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Show HN: Move Frequently – Stay active with a 1-min exercise every 45 minutes (movefrequently.com)

16 points by danimirror ↗ HN
My buddy Miguel and I really like taking care of our health. So we eat healthy, we lift weights and all of that. However, last week we learned no matter how much you exercise, sitting for long periods of time is a risk factor for early death. And we also love building products, so we do spend a loooot of time in front of a computer.

At first, we just wanted to build a tool for ourselves that reminded us to do a couple of exercises to break our sedentary work habits. But then we thought it would be much more fun if more people could join us and we could all take a break together to do a mobility/strength exercise every now and then.

So we launched https://movefrequently.com/ : a world-wide initiative to perform a 1-minute mobility and strength exercise every 45 minutes. The tool has a universal timer so that everyone in the world using it will be presented with a simple exercise they can do in front of their computers.

We hacked this on Friday, but plan to give it some love and add features if people like it. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Source code can be found on https://github.com/MoveFrequently/movefrequently

BTW, love Show HN!

11 comments

[ 3.5 ms ] story [ 38.8 ms ] thread
miguelff
We got some feedback from friends that having a visual clue for the exercises could make a big difference. Something like a video or animation would allow users to follow along without needing to read through the steps. I completely agree with this idea, as it makes the experience much more intuitive.

We are considering two approaches to add this feature. One idea is to create a static library of exercises with pre-recorded videos or animations. This would provide clear and consistent guidance but might feel repetitive over time. Another option is to dynamically generate animations or visuals from the exercise descriptions, as explained in this twit [1]

What do you think? Would having videos or animations improve the experience for you? And would you prefer a fixed set of ~100 exercises or dynamically generated visuals? Your input will help us decide how to move forward.

[1] https://x.com/ThisIsFernandez/status/1878084352736710662

inigo333
huh... "dynamically generate animations or visuals", what are you thinking about? I'm wondering how would it go with some AI generated ones, that would def feel non-repetitive haha.
miguelff
So there are models for Pose estimation like [PoseNet] or Qualcomm's [MediaPipe] that give you a graph of the body position. This metadata can be converted to a string representation and be fed into a generative model. If I record myself in different exercises, extract the poses, and label them with the appropriate steps, I might be able to perform few-shot inference or RAG over a set of labeled positions, such as the model can infer new body positions from exercise steps.

If that'd possible, then it is fairly easy:tm: to generate illustrations (e.g. like stickman figures. See [Kawamoto] for an example)

Of course, none of this is necessary if I can record (or let users record) and upload videos of each exercise, having enough of them to not feel they are repetitive.

  [PoseNet](https://github.com/tensorflow/tfjs-models/tree/master/posenet)
  [MediaPipe](https://huggingface.co/qualcomm/MediaPipe-Pose-Estimation)
  [Kawamoto](https://github.com/kenkawakenkenke/stickfigure-recorder)
inigo333
Nice one. This is a nice alternative to the more classic pomodoro versions out there, by including some fun exercises to do, not just for staying away from the screen or standing up.

A few comments I must add, though, besides the already mentioned lack of images (too many instructions to read, I just want to have it easy):

- I didn't realise until the end that there is a progress bar on top. On the one hand, it looks slick and minimalist, but on the other, I almost not notice it.

- What if you sync timing for everyone within same location / IP? In other words, imagine you are at the office... how cool would it be if everyone would potentially join in sync? Not only would it make it social, but also, maybe, viral. Thing is, I was trying it out from desktop and phone, and they were not in sync, and not sure if it's my OCD or what, but it just didn't sit right with me.

One more thing: what about some (optional) music while on exercise mode? I just got the "twist and shout" and I would have loved to shake it up with it ;)

danimirror
Thanks for the feedback!! - Very good observation on the progress bar. We will address it! - The count down should be synced worldwide, regardless of IP or device type. We will look into it and test it from different devices. Would you be up for sharing the device and the web browsers you are using? It would be super helfpul! - Love the music idea. It could work well to incentive other people in your office to join as well :D
inigo333
desktop: Chrome Version 131.0.6778.265 (Official Build) (arm64) mobile: iPhone 13 mini A2628

iirc, difference was around a minute, even after a few refreshes on both devices.

adri2437
This is such a fantastic initiative! I love the concept of promoting health and breaking sedentary habits with a global timer—simple yet impactful. One suggestion to enhance the experience would be to incorporate short instructional videos for each exercise. Visual guidance could make it easier for users to follow along, especially for those new to mobility or strength exercises. It would also add an engaging and interactive element to the tool. Keep up the great work, and I’m excited to see how this evolves!
danimirror
Thank you for the feedback and glad you like it :) We are definitely exploring the idea of including videos/gifs for each exercise to make it more visual. We are actually exploring the idea of allowing users to upload their own videos and we will then curate them to show the best ones.
pabloalonso
Great job guys! As someone who uses the pomodoro technique and already does some exercise breaks (push-ups, hanging, and stretching mainly), I think this is a great initiative!

I love the idea of this not being an app, but a world-wide movement! People can feel very encouraged if they know hundreds, thousands, millions, and hopefully billions of fellow human-beings are exercising with them .