Adarsh Mokashi

Product Designer

Adarsh Mokashi

Product Designer

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Designing for Gym Anxiety

Klaro’s Smartwatch UX from Insight to MVP

market validation

Designing for Gym Anxiety

Klaro’s Smartwatch UX
from Insight to MVP

A media

recognition app

concept tested

through rapid

Thesis Project

16 weeks

28 weeks

Dec 2025

Role: Product Designer

Project Summary

What is this project about?

The problem

The problem

Beginners avoid unfamiliar machines and delay asking for help because they fear being judged. That hesitation leads to skipped workouts and low confidence and early drop-off rates.

What I built

What I built

Klaro is a smartwatch-first gym companion that helps beginners find equipment, set it up correctly, and move through workouts with discreet, step-by-step guidance without drawing attention.

My Role

My Role

Led end-to-end UX research, synthesis, and product design

Planned and conducted user interviews and in-gym usability tests
Designed the Klaro smartwatch app experience, including key flows, IA, and interaction patterns
Built and validated low-fidelity prototypes (map, help flow, landing page)

Led end-to-end UX research, synthesis, and product design
Planned and conducted user interviews and in-gym usability tests
Designed the Klaro smartwatch app experience, including key flows, IA, and interaction patterns
Built and validated low-fidelity prototypes (map, help flow, landing page)

Quick facts

Quick facts

Platform: Apple Watch-first with supporting mobile onboarding
Setting: Real gym floor where uncertainty feels public
Timeline: 16 weeks
Team: Solo project with advisor feedback and trainer input

Impact

Early impact from Klaro’s validation tests

+1–2 pts

Confidence increase after Klaro-guided test

Self-rated confidence (1–5) measured pre vs post pretotype test (n=4)

40% faster

Equipment discovery with guided navigation

Two-condition test: map mvp vs no map (2 people each). Map group was 40% faster.

14%

Waitlist sign-up rate for a smartwatch gym companion

From an Instagram ad: 49 landing-page visits → 7 waitlist signups (14%).

Context

Beginners need guidance that doesn’t put them
on display

Beginners need guidance that doesn’t put them on display

Beginners avoid unfamiliar equipment and delay asking for help because they fear being watched or judged. When uncertainty is public, even small mistakes feel high-risk, so they stick to “safe” areas or skip workouts. That shows up when someone can’t find a machine, doesn’t know how to adjust it, or freezes mid-set because they’re unsure what to do next.

This slows learning and keeps confidence low. For gyms, it drives early drop-off, underused equipment, and higher churn before habits form.

Why it Matters

Early gym anxiety decides whether beginners build a habit or drop off

The first few weeks are decisive. Small moments of confusion (especially in public) compound into avoidance: fewer machines tried, shorter sessions, and lower confidence to return.

For gyms, that same hesitation shows up as early churn. New members who feel lost use less of the floor, rely on crowded “easy” zones, and stop showing up before the habit forms. Reducing this early friction improves retention, increases equipment utilization, and creates a more welcoming experience without adding staff workload.

The first few weeks are decisive. Small moments of confusion (especially in public) compound into avoidance: fewer machines tried, shorter sessions, and lower confidence to return.

Research

Understanding what actually stops beginners from asking for help

To understand why beginners hesitate in the gym, I conducted 12 interviews with beginner and intermediate gym-goers, plus 1 stakeholder interview with a gym trainer. All sessions were run remotely over Zoom, focused on first-week experiences, moments of confusion, and how people decide whether to seek help.

Across interviews, three themes kept repeating:

Feeling watched makes uncertainty feel risky in public
Body comparison amplifies self-consciousness near unfamiliar machines
Asking for help feels like a “public moment,” so people avoid it

Across interviews, three themes kept repeating:

Feeling watched makes uncertainty feel risky in public
Body comparison amplifies self-consciousness near unfamiliar machines
Asking for help feels like a “public moment,” so people avoid it

Across interviews, three themes kept repeating:

Feeling watched makes uncertainty feel risky in public
Body comparison amplifies self-consciousness near unfamiliar machines
Asking for help feels like a “public moment,” so people avoid it

Across interviews, three themes kept repeating:

Feeling watched makes uncertainty feel risky in public
Body comparison amplifies self-consciousness near unfamiliar machines
Asking for help feels like a “public moment,” so people avoid it

Participants: beginners + intermediate gym-goers, focused on first-week experiences and moments of uncertainty (remote interviews).

