks pretty slop driven. Nothing new here either, unless im missing something?”
“I would like to tell you that there already exists a popular app kilo dot ai. Make sure people don't misinterpret it”
“Signed up and spent a while in VelaFit. Signup was quick but I'd add google signup. The dashboard is the best part: "Friday, 30 min" split into 20 minutes workout, 7 journal, 3 mind, with Log a Walk right there. That split makes a short day feel planned instead of skipped. Sharpen, Settle, Learn and Journal all worked with no errors. The nutrition grocery list has ten proteins and only one is vegan. A vegetarian opens it once and never comes back. The beans and lentils are already”
“The NutriTrace federation piece is a nice touch — auto-logging estimated calories burned back into a nutrition tracker without double-counting a wearable is the kind of cross-app integration that's usually missing from self-hosted fitness stacks. Also appreciate the AI disclosure being this granular instead of a vague blanket statement. Does the coach/client feedback threading work well for async coaching, or is it mainly built for people who see their trainer in person and just log remotely”
“Implementation: roughly 50/50 human/AI pair. AI drafts, I review, test on real hardware, only commit what I've verified. Every commit is manually reviewed Design / architecture: I make the architectural calls; AI suggests trade-offs and edge cases Documentation (README, CHANGELOG, release notes): also ~50/50 pair Testing / QA: real-device manual (I test on my own devices before every release). AI helps draft test plans and think through edge cases Review: I'm the reviewer; AI helps with”
“I’m keeping a fairly simple daily tracker where I write down in plain text. Ai summarizes and gives me some feedback every week. I realises the only way a personal tracker will work for me is if I use it for work - which I am. Building more and more of my teams workload onto notion.”
“Luntrack is live, but we still want the honesty people usually give a beta. Please try logging one meal, one workout, or one cardio session and tell me exactly where you hesitate. I’m one of the people behind the app. I’m especially interested in onboarding clarity, speed of logging, and whether the progress view gives you a reason to return. App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/luntrack/id6794109236 submitted by /u/TmsSwp33 [link] [comments]”
“I'm at 6 and it's getting ridiculous Sheets for programs, whatsapp for messaging, drive for videos, excel for payments, calendar for scheduling, notes for progress tracking Client mentions knee pain on whatsapp, I update the program in sheets, forget to note it, week later have no idea why i changed it Is this normal or do most people consolidate at some point? submitted by /u/Commercial_Unit3633 [link] [comments]”
“A year ago I was training for an expedition. Months of structured blocks, specific schedules, no room for winging it. I tried pretty much every tracking app out there and they all felt the same: cluttered mess, noise everywhere, the actual numbers buried three taps deep. I ended up back in a Excel spreadsheet. As I'm planning for a new expedition some years ahead I was planning to do a similar training schedule and needed something reliable and easy. That annoyed me enough to build my own. I”
“Downloaded it earlier this week when I was looking for something to shake up my routine. The onboarding was actually smoother than I expected, most fitness apps lose me in the first 3 minutes with endless questions but this kept it moving. Got a little hung up on the meal logging part since I'm not used to tracking macros, maybe a quick tooltip overlay for first-timers there would help. The program it spit out for me looked reasonable but I'd want to see some kind of logic breakdown befo”
“Today was all about picking a name and figuring out what I wanted the product to look like. I ended up going with Kilo. One of the things I wanted from the name was for it to feel natural in a text-first product. Something where saying "I just text Kilo" doesn't sound weird and almost makes it feel like you're talking about an actual coach. It also felt like a nice play on the fitness side of the product without naming it something overly obvious like "AI Fitness Coach&quo”
“Preface not a coder, but 3D artist by trade. Been lifting 20+ years. My Problem: Every lifting app I've tried is ugly and stuffed with things I don't use. Social feeds, streaks, badges. I want to log a set and know what to lift next. I want to program my own workout how I want it. So I'm building one. Every decision so far comes from something that annoys me in a gym or with existing apps... Features I am working on: "Skip an exercise" it moves to the end instead of deletin”