Why use this app?

It is very important to keep track of your fitness journey! There are too many variables when it comes to working out. If you don't write it down, you WILL eventually forget your past performances. What exercises did you do? How many reps did you do? How many reps at that weight did you do? When it comes to making progress in the gym, you need to continue setting personal records. This app helps you do that. Easily. Efficiently. Effectively.


What can I do with this app?

It is very simple! Here's what you can do:

  • View your workouts.
  • Log a new workout into your journal
  • Summarize your progress, overall or for an exercise.
  • Create custom programs to follow
  • Put custom workout plans in your program
  • Configure the app just for you.
  • View your exercises.
  • See visual spreads of your workout preferences.
  • Your data, is your data! Take it wherever you want.
  • Already have a journal somewhere else? Bring it over!
  • Dig deeper into your workouts for greater insight!

How do I use this app?

Let's get started! If you haven't already, head on over to the Add Workout page and put a workout in. Once we have your first workout in the system, we will be able to show you information in your Journal and Reports.


How do I add a workout?

There are 4 easy steps:

  1. We just need to know on what date you worked out. Optionally, you can specify what time your workout started, and give your workout a name.
  2. This is where you enter all of your exercises for the workout.
  3. Feel free to add optional information, such as comments, your bodyweight, or how long you worked out for.
  4. Look things over before you make it official!

How do I add an exercise to my workout?

No sweat (except from the exercise of course)! Here's what you do:

  1. Click on the button that says "Add Exercise"
  2. A window will pop up, containing a box that you may type into. As you type into this box, previously used exercises containing your text will be presented to you. In the case you never logged an exercise into the app before, just hit the Next button anyway! We will add this exercise to your list going forward
  3. After hitting Next, another window will pop up. This is where you will enter your sets for this exercise. Click Add Set to proceed. You will also have a shortcut to View Reports for this exercise.
  4. After hitting Add Set, you will now be looking at a new screen. First, select your Exercise Type. You may swipe left or right to expose any types that may be hidden. The form below will change to accomodate the exercise type you have chosen.
  5. When you have finished the form, hit Finish
  6. Repeat until you have entered all of your sets, then hit Next

Do you support Super Sets?

YES. We support every type of super set from Drop Sets, Compound, Isolation, Pre-Exhaustion, Post-Exhaustion, etc. We do not use those names, but our Super Set workflow lets you create any of those. Here's how:

  1. From just above, begin the "add an exercise" workflow to add the first exercise in your super set
  2. Add a set to your exercise
  3. Click the "chain link" icon associated with the set
  4. Follow the exact same steps you followed for "add an exercise" above

The super set will be applied for the same number of sets configured on the first exercise in the super set. So, if the first exercise was Bench Press and you specified 3 sets, then super setting with Tricep Extension will imply you did so for all 3 sets. If you need more granular control on a set by set basis, then you will need to add each super set one by one. That may be the case when the number of reps or the weight changes set by set.


How do I create a brand new exercise?

You can enter whatever exercise you like! When you are typing in your exercise, there will be no matches. No problem! Simply hit the Next button to proceed.


Exercise Modifiers? What's that all about?

We created a comprehensive tool containing common ways people vary their exercises, which you can leverage to create custom exercises. For example, you can specify the usage of bands and chains, the angle on an incline bench, pin height for rack pulls, and so much more! When you use the Exercise Modifiers feature, a link (variation) is automatically created for that exercise!


What do you mean by "link" or Exercise Variation (Variation Basis)?

When a link is created between exercises, you get the following benefits:

  • Convenient shortcuts between variations are added to the Exercise Report screen
  • A filter can be applied to search against all variations of an exercise

How do I add Exercise Modifiers to an exercise?

No worries! Here's how it goes:

  1. Follow the steps for "How do I add an exercise to my workout?"
  2. After you have selected an exercise, click the "Modifiers" button on the right
  3. On the screen that just opened, enable the modifiers you wish to apply and enter a value
  4. When you are finished, close the modifiers screen. The modifiers have been set!
  5. Complete the Exercise Selection screen per usual by clicking "Next"

I don't see a modifier I wish to use, i.e a certain kind of band or barbell. How do I add that?

We got you! Our Exercise Modifier feature is completely customizable just like our Exercise Selection tool! Simply put whatever modifier you want, and it will automatically be saved to your list for future use.


