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| title | description | slug | weight | date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Getting Started | What you need to know before you begin: principles, interface, edit and execution modes. | getting-started | 1 | 2026-06-16 |
What is TrainUs?
TrainUs is a training-tracking application. You create exercises, group them into combos (crossfit-style sequences, timed or not), then into sessions. Sessions can in turn be organized into collections — a multi-week program, for example.
When it's time to train, you launch a session in Execution Mode: the app guides you step by step, with a timer for timed combos, and keeps a record of everything you actually did (reps, weight, duration) so you can track your progress in the statistics.
Browser & install: TrainUs needs a modern browser (Firefox 111+, Chrome 102+, Safari 16.4+). Private browsing is not supported because it disables the persistent storage the app relies on — you'll see a clear error message if your browser isn't compatible. Once loaded, the app works offline; look for the install icon (⬇) in the action bar to add it to your home screen as a PWA.
The Big Picture: A Local App
TrainUs doesn't depend on any server. Everything — the app and your data — lives in your browser. There's no account to create: on first launch, the app simply generates an identifier for you.
The Benefits
- No account to create, no password to remember.
- Works offline from the very first load — useful at a gym with no network.
- Your data is yours: it stays on your device, nobody else has access to it.
The Trade-offs — and Their Solutions
This choice comes with two trade-offs, accepted from the start:
- No automatic sync between devices — if you use TrainUs on your phone and your computer, each keeps its own data. To make them work together, see the "Sync Two Devices" recipe in the [How-to Guides]({{< relref "guides-pratiques.en.md" >}}).
- No automatic cloud backup — if you lose your device, you lose your data, unless you've backed it up yourself. TrainUs reminds you regularly (a warning button appears once your last backup gets old) — see "Back Up Your Data" in the [How-to Guides]({{< relref "guides-pratiques.en.md" >}}).
Neither of these is an oversight: they're simple, manual solutions that require neither an account nor a server.
Interface Overview
Desktop
On a wide screen, a fixed menu sits on the left, an action bar is in the top right (search, create, export...), and the page content fills the center.
Mobile
On mobile, the menu becomes a bottom bar (icons only on very small screens), and the action bar stays at the top.
The Two Modes
Edit Mode
This is the mode where you build your material: creating or editing an exercise, combo, session, or collection, through regular forms.
Execution Mode
This is the mode where you train: you start a session (▶ button), and the app shows you the current exercise, the next one, and a timer if the current combo is timed.
You aren't limited to tapping the screen: a session can also be piloted from the keyboard, or from your headset buttons / lock-screen controls — handy when your phone stays in a pocket or armband. See [Headset / Media-Key Control]({{< relref "user-guide.en.md" >}}#headset--media-key-control) in the Reference for the full control mapping.
Always the Same Three Screens
Whatever the type of item (exercise, combo, session, collection), you'll always find the same three screens: a list, a read-only detail view, and a create / edit screen. Once you've mastered one, you've mastered them all.
TrainUs can also be driven entirely from the keyboard (navigation, lists, forms) — the full list of shortcuts is documented in the [Reference]({{< relref "user-guide.en.md" >}}#keyboard-shortcuts).
Going Further
- [How-to Guides]({{< relref "guides-pratiques.en.md" >}}) — concrete recipes: sending a session to a friend, backing up your data, syncing two devices...
- [Reference]({{< relref "user-guide.en.md" >}}) — every screen described in detail, with available actions and keyboard shortcuts.
- [Understanding TrainUs]({{< relref "comprendre.en.md" >}}) — the why behind the choices: local-first, JSON or database, how the timers work.