Adding Exercises to the Workout Tracker

File Location

All exercises are defined in: src/data/popularExercises.ts

File Structure

The file is organized by MUSCLE GROUP → EQUIPMENT TYPE, with exercises sorted alphabetically within each section:

CHEST
  ├── Barbell (1)
  ├── Dumbbell (1)
  ├── Cable (2)
  ├── Machine (5)
  └── Bodyweight (7)
BACK
  └── ...

The file header contains a summary showing counts for each muscle/equipment combination.

Exercise Schema

{
  name: string        // Unique name (duplicates throw runtime error)
  equipment: Equipment
  muscle: Muscle
  type: ExerciseType
  metrics: Metrics
}

Valid Types

Metrics Guidelines

Type Guidelines

How to Add Exercises

Step 1: Check What Exists

Read the file header summary to see current counts:

* - LEGS (71): barbell: 8, dumbbell: 9, kettlebell: 3, cable: 3, machine: 26, bodyweight: 22

Or search for specific exercises:

grep -i "squat" src/data/popularExercises.ts

Step 2: Find the Right Section

Exercises are organized by muscle group, then equipment. Find the correct section:

// ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
// LEGS
// ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

// --- Legs: Barbell (8) ---
{ name: 'Barbell Calf Raises', equipment: 'barbell', muscle: 'legs', type: 'isolation', metrics: 'weight-reps' },

Step 3: Add in Alphabetical Order

Insert the new exercise in the correct alphabetical position within its section:

// --- Legs: Barbell (8) ---   ← Update count to (9)
{ name: 'Barbell Calf Raises', equipment: 'barbell', muscle: 'legs', type: 'isolation', metrics: 'weight-reps' },
{ name: 'Barbell Good Mornings', equipment: 'barbell', muscle: 'legs', type: 'compound', metrics: 'weight-reps' },
{ name: 'Barbell Hack Squat', equipment: 'barbell', muscle: 'legs', type: 'compound', metrics: 'weight-reps' },  ← NEW
{ name: 'Barbell Hip Thrust', equipment: 'barbell', muscle: 'legs', type: 'compound', metrics: 'weight-reps' },

Step 4: Update Counts

1. Update the section comment count: // --- Legs: Barbell (8) --- → (9)
2. Update the file header summary

Step 5: Verify

Run type-check to ensure no duplicates or type errors:

pnpm type-check

The file has runtime duplicate detection – if you add a duplicate name, it will throw an error immediately.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Duplicate names: Every exercise name must be unique across ALL muscles/equipment
2. Wrong section: Always add to the correct muscle AND equipment section
3. Not alphabetical: Keep exercises sorted A-Z within each section
4. Forgetting counts: Update both the section count and header summary
5. Wrong metrics: Use 'weight-reps' for weighted, 'reps-only' for bodyweight

Example: Adding Multiple Exercises

When adding multiple exercises at once:

1. Group them by muscle → equipment
2. Add each to its correct section alphabetically
3. Update all affected counts
4. Run pnpm type-check once at the end