Its initial implementation was clunky and finicky.
I dont think I managed to log a single workout correctly.
But now, with improvements over the years, its become a much more useful feature.
The game changer for me?
Being able to connect exercises to a workoutafteryou do the workout.
What is Whoops Strength Trainer?
This makes perfect sense for cardio activities, like running.
The higher your heart rate is, for longer, the higher Strain score youll get as a result.
A high Strain activity is hard on your body, and requires more recovery.
A lower Strain score is easier, maybe even restorative.
Thats why I keep saying toignore heart rate during weight lifting sessions.
But with the feature, strength workouts now show an appropriate amount of Strain.
And since Strain scores power your recovery recommendations, thats kind of important.
But let me skip to my conclusion: Using it during a workout sucks.
Do your strength workout.
End the activityand wait for Whoop to process it.
Choose or create a workoutthat matches what you did.
Wait while Whoop re-processes the workout, and enjoy your new, higher Strain score.
You could use an app if you preferHevy isone of my favorites.
Still, for the sake of being thorough, lets dig in.
Youll also want to fill in the reps and weights of each exercise, if possible.
Choose the workout you created, and hit Start Workout from that screen.
The app will start a warmup timer, and you could begin your exercises by tapping Start First Set.
The app asks if youll be wearing your Whoop on your left or right wrist.
Those are your only choices.
(I wear it on my bicep anyway.
I dont know if this affects the results.)
Miss a step, and you screw up your workout tracking.
Unfortunately, live activities for strength training are only available on Android at the moment.
(I use an iPhone.)
Why the Strength Trainer still disappoints me
I still have such mixed feelings about the Strength Trainer.
But the follow-along version is high-maintenance, like babysitting a toddler during your workout.
Im always making mistakes that there isnt an easy way to fix.
Whoop users were excited to see velocity-based training (VBT) come to Whoop, but that never happened.
This way, youd get customized coaching that responds to how youre actually performing that day.
But Whoop never brought that promise to Whoop users.
(If they have plans, theyre still under wraps.)
What Whoop does with this data is unclear, though.
The companys materials, like thepress releasefrom the Strength Trainers launch, carefully avoid using the word velocity anywhere.
Instead, they seem to use intensity as a substitute, which only leads to confusion.
But a Whoop spokespersonsaid on Redditthat they assume youre working harder when you move a weight fast.
Again, they dont define their terms.
So, Im disappointed on many levels.
Im disappointed that Whoop seemed to cannibalize a VBT company to provide something that doesnt even do VBT.
Im disappointed that Whoop doesnt tell you what the Strength Trainer is evendoingin there.
Just slide in your numbers, and let the algorithm see how much and how heavy you were lifting.
Whoop didnt need to acquire a company or build out a finicky follow-along feature for that.
But here we are.
If you find it convenient to follow workouts through the app, great.
You are luckier than I.
