Getting started

Badger is a local-first workout tracker — your data lives on your device, no account required. This guide covers everything you need to start logging training within a few minutes of installing.

Installation

Download Badger from the Google Play Store. On first launch you'll go through a short setup:

  1. Weight unit — Choose kilograms or pounds. This sets the default for all exercises, though individual exercises can override it.
  2. FitNotes import — If you're coming from FitNotes, you can import your workout history here. You can also do this later in Settings.

That's it. You're dropped straight into the home screen.

Your first workout

Badger organizes training around workouts (a day's session) and exercises (movements within that session). Here's the basic flow:

  1. From the Home tab, tap New workout. This creates a workout for today and opens the exercise picker.
  2. Find the exercise you want. You can scroll by category, search by name, or filter by muscle group or equipment type.
  3. Tap an exercise to add it to your workout. You'll land on the training screen.
  4. Enter your weight and reps (or whatever fields apply to your exercise type), then tap the checkmark to log the set.
  5. The rest timer starts automatically. When it finishes, log your next set.
  6. When you're done, tap Add exercise to move to the next movement, or use the exercise list (tap the exercise name in the header) to navigate between exercises.
  7. Back on the home screen, tap End workout when your session is complete. This stamps the end time and shows your workout summary.
Tip: Badger starts a workout timer when you log your first set (if auto-start is enabled in Settings). You can also start it manually by tapping the timer chip in the top-right of the home screen.

Setting up a routine

If you train on a fixed program, setting up a routine makes starting workouts faster — it pre-fills exercises and weights for you.

  1. Go to the You tab → Routines.
  2. Tap the + button to create a new routine, or browse the built-in programs (StrongLifts, 5/3/1, PPL, and others are pre-installed).
  3. Long-press a routine and tap Set active. The routine's days appear on the Home screen.
  4. Tap a day's row to preview the workout, adjust any weights, then tap Start.

See Routines for the full details.

Importing from FitNotes

If you have a FitNotes backup file, Badger can import your entire workout history:

  1. Go to Settings → Import from FitNotes.
  2. The file picker opens automatically. Select your .fitnotes backup file.
  3. Badger shows a preview: exercise count, workout count, date range, and any exercises it couldn't match.
  4. Choose whether your FitNotes backup stored weights in kg or lbs, then confirm the import.

Exercises are matched by name. Any exercises that didn't match are created automatically and placed in a default category — you can edit them afterwards in the exercise library.

Key concepts

A few terms that come up throughout the app:

  • Working set — A regular logged set at your training weight.
  • Warmup set — A lighter set done before working sets. Toggle the warmup chip before logging.
  • RPE — Rate of Perceived Exertion (1–10). How hard did the set feel? Optional per-set field.
  • RIR — Reps in Reserve (0–5). How many more reps could you have done? Optional per-set field.
  • 1RM — One-rep max. Badger estimates this from your sets using the Epley formula.

Full definitions in the Glossary.