How do I edit an exercise set?

Mistakes happen. Just tap on the pencil! The Add Set form will appear.


How do I delete an exercise set?

That's what the trashcan is there for!


How do I re-order sets for an exercise?

Hold down on the set for a second (you may feel your phone vibrate as confirmation). Then drag to the desired position, and release.


How do I edit an entire exercise?

There's a pencil for that too!


How do I delete an entire exercise?

You guessed it. Trashcan!


How do I re-order exercises in my workout?

Same as above, for re-ordering sets in your workout.


How many characters can I enter for an exercise comment?

250 characters.


How many characters can I enter for my workout comments?

500 characters.


I've entered my first workout. Now what?

Congratulations! You can now view all features of the app, such as the Journal, Reports, and Filters. After adding your first workout, you will be automatically sent to your journal.


How do I use my journal?

Your journal will display 25 workouts per page, grouping your workouts first by month, then by week. This makes it very easy to compare workouts by time period, without having to use advanced features such as filtering. Your workouts will initially be collapsed to only show high level information at a glance. This includes the following:

  • Workout Session Name.
  • Workout Date.
  • Workout Length (Clock Icon).
  • Workout Volume (Anvil icon).
  • Exercises With Personal Records Count (Trophy icon).
Click on the workout to expand it and view all of it.

What is Workout Volume?

This is a metric that represents how much work you performed. The formula is:

  1. For each exercise set, calculate Weight × Reps × Sets.
  2. Add those numbers together.

What is Strength Endurance?

This is a metric that represents the duration of force, i.e isometrics. The formula is:

  1. For each exercise set, calculate Weight × Time.
  2. Add those numbers together.

What is Work?

This is a metric that represents the application of force over distance, i.e traveling with weight. The formula is:

  1. For each exercise set, calculate Weight × Distance.
  2. Add those numbers together.

What is that anvil icon'?

That is the Volume icon


And what about the calculator icon?

That is the Estimated One Rep Max icon. We use the Epley formula, which is: Weight × (1 + (0.0333 × Reps)), or just Weight if Reps is 1.


I'm trying to decide how much weight to use on an exercise. How does the Estimated 1RM or Estimated RPE calculators work?

There's definitely several ways to approach this situation from the Exercise Report screen! You have the following options:

  • : View your personal records and make an educated guess
  • : View past workouts or your latest workout and make an educated guess
  • : Plug in the desired number of reps to calculate an estimated weight you can handle.
  • : Plug in the desired RPE and number of reps to calculate an estimated weight to use.

How do I edit an existing workout?

Once again, just click the pencil (are you seeing a pattern yet?)!


How do I delete an existing workout?

Same idea, click the trashcan! Note that this CAN NOT be reversed! Once you delete a workout, it is gone FOREVER!


How do I use Reports?

For Workout Reports, there are two main ways to use this tool:

  • Swipe through the statistics.
  • View your metrics on the chart.

Why am I seeing "m" (meters) in my Workout Report?

That is the unit we have chosen to normalize any distance related metric across all of your workouts. If you used "miles" for one exercise, and "feet" for another, it would be hard to summarize distance. So we chose meters. For individual exercise reports, you will see the most commonly used distance unit for that exercise.


How do I view reports for an exercise?

There are several ways to do this:

  • On the Add Set screen, click the View Reports button.
  • On the exercise list of a workout or template, next to the exercise name click the report button.
  • On the Reports page, click the Exercise search button. This will prompt you to enter an exercise.
  • On the Exercises page, next to the exercise name click the report button.

How do I view personal records for an exercise?

There are two ways to do this:

  • When viewing a workout, personal records will appear in green text with a trophy icon.
  • When viewing reports for an exercise, personal records will appear at the top.

How do you calculate personal records?

Good question! This depends on the Exercise Type:

  • Weight & Reps: You do more reps, or more weight. In the event you did more weight AND more reps, we will indicate that you did both (great job!).
  • Weight & Time: You do more weight, or more time. In the event you did more weight AND more time, we will indicate that you did both (fantastic!)
  • Weight & Distance: You do more weight, or more distance. In the event you did more weight AND more distance, we will indicate that you did both (wonderful!)
  • Time & Distance:
    • Time only: You did more time.
    • Distance only: You did more distance.
    • Both: You do less time for the same or more distance, or more distance for the same or less time. If you improved on both, we will let you know!
  • Bodyweight/Assisted Bodyweight: Same as 'Weight & Reps'
  • Bodyweight (Timed): Same as 'Weight & Time'

How do I use Filters?

