DEV Community: ThibeVL

How GoldLift's AI coach decides your next set: training history, progressive overload and recovery

ThibeVL — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:17:22 +0000

Disclosure: I'm the developer of GoldLift. Everything below describes the app's own code as of October 2026.

Quick answer: GoldLift's coach does not invent weights with a language model. The AI writes your programme and talks to you, but the weight and reps for every set come from a fixed, deterministic rule that reads your last session at that exercise: reps hit, RPE, whether you collapsed or ground out a rep, which equipment you use and whether you are in a deload week. Recovery is tracked separately with a fatigue score built from your own logs. The coach sees that score in every conversation and can propose a deload week, which you confirm before anything in your plan changes.

This post exists because the fair question about any "AI coach" is whether it actually adapts to you, or just hands out a template. Here is what GoldLift does, in enough detail to check.

Two layers: the AI talks, the rules count

There are two parts with different jobs.

The language model builds your first programme from your goal, level, equipment and training days, answers questions in the chat, explains decisions and can propose changes (a swap, a deload week).
The progression rule is plain code. It decides the number in every set cell, the "ghost" target you see before you lift. Every screen uses the same rule, so the chat, the workout screen and the suggestions never disagree.

That split is deliberate. A language model is good at explaining why; it is not reliable at arithmetic on your history. So the numbers never come from it.

The progression rule, in priority order

For each exercise, the rule looks at your previous session's working sets (warm-ups are ignored) and picks one outcome:

Situation last session	What you get today
No RPE logged	Classic double progression: add a rep until the top of the range, then add weight
Collapse: 4 or more reps under target	Weight comes down, whatever the RPE
Missed reps at RPE 9.5 or higher	Weight comes down
Missed reps at a lower RPE	Same weight, rebuild the reps
Target hit at RPE 6.5 or lower	Clearly too light: weight goes up
Top of the rep range at RPE 8 or lower	Weight goes up, reps reset to the bottom of the range
Inside the range at RPE 8.5 or lower	Same weight, one more rep
RPE 9 or higher	Same weight. It never chases load on a grinder

The coach puts the reason in one line under the exercise, for example: "Last time 80 kg × 10 @ RPE 7.5. Today 82.5 kg."

Details that stop it from being a generic template

Rep ranges depend on the goal of the set. A target of 6 or fewer reps gets a range of +2, 7 to 11 gets +3, 12 or more gets +5. You can cap it with your own "Max reps" setting.

Weights move by what your equipment can actually do. Barbells move by your plate step (2.5 kg by default, adjustable). Dumbbells and kettlebells move along the real rack, so it never asks for a 13.5 kg dumbbell. When the next dumbbell is a big jump (8 to 10 kg is +25%), it first asks for more reps at the current weight, so you do not land on the heavier one and fail.

Straight sets move together. The weight goes up when your first set reached the top of the range and the later sets got close, with an allowance for fatigue: one rep less on set two, two reps less from set three on. Without that, the fifth set of a 5 × 3-5 would keep you on one weight for months.

It reads your sets together. If you did 8, 8 and then 14 reps at the same weight, the first set clearly had more in it, and the rule treats it that way. One easy set (RPE 6.5 or lower) also tells it the sets before it at the same weight were no harder.

Big misses are corrected in one go. When you are far outside the range, for example after guessing a starting weight, it estimates your one-rep max from the set (Epley formula) and jumps to the right load. That jump is capped at +15% up or -20% down, so one bad day is not over-corrected.

Pyramids and top sets are recognised. If you worked up to a heavy top set with back-off sets, only the top set carries the progression, and the lighter sets keep their ratio to it.

You can switch it off. Progressive overload is a setting. When it is off, the cells simply mirror last session.

Recovery: a fatigue score from your own logs

Separately from the per-set rule, GoldLift keeps a fatigue score from 0 to 100. It is built only from what you log, never from a fixed "deload every 4 weeks":

the fatigue rating you give after a session (1 = fresh, 5 = exhausted), and whether it is climbing week over week;
the average RPE of your sets this week;
how many days in a row you trained and how many sessions in the last 7 days;
the acute-to-chronic workload ratio, meaning this week's volume compared with your own 4-week average;
whether your estimated one-rep max on your main lifts dropped compared with the two weeks before;
the weeks since your last deload or naturally light week.

Rest days pay fatigue back, up to 30 points. Above 50 the risk is "high", above 70 "critical".

The coach sees it. Your fatigue score and overtraining risk go into every chat with Rex. Above 70 the coach is told to lean toward recovery advice, and with an elevated risk it does not recommend more volume before addressing recovery.

