ORCA athlete app tour.

The ORCA athlete app is organized around five main tabs at the bottom of the screen:

• Dashboard - your home base: readiness, today's session, recent activity and quick start.
• Training - the live lifting interface with velocity, power and 3D bar path on every rep.
• Calendar - programs, templates, upcoming sessions and past workouts on a scrollable timeline.
• Insights - charts, trends, personal records, load-velocity profiles and testing results.
• Settings - account, devices, units, notifications and subscription.

The top-right corner always shows your sensor's connection status: green = connected, orange = pairing, grey = disconnected. Battery level and firmware state live one tap deeper under Settings → Devices.

The Dashboard is your home base. From top to bottom:

1. Greeting header: your name, date, and today's readiness score (if enabled).
2. Quick start card: a large button to begin a session with your last exercise pre-loaded.
3. Today's session: if you follow a program or a coach's plan, today's prescribed session appears here.
4. Recent sessions: scrollable row of your last five workouts with summary metrics.
5. Insights strip: one-line highlights ("Best mean velocity in 30 days on bench press", etc.).

1. Tap Start session on the Dashboard or the Training tab.
2. Choose your workflow:
   • Freestyle: pick exercises as you go.
   • From template: load a saved session structure.
   • Follow program: execute today's prescribed workout.
3. Select the first exercise from the search bar or from your favorites.
4. Enter the load on the bar. Units toggle between kg and lb in Settings → Units.
5. Tap Begin set. The app enters the live set view.

This is the screen you'll see while lifting. It's designed to be readable at arm's length across a bar. Every metric streams live from the sensor at 200 samples/second over BLE 5.0.

Layout

• Center panel - current rep's mean velocity in large numerals.
• Top bar - exercise name, current load, rep counter.
• Left column - peak velocity, ROM and peak power for the last rep.
• Right column - set-level metrics: best rep, velocity loss %, cumulative reps.
• Bottom strip - mini velocity trace of each rep; tap to expand into the full 200 Hz waveform. 3D bar-path preview available on the same expanded view (Pro unlocks the full overlay, chapter 17).

Color feedback

• Green - rep hit or exceeded your velocity target.
• Amber - rep landed within your acceptable margin.
• Red - rep fell below the cutoff. If auto-stop is on, the set ends.

Controls

• End set - closes the set and opens the summary.
• Discard rep - drops the last rep if it was a re-rack or missed rep.
• Voice cue toggle - turns on spoken velocity feedback between reps.

After every set, the summary screen appears with:

• Rep-by-rep breakdown: mean velocity, peak velocity, ROM, power.
• Best rep highlighted with a gold marker.
• Velocity loss percentage (first vs. last rep).
• Full 200 Hz velocity trace, tap any rep to scrub through it.
• Estimated 1RM based on today's data (if enough loads have been lifted).
• Rest timer with configurable duration.

Actions available

• Add note: attach a text or voice note to the set (e.g. "belt on", "felt heavy").
• Add video: record a video of the next set (Pro only, see chapter 11).
• Next set: proceed with same exercise and load.
• Change load: adjust weight for the next set.
• New exercise: move on to the next movement.
• End session: closes the workout and generates the summary.

Found under Library → Exercises. Contains presets for every major lift plus your own custom entries.

Preset library

Includes back squat, front squat, bench press, incline bench, overhead press, deadlift, sumo deadlift, clean, power clean, snatch, jerk, push press, bent-over row, hip thrust, and many more. Each preset ships with:

• Recommended velocity zones (strength, speed-strength, etc.).
• Default 1RM velocity threshold (used for LV profiling).
• Detection profile tuned for the movement.

Custom exercises

1. Tap + New exercise.
2. Enter a name, category, and optional tags.
3. Set your velocity zones or copy them from a similar preset.
4. Save. It appears in your library, searchable and taggable.

Templates

A template is a saved session structure: exercises, sets, target velocity zones, but no calendar. Great for repeatable workouts like "Wednesday upper".

1. End a session and tap Save as template.
2. Or build one from scratch in Library → Templates → +.

Programs

A program is a calendar-based sequence of templates. Follow a program to have today's session automatically appear on your Dashboard.

1. Browse the built-in program catalog under Library → Programs.
2. Tap Start program. Choose a start date.
3. Sessions unlock day by day. Miss one? The program shifts by default (adjustable in settings).

All past workouts live under Library → Sessions. Filter and search by:

• Date range
• Exercise
• Program
• Tag or note keyword

Tap any session to see the full breakdown: every set, every rep, every velocity curve. Sessions can be edited (correct a load, discard a rep), duplicated, or deleted.

The Insights tab holds your long-term data.

Available views

• Volume trend: total tonnage by week or month.
• Velocity trend: average mean velocity per exercise over time.
• 1RM estimate: rolling projection based on load-velocity data.
• Personal records: best mean velocity, best peak velocity, heaviest single, and best power output per exercise.
• Fatigue index: velocity drop trend across sessions (Pro).
• Bar-path map: average bar path overlay for a selected exercise (Pro).

Filters

Every chart supports filters: exercise, date range, load zone, program block. Pinch to zoom on the timeline.

The Load-Velocity (LV) profile predicts your true 1RM from submaximal lifts.

Building your profile

1. Open an exercise in the library. Tap Build LV profile.
2. The app suggests 3-5 loads to lift (e.g. 40%, 55%, 70%, 85% of your working weight).
3. Perform one to three reps at each load with maximal intent.
4. The app plots each rep on the LV curve and calculates your projected 1RM.

Reading the profile

• Slope: steepness of the curve, tells you where you sit on the force-velocity spectrum.
• V0: theoretical max velocity at zero load.
• L0: theoretical max load at zero velocity (your 1RM).
• R²: fit quality; anything above 0.95 is reliable.