You may filter the following:

  • Sift through a subset of your workouts
  • View charts/metrics on a subset of your workouts
  • Preview before you download your workout data
  • Preview before you upload your workout data
To use Filters, do the following:
  1. Click on the Filters button.
  2. Pick a filter you would like to apply, and click on the toggle switch to the right to enable it.
  3. Use the rangeslider to select the values you would like to constrain the filter to. You may also click the pencil to swap the rangeslider with input fields that you may type into. To go back to the rangeslider, click the "reverse arrow" button at the bottom.
  4. Close the filters menu by hitting the back arrow at the top, or hitting the back button on your device.
  5. Your data will now be filtered!

I applied a filter but I am seeing exercise sets that do not match the filter. How do I exclude those?

Simple. Enable "Exclude Non-Matching Sets".


How do I create a custom Workout Program?

First, it is important to know our definition of Workout Program: A collection of Workout Templates which when grouped together define an entire workout routine. Typically, routines recur on a weekly basis, but they don't have to.

To add a Workout Program:

  1. Click 'Programs' at the bottom
  2. Click 'Add Program'
  3. Complete the form
  4. Click 'Save Workout Program'

How do I add Workout Templates to a Workout Program?

When you save your new Workout Program, a screen will prompt you to immediately add a new Workout Template to your program. It is not mandatory to add a template right away. You can always add a template later on by doing the following:

  1. Find Workout Program
  2. Click 'View Templates'
  3. Click 'Add Template'

I want to repeat a workout I already did. How do I do that in the app?

You have several options for that:

  • Use the 'Copy Workout' feature
  • Use the 'Save As Template' feature

How does the 'Copy Workout' feature work?

It's a convenient way to begin a workout that's based on one you already did! Information such as exercises, weight, reps, sets, and workout session name will be automatically prefilled for you. This is useful when you are mostly doing the same workout, but perhaps shooting for a little more weight or reps.


How does the 'Save As Template' feature work?

First, you will be prompted to choose a Workout Program (or create one). Then, your completed (past) workout is converted to a skeleton structure (template) and the 'Add Workout Template' workflow will begin. Here, you will be able to re-order or add/remove exercises, configure the number of sets, create rest timers, or specify notes.


Enable Sharing? By Others? What is that button at the top of the Workout Programs screen?

Good question! By popular demand, we created a feature to share workout programs and templates with other users. If you turn Enable Sharing on, you will be able to send a 'Share Code' with another user so they can see or use that workout program or template.


How do I export my data?

Just do the following:

  1. Go to Exports (under More).
  2. Choose a format.
  3. Click "Download Workouts".
If you click "Get Template", this will download an example template that you can use for importing workouts

How do I import my data?

Follow these steps:

  1. Go to Imports (under More).
  2. Click the file input control.
  3. Choose a file.
  4. Click "Import Workouts".

My import failed to validate? Why?

There can be many reasons why your import failed. We suggest following the steps above to download a template and follow the structure of it. CSV is probably the easiest format to use if you are using Microsoft Excel or any other spreadsheet program.


I tried everything and I just can't get the import to work! HELP!

Absolutely! Please reach out to us with the file you are trying to import. The import tool is picky about how the data is structured, but we can definitely transform your file into one that our tool will accept!


I don't see a distance unit configuration in my Settings. Why not?

Don't worry - we offer a flexible variety of distance units to choose from as you complete your workout! Even better, the app will remember which distance unit you selected for each exercise, and automatically apply it in future workouts or reports. To explain why we went this route, consider this example: miles may be good for distance running, yet you would likely prefer meters or yards for sprinting.


It's a new month, but my workout is being grouped under the previous month. Why?

Every workout is grouped on the basis of the week that it belongs to, using Sunday as the first day of the week. Chances are, Sunday belongs to the previous month, so we are using the previous month in that case.


I'm using the app as a guest. Is there anything I should know?