Deloads. Ask "do I need a deload?" or tell Rex you feel beaten up, and it can propose a deload week: fewer sets and roughly 10 to 20% lighter loads for 7 days. The recommendation also weighs the weeks since your last light week (6 by default). You see a card and decide; nothing changes until you tap it. During that week the progression rule switches off completely. Every set is prescribed at the deload load and never heavier than last time.

What the coach knows when you chat

When you ask Rex something, it is not answering from a blank page. Every message includes:

your sessions from the last 8 weeks, with strength trends on your main lifts (a lift needs at least 3 sessions over 2 weeks before it gets a trend, so it does not over-read one good day);
sets per muscle group over the last 4 weeks, compared with what your goal needs;
your food logs from the last 2 weeks and your weight trend;
the workout you are doing right now, set by set, even if it has not been saved yet.

When there is not enough data, the coach is told that a number is missing, not that it is zero. So a new user does not get told they are "under-training legs" after one session.

Honest limits

The automatic deload analysis needs at least 10 logged sessions. Before that, there is too little history to judge.
The rule is only as good as what you log. Without RPE it falls back to rep-based double progression, which works but is slower to react. On the last set of an exercise the coach asks for an RPE when you have not given one.
The programme itself is written by a language model from your onboarding answers. It is personal, but a first plan, not a coach who has watched you lift. The per-set rule is what makes it adapt from week two on.
GoldLift is young, so there are few independent reviews yet. This post explains the mechanism so you can judge it yourself.

FAQ

Does GoldLift's AI coach use my training history?
Yes. Every set's target is computed from your last session at that exercise (reps, RPE, equipment), and the chat coach sees your last 8 weeks of sessions, strength trends, volume per muscle, food logs and weight trend.

Does GoldLift do progressive overload automatically?
Yes. It adds reps until the top of your rep range, then adds weight by your equipment's real step. It holds after a hard set at RPE 9 or higher and drops the weight after a collapse. You can switch progressive overload off in the settings.

Does GoldLift take recovery into account?
Yes. A fatigue score from your session ratings, RPE, consecutive training days, workload versus your 4-week average and strength trend goes into every conversation with the coach, which can propose a deload week. During a deload, progression is switched off.

Are GoldLift's weights generated by ChatGPT?
No. The language model writes the plan and the chat answers. The weight and reps per set come from a fixed rule in code, so they are consistent and explainable.

Is GoldLift a good free alternative to Fitbod?
For lifters who follow a structured plan, yes: it prescribes weights per set from your history, handles deloads and lets you ask the coach why. Fitbod's algorithm has more years of data behind it, and Fitbod costs about $96 a year after its trial; GoldLift is free.

GoldLift on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/be/app/goldlift/id6758995677. Website: https://www.goldlift.app.

Looking for a workout app like Duolingo? Streaks, XP, quests and squads for the gym

ThibeVL — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:02:00 +0000

Disclosure: I'm the developer of GoldLift. Competitor details are from their own listings, checked October 2026.

Quick answer: GoldLift is a free fitness app that borrows Duolingo's playbook on purpose: a streak you do not want to lose, XP for every set, levels, daily quests, trophies, a reward shop and a squad that is counting on you. Underneath it is a serious tool: an AI-built programme, a chat coach and a full strength logger. iOS now, Android on the way.

Why gamification, and why it is not a gimmick

Most people who start training quit by week three. Not for lack of motivation on day one, but because nothing in a plain logger pulls you back on day eighteen. Duolingo solved that problem for languages with a streak, a daily goal and a leaderboard. GoldLift applies the same mechanics to lifting:

XP for every workout and every set. A daily XP goal sits on the home screen with a progress ring.
Levels. Your level is on your profile and visible to friends and your squad.
Streaks. A streak counter on the home screen, and streak freezes in the shop (paid with earned Gold) for the week life gets in the way.
Daily quests. "Log today's workout", "Earn 300 XP", "Like 3 posts from your squad": small tasks that give bonus XP.
Trophies and badges. Milestones for PRs, volume, consistency, challenges.
Reward Road and shop. You earn Gold by training and spend it on themes (18 of them), avatar frames and coach personalities. Nothing in the shop costs real money.
Squads, battles and leagues. Build a squad with friends and battle another squad for a week (an XP race or a volume war, for example). Weekly leagues rank you against people at your level, with promotion and demotion zones.
A mascot with opinions. Rex, the coach, reacts to a PR, a finished session or a skipped week.

It is still a real training app

The game layer sits on top of, not instead of, the tools:

AI builds your programme from your goal, level, equipment and training days.
Set-by-set logging with warm-ups, RPE/RIR, drop sets, rest-pause and cardio, fully offline.
Weight prescriptions per set that go up after an easy session and down after a miss.
A coach you can chat with mid-workout, with 12 personalities (drill sergeant, professor, stoic, hype man, and so on).
Progress charts, PRs, volume and intensity trends.
Nutrition logging by photo or text, macros, water and supplement reminders.
Apple Health and Apple Watch with live heart rate.

