Why I Built MyLiftingCoach

I've been a competitive powerlifter for 15 years. In that time, I've set 19 state records, spent more money than I'd like to admit on coaching, and tried every training app on the market.

Most of them made me want to throw my phone across the gym.

The Problem Wasn't the Apps. It Was the Business Model.

Good coaching costs $100-400 a month. That's not a criticism—good coaches are worth it. They've spent decades learning programming, they understand periodization, they know how to peak an athlete for competition. That knowledge has real value.

But for a lot of lifters, especially those just getting serious about the sport, that price tag is a barrier. So they turn to apps.

And the apps? They're designed to keep you subscribed, not to make you stronger.

They give everyone the same cookie-cutter program. They hide basic features behind paywalls. They harvest your data—your weight, your body fat, your injuries, how often you skip sessions—and sell it to third parties. They slap "AI" on the marketing page and call it personalization, when really it's just a questionnaire feeding into ChatGPT.

I wanted something different.

What If the AI Actually Understood Periodization?

I'm also a software engineer. DevOps, infrastructure, the whole stack. When Apple announced the Foundation Models API—on-device AI processing that never sends your data to the cloud—I saw an opportunity.

What if I built an app that actually understood how serious lifters train?

Not a chatbot that gives generic advice. Not a template generator with a fancy UI. An app that implements real programming methodology: block periodization, RPE-based autoregulation, volume landmarks, weak point analysis, competition peaking. The same tools elite coaches use, but powered by AI that runs entirely on your device.

No cloud. No data harvesting. Your training history stays on your phone.

The Frustrations That Shaped the App

I didn't build MyLiftingCoach in a vacuum. I built it from frustration—specific frustrations that every serious lifter has felt.

Built for Lifters, by a Lifter

MyLiftingCoach supports four sports: powerlifting, bodybuilding, strongman, and calisthenics. Each one has its own programming methodology because each one has different demands.

For powerlifters, that means competition peaking, federation-specific rules (IPF, USAPL, USPA), attempt selection strategy, and Wilks/DOTS/IPF GL tracking. For bodybuilders, it means volume landmarks (MEV/MAV/MRV), muscle group prioritization, and progressive overload focused on hypertrophy. For strongman, it means event-specific training and implements. For calisthenics, it means skill progressions and greasing the groove.

The AI coach understands all of this. You can ask it why your program includes paused squats this block, or how to substitute an exercise when your gym doesn't have the equipment, or what your weak points are based on your training history.

It's not a gimmick. It's a tool.

Why Privacy Actually Matters Here

Fitness apps know incredibly personal things about you. Your weight. Your body measurements. Your injuries. How often you work out. How often you don't.

Most apps send all of this to cloud servers. Some sell it. Some get hacked. All of them keep it forever.

Apple Intelligence changes the equation. The AI runs on your device. Your data never leaves. There's no cloud to hack, no server to subpoena, no third-party "analytics partner" getting a copy of your training log.

I didn't build this privacy-first because it's a marketing angle. I built it privacy-first because I don't want some corporation knowing my body fat percentage. And I bet you don't either.

The Mission

Professional-level coaching should be accessible to everyone serious about getting stronger. Not just people who can afford $300/month. Not just people willing to sacrifice their privacy. Everyone.

That's what MyLiftingCoach is. Real programming. Real AI. Real privacy. For $15/month.

I hope it helps you lift more.