Support

A question, a problem, a missing exercise? Write to us: every message is read and answered.

The Coach doesn't show up

The Coach relies on Apple Intelligence. You need a compatible device (iPhone 15 Pro or later, iPad with M1 or later), iOS 26 or later, and Apple Intelligence turned on in Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri.

Right after you turn it on, the model downloads: the Coach then says the model is being prepared. Keep the device plugged in and on Wi-Fi for a few minutes, then try again.

Getting your data on a new iPhone

If iCloud is on, your data is already in your account's private database. Sign in with the same Apple Account on the new device, install Palestra and give it a few minutes on first launch: your sessions come back on their own.

Have a JSON export? In the app's settings → Backup → Import a backup. Careful: importing replaces all the data currently on the device.

Exporting or deleting your data

In the app's settings → Backup → Export my data: you get a JSON file with all your sessions, templates, programs and profile.

To delete everything: uninstall the app, then remove its data from iCloud through your iCloud storage management, in Settings → [your name] → iCloud.

The rest timer stays on screen

If you allowed Palestra to save your sessions to Health (iOS 26), the app stays active during the session and the timer closes on its own when rest is over. Otherwise iOS suspends the app: when rest ends, the timer switches to “Done” and a “Close” button removes it from the Lock Screen.

Adding a gym or machine variant

Open the exercise page and choose “+ Add a missing variant”. Enter the gym and the machine. Only change the equipment if that gym really does the exercise on something else — say, only on a Smith machine: this changes the load math and the volume math for that variant.

During a session, open the exercise page from its card to pick the variant: your sets then go into that variant's own curve.

A muscle's volume looks low

It's often on purpose. Warm-up sets don't count; neither does a set logged below RPE 6; a secondary muscle gets half a set; one set on the left and one on the right make a single set. In Stats, “How it's counted” explains the method.

For the kilo volume of bodyweight exercises, enter your weight in Profile: without it, they count as 0 kg.

Managing Health access

Palestra only asks for Health access when it needs it: reading weight and height when you import your profile, saving sessions when a session starts (iOS 26). You can change these permissions at any time in the Health app → Sharing → Apps → Palestra.

An exercise is missing

Add it yourself from the library: name, primary and secondary muscles, equipment. And write to us: it helps us round out the built-in library.

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