Validating a human-first fitness platform.
Strivve is a concept for remote, human-guided fitness — support for people who feel intimidated, self-conscious, or too busy for the gym, without demanding a trainer’s physical presence. I led the research to validate the idea from both sides: the people who’d use it, and the trainers who’d run it.
- Role
- Lead UX Researcher
- Timeline
- September 2025
- Methods
- Survey · Desk research
- individuals and trainers surveyed
- 52 + 25
- named consistency their biggest challenge
- 42.6%
- of trainers want client progress dashboards
- 89%
- say space or equipment blocks home workouts
- 75%
Project overview
Strivve is exploring a platform that connects fitness trainers with people who feel overwhelmed, shy, or too busy to commit to an in-person gym routine.
The concept is simple: remote, human-guided fitness — without the pressure of the gym environment, and without demanding a trainer’s physical presence. The goal of this study was to validate that idea from both sides of the marketplace before a line of product was designed.
It reflects insight from 52 individuals who struggle with consistency, gym anxiety, or time constraints — and 25 trainers who already coach remotely or are willing to.
Research goals
Each side of the marketplace needed different questions answered.
For gym-goers
- Understand why they avoid gyms or drop off
- Surface emotional barriers — shyness, intimidation, comparison, low confidence
- Learn when, where, and how they prefer to work out
- Map how they use fitness content today — YouTube, apps, trainers
For fitness trainers
- Understand their current coaching workflow
- Find the pain points in managing clients remotely
- Gauge willingness to join a new platform
- Test whether the Strivve model solves a real problem
Methodology
Survey
Participants52 gym-goers
PurposeEmotional and practical barriers, preferences, and app usage
Survey
Participants25 trainers
PurposeWorkflow, frustrations, pricing, and platform needs
Participants were global, giving a diverse perspective on what turned out to be universal pain points.
Key findings
Why people avoid the gym
- cited gym membership costs
- 52.6%
- don’t have enough time
- 47.4%
- lack the motivation
- 44.7%
- aren’t sure how to start
- 36.8%
Others simply felt self-conscious and preferred privacy. And while roughly half had never used a workout app, most already leaned on YouTube, Nike Training Club, FitBit, or Peloton — yet still felt they lacked equipment alternatives, smarter progress tracking, beginner posture guides, and any real accountability.
What trainers need
Trainers stitched together WhatsApp, Zoom, and pre-recorded videos — a fragmented toolset that created admin overhead and inconsistent client engagement.
- want client progress dashboards
- 89%
- want a one-time upload library clients pick from
- 84%
- want automated check-in and workout reminders
- 84%
Pain points
For individuals
- say space or the right equipment blocks working out at home
- 75%
- struggle to stay consistent without feedback or progress tracking
- 46.2%
For trainers
- struggle to keep clients committed and consistent
- 60%
- hit technical or connectivity issues
- 56%
- can’t adequately track progress or give feedback
- 48%
- spend effort reminding clients to log data
- 48%
Personas
Four personas emerged from the data — two who would use Strivve, and two who would run it.
Joan
Lapsed gym-goer
Has prior gym experience but lost consistency to time constraints and social discomfort in public fitness settings.
Goals
- Flexible at-home options that fit an unpredictable schedule
- Confidence in her ability without the pressure of the gym
Frustrations
- Can’t stay consistent without structured feedback
- Unsure how to start, or whether her form is correct
Dave
First-time app user
Hasn’t used a fitness app before; prefers early mornings or evenings, splitting time between home and the gym.
Goals
- Motivation to stay consistent
- Fitness that fits the tools and apps he already uses
Frustrations
- Limited space and equipment
- Difficulty staying consistent
Betty
Fitness trainer
Values structured systems that simplify client management and cut the fragmentation across her tools.
Goals
- One unified platform for remote coaching
- Higher client engagement and consistency
Frustrations
- Can’t track progress without client input
- Connectivity issues, especially in low-bandwidth regions
Jude
Fitness trainer
Coaches over WhatsApp and Zoom; wants to scale without burning out.
Goals
- Deliver personalised remote coaching
- Keep online sessions smooth and disruption-free
Frustrations
- Can’t correct a client’s posture in real time
- Complex admin, payment, and billing setups
Insights & opportunities
People want to exercise — they just don’t feel confident doing it alone. Three tensions ran through the data, each pointing to an opportunity.
People fear hurting themselves or working the wrong muscles, worry their form is wrong, and want to train alongside someone with a visible before-and-after.
OpportunityReduce the emotional friction of working out — not just workouts, but reassurance, safety, and micro-feedback.
Motivation is the weakest link: 42.6% named consistency their biggest challenge and 28.8% rarely felt motivated. People want someone to check in on them.
OpportunityA motivation engine — reminders, check-ins, streaks, and gentle accountability. A supportive “in-your-pocket coach,” never robotic.
People don’t feel equipped: unsure which equipment to use, embarrassed using machines wrong, and often working out at home with little or none.
OpportunityEquipment guidance — simple explanations, beginner variations, and low- or no-equipment alternatives for what they already have.
Recommendations & next steps
Users don’t want extreme routines. They want direction, simplicity, and someone to guide them gently — and that’s what the first MVP should solve.
Core MVP features to validate next
- Simple beginner workout paths, with or without equipment
- Step-by-step equipment explanations
- Clear exercise alternatives for people with no equipment
- A very simple, non-intimidating progress tracker
The path forward
The trainer experience needs its own validation before build. From there the sequence is deliberate — prove the flows before writing the code.
Recommended sequence
- Map trainer workflow pain points
- Prototype a lightweight client-management interface
- Build and test an early click-through prototype
- Run lightweight usability tests with 5–8 users
- Refine the biggest friction points
- Align the team on a simple build plan
- Warm up a pre-launch audience of trainers and users
- Launch a small closed beta of 15–20 people
- Refine, then prepare for public launch
Final thoughts
With the survey complete and user needs mapped, the path forward is to turn these insights into a focused MVP, test it quickly with real users, and refine around what actually matters to them — keeping the experience supportive, simple, and genuinely useful for the shy, busy, and beginner audience Strivve is built for.
