Most running plans break when life happens. kaizen adapts to the running you actually do, continuously updating your training so you keep progressing toward your goal.
This launch means a lot to me because I’ve been building versions of this idea for almost 10 years.
It started with my own experience as a runner. I ran my first marathon at 17 and followed the kinds of plans most runners follow, but I kept running into the same problem: they only really worked if life went perfectly. Miss a few sessions, get a week wrong, and the whole thing could start to feel off track.
Over time, I became more interested in what actually helps someone improve in the real world. Turns out consistency is the primary determinant, closely followed by the ability to gradually increase training load. So I developed a system that ingested all my recent running history (relative to my past races and training) to understand how fit I was today, and work out how much I'd need to run each week to achieve my goal.
That system changed my own running completely. I went from a 3:24 marathon to 2:28 and became the top-ranked U23 marathoner in the UK. But more importantly, running stopped feeling like a cycle of falling behind and starting over. It became sustainable and enjoyable.
That’s where kaizen came from.
Really excited to finally share it here, and grateful to everyone who’s helped get it to this point.
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@josh_kaizen For busy folks like me, how does it handle mixed workouts or cross-training to avoid overtraining?
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@josh_kaizen How does kaizen handle mid-plan pivots; like if I'm strong on legs but nursing a shoulder tweak? Does it auto-adjust weekly volume/intensity based on subjective inputs alongside the raw data, or is it mostly history-driven?
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🔌 Plugged in
Having used Kaizen (and a host of other running apps) it's definitely one I recommend to others.
The training plan gives you the flexibility to run when and how you like. For me, this allowed me to listen to my body a lot better, pushing on days I felt fresher, and taking it easier when I needed the rest. This isn't something I've ever seen in other apps (and I've no doubt is part of the reason so many other apps are driving people into injuries)
(As I understand it) The weekly targets are built on a solid scientific and data led basis, which means I can be confident that the goals I've set are going to be hit. Literally just last weekend I met another Kaizen subscriber who ran a new PB at ParkRun having used Kaizen in training.
@djabb great to hear you've been enjoying kaizen! More PBs in the future for you :)
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Been using kaizen for a few months now and generally really enjoying it! Sometimes I find the mileage goals are a bit tooo high (but I'm not generally a high mileage runner), but honestly, the predictions are pretty accurate (I ran a tempo half marathon a few weeks back and it had the pace spot on). I really like that you can plan your week to hit your goal, and the adjustments you get after each run to your goal time. I also like that you have a predicted time for all the distances (they're not just focused on the marathon, like half of the running community seems to be at the minute!) Also a big fan of the "Tailor your prediction" function - I used it just this morning and now I feel my marathon predicted time is (hopefully) a lot closer to reality!
I work with a coach, so kaizen is more of a complement to my training / let's me see if I'm on track for my goal, but I am a fan and would recommend (I just wish I knew a little more about the science behind it and how it calculates its figures!)
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congrats on the launch! the adaptive angle stands out. Most running plans are fixed 16-week blocks that punish you for a bad week 7. How does kaizen decide when to push versus back off? Pace trends, RPE, missed sessions, or a mix?
@keith_hiyamojo it takes a bigger picture view and sets a training load target each week, which all add up to get you in goal shape. So on a weekly basis you can make up that load how best suits you. If you can’t make it, your next weeks adapt. We’re rolling out training systems soon to provide structure on top of the flexibility. And structured workouts will follow with the suggested guidance based on RPE. Keen to steer clear of “prescribing” paces
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@sanp3l The weekly load thing is smart. Most apps get weird if you skip a Tuesday tempo, and life just... does that. Swapping run at 4:30 pace for hit this load somehow this week is the difference between a plan that holds up and one that falls apart by week 3. and the no-prescribed-paces call is the right one. Any decent coach switches to RPE once they actually know you, it's what makes plans feel like yours instead of something bolted on. Looking forward to the structured workouts. Good luck!
Many runners bounce between Garmin Coach/DSW and apps like Runna—what’s the specific breaking point that makes someone realize they need kaizen, and what do they get in week 1 that they can’t get from those tools?
@curiouskitty kaizen's unique understanding of the true drivers of fitness allow it to adapt the training plan when real life happens (missed sessions, changes to schedule etc). This means that with kaizen training stays 'on track' and running becomes a truly sustainable habit.
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Lining up to the start line of
Boston Marathon today with a good grasp of my finishing time thanks to Kaizen! Love the flexibility!
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🔌 Plugged in
As someone who has always preferred to run freely based on how I’m feeling or sometimes constricted by busy days and weeks, I struggled to follow prescribed training plans, as sometimes they would end up feeling like an extension of work. One more to-do in the calendar. This app finally solved that issue, and it quietly become my main training driver. Couldn’t be thankful enough for it.
No more skipping running with friends because I have a specific workout to do.
No more big question marks about what sort of shape I’m in and having to test it or prove it in workouts.
The more I used the app the more I realised I was back to my initial years of running freely and enjoying it.
And when I go to a race I know what my fitness is translating to in race times (it surprisingly always gets the prediction extremely close!).
I even tested not doing anything close to potential “race pace” for months on end and then raced a 10k simply on feel and voila: it matched the pace that Kaizen was predicting for that distance (that I hadn’t run before in training).
Hey Josh! It's super cool. I'm currently using another app and I can really feel all you're expressing here. My own plans broke when life happened and needed something like kaizen. Wish you all the best here!
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Love it. Use it. Even paid for it.
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If running is your primary sport, Kaizen is the way to go!
