FitnessApp

CS 541 Project

Group E Project Proposal - Lift Smarter

Kevin DeWire

Winston Shields

Definition -

The “Lift Smarter” app will encourage users to be more active in their daily lives and to improve their general fitness through strength training.

Purpose -

Currently there are a limited number of apps that combine tracking of current strength training workouts with recommended changes for future workouts.

“Lift Smarter” aims to provide a consolidated platform to track current strength training workouts, and plan future workouts.

The app will allow the user to enter the exercises for a given workout. Then it will suggest changes to weight lifted/repetitions performed for the next workout.

Functionality -

1. Step Counter: The number of steps walked on that day. Logged every 24 hours.

2. Active minutes: The total number of minutes they have been active for. This will require distinguishing between when the user is sitting vs when they are walking/running etc. Logged every 24 hours.

3. For strength training workouts (weightlifting/bodyweights), do the following:

   a. Workout Logs: Allow the user to create workout sessions.

   b. Log predefined metrics for each workout (Sets performed for each exercise, Weight/Repetitions per set, rate per exertion (RPE))

   c. Display user performance over week and month: use graphs and other visualization techniques.

4. Allow the ability to add friends and see their workouts.

5. An automated workout coach to suggest increases to future weights and repetitions for each exercise.

6. A repetition counter that will track body motion and count the number of repetitions of an exercise performed.

7. Scheduled workout planner.

Requirements -

This app will need to access the motion sensor to track steps and activity. Also the motion sensor can be used to count repetitions. For accuracy, the device will need to be attached to a part of the body that is moving, for example, the arm while upper body exercises are being performed. The app will need network access to send friends notifications about workouts completed and to post to social media. The app will need to be able to run in the background for the step counting and activity monitoring.

This app will work on any device containing an accelerometer, internet access, and version 4.0 or later of the Android operating system.

Target audience -

The target audiences are powerlifters, Olympic weightlifters, strongman, and even casual gym goers planning on building strength and muscle while remaining active between workouts.

The user will most likely be someone who does some sort of strength training routine, such as powerlifting, Olympic lifting, and strongman. It could also be a person who is trying to build both strength and more muscle mass. Most users who use the app will become regulars mainly due to the automated workout programmer that is catered to which lifts have helped the user improve (e.g., increase in reps, increase in weight, reduced exertion).

Similar Apps:

1. Stronglifts 5x5 – Provides an automatic plan for weight increases when 5 sets of 5 repetitions are completed at the current weight. But there is no capability for the user to choose the exercises performed.

2. Fitocracy – Provides the ability for users to manually enter all the data from a workout, and also provides a community for encouragement, but does not offer suggestions for improvement.

3. Fitbod – Uses AI to determine plan workouts that may benefit the user based on previous results. Not currently available for Android devices.