Comment by Stunting | Hacker News Reader

Comment by Stunting | Hacker News Reader

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I'm all here for better lifting apps, but I have lots of questions.

How do you qualify the "trainers," that your algorithm outperformed? Most basic strength and conditioning books will outperform the average chain gym trainer.

How many of your the trainers in your sample size were Strength and Conditioning Coaches at reputable performance gyms? Would any qualify under the following statement from the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Website:

"The proper education consists of an undergraduate degree in an exercise science-related field. Such a degree is imperative because it forms the foundation of knowledge that underpins the profession. An exercise science-related degree affords the capability to practice an evidence-based approach to strength and conditioning."

What are your results for longer than 60 days? Do you continue to outperform human trainers at the 1 yr and 5 yr marks? For those that are uninitiated, 60 days is a incredibly short time in the world of Strength and Conditioning. Doing almost anything differently that your normal routine, consistently, over 3 months will yield positive results before plateaus set in.

How are you quantifying your results?

Are you raising the 1 rep maxes of your athletes 1-2x than more than Human Trainer? Their 10 rep max? Their max broad jump? Their 40 yard dash? Their 1 mile time? Their muscle mass? Lowering their Body fat percentage?

I want this to work. I crave a simple logging app that will allow me to enter a variety of exercises and an AI that would help with programming would be huge. I would be willing to you pay your subscription of $8 a month if it were true.

>> How do you qualify the "trainers," that your algorithm outperformed? Most basic strength and conditioning books will outperform the average chain gym trainer.

Trainers use Lift Log to keep track of their clients workouts during training sessions. They were identified and their data was compared

>> How many of your the trainers in your sample size were Strength and Conditioning Coaches at reputable performance gyms? Would any qualify under the following statement from the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Website:

"The proper education consists of an undergraduate degree in an exercise science-related field. Such a degree is imperative because it forms the foundation of knowledge that underpins the profession. An exercise science-related degree affords the capability to practice an evidence-based approach to strength and conditioning."

Not sure! but they worked at or owned their own gyms so I'm sure they are certified. Only trainers who trained using the same exercises as FitnessAI were compared

>> What are your results for longer than 60 days? Do you continue to outperform human trainers at the 1 yr and 5 yr marks? For those that are uninitiated, 60 days is a incredibly short time in the world of Strength and Conditioning. Doing almost anything differently that your normal routine, consistently, over 3 months will yield positive results before plateaus set in.

I'm not sure! We've only been around for a few months so it's hard to say. That said, we have the data and users to optimize for this once users begin to plateau

>> How are you quantifying your results? Are you raising the 1 rep maxes of your athletes 1-2x than more than Human Trainer? Their 10 rep max? Their max broad jump? Their 40 yard dash? Their 1 mile time? Their muscle mass? Lowering their Body fat percentage?

% change in total volume lifter

>> I want this to work. I crave a simple logging app that will allow me to enter a variety of exercises and an AI that would help with programming would be huge. I would be willing to you pay your subscription of $8 a month if it were true.

try it out! And message me in app for a free 30 days

No thank you. You have not qualified your trainers as anybody other than "but they worked at or owned their own gyms so I'm sure they are certified." That is naive or willingly ignorant. Spending time any time in a chain gym and interacting with the hired trainers would illustrate that.

Your methodology doesn't disqualify anybody who could have started with incredible small lifts and then added higher lifts at the end of 60 days. That would not reflect actual development.

Most importantly, I am aware of how to do steady slate programming, which seems to be what your App is selling. I have access to spreadsheets and the ability to program by percentages, as do most people.

Your app would be 100x better if I simply were able to input my One Rep Maxes and then have it spit out a 3 month plan of 5x5 training starting around 70% of my max increasing my loads by 5% a week, with a deload week every 4-6 weeks. Perhaps adding in weeks with 3x5, and 3x3 as it gets near max. However, as you likely know, no one is going to pay monthly for that.

Instead, you have packaged common knowledge as AI. You have taken data from users (that you charged a monthly subscription) that are not qualified to give educated information, failed to qualify which of them were experts, and are attempting to pass it off as some sort of hive learning. For that you want $8 a month (AND their data, to be used for who knows what in the future) from people who are looking to better themselves.

Sorry you disagree mate!

There are thousands happy users who are seeing real results, I don't know what else to say.

Please don't forget that the average user doesn't know how to lift weights, and doesn't want to pay $50-150/training session. FitnessAI offers a real alternative.

>> Your app would be 100x better if I simply were able to input my One Rep Maxes and then have it spit out a 3 month plan of 5x5 training starting around 70% of my max increasing my loads by 5% a week, with a deload week every 4-6 weeks. Perhaps adding in weeks with 3x5, and 3x3 as it gets near max. However, as you likely know, no one is going to pay monthly for that.

FitnessAI basically does a variation of this, but it's informed by data rather than being anecdotal

Man you just do not get it. a 5x5 or 3x5 plan is not anecdotal. It's based on empirical evidence, pioneered in most part by the Russians in the 70s, with knowledge existing for decades, if not centuries prior.

Your app does not invent a new way to program working out. Your app reflects proof that science we already know about has results that have already been proven to be true. And you charge people monthly for this.

Sorry again Stunting, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Good luck in your fitness endeavors :)

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