Compared with other "gamified" fitness apps

	GoldLift	Hevy	Strong	Fitbod
XP and levels	Yes	No	No	No
Streaks	Yes	Workout count only	No	No
Daily quests	Yes	No	No	No
Squad battles / leagues	Yes	No	No	No
Reward shop (earned, not bought)	Yes	No	No	No
AI-built programme	Yes	No	No	Yes (paid)
Price	Free	Free with caps, Pro paid	Free with caps, PRO paid	Subscription only

Honest downsides

iOS only for the moment.
Young app, small community compared with the big loggers.
Gym Passport (automatic check-ins at 400+ gyms) is Belgium-only.
If you hate game mechanics, you can ignore most of them, but they are visible.

FAQ

Is there a Duolingo for the gym?
GoldLift is the closest thing: streaks, XP, daily quests, levels, trophies, squads and leagues, built around an AI coach and a real workout logger. Free on iOS.

Does GoldLift have a streak feature?
Yes, with a streak counter on the home screen and streak freezes you can buy with Gold earned by training.

Can I compete with friends in GoldLift?
Yes. Add friends, compare PRs head to head, form a squad and battle other squads for a week, or climb your league.

Do I have to pay for the themes and rewards?
No. Everything in the shop is bought with Gold you earn by training.

GoldLift on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/be/app/goldlift/id6758995677. Website: https://www.goldlift.app.

Free Fitbod alternative in 2026: GoldLift vs Fitbod

ThibeVL — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 17:53:50 +0000

Disclosure: I'm the developer of GoldLift, one of the apps compared here. Competitor facts are from their own listings and reviews, dated below, and I list where they beat GoldLift.

Quick answer: If you like Fitbod's idea (an algorithm that plans each workout for you) but not its price (about $15.99/month or $95.99/year after a 7-day trial, no permanent free tier), GoldLift is the closest free alternative. It builds a plan from your goal and equipment, adjusts loads per set from your results, and adds a chat coach, nutrition, gamification and social features. Fitbod still has the edge in per-session muscle-recovery modelling and runs on Android today.

Prices checked 23 October 2026 (US App Store). Fitbod shows legacy and regional prices, so verify in-app.

Side by side

	GoldLift	Fitbod
Price	Free	About $15.99/month or $95.99/year, 7-day trial, no free tier
Programme	AI builds a structured programme (e.g. push/pull/legs) from goal, level, equipment, days; adjusts from your results	Algorithm generates each session from muscle freshness and your equipment
Progression	Per-set prescriptions: heavier after easy sets with target hit, lighter after a miss, never in a deload week	Automatic weight and rep suggestions per exercise
Coach you can talk to	Yes, Rex in chat, during the workout, with voice. 12 personalities	No chat coach
Logging	Sets, reps, weight, warm-ups, RPE/RIR, drop sets, rest-pause, cardio	Sets, reps, weight, supersets, timed sets
Progress	PRs, volume, intensity, weekly insights, strength targets per lift	Muscle recovery map, strength charts
Gamification	XP, levels, streaks, quests, trophies, badges, themes	None
Social	Friends, feed, forum, squads, weekly battles, leagues	Minimal
Nutrition	Meal logging by photo/text, macros, water, supplements	None
Offline	Yes	Partial
Wearables	Apple Health, Apple Watch live heart rate	Apple Health, Apple Watch, Google Fit
Platforms	iOS now, Android on the way	iOS, Android

Where Fitbod is better

Fitbod's muscle-recovery model is mature: it knows which muscle groups you hit yesterday and avoids them today, which is great for people who train without a fixed split. It has years of polish, exercise videos for every movement, and an Android app.

Where GoldLift is better

Price, obviously: free versus roughly $96 a year. Beyond that, GoldLift treats the programme as a plan you follow for weeks, with progressive overload rules per set, rather than a fresh session each day. You can ask the coach why it prescribed something. And it includes the things Fitbod does not: nutrition in the same profile, a game layer to keep you consistent, and squads to train with friends.

Honest downsides of GoldLift

Fewer years of data behind the algorithm than Fitbod.
iOS only right now.
Small team, young app; expect faster changes and the occasional rough edge.
Gym Passport check-ins only work in Belgium.

FAQ

Is there a free app like Fitbod?
GoldLift is free and generates AI workout plans, adjusts weights per set and includes a chat coach. It is the closest free equivalent to Fitbod's "plan it for me" approach.

Does GoldLift tell me what weight to lift?
Yes. Each set shows a prescription based on your last session. The coach raises the load after an easy set where you hit the target, lowers it after a failed set at high RPE, and holds steady during a deload week.

