Part 4 - The MyTraining App
If you read our previous article, The ABCs of building a quality workout app, you already have a pretty clear picture of how vibrant and rapidly developing the workout apps market segment has become. We also had the chance to talk about some of the most prominent features that make workout apps so great for us to use during our exercise sessions. So, providing you’re not too busy planning your next exercise, we highly recommend that you take a few steps back and read through that article before continuing further.
Already caught up? Good, because we have something very interesting in store that we would like to share with you. Over the past few months, we have been busy working on a very special project here at Future Forward. Yes, you guessed it - we have been building a workout app that is easy and convenient for everyone to use!
Meet the MyTraining App!
The MyTraining app is your digital mobile guide that helps you plan, execute and keep track of your exercise progress. It is your personal workout assistant, which is intended to be used by both beginners and experienced users alike to help them create and effectively track their workout sessions.
Since our app is still actively being developed, we would like to use this opportunity to show you how it currently looks like and give you a brief rundown of its most important features. In turn, we would very much like to hear your comments and suggestions that would help us make this app really great. So please, don’t hesitate to drop us a few lines in the comments section below once you've finished reading the article!
Your opinions are most welcome!
The main navigation
One of the advantages of the MyTraining app lies in its straightforwardness and ease of use. Our main goal was to design a training app that would interfere with your workout sessions as little as possible, while at the same time providing you with all the functionalities that you would expect from a quality workout app. The entire interface of the app is divided into four main sections, which are located in the bottom of the screen. These are the History, Workouts, Exercises and Profile sections.
We will go over each of these sections in more detail in the passages below to give you a closer look of what our new app is all about and just how easy it will be for you to use it effectively during your workout sessions. So, why don't we get started right away!
The Login section
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When you open the MyTraining app for the very first time, you will be greeted with a login screen that contains all the functionalities that you would usually expect from a workout app. You can choose to log in or create a new account in case you haven’t used the app before.
In addition to the standard way of logging in using your personal email and password, we have also implemented an option to log into the MyTraining app with your existing Google or Facebook account.
Finally, you also have the option to reset your password, which allows you to retrieve access to your account in case you have forgotten your credentials.
The Exercises section
The MyTraining app contains a comprehensive library of exercises that will allow you to properly perform each exercise and get the results that you hope to achieve. Each of the exercises contained in the library includes a concise description with an added illustration that appears either in the form of an image or an online video, which will help you quickly and easily understand how each exercise is performed.
All the exercises are easily accessible, and they can be quickly filtered based on the muscle group or according to the type of equipment that is used in an exercise. Of course, our workout app allows you to make selections between multiple categories as well.
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Another option to view the exercises is to filter them according to whether you had previously completed them or added them to the favorites section. This allows you to quickly and efficiently find the exercises you're looking for, while maintaining focus on your workout.
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Last but not least, another important feature that we should not forget to mention is that you also have the ability to create new exercises from scratch and add them to the exercise library. This way, you can easily add custom exercises if you wish to do so, which you can later use during your workout sessions.
The single exercise view
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When you tap on any of the exercises in the Exercises library, you will be directly taken to the details section for that exercise. This screen contains three main categories that you can choose from. These are the Details, History and Records tabs. So, why don’t we take a closer look at these options next.
The Details tab conveniently provides you with the photo or an online video of a selected exercise, the targeted muscle group and the information about the appropriate equipment that is used to perform the exercise. In addition, the area underneath contains the list of step-by-step instructions which clearly explain the exercise you selected.
The History tab lists all your previous performance data in the form of cards. Each of the cards includes additional information including the name of the workout, the date and the time of the workout, performance data for each set included in the exercise as well as your personal best performance.
Finally, the Records tab displays your best performance for each of the exercises, while tapping the View Records History button provides you with additional details about your previous records for that exercise.
The Workouts section
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The Workouts section is the second option in the main navigation section of the app. Tapping on this section allows you to see the list of all your previous workouts in the form of cards. By default, the MyTraining app comes with a limited number of predefined workouts to help get you started on your workout tracking journey. However, this is a section reserved for you, which allows you to add your own workouts, so feel free to make use of it any way you see fit!
The Workout details view
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When you tap on any of the workouts from the workouts section, the details view is revealed, showing you all the relevant details for the selected workout. These details include the share icon, which triggers the share sheet, and the hamburger menu, which allows you to edit or delete the selected workout. Underneath these elements, you will find with an overview of all the exercises that are contained in the selected workout, presented to you in chronological order.
The Workout in Progress section
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This is the screen reserved for your current workout. It contains the following elements: the name of the workout, the plus icon that allows you to easily add individual exercises to your workout, a workout note, which is always visible as well as the included sets of exercises.
All of the sets contained in an exercise are arranged in chronological order and display the following options: your previously achieved results, the weight and the number of repetitions for your current exercise. As you go through each of the exercise sets, you can mark them as completed by tapping on the corresponding check mark symbol that is located next to each of the sets.
The Rest Timer
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After each of the exercise sets is completed, the rest timer is activated, which allows you to take a small break for a predefined amount of time. This timer can be easily adjusted according to your needs by choosing one of the options that are located underneath the progress bar.
At the end of each exercise, you will be able to see their current result, which you can then compare with your previous results and see how much progress you've made over time.
The History section
The history section displays the workouts that have been completed. Individual workouts are shown as cards containing all the important information regarding that exercise, such as the name of the workout, the time when the workout was completed, the duration of the exercise, total weight lifted, how many personal records have been achieved and the list of performed exercises with the best set results.
Since this screen is not populated when you first start using the app, you will be greeted by a motivational message that will encourage you to start your first workout. Once you have completed a few exercises, your history section will look similar to the one below:
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In addition to this, we have also included the ‘edit’ option, which allows you to easily modify your completed workouts data in case there is the need to do so.
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The Profile section
We have also implemented the Profile section. This is the final option in the main navigation section. The Profile section allows you to access the Settings, add your measurement data and Log Out of the MyTraining app. In the Settings section, you can choose the default language of the app, select the metric of the imperial unit system and provide your feedback and suggestions.
Last but not least, here you also have the option to synchronize all the data from the MyTraining app with Google Fit and integrate all your workout data with Google’s own health and fitness platform. This way, you can have all your data consolidated in one centralized location.
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In conclusion...
So, there it is! We hope that you enjoyed our little sneak preview, and that you now have a much clearer idea of what our brand new workout app is all about. Please keep in mind that this is just the beginning and we have a lot more surprises planned in the near future that we just can't wait to tell you about! For now, all we can say is that we are committed to build the absolute best workout experience for you and your gym buddies. The one that will keep you inspired and motivated to keep on working toward achieving your goals.
We would also like to have YOU, the future users of the MyTraining app, included in the discussion and the development process as much as possible. We would really love to hear your feedback and opinions that will help us make a workout app that everyone enjoys using. So, please don’t be shy or pull back any criticism. Write us a few lines in the comments below and let’s get the ball rolling!