Fitbod Feature Update Wish List 2025 and beyond

Hi Fitbod team and Community,

As a long-time user of Fitbod, I deeply appreciate the effort that goes into making this app a powerful, and intuitive tool for strength training. However, like any platform, there’s always room to grow!

I’ve compiled a list of feature suggestions that I believe could take Fitbod to the next level in 2025 and beyond. These ideas are based on my experiences, community discussions, and industry trends. I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts and add any suggestions community members might have and hope some of these resonate with the Fitbod team for future updates.

Here’s the list:

1. Semantic Exercise Search

Currently, users struggle to find specific exercises or the closest match in Fitbod. Implementing a semantic search functionality would alleviate this issue by allowing users to search using alternative names or common variations for exercises already in the database. While I am aware of the plan to introduce custom exercises in the future, this feature would focus on improving the search experience for existing exercises, reducing user frustration and support queries.

2. Gym Profile Customization: Equipment Availability

Every gym has a unique set of weights, dumbbells, and machine configurations. Fitbod currently lacks a feature to input and account for available equipment in specific gyms. For example, if a machine provides weights in 7.5kg increments, the app sometimes generalizes this availability across unrelated equipment, leading to inaccurate recommendations. Adding a gym profile feature to specify available weights for Dumbbells, Weight plates and Machine weight stacks would enhance the app's utility and accuracy.

3. Dynamic Weight/Intensity Adjustment

Exercises added manually mid or end of workout often default to inappropriate weights or intensity levels, failing to account for user fatigue. For instance, if a user adds an exercise at the end of a workout, the app currently assigns reps and weights as if the user is fresh and full of energy. The app should dynamically adjust these parameters based on the workout's progress, ensuring the recommendations match the user’s energy levels.

4. Incorporating Gyroscope and Accelerometer Data

Integrating gyroscope and accelerometer data could significantly enhance tracking capabilities. The gyroscope could capture rotational movements, such as curls, rowing, and presses, while the accelerometer could measure linear motion. Combining these data points with heart rate metrics would provide a more accurate exertion score for specific muscle groups. While rep counting using these sensors might still be imprecise, capturing motion dynamics could offer immediate benefits. For more details on implementing this feature using the Apple Watch, refer to Apple’s Core Motion documentation

5. Heart Rate-Based Rest Timer

A dynamic rest timer that adapts to heart rate recovery would optimize workout pacing, maintaining session intensity and personalization. This feature could offered as an option with the static timer, leveraging heart rate data to determine when the user is ready for the next set. Additionally, updating the Apple Watch UI to display heart rate alongside sets and reps would improve user experience.

6. Persistent Rest Timer for Exercises

Currently, users can adjust the rest timer for individual exercises, but the changes are session-specific. Introducing a toggle to make rest timer adjustments persistent for future sessions of the same exercise would save users time and enhance continuity. Users should also retain the option to modify these settings later as needed.

7. Support for External Heart Rate Monitors

Expanding support for external heart rate monitors, such as Bluetooth chest straps or wrist-based monitors, would benefit users outside the Apple ecosystem. This feature would cater to a broader audience, enhancing the app's versatility and accessibility.

8. Drop Sets

This feature has been requested previously but remains absent from the roadmap. Drop sets are a valuable technique for progressive overload and workout intensity. Adding this functionality would address a significant gap for users looking to maximize their training results.

9. Adding Effort Metrics to Apple Fitness

Automatically calculate workout effort based on exercise RPE or prompt users to rate the session manually at the end. This data could then be written to Apple Health and used within Fitbod for body recovery tracking. For implementation, you can refer to the HealthKit API documentation.

10. Incorporate HRV, RHR, and Training Load Metrics

Dynamic adjustment of next workout intensity based on HRV (Heart Rate Variability), RHR (Resting Heart Rate), and other Vitals data would help prevent injuries and optimize recovery. This feature would make workouts more adaptive and tailored to the user’s current physical state.

11. Injury Recovery and Breaks

The app currently lacks the ability to track or adjust for muscle groups recovering from an injury or when users are taking a break due to illness or holiday. This is particularly important for injuries. A feature allowing users to specify an injured muscle group, along with an estimated recovery period, could guide the app in designing safe, effective workouts during recovery. Similarly, the app could prompt users to enter a return date when taking breaks, easing the transition back into training while reducing the risk of overtraining or aggravating injuries.

12. Endurance Sport-Specific Training

Fitbod currently lacks settings for strength training tailored to endurance sports like running, cycling or other common endurance sports. While the app doesn’t need to recommend endurance exercises, acknowledging these activities in a user’s profile could influence strength training recommendations. This would better support hybrid training users aiming to balance endurance sports with strength goals.

I understand the post is written keeping Apple ecosystem in mind, but I’m confident these features could also be implemented for Android users with similar solutions.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this! I’m looking forward to hearing what the community and Fitbod team think.