Hi, I'm the mind behind nocardio –
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I'm from Munich, I've been training in the gym regularly since 2013, and I'm a sysadmin by trade.
What started as a small side project has become the app I use to kick off my training every morning. With a bit of coding and AI help for the routine work, I've built in exactly the features I need myself.
How nocardio came to be
I love strength training. Over time I noticed that things that seem unimportant at first make a big difference: sensible training plans, clear statistics, the right rest times, and a clear overview of your own progress. Over the years I tried countless training apps. Almost every one had some kind of catch:
- Needless distraction: Too many emojis, gamification and playful animations.
- Paywall: Important features were only available if you paid.
- Inaccurate information: Statistics were inaccurate or didn't show the information I actually needed.
And then there was one more thing that bugged me every time: I like to plan my training calmly on a big screen, then just grab my phone at the gym. Not a single app really solved that combination well.
At some point I thought: if I enjoy building things anyway, why not just build the app I want to use myself every day? I started nocardio in late 2025 and have worked on it almost daily ever since. By now, a lot of hours and a good amount of heart have gone into this project – and it's still just the beginning. I have plenty more ideas I want to bring to life, one by one.
The hardest part wasn't the code. It was finding high-quality exercise videos and integrating them cleanly. By now there are over 200 exercises, each with a short video and a step-by-step guide. And of course the biggest challenge of all: finding time for the project every day alongside family and work, and still building something good while keeping fixed costs low, so the app can stay free for good.
A few things about me
My path into scripting and programming started with HTML and CSS during my IT apprenticeship. Later came PowerShell and Bash at work, and at some point a Python course out of pure curiosity.
I love creating things: software, 3D printing, craft projects with the family. But I also really enjoy board games, hiking, and lately padel – trying new sports is just great fun for me.
Sadly there's never enough free time for all of it. Right now nocardio gets the biggest share.
- In the gym
- since 2013
- Split
- 4× / week · push, pull, legs, full body
- Training time
- 6 a.m.
- before the rest of the family is awake
- Favorite exercise
- pull-ups
My principles
- I only build a feature when it truly adds value – not because it sells well.
- I train with nocardio myself every morning and test every new feature on myself first.
- No artificial limits just to sell a subscription down the line.
- Your feedback goes straight into the app – a lot of what's here exists because someone suggested it.
How nocardio is funded
I want to keep nocardio free and ad-free. If the project ever covers its own costs one day, that would be great – until then, voluntary support and, potentially in the future, affiliate links help pay for servers and development.
Thank you for taking the time to read this far
If something's missing in nocardio or you have an idea, feel free to write to me. I read every message myself, and a lot of the app's features exist exactly because of conversations like that. Maybe nocardio can help you enjoy strength training in the long run just as much as it helps me every morning.