Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PlainExercise: what it is, where the data comes from, whether it is medical advice (no), and how to use it.
What is PlainExercise?
PlainExercise is a free, structured reference portal with 873 exercises, 20 muscle hubs, 16 equipment profiles, 883 variations, and 186 pre-built workout routines. Each page documents what the exercise is, which muscles it trains, what equipment you need, and how to do it, along with common mistakes and safety notes.
Where does the data come from?
Exercise records derive from the public-domain Free Exercise DB (CC0) and the AGPL-licensed wger.de corpus. We merge, normalize, and frame them with original editorial context. See the methodology page for the full process.
Is PlainExercise free to use?
Yes. No signup, no paywall. The site is supported by non-intrusive advertising. You may quote editorial content with attribution.
Is PlainExercise medical or personal training advice?
No. PlainExercise publishes general educational information only. It does not provide medical, physical-therapy, or personal-training advice. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have pre-existing conditions or injuries.
What is the difference between a compound and an isolation exercise?
Compound exercises move multiple joints and train several muscle groups at once (squat, bench press, row). Isolation exercises focus on a single joint and primary muscle (bicep curl, leg extension). The Compound vs Isolation guide covers this in depth.
Which exercises can I do without equipment?
Filter the exercise list by "body-only" equipment, or visit /equipment/body-only/. Bodyweight covers every major muscle group for beginners and most intermediates.
How do I find exercises that target a specific muscle?
Visit /muscles/, then click any muscle to see every exercise that primarily targets it. Muscle hubs also list exercises grouped by difficulty level.
What is a workout on PlainExercise?
A workout is a pre-built routine for a specific goal (strength, hypertrophy, endurance), level (beginner, intermediate, advanced), duration (20/45/60 minutes), and equipment profile (no-equipment, home-gym, full-gym). Workouts are templates, not personal plans.
Does PlainExercise have videos?
No. We rely on step-by-step text instructions and descriptive cues. For visual demonstration of complex movements, search for a coached video from a trusted trainer.
How often is the data updated?
The underlying exercise corpus changes slowly, a squat is still a squat. We refresh when upstream sources release corrections or when readers report errors. Editorial content (guides, common mistakes, safety notes) is reviewed at least annually.
Can I report an error?
Yes, email hello@plainexercise.com or use the contact page. Reports of unsafe cues, tagging errors, or missing exercises are especially welcome and usually acted on within 48 hours.
Who runs PlainExercise?
PlainExercise is an independent data-journalism publisher. See the about page for the team and the methodology page for how the data is processed.
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