What You'll Learn
What to do when you cannot perform an exercise during your workout
How to pick an alternative exercise from the list your coach prepared
How to reorder exercises when a machine or station is busy
What happens when no alternatives are available
How exercise variants within a set work
Overview
Sometimes during a workout, things do not go as planned. A machine is taken, your shoulder feels off, or you do not have the right equipment. Your coach knows this can happen, so they can attach alternative exercises to each exercise in your program.
When you tap the issue button (the exclamation mark icon visible on every exercise screen), Gymkee shows you your options. If your coach prepared alternatives, you can swap the exercise in a few taps. The replacement only applies to the current workout. Your program stays untouched for next time.
When You Cannot Perform an Exercise
During a workout, you will see a small exclamation mark icon on the right side of the exercise screen (both on the exercise preview and during set execution). Tap it.
A menu appears with the title "How can we help you?" and several options:
"The exercise is busy" (the machine or station is occupied)
"I cannot perform the exercise" (injury, discomfort, missing equipment)
"I cannot perform an exercise from the list" (for supersets and circuits with multiple exercises)
"I encountered a bug" (opens a chat with Gymkee support)
Each option leads to a different flow. The first two are the most common.
Choosing an Alternative Exercise
If you tap "I cannot perform the exercise", Gymkee searches for alternative exercises that your coach pre-configured.
If alternatives are found:
A screen appears with the message: "Okay, don't panic, you can perform another similar exercise."
Below that: "Click on the image to see more details."
You see a list of alternative exercises, each with a preview image and name
Tap any image to open the full exercise details (video, muscles targeted, description)
Tap the checkbox next to the exercise you want
Once selected, a confirmation button appears: "Let's go with this one"
Tap it, and the exercise is swapped into your workout immediately
The replacement applies to the current exercise and all remaining sets that use the same exercise model. Exercises you already completed are not affected.
If you cannot perform any of the alternatives either:
Tap "I can't perform any of them" at the bottom. This takes you to the same screen as when no alternatives exist (see below).
When Equipment Is Busy
If you tap "The exercise is busy", Gymkee opens a reorder screen. This is not about replacing the exercise. Instead, it lets you move it later in your workout.
A screen appears showing all your remaining exercises in order
The heading says: "Move the exercise not available in your session"
Long-press and drag any exercise to change the order
When you are happy with the new order, tap "Done"
Gymkee rearranges the exercises accordingly. The one that was busy moves further down so you can do something else first and come back to it when the equipment frees up.
When No Alternatives Are Available
If your coach did not configure any alternatives for the exercise, or if you tapped "I can't perform any of them," Gymkee shows a simple screen:
Heading: "Unfortunately, we don't have any alternative exercises to offer you"
Message: "Don't forget to notify your coach of the problem with this exercise"
From here, you have two options:
"Skip to the next exercise": Gymkee moves you to the next exercise in the workout. The skipped exercise is marked as incomplete.
"Cancel": Go back to the current exercise and try it anyway.
It is a good idea to send your coach a message afterwards so they can add alternatives for next time.
Exercise Variants Within a Set
There is a separate feature called exercise variants (different from exercise alternatives). Some sets contain multiple exercise options that your coach built in. You will recognize them by a small toggle icon with a badge on the right side of the exercise screen.
How variants work:
During a set, if your coach configured variants, a vertical-switch icon appears on the exercise video area
Tap it to open the variants panel
You see the heading: "[Coach name] has planned other variations of this exercise."
Below: "Select the one you want to perform."
Each variant shows the exercise image, name, and set details (weight, reps, rest)
If your coach left a note for a specific variant, it appears above that variant
Select the one you want and tap "Done"
The key difference:
Alternatives replace the whole exercise for the rest of the workout. You use them when you cannot do an exercise at all.
Variants let you switch between pre-planned options within a single set. You use them to pick which version of an exercise you want to do right now.
Tips
If a machine is occupied, try the "The exercise is busy" option first. Reordering your workout keeps the original exercise so you can attempt it later.
Always let your coach know when you had to swap or skip an exercise. This helps them adjust your program and add alternatives for next time.
Tap the image of an alternative exercise before choosing it. The detail view shows the video demonstration, targeted muscles, and description, so you can pick the best fit.
If you frequently cannot perform the same exercise, ask your coach to attach permanent alternatives to it. That way, you always have options ready.
Common Mistakes
Confusing "exercise busy" with "cannot perform": If the machine is just occupied, use the reorder option. If you physically cannot do the exercise (injury, no equipment), use the alternatives option. Reordering keeps the exercise in your workout; alternatives replace it entirely.
Skipping without telling the coach: Skipping an exercise is fine in the moment, but if you do not let your coach know, they cannot fix the issue for future workouts. A quick message goes a long way.
Ignoring variants: If you see a toggle icon with a badge on the exercise screen, your coach prepared multiple exercise options for that set. Check them out before starting. You might find one that feels better for today.
Troubleshooting
Problem: The issue button does not appear
Why it happens: The exclamation mark icon is always visible on the exercise screen (both preview and training views). If you cannot see it, you may be on the workout menu screen or the feedback screen rather than the exercise itself.
How to fix it: Make sure you are on the exercise execution screen or the exercise preview screen. The icon appears on the right side, below the info and history buttons.
Problem: "Unfortunately, we don't have any alternative exercises to offer you"
Why it happens: Your coach did not configure alternatives for this specific exercise. Alternatives are optional and must be set up by the coach in the program builder.
How to fix it: Skip the exercise for now using "Skip to the next exercise," and send your coach a message explaining the issue. They can add alternatives from their side for future workouts.
Problem: The alternative exercise you chose does not have the same weights or reps
Why it happens: When you swap to an alternative, the original set targets (weight, reps, rest) stay the same because the alternative shares the same set structure. The exercise model changes, but the targets reflect what was originally programmed.
How to fix it: Adjust your actual values in the set feedback screen after completing each set. Gymkee records what you actually did, and your coach will see the adjustments.
FAQ
Can I undo an exercise swap? No. Once you confirm an alternative, the swap applies for the rest of the workout. The original exercise will come back automatically in your next workout because the swap does not change your program.
Does swapping an exercise change my program permanently? No. The swap only applies to the current workout session. The next time you do this workout, the original exercise will be back.
Can I add my own alternative exercises? No. Only your coach can configure which exercises serve as alternatives. If you want more options, ask your coach to add them.
What happens to my exercise history when I swap? The sets you complete count toward the alternative exercise's history, not the original one. Your coach can see that you used an alternative.
Can I swap an exercise in a superset or circuit? Yes. If you are in a superset or circuit, the menu option "I cannot perform an exercise from the list" appears. Tap it, and Gymkee asks you to pick which specific exercise from the set you cannot do. Then you follow the normal alternatives flow for that exercise.
Is there a limit to how many exercises I can swap in one workout? No limit. You can swap as many exercises as needed. Each swap is independent.