This app works the same whether you create an account or use it anonymously. We actually create a "password" for you, which we call a "reclaim token". If you go to your settings, you will find your token there. With this token, you can access your guest account from any device in the world, even though you never signed up.


How do I create an account if I have a guest account already?

Very easy:

  1. Go to Settings (under More)
  2. Click on Register
  3. You can now create an account by using Google or Facebook, or you can register directly by clicking on Register
  4. All of your data from your guest account will now be associated with your newly created account

What if I lost access to my guest account?

Contact us! We will help restore access to your account!


I have an exercise that I would like to rename for all of my workouts. How do I do that?

Easy:

  1. Go to Exercises (under More)
  2. Click on Edit (pencil icon)
  3. Enter the new name for this exercise
  4. Optionally, you may also specify exercise modifiers
  5. Click Update Exercise

I have a workout session name that I would like to rename for all of my workouts that use that name. How do I do that?

Here you go:

  1. Go to Settings (under More)
  2. Click on Rename Workouts (under Workout Data)
  3. Select the workout session name you wish to rename into the first box
  4. Enter the new name for this workout session name in the second box
  5. Click Rename Workout Session Name

How do I change the theme/colors?

Do as such:

  1. Go to Settings (under More)
  2. Under Theme Style, you can choose either Dark Or Light
  3. Under Theme Color, you can change the color by sliding the handle along the colored slider

How do I reset the theme/colors?

Follow this:

  1. Go to Settings (under More)
  2. Under Theme Style, you can choose either Dark Or Light
  3. Under Theme Color, hit Reset

What are 'Default Exercises' in my settings?

To help get you started, we have included 300 default exercises for you to use. Every time you interact with the Exercise Selection screen, these 300 exercises will be included in the filtered results as you type. You can opt-out of using our Default Exercises by toggling the switch off.


How do I use Automatic Rest Timers?

Automatic Rest Timers will automatically start a countdown timer every time you finish a set. If your device supports it, we will display a push notification when the timer has completed. On all devices, we will display the timer in the bottom right corner of the screen, and attempt to vibrate your device when the timer has completed.

There are several different ways to configure an Automatic Rest Timer, from weakest to strongest priority:

  • Global - In Your Settings
  • Workout Program - overrides "Global" only within the program
  • Workout Template - overrides "Workout Program" only within the template
  • Set - overrides "Workout Template" only within the template
  • Super Set - overrides "Set" only within the Super Set

Is there a cost for using the app?

Not at all! The app is COMPLETELY free.


What about extra features? No charge for that too?

Whether you use the app anonymously or create an account, every feature we offer is fully available for you to use, completely free of charge.


There has to be a catch. How do you make revenue from the app?

We make a little bit in ad revenue, but for the team this truly is a hobby and passion that we enjoy participating in. Much akin to investing money into hobbies you enjoy such as scuba diving or traveling, we enjoy serving this app for the world to use. This app isn't how we put food on our tables, and it isn't expensive to run.


What platforms do you support?

We are currently on Google Play and PWA (Progressive Web App).


PWA (Progressive Web App)? What's that?

Progressive Web Apps are the latest and most modern innovation in app development. Our app can be installed instantly as a desktop or mobile app on MacOS, iPadOS, iOS, Android, Linux and Windows Desktop.


I'm on iOS. Can I still use the app?

YES! Thanks to PWA advancements, we were able to bypass the Apple App Store, yet still offer a native, full screen app! The only reason we avoided the Apple App Store is they require a $99/year developer fee. Google Play only charges a one time fee of $25, and we appreciate going through the vetting process of Google to assert our legitimacy as an app developer.

To install our app on your iOS device, do the following:

  1. Open our website in Safari https://makethosegains.com
  2. Tap icon
  3. Add to Home Screen

Add to Home Screen? Doesn't that just save a shortcut to your website?

NO. When you properly implement PWA technology, Add to Home Screen instead installs the PWA as a native app. There is a long list of requirements that Apple checks for to determine PWA eligibility, which we have satisfied.


So if I use Add to Home Screen to install the app, can I still use the app offline?

YES. That is one of the features that Apple requires in order to be PWA compliant.


What happens when I use the in-app Contact Us feature?

It's a good way to reach out to us! After reviewing your message, we will respond back via email within 24 hours. Alternatively, you can reach us on any of our social media platforms or email.


Contact Us

If you have any questions, please contact us: