Getting Started With Your EXi App

EXi is a health platform, designed by physiotherapists prescribing a graduated physical activity plan. Based on a persons’ current health status, the app sets a prescription at the correct intensity level and will graduate over 12-weeks, tailored for 23 health conditions. 

• EXi can be referred to a person by their doctor or health professional. Providing an invite code that will link the participants account to the health professional data portal. 

• If not referred, the EXi app can be downloaded from Apple App Store or Google Play by searching for EXi or by clicking the following link from your smartphone or tablet: http://appurl.co/exi 

(The earliest compatible version for Android is 7.0 and iOS12.1).

• Download the EXi app.

• Participants will be prompted to create an account.

• The invite code only needs to be implemented if provided by a health or fitness professional.

• Allow for the permissions EXi prompts to help make the user experience seamless.

• EXi prompts the participant to connect to ‘Health’ app or ‘Google Fit’ depending on the device used, which pulls in data from other devices and apps that have been granted permission to share data via ‘Health’ or ‘Google Fit’.

• EXi requires information on the participants health conditions to help build a personalised plan.

• The Health Conditions page collects the participants health and fitness information to provide the best tailored exercise prescription.

• Uploading Health metrics to the EXi app.

• Recording resting heart rate: Place your index finger over your iPhone camera lens until the number above stabilizes (Cover the light with your index finger.) For Android users: Place your index finger over your camera lens until the number above stabilises. 

• Participants are required to enter their current activity levels.

• Indicate personal goals that are to be achieved from the EXi prescription.

• The onboarding process is now complete, all the information you have provided has now generated your exercise prescription. 

Alternatively check out our ‘Getting Started with EXi’ video explaining each section of the 

on-boarding process below.

Yes, it is important to capture as much information about your health so EXi can provide you with the best tailored prescription, advising your correct intensity for you to workout safely for your health conditions. 

• The information provided at the start of the app is used to devise a personalised physical activity prescription that will be set at exactly the right intensity level for you. 

• EXi creates the prescription for you quickly within the app. The app cross-checks the medical guidelines for up to 23 conditions and simplifies the guidelines so EXi can give you the prescription you need based on your health status. 

• The plan is graduated for the first 12 weeks, gradually increasing exercise time and intensity until you meet the recommended level of physical activity. From week 12 until week 104 you should be able to maintain this level of exercise. 

• EXi provides condition specific advice and highlighting symptoms or precaution to watch out for when exercising.

• If you are using a health device, such as the Apple Watch, EXi will monitor your heart rate and support you to exercise at the right intensity when you’re active.

• Your weekly exercise prescription can be found on the ‘Plan’ tab from the home page. 

• You can complete your intensity-based prescription or your step goal.

• YOU ONLY NEED TO MEET ONE OF THESE TARGETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL EACH DAY.

• Your intensity-based prescription will tell you how long you should be exercising, at what intensity and how many days you should be exercising that week. E.g., 3 days of 10 

• You decide what exercise you wish to complete your prescription in real time from our library of workout content (Home workouts, Outdoor activities, gym-based programmes and other activities).

• Your step goal records how many steps you have done throughout the day. Information is taken from Health app (iOS) or Google Fit (Android), so you will need to connect to these to get steps information.

• You can view your activity from previous weeks or look at what your prescription will be in future weeks from the drop-down menu.

• If you have an Apple Watch, this will record your heart rate in real time to give you the most accurate reading if you are working in the correct intensity zone. Alternatively, you can use your smart phone to record your heart rate, when prompted after completing an exercise, by using the phone camera flash. 

To set up a new Apple Watch and connect to your iPhone, please use the following link with 9 simple steps: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204505 

Once your Apple Watch is connected to the iPhone, when on-boarding to the EXi app, you will be asked to consent via the Health app (please allow for this permission). The EXi Apple Watch app should be available on your watch automatically. If it does not, you will need to open the Apple Watch app on your phone, scroll down to apps available, then select EXi. 

Starting an activity in real time.

• Select ‘Start an activity’ image, which will take you to a choice of workouts tailored for this week’s prescription.

• We have 3 different types of activities

                      - Home Workouts: A selection of exercise video content.

                      - Outdoors: GPS tracked activities such as walking, cycling and running.

                      - Gym: Indoor workouts such as static cycling, cross trainer and swimming.

                      - We also have an ‘Other Exercise’ option here where you can record sessions like live 

                        classes or weights sessions or any other activity you like.

• Tap on the activity you’d like to do. For example, Strength & Move. This will take you to a new screen.

• Once you’ve chosen your activity, we give you a handy instruction on the type of exercise you’re about to commence and if equipment is required.

Activity Exertion

• Log this as soon as you can after your exercise.
  Update your metrics either with the slider or pen icon.

If you’ve completed an activity and forgotten to log it or not had the EXi app handy, follow these simple instructions:

• On the Home Screen head to the Progress section (top right).

• Scroll to the bottom and select > Log Activity > choose the workout OR select > Other Exercise

• Using the slider or pen, you’ll be able to input the duration of the exercise, rate of exertion (optional) and heart rate.

From the EXi Apple Watch app you can launch an activity such as walking, running and cycling as well as the gym workouts.

• Select your activity and press Start.

• Your activity will then be tracked. Once you are done, click ‘Pause’ and then ‘Stop’.

• The EXi Apple Watch app will track your heart rate in real-time and will save the data once the activity is completed.

• If you wish to complete a home workout exercise, launch the workout video from your EXi mobile app. Your Apple Watch will automatically capture your heart rate in real-time and display it both on your Apple Watch and on the iPhone. 

• You will be prompted to rate your exertion level on the Apple Watch once the activity is completed.

At the start of the prescription, we asked you for permission to access your Health app (if you have an iPhone) or Google Fit (if you have an Android). 

Your phone tracks your step count in the background every day and stores the information in Health & Google Fit, so it is worth keeping your phone in your pocket to ensure this data is as accurate as possible. If you have an Apple Watch, this will also provide your daily step count and the app will take the information from there instead. 

Each prescription is based on exercise intensity (low, moderate, or high), which follows the medical guidelines for physical activity. Exercise intensity describes how hard you are working, or how hard you perceive the effort to be, and EXi will personalise this for you based on your age. 

Low Intensity: (used copy that is on our website)

Low intensity aerobic exercise will mildly increase heart rate and body temperature. We expect you to be working in the range of 0 to 3 out of 10 on an exertion scale (mild exertion). Heart rate will be in the low intensity training zone.

Moderate intensity:

Moderate intensity aerobic exercise, raising your heart rate and warming the body, potentially sweating. We expect you to be working in the range of 4 to 7 out of 10 on an exertion scale. Heart rate will be in the moderate intensity training zone.

High Intensity:

High or vigorous intensity aerobic exercise is where the heart rate has increased significantly. We expect you to be working in the range of 8 to 10 on an exertion scale (extreme exerting). Heart rate will be high intensity training zone.

• EXi will measure your heart rate (either via a connected Apple Watch during your workout or with your phone’s camera flash immediately after exercise) and will convert that to an exercise intensity training zone – low, moderate or high.

• If your heart rate reading is below the minimum requirement for low intensity (47% of your maximum heart rate or below), then this is too low and will not be recorded. If you are using an Apple Watch, our EXi Apple Watch app will tell you what intensity level you are working at throughout your exercise session. If you are using a mobile only programme, your heart rate that is measured after your exercise will tell you if you have been working in the correct intensity training zone. 

• The programme will also ask you to record your RPE, which is your rating of perceived exertion. This is a validated measure and is another way to assess exercise intensity. It is measured on a scale of 1 to 10 immediately after exercise. The app will tell you if your RPE is in the correct training zone for your prescribed exercise. 

If you have a good starting health profile, or if your fitness has improved, you will be given the option to do either moderate or high intensity exercise (which follows medical guidelines). The app will record each separately, but both will count towards your final totals. 

• The Health Tracker is found at the bottom of the screen, second from the left under ‘Track’.

• It is used to track health metrics that are relevant to you and is a great way to track how exercise is improving your health - the app will prompt you to record your health data at the end of every week.

• Whilst on-boarding, if any starting health metrics were not recorded, you can log them here.

• EXi will record the last entry that you record for each metric every week.

• You can see how your health is progressing in the graphs tab.

EXi asks for 6 health metrics to be recorded: (optional, and differs for user)

• Six Minute Walk test: It is not compulsory but taking the 6-minute walking test provides good information about your current fitness level and helps you to track your progress. 

• Resting Heart Rate: Measure after resting for 5 minutes. Use your Apple Watch, your phone’s camera, or enter manually. 

• Weight: Your weight is used in conjunction with your height to determine your BMI.

• Waist circumference: Measure at the level of the belly button.

• Blood pressure: Enter your systolic (higher) and diastolic (lower) blood pressure scores if known.

• Other measurements: You can also put in other metrics that are relevant to you and your health such as mood, blood sugars and pain scores.

It is not compulsory but taking the 6-minute walking test provides good information about your current fitness level and helps you to track your progress. 

• Head out for a walk

• Under the ‘track’ tab, select 6-minute test. 

• Select ‘complete test’

• Follow the instructions shown on the phone. 

The EXi app is paid for you by your doctor, health professional or employer. The EXi app is made available to you by these organisations to better your health. Providing further support and keeping you accountable for completing your exercise prescription. There is no cost for you the patient/employee.

EXi’s non-premium app is available to download from the app store at no cost, with some limitation on the number of workouts videos you can access on the app.  

EXi’s privacy policy covers both the EXi website but primarily the EXi mobile app. We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy.

For further details, head over to our privacy policy page on our website.