If you come across exercises in your training plan that you dislike, don’t feel comfortable with, or simply cannot perform due to practical reasons, you always have the option to replace them. MyFitCoach offers intelligent suggestions to help you do this effectively – but there are some key points to keep in mind to avoid compromising your progress.
Replacing exercises does not inherently come with downsides.
No downside with targeted replacements
If you replace an exercise via the "Alternative Exercises" section, the app will suggest functionally equivalent options that:
Target the same primary mover,
Engage similar muscle groups,
Follow a similar movement pattern.
This ensures your training volume for the target muscle remains consistent – and your plan continues to work as intended. You can therefore swap out exercises without hesitation if they don’t suit you or aren’t feasible at the moment.
Replacing via “All Exercises” – choose with care
If you select a replacement from the "All Exercises" list instead, the following may happen:
The target muscle group may shift,
The planned training volume may become imbalanced,
The new exercise may not align with your current training phase.
Such deviations can impact your long-term progress, especially if done frequently or without clear purpose. That’s why we recommend choosing from the “Similar Exercises” category in the app – to keep load, movement pattern, and purpose in line.
Training Science Background
Plan stability is key
While MyFitCoach offers flexibility, from a training science perspective it’s ideal to keep your plan stable across a macrocycle (e.g., 6 weeks). This provides several key advantages:
Measurable progress: Only when exercises remain consistent can you truly track progress in weight, reps, or movement quality. This also allows MFC to intelligently adapt your training.
Skill development: Complex exercises (e.g., squats, deadlifts, pressing variations) require repetition for safe and effective execution. Constant switching slows down this learning process.
Specificity principle: Strength and hypertrophy gains require continuous improvement in specific movement patterns over time.
➡️ Bottom line: A plan that feels "varied" may be less effective than one that's consistent and well-structured.
Not enough exercises? Extend your training time
If a workout feels too short or lacks variety, you can adjust your planned training duration or training frequency in your profile settings. This gives the algorithm more room to add volume and exercise variety – especially useful for more advanced goals or training splits.
Unfamiliar with an exercise?
If you're unsure about a movement:
Review the exercise instructions in the app
Watch the video demo
Or contact our support team anytime – we’re here to help!
What really drives training success?
Contrary to popular belief, the exact exercise selection is not the most important factor. As long as key principles are followed, it’s consistency and progression that matter most:
Progressive Overload: Gradually increasing volume, intensity, or training density
Consistency: Following a structured plan over time
Volume & Frequency: Matching load to your current level and goals
Adherence: Choosing exercises you enjoy increases motivation and long-term commitment
➡️ Pro tip: Only swap exercises when necessary – and build a plan that challenges but doesn’t overwhelm you.
If you need help with your exercise selection or training strategy, feel free to contact us at support@myfitcoach.de – we’re happy to support you.