Beginner lifter

I felt that maybe I’m being judged for the less amount of plates I’m pushing.

New gym member

I used to feel inferior to people who had a lean body or something.

P11

New gym member

I didn’t want to ask for help because it feels awkward to do so when you basically don't know anything.

Intermediate gym-goer

They're pulling a lot more weight, they're going to be judging me with my 5 kg dumbbell every day.

Core Insight

Gymtimidation is reinforced by hesitation to seek help

Beginners don't struggle because they lack information. They struggle because asking for help in a public gym feels risky. Uncertainty becomes a “visible moment,” so people avoid unfamiliar equipment and stay in safe zones.

Instead of reaching out, beginners avoid unfamiliar equipment, stay in safe zones, or imitate others without confidence. Over time, this hesitation prevents learning and reinforces anxiety.

Design takeaway: Support must feel private and socially low risk to be effective.

Scientifically, I confirmed that delaying caffeine allows adenosine levels to rise to a point where coffee can have a stronger effect.

This research shaped early design decisions, such as including progress tracking, recipe suggestions, and an onboarding moment that reframed the delay as a challenge instead of a punishment.

How might we reduce beginners’ hesitation to seek help in the gym so they can confidently engage with unfamiliar equipment and spaces?

Feels exposed

Worried others are watching or judging

Plays it safe

Sticks to familiar areas and skips new machines

Help feels risky

Asking feels like a public moment

Confidence drops

Doubts ability to use equipment correctly

Design Direction

The goal was not to teach workouts or replace trainers

It was to lower the social friction beginners feel at the exact moment they are unsure. From there, I set three guiding principles for the solution:

Discreet guidance that doesn’t put users on display
In-the-moment help available exactly when someone gets stuck
Confidence building through small wins and reduced uncertainty

Success meant beginners could try new equipment, navigate unfamiliar areas, and get help without feeling exposed.

Design Challenges

The challenge was building confidence in moments where mistakes feel public

Designing for Social Risk

Beginners don’t avoid the gym because it’s hard. They avoid being seen struggling.

Keeping the Watch Experience Effortless

Guidance had to be glanceable and fast, not another app that demands attention mid-workout.

Balancing Watch vs Phone Roles

The watch needed to handle “in-the-moment” help, while the phone supported setup and planning without stealing the core experience.

The Solution

Klaro reduces gym anxiety by guiding beginners privately, in the moment

Klaro is a smartwatch-first gym navigation and support system designed for beginners who feel watched or judged. Instead of asking people to “be more confident,” it removes the risky moments where uncertainty becomes public.

On the watch, Klaro gives quiet, step-by-step guidance to find the right machine, set it up correctly, and start without hesitating. When someone gets stuck, they can request help with one tap, without needing to look around or approach staff in front of others.

Klaro works as a simple ecosystem:

Smartwatch (core experience): discreet navigation, machine setup cues, and one-tap help
Mobile app (supporting layer): onboarding, preferences, planning, reflection
Gym layer (real-world context): mapped layout + indoor positioning to make guidance accurate

Smartwatch (core experience): discreet navigation, machine setup cues, and one-tap help
Mobile app (supporting layer): onboarding, preferences, planning, reflection
Gym layer (real-world context): mapped layout + indoor positioning to make guidance accurate

The goal is simple: reduce visible uncertainty, so beginners try more equipment, ask for help sooner, and feel confident returning.

Core Experience

How Klaro supports beginners in the moments that matter most

Klaro’s value is felt during a few critical moments when hesitation typically stops beginners from moving forward. The smartwatch experience is designed to intervene quietly, only when needed. The MVP focused on three high-friction moments where beginners typically pause or avoid action.

Finding equipment

Klaro helps beginners locate unfamiliar machines through discreet, step-by-step navigation on the wrist, removing the need to scan the room or ask for directions in public.

