How a Small Team Revolutionized Gym Training with the World’s First AI Form Feedback

Where It Starts: The Spark

"Why are gym-goers stuck with guesswork for proper form?" This very simple yet really intriguing question asked by our founder Amin Niri became a bedrock upon which a business was built. 

As a fitness enthusiast studying at the University of British Columbia, Amin knew there was much more that fitness apps could offer. What was available didn’t quite meet his needs. They offered the basics, but he wanted something better, something that could help him perfect his form and not just save, but share his new personal records with others. Seeing others struggle at the gym without guidance reinforced this belief of a better solution even more. "Knowing how to lift and perfecting your routine should be easier, and surely it can be," he thought. 

His vision became clearer.

With a background in computer science and an avid interest in fitness, Amin envisioned a smarter and comprehensive technique whereby workout techniques can be learned and perfected. Thus began the journey toward developing the world's first AI-powered form feedback engine.

Read more about Amin’s story here.

The Beginning: Team and Vision Building

Bringing this vision to life required effort, but it also needed wits. Seven years into the business, Amin has built a team of dedicated professionals, all sharing the same ultimate goal of making fitness simple, safe and effective for all. This included our co-founder and Head of AI, Amol Gharat, a McGill PhD scientist specializing in machine learning. 

Aiming for greatness, they collaborated with personal trainers, data scientists, and fitness enthusiasts to develop a tool that delivers real-time, actionable feedback for gym-goers. After close to two years of focused R&D, they applied for a patent for their technology. But it was tough; the team faced lack of finances as they nearly ran out of funding just months before the completion of the project. 

The Grind: Overcoming Challenges

"Every single failed prototype was not a setback; it was yet another rep in the lifetime of building something much stronger," said Amin. 

The world's first AI feedback form has had its mixed share of trials and difficulties: 

Data collection: in order to build this supercomputer-like AI, we needed an extremely large database of human movement. Minimal funds forced us to build a large-scale dataset from scratch - in the form of watching thousands of videotaped samples - under the direction of fitness trainers.

Technological hurdles: seven years ago, computer vision technology was not what it is now. The entire project was shadowed by doubts and setbacks where people were using early-stage tools that reflected a world with little visibility about any relationship with AI, right into the time of ChatGPT.

Skepticism: at this point, whether the whole idea was going to work was never in doubt, but only served to strengthen the resolve of the team to succeed.

All hurdles turned out to be milestones, bringing them closer to achieving their aim at revolutionizing gym training.

From Concept to Reality: Breakthroughs

Years and years of perfecting motion analysis and working with personal trainers to build a credible line of data came to fruition at last.

Main results:

• 84% of beta users discovered they had issues with their form only after using the app, allowing them to improve their technique and hit personal records safely. 
• Users reported increased confidence while training thanks to real-time corrections and less likelihood of injury.
• It was more than technology; it addressed actual needs. It became the first solution that understood the struggles of gym-goers and offered precisely what was required for better, safer, and more effective training. 
• The results showed that the AI form feedback system was more than just functional; it was also transformational. 

Now Introducing: A New Fitness Generation

We’ve redefined what it means to stay active and healthy. With nearly 1 million users worldwide and a 4.7/5 rating on the App Store, our app is empowering fitness enthusiasts to take charge of their fitness journeys. Acting as a personal trainer in your pocket—for free—it helps users track their lifts, build muscle, lose weight, and maximize progress with innovative features like automatic progressive overload, a vibrant social community, challenges, achievements, and now, AI form feedback.

As we continue to innovate, our platform adapts to the evolving needs of fitness enthusiasts, ensuring their experience is smarter, safer, and more effective. 

Our Mission and Our Values

We believe in making fitness easy, more approachable, and super cool for everyone.

Our ambition is to become the go-to app for fitness, helping people start and improve their workout habits. 

AI form feedback is beyond achieving perfect form; it is all about empowering gym-goers to reach their goals safely and effectively, whether that be doing their first ever deadlift, or scoring a new personal record.

We’re gym-goers ourselves, and every decision we’ve made reflects the same commitment we have to our personal fitness journeys. This isn’t just technology; it’s a tool and community designed for people like us, by people like us.

Looking Ahead: The Future of AI Fitness

We believe this is just the beginning. 

Looking at 2025 and beyond, our goal is to bring our app even closer to the needs of our users as technology continues to evolve. By leveraging the latest advancements in AI and fitness tech, we aim to always provide an experience that is increasingly personalized, intuitive, and responsive to individual goals. 

We’re committed to ensuring our platform adapts seamlessly, providing smarter, more efficient solutions that meet the ever-changing demands of fitness enthusiasts everywhere.

Our team is already working to:

• Expand the library of supported exercises.
• Enhance AI capabilities for even more personalized insights.
• Integrate new features that make fitness training smarter and more interactive.

We’re committed to continuous improvement, so you can count on us to evolve alongside your fitness journey.

Meet the Team

Behind this groundbreaking innovation is a passionate group of fitness enthusiasts, engineers, and data scientists:

• Amin Niri (Founder & CEO): a computer science graduate from UBC who turned his personal struggles into a global fitness solution.
• Amol Gharat (Co-Founder & Head of AI): a McGill PhD scientist specializing in machine learning and motion analysis.
• Zexi Feng (Co-Founder & Designer): a designer with a master’s degree from UBC, who brought a user-focused perspective to make the technology both functional and intuitive.
• Supported by a team of engineers, trainers, and visionaries who poured their hearts into every detail.

A Timeline of Innovation

• April 10, 2018: The idea was born on Amin’s 23rd birthday during his university days.
• 2018: Data collection and annotation begins.
• 2020: Patent application submitted for the AI technology.
• 2024: Beta testing with trainers and gym-goers begins.
• 2025: Official launch of AI Form Feedback and AI Personal Trainer.

Revolutionize Fitness With Us

We’ve poured seven years of passion, expertise, and innovation into this technology, and we can’t wait to share it with the world. Whether you’re a weightlifter or a personal trainer helping clients, our AI form feedback is here to help you train smarter, safer, and better.

Want to experience it for yourself? Download the free Flex fitness app and unlock AI training upon launch.