Unlocked with an active Pro subscription. Access from Library → Testing.

• 1RM prediction: full protocol with printable athlete report.
• Force-velocity profile: for jumps or ballistic lifts.
• Isometric mid-thigh pull: using a barbell setup.
• Vertical jump estimation: from bar velocity in a jump squat.
• Sprint analytics: using the sensor mounted on a resisted sled.
• Video sync: align phone camera video with velocity data, frame by frame.

Each test produces a shareable PDF report and can be repeated to track change over time.

If your coach uses ORCA for Teams, your account can sync with theirs.

Accepting an invite

1. Your coach sends an invite link or QR code.
2. Tap the link. If you already have an account, it connects immediately.
3. If not, sign up first. The invite carries over.

What your coach can see

• Your completed sessions in real time.
• Your LV profiles and testing results.
• Any notes or videos you attach.

What your coach can send you

• Programs and daily sessions that appear on your Dashboard.
• Voice notes and comments on individual sets or reps.
• Adjustments to velocity zones or targets.

Managing coaches

Under Profile → Coach connection, you can view your current coach, disconnect, or accept a new invite. You control what data is shared.

Under Profile → Settings:

• Units: kg or lb, m/s or ft/s.
• Velocity zones: customize default thresholds.
• Auto-stop: enable/disable and set velocity-loss threshold.
• Rest timer: default duration per exercise type.
• Voice cues: on/off, language, verbosity.
• Haptics: vibration feedback on rep completion.
• Dark mode: auto, on, off.

Under Profile → Devices:

• See all paired ORCA sensors and their battery level.
• Rename a sensor, remove one, or add a new one.
• Check firmware version and force a firmware update.

Under Profile → Account:

• Edit name, email, photo, sport, bodyweight.
• Change password.
• Enable two-factor authentication.
• Delete account (irreversible).

Bodyweight is used in power calculations for bodyweight-based exercises. Keep it up to date.

Exporting

Under Progress → Export, generate:

• Full session CSV (every rep).
• Aggregated CSV (session-level metrics).
• PDF report for a date range or single session.
• JSON via the ORCA API (Pro).

Sharing

Any session can be shared via:

• A read-only public link.
• Direct send to a connected coach.
• System share sheet (message, email, social).

Under Profile → Notifications:

• Session reminders: based on your programmed calendar.
• Coach messages: when your coach comments on a session.
• Personal records: instant push when you hit a PR.
• Firmware updates: when a new sensor firmware is ready.
• Weekly summary: Sunday email of your training week.

The ORCA athlete app ships with a fully functional Core tier - you can lift, log sets, see mean and peak velocity, ROM, power, track PRs, and follow a coach's program without ever paying a cent. ORCA Pro is the optional upgrade that unlocks the advanced analytics, testing suite and coach-grade tooling.

What's included in the free Core tier

• Unlimited sessions, unlimited reps.
• Mean and peak velocity, ROM and power per rep.
• Full 200 Hz velocity trace on every rep, tap-to-scrub playback.
• Basic exercise library and starred favourites.
• Personal records and last-90-day trends.
• Session history with rep-by-rep review.
• Follow a coach's assigned program (when you're connected to a coach on the Coach app).

What ORCA Pro unlocks

Every feature below is locked behind Pro in the free app. You will see a Pro badge on the button, and tapping it opens the upgrade sheet.

• Full testing suite (chapter 11): 1RM prediction protocol, force-velocity profiling, isometric mid-thigh pull, vertical jump estimation, sprint analytics. Every test generates a shareable PDF report.
• Video sync: record video from your phone camera and align it frame-by-frame with the velocity trace. Free app can attach a video note; only Pro syncs it to the waveform.
• Fatigue index: long-range velocity-drop trend across sessions, used for readiness and overreach detection.
• Bar-path map: averaged bar path overlay per exercise, built from your dual-axis data.
• Custom velocity zones: override the default zones per exercise. Free app uses presets only.
• Load-velocity profile export: the LV profile is visible in the free app; Pro adds full parameter export (slope, V0, L0, R²), historical profile versions, and comparison over time.
• Advanced 1RM projection: rolling projection updated from every working set, not just from a dedicated LV test.
• Multi-sensor sessions: run two ORCA sensors at once for bilateral analysis (dual-unit bundle owners).
• Full data export: rep-level CSV, aggregated CSV, PDF reports for any date range, and JSON via the ORCA API. Free app is limited to session-level CSV.
• Unlimited history depth in analytics: charts extend to your full training history. Free app charts are limited to the last 90 days.
• Priority sync and cloud backup: faster uploads and redundant backup of every session.

Pricing

ORCA Pro is offered as a monthly plan or an annual plan (billed yearly at a discounted per-month equivalent), with an additional discount when Pro is bundled with your sensor purchase. See live pricing in your local currency on the app page. Only the first period is billed upfront; you can cancel any time from Profile · Subscription.

Managing your subscription

1. Go to Profile · Subscription.
2. View current plan, next billing date, and payment method.
3. Upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time.

App won't detect reps

• Confirm the sensor is mounted solidly.
• Confirm the correct exercise is selected.
• Held the bar still for 2 seconds before the first rep? (Required for calibration.)

Numbers look off

• Check the load you entered.
• Check units (kg vs. lb).
• Rebuild your LV profile if 1RM estimate seems wrong.

App crashes on start

• Force-close and reopen.
• Update to the latest app version.
• If it persists, contact support with a screen recording.

Lost my data

All sessions sync to the cloud automatically. Sign in on any device and your history is there. If something appears missing, contact support. Nothing is deleted server-side.

Something still not clear? Email support@orcastrength.ca and we'll walk you through it.