Contribution Guidelines

The Open Exercise Database currently supports a single category of contribution:

Submission of a new exercise to the database.

All new exercises, regardless of submission method, are stored in the community branch of the repository. Exercises remain in the community branch until they undergo professional review.

No exercise becomes part of the validated dataset until it has been reviewed and approved by a verified professional.

This structured workflow ensures openness while maintaining scientific integrity and safety standards.

These Contribution Guidelines define the standards, expectations, and procedural requirements for submitting new exercises. They are designed to ensure:

• Scientific neutrality
• Biomechanical clarity
• Structural consistency
• Data interoperability
• Transparency and traceability
• Ethical responsibility

All contributors must adhere to these principles when submitting content.

The submission and validation process follows a transparent and traceable structure:

1. 1A contributor submits a new exercise.
2. 2The exercise is stored in the community branch.
3. 3Verified professionals evaluate the submission.
4. 4A review decision is recorded.
5. 5If approved, the exercise is promoted to the main branch.

Review outcomes may include:

• Approved
• Edited and approved
• Marked as duplicate
• Rejected

Validation indicates that a qualified professional has reviewed the exercise for clarity, safety, and structural compliance. Validation does not constitute medical advice or individualized prescription.

Contributors may add new exercises through one of four structured methods.

4.1 Structured Web Form

The structured form provides a guided interface aligned with the official Data Schema Specification.

Contributors manually enter:

• Basic exercise information
• Categories
• Targeted body parts
• Required equipment
• Location context
• Sequential instructions
• Performance metrics
• Variations
• Media references
• Comments and notes

The system automatically generates a unique exercise identifier.

This method is recommended for most contributors as it ensures schema compliance and reduces formatting errors.

All form submissions are stored in the community branch.

4.2 AI Assisted Drafting

The platform supports AI assisted drafting of exercises.

In this workflow:

1. 1The contributor provides structured inputs such as exercise goal, body parts, equipment, setting, and difficulty.
2. 2The AI generates a structured draft aligned with the database schema.
3. 3The contributor reviews and edits the draft before submission.

The contributor remains fully responsible for:

• Accuracy
• Biomechanical correctness
• Clarity
• Compliance with schema requirements

Metadata must clearly indicate whether the exercise was:

• ai_generated
• co generated with ai

AI assistance does not replace professional review.

All AI assisted submissions are stored in the community branch.

4.3 Uploading a Structured JSON File

Technically experienced contributors may upload a JSON file directly.

Requirements:

• The file must strictly follow the official schema.
• All required fields must be present.
• Field types must match specification.
• Instructions must be sequential.
• Metadata must be correctly initialized.

If the identifier does not conform to required format, the system will generate a compliant identifier.

Media files must follow the standardized folder structure.

Improperly structured JSON files may be rejected or require correction before review.

All uploaded files are stored in the community branch.

4.4 Manual Pull Request via GitHub

Advanced contributors may submit exercises directly through a pull request to the repository.

Requirements:

• The submission must target the community branch.
• The JSON file must be placed in the exercises directory.
• Media files must be placed in the corresponding images directory.
• The schema must be fully respected.

Manual pull requests are subject to the same professional review process as web based submissions.

All submissions must conform exactly to the official Data Schema Specification.

Each exercise must include:

• Unique identifier
• Name
• Categories
• Exercise effects
• Body parts
• Equipment
• Location
• Instructions
• Performance metrics
• Variations
• Media content
• Metadata
• Comments and notes

Submissions that fail to meet structural requirements may be rejected or corrected during review.

6.1 Language

Submissions must:

• Use neutral and educational tone
• Avoid marketing language
• Avoid exaggerated or unsupported claims
• Avoid definitive health guarantees
• Avoid medical prescriptions

6.2 Instruction Clarity

Instructions must:

• Be sequential and logically ordered
• Clearly define starting position
• Clearly describe movement execution
• Indicate return phase when relevant
• Avoid ambiguity
• Avoid unsafe joint positions

Each step must be understandable without external explanation.

6.3 Safety

Contributors are responsible for ensuring that:

• The described movement does not encourage unsafe alignment
• Equipment usage is appropriate
• Biomechanical cues are sound
• Risk elements are appropriately clarified

The database does not replace professional screening or individualized assessment.

Before submitting a new exercise, contributors should:

• Search for similar exercises
• Determine whether the submission represents a meaningful variation

Submissions that are substantially identical to existing validated exercises may be marked as duplicate during review.

Meaningful variations are encouraged. Redundant duplication is discouraged.

All exercises in the community branch undergo evaluation by verified professionals.

Reviewers assess:

• Safety and biomechanical soundness
• Clarity of instructions
• Structural consistency
• Scientific neutrality
• Duplication

Only exercises approved during this process are promoted to the main branch.

All review decisions are recorded in metadata.

All submissions are:

• Version controlled
• Associated with contributor identity
• Recorded with review metadata
• Publicly traceable

This ensures accountability and scientific reproducibility.

Contributors must:

• Submit original content
• Avoid copying proprietary exercise databases
• Avoid uploading copyrighted images without permission
• Avoid discriminatory or harmful language
• Avoid unsupported medical claims

The Open Exercise Database is intended for research and educational purposes.

By submitting a new exercise, contributors acknowledge that:

• They are responsible for the accuracy of the content
• The submission may be edited during review
• Validation does not imply medical endorsement
• The database is not a substitute for professional clinical advice