Setting it up correctly

When users reach a machine, Klaro provides simple setup cues that explain adjustments and starting positions, reducing fear of “doing it wrong” before the workout begins.

Getting help without attention

If users get stuck or feel unsure, Klaro offers one-tap access to help directly from the watch, allowing them to ask for support without drawing attention or breaking flow.

Why a Smartwatch App?

Support in the gym needs to feel discreet and in
the moment

The moment beginners feel unsure is also the moment they feel most visible. Pulling out a phone, standing still to read signage, or scanning the room for help increases self-consciousness and draws attention to uncertainty.
A smartwatch changes that dynamic. Guidance can be accessed with a quick glance, subtle haptics, and minimal interruption. Support stays close to the body and out of public view.

So, how can a smartwatch app help?

Klaro as a system

How Klaro is split across watch, phone, and gym

This separation keeps in-gym interactions lightweight and private, while moving planning, preferences, and reflection to lower-pressure moments.

- Reduces hesitation at the exact moment it appears
- Progressive navigation to equipment
- Clear machine setup cues
- One-tap, socially low-pressure help access
The watch acts as a quiet companion, supporting action without increasing visibility.
A. Smartwatch app - Core experience
- Onboarding and preferences
- Workout planning and session prep
- Confidence and progress reflection over time
The phone handles anything that would feel heavy or distracting in the gym.
B. Mobile app - Supporting layer
- Bluetooth beacons for indoor positioning
- Mapped gym layouts for accurate guidance
- Staff notification loop for help requests
This layer ensures Klaro works with the gym environment, not against it.
C. Gym layer - Environmental context
Privacy note: Klaro uses location only to guide in the moment and does not store detailed movement history.
- Reduces hesitation at the exact moment it appears
- Progressive navigation to equipment
- Clear machine setup cues
- One-tap, socially low-pressure help access
The watch acts as a quiet companion, supporting action without increasing visibility.
A. Smartwatch app - Core experience
- Onboarding and preferences
- Workout planning and session prep
- Confidence and progress reflection over time
The phone handles anything that would feel heavy or distracting in the gym.
B. Mobile app - Supporting layer
- Bluetooth beacons for indoor positioning
- Mapped gym layouts for accurate guidance
- Staff notification loop for help requests
This layer ensures Klaro works with the gym environment, not against it.
C. Gym layer - Environmental context
Privacy note: Klaro uses location only to guide in the moment and does not store detailed movement history.
- Reduces hesitation at the exact moment it appears
- Progressive navigation to equipment
- Clear machine setup cues
- One-tap, socially low-pressure help access
The watch acts as a quiet companion, supporting action without increasing visibility.
A. Smartwatch app - Core experience
- Onboarding and preferences
- Workout planning and session prep
- Confidence and progress reflection over time
The phone handles anything that would feel heavy or distracting in the gym.
B. Mobile app - Supporting layer
- Bluetooth beacons for indoor positioning
- Mapped gym layouts for accurate guidance
- Staff notification loop for help requests
This layer ensures Klaro works with the gym environment, not against it.
C. Gym layer - Environmental context
Privacy note: Klaro uses location only to guide in the moment and does not store detailed movement history.
- Reduces hesitation at the exact moment it appears
- Progressive navigation to equipment
- Clear machine setup cues
- One-tap, socially low-pressure help access
The watch acts as a quiet companion, supporting action without increasing visibility.
A. Smartwatch app - Core experience
- Onboarding and preferences
- Workout planning and session prep
- Confidence and progress reflection over time
The phone handles anything that would feel heavy or distracting in the gym.
B. Mobile app - Supporting layer
- Bluetooth beacons for indoor positioning
- Mapped gym layouts for accurate guidance
- Staff notification loop for help requests
This layer ensures Klaro works with the gym environment, not against it.
C. Gym layer - Environmental context
Privacy note: Klaro uses location only to guide in the moment and does not store detailed movement history.

Constraints & Design Challenges

Designing for confidence meant reducing visibility, effort, and pressure

Klaro couldn’t succeed by adding more features. It needed to remove friction in the exact moments beginners feel exposed, so I designed around a few non-negotiables.