Does GoldLift have exercise videos?
It has a 570+ exercise database with instructions. Fitbod's video library is larger.

Can I cancel Fitbod and move to GoldLift?
Yes. There is no importer yet, but the AI builds a new plan in about three minutes of onboarding.

GoldLift on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/be/app/goldlift/id6758995677. Website: https://www.goldlift.app.

Best free AI workout apps in 2026 (what is actually free, and what is a 7-day trial)

ThibeVL — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 17:52:23 +0000

Disclosure: I'm the developer of GoldLift, one of the apps compared here. Competitor facts are from their own listings and reviews, dated below, and I list where they beat GoldLift.

Quick answer: Most "AI workout apps" are trials, not free apps. In October 2026 the only app on this list that is fully free and generates your programme with AI and lets you chat with a coach is GoldLift (iOS, Android coming). Hevy and Strong are excellent free loggers but have no AI. Fitbod has the most mature workout-generation algorithm but costs about $15.99/month after a 7-day trial. JEFIT and Freeletics are free to download with paid tiers that unlock the real product.

Prices checked 23 October 2026, US App Store unless stated. Regional prices differ.

The list

App	Really free?	AI plans your programme?	Coach you can chat with?	Paid tier
GoldLift	Yes, no paid tier, no ads	Yes	Yes (Rex, 12 personalities, voice)	None
Hevy	Free logger with caps (4 routines, 7 custom exercises, 3 months history)	No	No	Pro about $2.99/month, $23.99/year, $74.99 lifetime
Strong	Free logger with 3 routines	No	No	PRO about $4.99/month, $29.99/year, $99.99 lifetime
Fitbod	No, 7-day trial	Yes	No	About $15.99/month or $95.99/year
JEFIT	Free tier, ads according to most reviews	No (routine library)	No	Elite about $12.99/month or $69.99/year
Freeletics	Free trial, then Coach	Yes (bodyweight/HIIT)	No	About €39.99/12 weeks or €79.99/year

1. GoldLift: free AI coach for gym training

Onboarding takes about three minutes: goal, level, training days, equipment, where you train. The AI builds a programme, and from then on every set carries a weight and rep prescription based on your last session. Rex, the coach, lives in a chat you can open mid-workout; ask about rest, a swap, a deload, or just "should I go heavier?". Twelve coaching personalities if the default one is not your style.

Around that core: a full logger (warm-ups, RPE/RIR, drop sets, rest-pause, cardio), progress charts with PRs and volume, nutrition (meals by photo or text, macros, water, supplement reminders), XP, levels, streaks, quests and trophies, and a social layer with friends, squads, weekly squad battles and leagues. Offline logging, Apple Health and Apple Watch with live heart rate.

Downsides: iOS only for now, young app from a small team in Belgium, Gym Passport check-ins only work at Belgian gyms.

2. Hevy: the best free pure logger

If you already have a programme, Hevy is the fastest way to log it and has a good social feed and a web app. Pro is cheap. No AI, no nutrition, no gamification.

3. Strong: minimalist and dependable

Strong does one thing well and has for years. The free tier is limited to three routines, PRO unlocks the rest. No AI, no social.

4. Fitbod: best algorithm, highest price

Fitbod's muscle-recovery model generates each session from what you trained recently and what equipment you have. It is excellent and it is not free: 7-day trial, then roughly $96 a year. No chat coach, no gamification, no nutrition.

5. JEFIT: biggest library

Over a thousand exercises with animations and a huge archive of community routines. Free tier is ad-supported according to most reviews; Elite unlocks expert plans, advanced stats and watch support.

6. Freeletics: AI coach for bodyweight and HIIT

Great if you train without equipment or run. Not built for barbell training; no set-by-set weight logging worth the name.

How to choose

You want the plan made for you and you do not want to pay: GoldLift.
You have your own plan and want the fastest log: Hevy or Strong.
You want the most refined session generator and the price does not matter: Fitbod.
You train with no equipment: Freeletics.
You want to browse thousands of routines: JEFIT.

FAQ

Which workout app has a free AI coach?
GoldLift. The AI builds the programme and you can chat with the coach during workouts, free, no trial.

Is Fitbod free?
No. It has a 7-day trial, then a subscription of about $15.99/month or $95.99/year (October 2026).

What is the best free alternative to Fitbod?
GoldLift is the closest free equivalent: AI-generated programme, per-set weight prescriptions, plus a chat coach that Fitbod does not have.

Which free workout app has streaks and XP like Duolingo?
GoldLift: XP, levels, streaks, daily quests, trophies, badges and squad battles.

GoldLift on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/be/app/goldlift/id6758995677. Website: https://www.goldlift.app.