Knowledge base/How Mitta decides
How the pain flag works
In short
When you flag pain of moderate or more on a work set, Mitta does two things with your numbers. It shows two other exercises you can swap in, and the next target for that exercise is about 10% lighter, at the bottom of the rep range. Mitta does not say what the pain is. If pain keeps coming back, talk to a healthcare professional.
Cody de LeeuwLast checked 27 October 2026 · 4 min read
How do you flag pain?
There are two ways, both during a workout:
- In the set details. Under Pain or discomfort you choose None, A little, Moderate or A lot. Once you pick a level above none, you can type where you feel it, for example “left knee”.
- After a set, with the Pain button. It sets the set to Moderate in one tap.
A little counts as a note. Moderate or more is what sets things in motion: the rest of this article. Warm-up sets do not open the pain card.
What do you see right away?
A card appears under the set table with two alternative exercises. The card also says: stop this exercise if the pain is sharp or radiates. It ends with “No medical advice.”
The two alternatives come from the exercise library:
- First the exercises that are listed as substitutes for the exercise you were doing.
- Then other exercises for the same main muscle, best-rated first.
Both lists leave out exercises that need equipment you do not have, and exercises that clash with the complaints in your profile or with the place you typed. If nothing fits, the card says there is no suitable alternative with your equipment and suggests skipping the exercise today.
For each alternative you choose what to do:
- Swap today. Your remaining sets go to the new exercise. Sets you already did stay with the old one.
- From now on. The new exercise replaces the old one in your plan. You get an undo.
- In a free workout with no sets left, you can only add the alternative to this workout.
What happens to your next target?
Next time you do that exercise, Mitta looks at your last session. If any work set had pain of moderate or more, the usual rules are skipped. The target is:
- Not heavier. It is your top weight from last time minus 10%, rounded to your weight step.
- At the bottom of the rep range.
| Last session | Normal target | Target after a pain flag |
|---|---|---|
| 80 kg, 8 · 8 · 8, range 6 to 8, step 2.5 kg | 82.5 kg × 6 | 72.5 kg × 6 |
The sum: 80 kg minus 10% is 72 kg, and the nearest 2.5 kg step is 72.5 kg. The target line reads “Pain last time: a bit lighter, and swap if it continues”, and Why? shows your numbers. After you finish a workout, the recap says the same in one fixed sentence.
This rule only looks at the last session. If your next session has no pain flag, the normal rules in How Mitta sets your lift target apply again from there.
What if it happens again?
Mitta counts how many of your last 3 sessions with that exercise had a pain flag of moderate or more. Today's session counts. At 2 or more the card changes: it says it is the second or third time in your last 3 sessions, tells you to swap the exercise in your plan, and tells you to see a physiotherapist or your GP if the pain stays.
Mitta does not build a rehab plan, does not name a cause and does not judge how bad it is. It changes the numbers and offers other exercises, nothing more.
What else changes?
- Between sets. When you flag pain of moderate or more on a set, Mitta does not suggest a new weight for your next set from that set's RIR.
- Light weeks. In a light week of a training block (Pro) the target is the light-week target, not the pain target. How training blocks work
- The coach. If you use the AI coach, it can see which exercises you flagged and how often.
- Notes. What you type in the location field or a note is checked for safety wording. Mitta can show a safety card with a plain pointer to emergency help or your doctor.
If you have pain that worries you, talk to a healthcare professional. The app cannot assess it.
How Mitta does it
Numbers change, no diagnosis.
Flag pain on a set and Mitta makes the next target lighter and shows two other exercises. It never says what the pain is. Why? shows the rule and your numbers.
- Two alternativesThey fit your equipment and the complaints in your profile.
- About 10% lighterNext time, at the bottom of the rep range.
- Swap today or for goodRemaining sets today, or your plan, with undo.
- A plain pointerIf it keeps coming back, see a physiotherapist or your GP.
Numbers that follow what you tell Mitta.
Flag pain on a set and the next target and your options change. Free to start, in the web app for invited testers.
Questions about
How the pain flag works
Does Mitta tell me what the pain is?
No. It does not diagnose or guess a cause. It only changes your next target and offers other exercises.
Does a little pain change my target?
No. A little is stored as a note. The lighter target and the alternatives start at moderate.
Can I flag pain on a set I already finished?
Yes. The Pain button after a set, or the set details, both work.
Do I have to take an alternative?
No. The card is a suggestion. You can close it and carry on with the exercise.
Does the 10% apply to every exercise?
Yes, to any exercise with a weight, for every experience level. For bodyweight exercises with no added weight, the target stays at the bottom of the rep range.
Sources
Written by Cody de Leeuw. First published 27 October 2026, last checked 27 October 2026. This article is general information, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Tell me