Foleil gives an exercise more than a name on a list. Open its detail to see an illustration, the muscles represented and the available instructions, cues and things to watch. This makes a scheduled movement easier to inspect before your session, with the explanation close to the exercise you are choosing.
How it works
Select an exercise from training or the library to open its illustrated detail. Expand the movement instructions, available cue chips and common-mistake guidance when you need them. Where the catalogue supplies alternatives, you can inspect those movements too. Your own strength records are available from the same exercise detail.
Why it matters
The ACSM resistance-training position stand (2009) places exercise selection within programme design and individual capacity. It does not validate a particular drawing as sufficient instruction. Foleil's advantage is access to the relevant explanation at the decision point: you can check what the exercise means before accepting it into a routine. An illustration supports orientation; it cannot observe your movement, assess pain or certify technique.
Compared with other approaches
Hevy's tracking documentation, reviewed 19 October 2026, describes building routines and selecting exercises. The comparison is therefore between ways of organising training information, not between instruction and no instruction. Foleil combines an exercise's visual detail, expandable guidance, personal records and available alternatives with the rest of its planning workflow. No claim is made that every rival lacks demonstrations or that Foleil replaces an in-person coach.
The evidence
Foleil only displays instruction sections where that exercise has the relevant content. Catalogue alternatives are alternatives to inspect, not guaranteed equivalents for every goal or circumstance. The visible muscle illustration is explanatory content rather than a measurement of your recruitment during a set. These are concrete boundaries for interpreting the screen: it helps you understand the selected movement, while your actual execution remains something the app does not verify from a drawing.
Put it into your day
When a programme contains an unfamiliar movement, open it before arriving at the equipment. Look through the illustration and steps, then expand cues if you need more detail. If an alternative looks more practical, inspect its instructions as well; a similar name does not make two movements identical. During training, return to the same detail when you need a reminder, and log the exercise you actually perform. Later, use its strength section to revisit your own recorded work. This gives the library a continuing role in your routine, rather than making it a separate reference that you have to find again.
Frequently asked questions
Does Foleil analyse my form from the illustration?
No. The illustration and written cues explain the exercise; they do not observe or certify your technique.
Does every exercise have the same guidance?
Available instructions, cues and alternatives depend on that exercise’s catalogue content.
Can I inspect alternatives before choosing?
Yes. Where alternatives are supplied, open their details and review them before deciding which movement to use.
Do drawings replace hands-on instruction?
No. They help explain the selected movement but cannot observe how you perform it. Use the written guidance appropriately and seek suitable instruction when a movement is unfamiliar.
