API for Workout Tracker

[nsxscorp]

Any interest in creating an API to update various sections of the bodyspace?

eg an open-source API for the workout tracker could allow web-enabled exercise equipment to automatically update bodyspace profiles with workout stats, time, heart rate, sets/reps, etc.

An API for charts, status updates, etc. would allow easier integration with social networking (******** / myspace / twitter etc.)

There is a great deal of potential in the site, and bodyspace, but the current interface is somewhat clumsy, which may stop people from taking full advantage of the features.

As you know, the more people use the features the higher their motivation, the better their results.

[Lost Kaos]

Any interest in creating an API to update various sections of the bodyspace?

eg an open-source API for the workout tracker could allow web-enabled exercise equipment to automatically update bodyspace profiles with workout stats, time, heart rate, sets/reps, etc.

An API for charts, status updates, etc. would allow easier integration with social networking (******** / myspace / twitter etc.)

There is a great deal of potential in the site, and bodyspace, but the current interface is somewhat clumsy, which may stop people from taking full advantage of the features.

As you know, the more people use the features the higher their motivation, the better their results.

Im brining this back from the dead, it would be awesome if we could get some apis for bodybuilding.com information , especially with the android system now.

[nsxscorp]

*crickets*

[Souvent24]

+1 for an API.

[GringoGrande]

_Preface

I worked on a project for a class about a year ago were I was trying to develop a wearable workout tracker that would monitor heart-rate (just for ****s and grins) and hold your w/o routine on a memory card. This was a two week project, that I had alot of ambitions for, but couldn't pull off, because well, this was an Art class.

The motivation came from growing tired of bringing the printed bb.com workout guides to they gym (and the requisite writing implement. -Nothing ruins a good pump like having to find a pen-).

I wanted to have the user save the routine to a memory card (Micro-SD card specifically) via a computer. An app running on the computer would pull the w/o data straight from bb.com. Once complete the user user can remove the card from the PC and insert it into the device, then begin their workout.

I never got the point were I could input how many reps and weight during the workout. But, I was able to use the way that the printed workout guides are parsed your web browser from bb.com and displayed on the armband's display.

_The Thing You Were Probably Looking For

-The limitations
-I only tried this on the workout guides from the already made bb.com 12-week trainers.
-I'm guessing that some where in the legal black & white of bb.com, exploiting this for commercial gain isn't cool at all.
-Currently, there isn't a method for getting the detailed instructions or bb.com video examples
-Your going to have to copy paste any links. Evidently, I can't be trusted with BBcode until I say 49 more things :/

For instance let's take a look at a day from the Steve Cook Big Man On Campus 12-week Trainer.
bodybuilding.com/fun/big-man-on-campus-week-2-day-8.html

When you click on the "Printable Guide" icon that's bellow the last exercise in the routine, a new window pops up with a MASSIVE URL in the address bar. For this particular work-out it looks like this:

bodybuilding.com/fun/printlog2.php?Exercise%5B%5D=Cardio+Warm-up:+5+minutes&Sets%5B%5D=1&Exercise%5B%5D=Incline+ Press:+1+Warm-up+Set:+8-12+reps,+3+sets+of+8-12+reps,+60-90+seconds+rest,+1+mixed-grip+drop+set+on+final+set:+21+reps&Sets%5B%5D=5&E xercise%5B%5D=Incline+Flye:+3+sets+of+8-12+reps,+30-60+seconds+rest,+Drop+set+on+final+set&Sets%5B%5D= 3&Exercise%5B%5D=Flat+Dumbbell+Press:+4+sets+of+ 6-10+reps,+60-90+seconds+rest&Sets%5B%5D=4&Exercise%5B%5D=Supers et:&Sets%5B%5D=0&Exercise%5B%5D=Chest+dips:+3+sets +to+failure&Sets%5B%5D=3&Exercise%5B%5D=Modified+P ushup:+3+sets+to+failure,+30+seconds+rest+between& Sets%5B%5D=3&Exercise%5B%5D=Superset:&Sets%5B%5D=0 &Exercise%5B%5D=Skull+Crushers:+1+Warm-up+Set:+8-12+reps&Sets%5B%5D=1&Exercise%5B%5D=3+sets+of+12-16+reps&Sets%5B%5D=3&Exercise%5B%5D=Close-Grip+Bench+Press:+1+Warm-up+Set:+8-12+reps&Sets%5B%5D=1&Exercise%5B%5D=3+sets+of+12-16+reps,+60+seconds+rest+between&Sets%5B%5D=3&Exer cise%5B%5D=Triceps+Pushdown+(Rope):+3+sets+of+12-16+reps,+30+seconds+rest&Sets%5B%5D=3&Exercise%5B% 5D=Overhead+Dumbbell+Triceps+Extension:+Quadruple+ drop+set+to+failure,+No+rest&Sets%5B%5D=1&Exercise %5B%5D=Abs:+4+rounds,+no+rest+between+sets&Sets%5B %5D=0&Exercise%5B%5D=Hanging+knee+raise:+Failure&S ets%5B%5D=4&Exercise%5B%5D=Swiss+ball+crunch:+Fail ure&Sets%5B%5D=4&Exercise%5B%5D=Decline+Reverse+Cr unch:+Failure&Sets%5B%5D=4&Exercise%5B%5D=Broomsti ck+twist+or+bicycle+crunch:+25+reps&Sets%5B%5D=4&T otalExercises=19&mood=yes&weight=yes&cardio=yes&lo cation=yes&length=yes&comments=yes&instruct=yes&fi rstname=Big+Man+On+Campus&name=Chest/Triceps/Abs

