Personal Trainer: Gravl

What it does

Gravl is an AI-powered fitness coach designed for strength training. The app creates personalized workout plans based on a user's goals, experience level, and, critically, the specific equipment they have access to. It functions as a digital logbook, progress tracker, and adaptive planner that adjusts routines based on performance and muscle recovery.

Where it shines

Gravl stands out by making its AI feel both intelligent and collaborative. The onboarding is a prime example, culminating in a data-driven projection screen (01:29) that quantifies the user's potential strength gains before they even commit. Once in a workout, the app provides granular control; users can not only log sets (06:48) but also easily replace exercises or tell the AI to stop recommending certain movements (04:42), making the user feel like a partner in their own training plan.

UX highlights

Tangible Projections: The app shows specific, projected increases in strength for key lifts during onboarding, turning an abstract promise into a concrete goal.
Detailed Equipment Profiling: Users can create multiple gym profiles (10:23) and specify every piece of equipment available, from barbells to specific machines. This ensures workouts are always practical.
Interactive Onboarding Tour: A sequence of contextual tooltips (03:25) guides new users through the dashboard, which is more engaging than a static overlay.
Clear Muscle Recovery: The app visualizes muscle fatigue and recovery time (08:33), helping users understand why certain muscle groups are being targeted in their next workout.
Flexible Workout Logging: During a session, users can easily add drop sets (06:41), modify rest timers (07:02), and view exercise history without leaving the logging screen.
Celebratory Feedback: Completing a workout triggers a satisfying confetti animation and a clear summary screen (08:02) that recaps achievements.

Monetization & growth

Monetization is introduced after the user has invested time in the personalization quiz. After the app builds a custom plan, it presents a paywall with three subscription tiers (02:30). The pricing is broken down into a weekly cost to make it feel more affordable. If the user tries to dismiss the initial sign-in screen, a special timed offer with a discount appears (02:39), creating urgency. The app gatekeeps its core functionality, requiring a subscription to access the AI-generated workouts.

Who it’s for

Gravl is tailored for intermediate to advanced gym-goers who are serious about strength training and tracking their progress. The detailed focus on equipment, specific lifts like 'Rack Pulls,' and metrics like 'Projected 1 rep max' suggests an audience that is already familiar with lifting culture. It is particularly useful for individuals with non-standard gym setups, like a garage gym, who need a plan that adapts to their available tools.

Notes & opportunities

The app is incredibly feature-rich, which can be a double-edged sword. The initial dashboard, despite the tutorial, presents a lot of information and options that could overwhelm a true beginner. Simplifying the home screen or offering a 'beginner mode' could broaden its appeal. Additionally, while the workout logging is robust, the process of swiping to delete individual sets (07:42) could be made more obvious, as it relies on a hidden gesture.