Unable to add new exercises to the strength training module

thespookymarie

Hi all,

I have just rejoined MFP after many years not tracking my macros, however since having to go dairy-free (not by choice!) I would really like to see what my macros look like these days and where they are coming from with this new dietary restriction.

In re-familiarizing myself with the app, I noticed there is a feature since I was last here to add strength training exercises to my library, which I love since I train 4-5 times per week. I've run into a snag where some of the exercises I am adding cannot be saved/don't show up or when I add a new one on desktop (website) or my app says it already exists in my list even though it is my first time adding it. Whilst this wasn't the major purpose for me re-joining the app, it certainly would be helpful to use this feature if it were functioning correctly. As of now, I have only been able to add 6 total exercises per the library overview page, but have attempted to add at least 10 different ones.

Is this happening for anyone else? Any suggestions for how to resolve? I have not tried uninstalling and reinstalling, as the app has been on my phone for about an hour at this point, so I can't see how this would impact it, but am willing to try.

Many thanks in advance!

xxMarie

Retroguy2000

Never tried it, but do you really need to do that?

I just enter 60 minutes or whatever under the Cardio -> Strength Training option. You're not going to be able to track calories for individual sets, the best you can get is a ballpark estimate for the session.

If you wanted to track sets and reps for progression purposes, there are custom apps for that. No idea how good any of the free ones are. I use Google Sheets, personally.

mtaratoot

I use my Garmin device and the Garmin website to track individual strength training exercises. It then tells MFP how long my session is, and that's how the calorie burn gets recorded.

I can build a workout routine and save it to Garmin, or I can just let it guess what I'm doing and then correct any errors later. It's surprisingly accurate in guessing what movements I'm making.

thespookymarie

Retroguy2000 wrote: »

Never tried it, but do you really need to do that?

I just enter 60 minutes or whatever under the Cardio -> Strength Training option. You're not going to be able to track calories for individual sets, the best you can get is a ballpark estimate for the session.

If you wanted to track sets and reps for progression purposes, there are custom apps for that. No idea how good any of the free ones are. I use Google Sheets, personally.

I've actually been tracking all my workouts for the last 6 years in my Keep Notes! My archive is quite a mess in there, hah. I was more curious how this feature integrated with the rest of MFP, but yes, to your point, definitely isn't my main reason for using this app. Many thanks for taking your time and coming back on this!

thespookymarie

mtaratoot wrote: »

I use my Garmin device and the Garmin website to track individual strength training exercises. It then tells MFP how long my session is, and that's how the calorie burn gets recorded.

I can build a workout routine and save it to Garmin, or I can just let it guess what I'm doing and then correct any errors later. It's surprisingly accurate in guessing what movements I'm making.

YES, I used to do this when I had a FitBit! But I haven't worn it since 2020, aaaand it's since been lost! I may start looking into a new tracker.

mtaratoot

I just went back into my Garmin data to update a spreadsheet I was keeping for my swim workouts from before I had the device. I really didn't need to, but it's an easier place for me to look at data over time and make my own graphs and what-not. So I'll take the extra time to enter them.

It's fun to see when you get faster!

AnnPT77

mtaratoot wrote: »

I use my Garmin device and the Garmin website to track individual strength training exercises. It then tells MFP how long my session is, and that's how the calorie burn gets recorded.

I can build a workout routine and save it to Garmin, or I can just let it guess what I'm doing and then correct any errors later. It's surprisingly accurate in guessing what movements I'm making.

FWIW, this may be somewhat individual. Garmin is terrible at guessing which strength exercises I did. It tends to think everything is bench press or OHP. I don't know why, and I don't disbelieve you. But I figured it would be good to let OP know that individual experiences may vary. I haven't tried creating a routine in Garmin because I'm a longtime small notebook user for strength training. I experimented with the Garmin's auto-detect, now just use it to track duration and record that strength work is what I did.

mtaratoot

AnnPT77 wrote: »

mtaratoot wrote: »

I use my Garmin device and the Garmin website to track individual strength training exercises. It then tells MFP how long my session is, and that's how the calorie burn gets recorded.