Holy mother of text, I wish I was that massive. So let's break it down. We're going to go through this from the start until it's apparent how this thing works.

Starting with the first bit:

bodybuilding.com/fun/printlog2.php?
-The way that the printed logs work are as a PHP script. Simply bb.com tells your web browser how to make a printable guide, and what to put in it. In this part of the URL, it tells the web browser where to find the formatting instructions.

Moving past the question mark, almost all of the magic is exposed. Let's look at the next chunk:

Exercise%5B%5D=Cardio+Warm-up:+5+minutes&Sets%5B%5D=1&Exercise%5B%5D=Incline+ Press:+1+Warm-up+Set:+8-12+reps,+3+sets+of+8-12+reps,+60-90+seconds+rest,+1+mixed-grip+drop+set+on+final+set:+21+reps&Sets%5B%5D=5&E xercise%

The exercise data is out there in the plain and clear. From that you can obtain the bb.com work out data, but not make any changes to rep / weight values (or really any values at all). Keep in mind that this PHP script was designed to make your routine look nice and tidy on paper. This pattern goes on and on, until you reach the end of the link.

_Where the trail grows cold
The Workout Tracker is a nice improvement in the latest bb.com app for iPhone. It's become required for my workouts. However there is a lot to be desired. I've been using it for about two weeks, and I've not once been able to save weight and rep info, because, well I don't know why. Because lately when I've been hitting the gym, I'm hitting it harder than I ever have. When something on the records and data end of things goes wrong, I'm too immersed in the act of weightlifting & transformation to try to fix it. Rest periods need to be followed, and I don't like being that guy who sits on a bench futzing with his phone more than the weights.

There also shouldn't be any blame put on bb.com for the short comings of their software, and API options. The apps, forums, trainers, exercise and nutrition guides are provided to us from bb.com for FREE in hopes that it helps to move product. BB.com doesn't appear to be a Technology company so I'm understanding when the app is being mehh.

_What I'm Really Trying to Say Is
BB.com has written some amazing content here that has transformed millions. They s REALLY should explore an Application Programing Interface (API) so they can share their brand @ an unprecedented level with people an a myriad of platforms and environments. There is a potential here for the bb.com branded workout data to be integrated into numerous exercise devices and existing applications.

Building an API isn't easy as just opening up the data. You have to prepare for exploitation and server load. Most API's use token authentication to be 100% sure who is requesting data, and how much. But it's not too difficult and can be overcome.

As far as, "will allowing people to access bb.com info without going to bb.com hurt revenues?" Possibly, this is why an API can be created with provisional advertising and mandatory citation to keep people coming to bb.com, were like their training data, low prices and friendly customer service are always free and available.

In the words of Alan Kay (he was just the person who conceptualized computing, as we know it today. no bigs )
"Simple things should be simple, complex things should be possible." -Alan Kay

Okay, enough smoozing, bb.com plz JSON all the things!

P.S. pictures of the Workout Tracker Thing can be found on my blog @:
calitexaco.com/projects/electronics-projects/homs/ (Sigh, you will have to copy paste that.)