Why doesn't "I'll get up and stretch every hour" ever actually happen?
I've worked at home for years now, and I can say for sure that I don't move as much as I should. Despite knowing that I should move more, it doesn't happen. Meetings, deadlines, and simply forgetting can all get in the way of taking care of your physical health.
I generally do HIIT workouts but wanted something to prompt me to do more during my working day to make me get up and move around instead of just looking at the monitor all day. I have dumbbells literally next to my desk but with no prompting they just gather dust.
— Sporadic user
What makes Sporadic different from a repeating timer?
So why not just set a timer on your phone or use the Reminders app? There's plenty of reasons. For one, you have to come up with your own ideas for what to do when the timer goes off. Sporadic has you covered there. We also have a deadline for you to complete it by, can randomize the time it'll show, track your streak, and more.
Missing one because you ran out of time is actually gutting enough to ensure the next time you make darn certain to do it.
— App Store review
What does a typical day look like?
The day looks different for everyone depending on the stack they choose. If you run Office Breaks for example, we'll hit you with some stretching 3 times a day to break up your work. Our Daily Push-Ups stack will challenge you 2-4x a day at varying difficulties and get you on the ground in no time. We've got more stacks and you can build your own. You can also combine multiple stacks to hit your fitness goals.
What does one challenge actually look like?
Our Daily Push-Ups stack may tell you to do 20 push ups. You will get a notification on your phone, crush the challenge, then open Sporadic to mark it complete. With that stack, you have 1 hour to get it done to keep the streak alive. We'll maintain your stats for you as well.
But now I have a little voice in the form of a notification saying 'go do 10 push ups' - or 'jog on the spot for 30 seconds'. That's all it takes - the satisfaction that comes with clicking that Completed button and getting a little animation is addictive.
— App Store review
Which stack should someone at a desk use?
Our Office Breaks stack is a great one to avoid keyboard fatigue. If you have space where you work, Walk Reminders is great to step away from the desk. I personally like Daily Push-Ups to get the blood flowing!
| Stack | Exercises | When it fires | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get Up, Get Active | Push-ups, squats, jumping jacks, crunches, lunges, burpees, planks, wall sits | Random, 2–4 a day, every day | Free |
| Office Breaks | Neck rolls, shoulder rolls, wrist stretch, stretch | 9:00, 12:00 and 14:30, Monday to Friday | Pro |
| Walk Reminders | Walking | Random, 1–3 a day, 2-hour window to complete | Pro |
Does moving in short bursts actually do anything?
Moving a little bit is better than not moving at all. There's a lot of days where I go to bed wishing I had done more, and Sporadic helps me avoid that.
| Study | What it found |
|---|---|
| Dunstan et al., Diabetes Care, 2012 (n=19) | Two minutes of light walking every 20 minutes cut the post-meal glucose response by 24.1% and insulin by 23%, against sitting straight through. Walking pace was 2 mph (3.2 km/h). |
| Stamatakis et al., Nature Medicine, 2022 (n=25,241) | Among adults doing no formal exercise, about three brief vigorous bouts a day (1-2 minutes each, 4.4 minutes total) was associated with 38-40% lower all-cause mortality and 48-49% lower cardiovascular mortality. |
What devices does Sporadic work on?
Sporadic works on iOS and iPad. For the three of you using Vision Pro, it'll work on there too!
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Frequently asked questions
Can I stop challenges arriving during meetings?
If you want to avoid breaking your streak because of meetings, you have a few options. The first is to switch your stack to "schedule" mode and set a particular time for them to come in. The second is to set the duration of the challenges to a longer time period so you can complete it after your meeting. The third is to disable certain days of the week if they are particularly difficult. You can get pretty granular using all of these tools and multiple stacks together to find a fit for your life.
What happens if I miss a challenge?
Your streak resets, but begin again! We track all your stats, so even if you only get two out of three in a row, those two days still add up to help you hit your goals.
Do I need any equipment?
No! Our stacks don't require any equipment. If you want to incorporate equipment, you can always do that with a custom stack.
Is this a workout program replacement?
No, think of Sporadic as a supplement. For a lot of us, Sporadic gets us off our butts. For others, it keeps us active between larger, more structured workouts. It isn't a replacement for those by any means.
Can I do it with other people?
Yes! Invite your friends. Social accountability is a real super power.
Will the random timing get annoying?
I don't think it does, but, if it does for you, you can switch to "schedule" mode to nail down the timing.
Sources
- Dunstan DW, Kingwell BA, Larsen R, et al. "Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting Reduces Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Responses." Diabetes Care. 2012;35(5):976-983. doi:10.2337/dc11-1931
- Stamatakis E, Ahmadi MN, Gill JMR, et al. "Association of wearable device-measured vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity with mortality." Nature Medicine. 2022;28(12):2521-2529. doi:10.1038/s41591-022-02100-x