What I chose not to build

Klaro intentionally avoids common fitness app patterns that are misaligned with gymtimidation and in-the-moment hesitation.

A gamified fitness app

Badges, streaks, and leaderboards can motivate some, but for beginners these often increase the pressure, self-comparison, and the feeling of being watched by others around them.

A workout or progress tracking app

The market is saturated with apps that log reps, sets, calories, and routines. Another tracker would shift Klaro away from its core purpose: reducing hesitation in the moment.

A phone-first experience

Using a phone in the gym is visible and distracting, and can make beginners feel more on display. The phone app acts as a supporting layer outside the workout, not the primary interface.

Attention grabbing instructions

Audio cues, long videos, or overt help indicators risk making users feel exposed. Klaro favors quiet, glanceable guidance that blends into the natural gym behavior.

Usability Testing

Refining Klaro through real user interaction

Usability testing focused on whether beginners could use Klaro independently during a workout without confusion or hesitation. The goal was not speed, but clarity at moments of uncertainty.

Testing revealed that small points of friction could quickly undermine confidence, especially when users were already self conscious in the gym.

Usability testing focused on whether beginners could use Klaro independently during a workout without confusion or hesitation. The goal was not speed, but clarity at moments of uncertainty.

Testing revealed that small points of friction could quickly undermine confidence, especially when users were already self conscious in the gym.

Exercise Understanding and Next Actions

Observed: 4/5 participants paused and asked what to do next

Issue

Users were unsure how to proceed

4/5 participants hesitated on this screen. Icons and brief text did not clearly explain machine setup or what action to take next, causing pauses
and uncertainty.

Solution

Added guidance and clearer actions

Detailed descriptions, labeled setup cues, and a visible demo entry point were added. The primary action was reframed as “Find Machine”, directly guiding users to the next physical step in the gym.

Clarifying Sets vs Rest Through Visual Hierarchy

Clarifying Shuffle Functionality with Icon
and Labels

Observed: Most participants couldn’t explain the ring colors without guessing

Issue

Users couldn’t tell what each ring represented

3/4 participants confused set timers and rest timers. The color-only system lacked explanation and disrupted workout flow.

Solution

Explained ring meaning and reduced visual noise

A brief explanation screen clarified ring colors, inactive timers were visually muted, and the Help button was made more noticeable. This helped users understand the system at a glance and stay focused on their workout.

Market Validation

De-risking Klaro Through Real-World Behavior

Before investing in a full system, I ran low-fidelity pretotype experiments to validate key assumptions around interest, navigation, and help-seeking behavior. Each test focused on behavior, not opinions.

Provincial Test

Validating Step-by-Step Gym Navigation

Hypothesis: Step-by-step navigation will help beginners find machines faster and feel more confident in unfamiliar gyms.

Method: Tested a low-fidelity map prototype inside a real gym and compared performance during equipment-finding tasks.

Result: 2 of 4 participants located machines faster with fewer wrong turns, and self-reported confidence increased by 1–2 points (1–5 scale).

Decision: Proceeded with step-by-step, in-the-moment guidance as Klaro’s core interaction to reduce hesitation during “visible uncertainty” moments.

Floorplan of the test location

Framer Map Prototype

4 Participants

Facade Test

Testing Willingness to Ask for Help

Hypothesis: When help is one tap away, beginners will use it frequently during uncertainty moments.

Method: Deployed a facade “Help” feature in Framer and observed real usage over one week.

Result: Participants tapped the help button 3 times total, below the expected 6 taps based on how often they hit uncertainty moments during the flow.

Decision: Shifted the design toward lower-friction support: more proactive prompts and guidance before users have to self-identify as “needing help.”

Help Website for Klaro

Page Tracking

Tracking Data

Fake Front Door Test

Validating Interest in a Smartwatch App

Hypothesis: Beginners will show early interest in a smartwatch-first gym guidance concept when presented clearly.

Method: Built a Framer landing page describing Klaro’s in-gym smartwatch guidance and added a waitlist sign-up.

Result: 49 unique visitors and 7 sign-ups (~14% conversion rate).

Decision: Continued investing in the smartwatch-first direction and positioned Klaro around discreet, in-gym guidance rather than a phone-first coaching experience.