I can build a workout routine and save it to Garmin, or I can just let it guess what I'm doing and then correct any errors later. It's surprisingly accurate in guessing what movements I'm making.

FWIW, this may be somewhat individual. Garmin is terrible at guessing which strength exercises I did. It tends to think everything is bench press or OHP. I don't know why, and I don't disbelieve you. But I figured it would be good to let OP know that individual experiences may vary. I haven't tried creating a routine in Garmin because I'm a longtime small notebook user for strength training. I experimented with the Garmin's auto-detect, now just use it to track duration and record that strength work is what I did.

Mine gets quite a few wrong. There's some I can't even find in the database, and I'm a tyro with weights, so I don't even know if I know the correct name. I have to guess. It for sure thinks a lot of my movements are "30 degree lat pull-down." I'm amazed it can recognize deadlifts and squats. It can't recognize lunges - it thinks they are pull-downs. It doesn't have an entry for a simple "seated row" machine. Whatever. I have to guess. I'm still amazed what it gets right.

I scratch my head about what weight to tell it I'm using with dumbbells sometimes. If I'm doing alternating dumbbell lunges, I have two dumbbells. I never know whether to enter the combined weight or weight of individual dumbbell. Same thing with dumbbell bench press or curls. It doesn't matter, I presume, as long as I'm consistent. That way I can gauge progress. Then again, different machines have different levels of effort with the same amount of "weight," so there's that.

I still have no better answer for the OP about adding new varieties of movements into the MFP Strength database. Sorry about that.

AnnPT77

mtaratoot wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

mtaratoot wrote: »

I use my Garmin device and the Garmin website to track individual strength training exercises. It then tells MFP how long my session is, and that's how the calorie burn gets recorded.

I can build a workout routine and save it to Garmin, or I can just let it guess what I'm doing and then correct any errors later. It's surprisingly accurate in guessing what movements I'm making.

FWIW, this may be somewhat individual. Garmin is terrible at guessing which strength exercises I did. It tends to think everything is bench press or OHP. I don't know why, and I don't disbelieve you. But I figured it would be good to let OP know that individual experiences may vary. I haven't tried creating a routine in Garmin because I'm a longtime small notebook user for strength training. I experimented with the Garmin's auto-detect, now just use it to track duration and record that strength work is what I did.

Mine gets quite a few wrong. There's some I can't even find in the database, and I'm a tyro with weights, so I don't even know if I know the correct name. I have to guess. It for sure thinks a lot of my movements are "30 degree lat pull-down." I'm amazed it can recognize deadlifts and squats. It can't recognize lunges - it thinks they are pull-downs. It doesn't have an entry for a simple "seated row" machine. Whatever. I have to guess. I'm still amazed what it gets right.

I scratch my head about what weight to tell it I'm using with dumbbells sometimes. If I'm doing alternating dumbbell lunges, I have two dumbbells. I never know whether to enter the combined weight or weight of individual dumbbell. Same thing with dumbbell bench press or curls. It doesn't matter, I presume, as long as I'm consistent. That way I can gauge progress. Then again, different machines have different levels of effort with the same amount of "weight," so there's that.

I still have no better answer for the OP about adding new varieties of movements into the MFP Strength database. Sorry about that.

Oh yeah, that: Being on topic!

In the app, when OP selects "Add exercise" from the diary or dashboard exercise card, then picks "Strength", there should be a "Create Exercise" button at the bottom of the exercise list. Of course, that doesn't let a person indicate calories because that's not a feature of the strength exercise part of the database. (You and Retro gave good advice about logging strength training for calories, of course: Add "Strength training (weight lifting, weight training)" in the cardiovascular section, or sync a tracker.)

On web MFP, it's a little different. Go to the Exercise tab, and click "Add exercise" under the strength training heading. Put something in the search box, hit enter. When the search comes up empty, there will be a "Can't find what you're looking for? Add an exercise to the database" link near the bottom of the page. Click on that, then change the "Exercise type" drop-down to "Strength training" and add the new exercise.

After adding, the strength exercises show up in "My exercises" in either app or web versions.

OP, if that doesn't work for you, there may be a bug for which you should contact MFP support via the help function.

If what I wrote isn't clear, say that here and I'll do some screen shots to make it more clear.