Exercise Library

Big Brain Barbell includes a large built-in collection of exercises covering all major equipment types and movement patterns. You can search, browse, set preferences, and create custom exercises.

Browsing Exercises

The exercise library is a searchable list of all available exercises. Use the search bar at the top to quickly find a specific exercise by name, or scroll through the full list to browse. Each exercise displays its name and equipment type at a glance.

Exercise library showing a searchable list of exercises

Exercise Details

Tapping on any exercise opens its detail view, which shows all of the exercise's attributes:

  • Name — The exercise name.
  • Equipment type — What equipment is required (Barbell, Dumbbell, Machine, Weighted Bodyweight, or Other).
  • Loading capability — How much load the exercise supports (Heavy, Moderate, or Light).
  • Primary muscles — The main muscles worked by the exercise.
  • Secondary muscles — Supporting muscles involved in the movement.
  • Movement pattern — The movement category (Squatting, Hinging, Horizontal Push, Vertical Push, Horizontal Pull, or Vertical Pull).
Exercise form showing name, equipment type, muscles, and movement pattern

How Loading Capability Affects Programming

Loading capability is one of the most important exercise attributes because it determines how the exercise is programmed across training phases. Each level receives a different periodization strategy:

  • Heavy (Barbell, Weighted Bodyweight) — Full periodization across all phases. In the strength phase, reps drop to around 5. In peaking, the exercise progresses through intensification, realization, and taper subphases — ultimately reaching heavy singles. This is the only loading level that programs singles.
  • Moderate (Dumbbell) — Modified periodization that never drops below 5 reps. In the strength and peaking phases, rep ranges stay higher (5-8) and the exercise uses top sets rather than singles. This reflects the practical reality that dumbbells are harder to load maximally and have larger weight jumps relative to the movement.
  • Light (Machine, Other) — Stays in hypertrophy-style rep ranges (6-12) regardless of the current training phase. Even during strength and peaking phases, these exercises maintain moderate reps and RPE. This keeps machine and isolation exercises in the rep ranges where they are most effective.

The app assigns a default loading capability based on equipment type, but you can override it when creating custom exercises.

Exercise Preferences

You can set a preference for each exercise to influence how the app selects exercises for your program. Each exercise can be marked as:

  • Preferred — The app will prioritize this exercise when selecting movements for your goals.
  • Neutral — The default. The exercise is available for selection with no special priority.
  • Not Preferred — The app will avoid selecting this exercise unless no better alternatives are available.

To change an exercise's preference, open its detail screen and select your preference. Your preferences are used whenever the app generates new sessions, helping you train with the movements you enjoy most.

Creating Custom Exercises

When the built-in library does not have the exercise you need, you can create your own. To add a custom exercise:

  1. Go to Settings > Exercise Library > Add Exercise.
  2. Enter the exercise name.
  3. Select the equipment type (Barbell, Dumbbell, Machine, Weighted Bodyweight, or Other).
  4. Choose the primary muscles targeted.
  5. Select the movement pattern (Squatting, Hinging, Horizontal Push, Vertical Push, Horizontal Pull, or Vertical Pull).

Custom exercises behave exactly like built-in exercises. They appear in the exercise library, can have preferences set, and are available for program generation.

Equipment-Based Availability

Big Brain Barbell automatically filters exercises based on your equipment configuration. When generating programs, only exercises that match your available equipment will be selected.

For example, if you train at a home gym with only dumbbells and a pull-up bar, barbell and machine exercises will not appear in your generated programs. This ensures every prescribed exercise is one you can actually perform.

You can update your equipment at any time in Settings. Changes take effect the next time sessions are generated.