Balancing all the training for long distance running can become a constant puzzle with everything else going on in your life. I think Kaizen really helps simplifying training by making you focus on what matters - gradually increasing your total training load step-by-step.
The dynamic tracking of this training load really helped me see when I was at risk of overtraining. Am convinced this has spared me some overtraining injuries in the past year.
Replies
kaizen
Hey Product Hunt — Josh here, founder of kaizen.
This launch means a lot to me because I’ve been building versions of this idea for almost 10 years.
It started with my own experience as a runner. I ran my first marathon at 17 and followed the kinds of plans most runners follow, but I kept running into the same problem: they only really worked if life went perfectly. Miss a few sessions, get a week wrong, and the whole thing could start to feel off track.
Over time, I became more interested in what actually helps someone improve in the real world. Turns out consistency is the primary determinant, closely followed by the ability to gradually increase training load. So I developed a system that ingested all my recent running history (relative to my past races and training) to understand how fit I was today, and work out how much I'd need to run each week to achieve my goal.
That system changed my own running completely. I went from a 3:24 marathon to 2:28 and became the top-ranked U23 marathoner in the UK. But more importantly, running stopped feeling like a cycle of falling behind and starting over. It became sustainable and enjoyable.
That’s where kaizen came from.
Really excited to finally share it here, and grateful to everyone who’s helped get it to this point.
@josh_kaizen For busy folks like me, how does it handle mixed workouts or cross-training to avoid overtraining?
@josh_kaizen How does kaizen handle mid-plan pivots; like if I'm strong on legs but nursing a shoulder tweak? Does it auto-adjust weekly volume/intensity based on subjective inputs alongside the raw data, or is it mostly history-driven?
Having used Kaizen (and a host of other running apps) it's definitely one I recommend to others.
The training plan gives you the flexibility to run when and how you like. For me, this allowed me to listen to my body a lot better, pushing on days I felt fresher, and taking it easier when I needed the rest. This isn't something I've ever seen in other apps (and I've no doubt is part of the reason so many other apps are driving people into injuries)
(As I understand it) The weekly targets are built on a solid scientific and data led basis, which means I can be confident that the goals I've set are going to be hit. Literally just last weekend I met another Kaizen subscriber who ran a new PB at ParkRun having used Kaizen in training.
kaizen
@djabb great to hear you've been enjoying kaizen! More PBs in the future for you :)
Been using kaizen for a few months now and generally really enjoying it! Sometimes I find the mileage goals are a bit tooo high (but I'm not generally a high mileage runner), but honestly, the predictions are pretty accurate (I ran a tempo half marathon a few weeks back and it had the pace spot on). I really like that you can plan your week to hit your goal, and the adjustments you get after each run to your goal time. I also like that you have a predicted time for all the distances (they're not just focused on the marathon, like half of the running community seems to be at the minute!) Also a big fan of the "Tailor your prediction" function - I used it just this morning and now I feel my marathon predicted time is (hopefully) a lot closer to reality!
I work with a coach, so kaizen is more of a complement to my training / let's me see if I'm on track for my goal, but I am a fan and would recommend (I just wish I knew a little more about the science behind it and how it calculates its figures!)
congrats on the launch! the adaptive angle stands out. Most running plans are fixed 16-week blocks that punish you for a bad week 7. How does kaizen decide when to push versus back off? Pace trends, RPE, missed sessions, or a mix?
kaizen
@sanp3l The weekly load thing is smart. Most apps get weird if you skip a Tuesday tempo, and life just... does that. Swapping run at 4:30 pace for hit this load somehow this week is the difference between a plan that holds up and one that falls apart by week 3. and the no-prescribed-paces call is the right one. Any decent coach switches to RPE once they actually know you, it's what makes plans feel like yours instead of something bolted on. Looking forward to the structured workouts. Good luck!
Product Hunt
kaizen
@curiouskitty kaizen's unique understanding of the true drivers of fitness allow it to adapt the training plan when real life happens (missed sessions, changes to schedule etc). This means that with kaizen training stays 'on track' and running becomes a truly sustainable habit.
Lining up to the start line of
Boston Marathon today with a good grasp of my finishing time thanks to Kaizen! Love the flexibility!
As someone who has always preferred to run freely based on how I’m feeling or sometimes constricted by busy days and weeks, I struggled to follow prescribed training plans, as sometimes they would end up feeling like an extension of work. One more to-do in the calendar. This app finally solved that issue, and it quietly become my main training driver. Couldn’t be thankful enough for it.
No more skipping running with friends because I have a specific workout to do.
No more big question marks about what sort of shape I’m in and having to test it or prove it in workouts.
The more I used the app the more I realised I was back to my initial years of running freely and enjoying it.
And when I go to a race I know what my fitness is translating to in race times (it surprisingly always gets the prediction extremely close!).
I even tested not doing anything close to potential “race pace” for months on end and then raced a 10k simply on feel and voila: it matched the pace that Kaizen was predicting for that distance (that I hadn’t run before in training).
Build Check
Hey Josh! It's super cool. I'm currently using another app and I can really feel all you're expressing here. My own plans broke when life happened and needed something like kaizen. Wish you all the best here!
Love it. Use it. Even paid for it.
If running is your primary sport, Kaizen is the way to go!
Balancing all the training for long distance running can become a constant puzzle with everything else going on in your life. I think Kaizen really helps simplifying training by making you focus on what matters - gradually increasing your total training load step-by-step.
The dynamic tracking of this training load really helped me see when I was at risk of overtraining. Am convinced this has spared me some overtraining injuries in the past year.