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Tutorial Setting Up the AI Coach

NoopApp edited this page Jun 10, 2026 · 1 revision

Setting Up the AI Coach

NOOP's AI Coach is an optional feature that lets you ask questions about your recovery, strain, sleep, and workouts in plain language. The coach answers using your own biometric data, giving you personalized guidance based on your real numbers.

Privacy first. The AI Coach is the only feature in NOOP that uses the network, and it's off by default. You control it with your own API key from a provider you choose — nothing is sent until you add a key and ask a question.


What you'll need

  • An API key from either OpenAI or Anthropic (you bring your own; NOOP never stores our key)
  • A funded account with the provider so the key works
  • A few days of wearable data in NOOP for the coach to work with (optional, but better coaching)

Step 1: Get an API key

Pick your provider and create an API key. You'll paste it into NOOP next.

OpenAI

  1. Go to https://platform.openai.com/account/api-keys
  2. Sign in (or create a free account)
  3. Click Create new secret key
  4. Copy the key — you'll only see it once
  5. Make sure your account has a payment method set (even free-tier credits work)

Anthropic

  1. Go to https://console.anthropic.com/account/keys
  2. Sign in (or create a free account)
  3. Click Create Key
  4. Copy the key
  5. Add a payment method or ensure you have available credits

Step 2: Open the Coach screen

macOS

  1. Launch NOOP and open the Coach screen from the sidebar (it has a sparkle icon)
  2. You'll see a card titled "Connect a provider"

Android

  1. Tap the Coach tab (bottom navigation)
  2. You'll see a setup screen

Step 3: Pick your provider and paste your key

Pick a provider

  1. Choose OpenAI or Anthropic — they both work equally well for coaching
  2. If you pick OpenAI, the default model is gpt-4o-mini (fast and capable)
  3. If you pick Anthropic, the default model is claude-sonnet-4-6 (also excellent)

Enter your API key

  1. In the API key field, paste the key you copied (it won't be shown on screen; it's stored securely)
  2. Press Return or tap Save key

What happens next:

  • Your key is stored securely (in macOS Keychain on macOS; Android's secure storage on Android)
  • Your key is never uploaded to NOOP's servers — we have no servers
  • Your key is used only to call the provider you chose, directly from your device

Step 4 (optional): Pick a model

By default, NOOP starts you with a solid, cost-effective model. You can change it:

  1. Tap or click the Model dropdown
  2. Pick from the built-in list or choose Custom… to enter any model id

Refresh from the provider (button next to Model):

  • If you want the very latest models your provider offers, click Refresh models
  • Your saved key is used to pull the current list (no new data is sent)

Step 5: Turn on data sharing (optional but recommended)

You'll see a toggle: Let the coach use my data

  • Off (default): The coach answers general questions but can't see your numbers
  • On: The coach sees your last ~14 days of recovery, strain, sleep, HRV, resting HR, and recent workouts — and gives tailored advice

Privacy note: Even when on, the coach receives only a compact text summary of your metrics, never raw sensor streams or identifiers. You can turn it off at any time.


Step 6: Ask your first question

Once your key is saved, you'll see the chat screen.

  1. Type a question, or tap one of the suggested prompts:

    • "How's my recovery trending?"
    • "What should today's training look like?"
    • "Analyse my sleep"
    • "Why am I run down?"
  2. Press Return (macOS) or tap the send arrow (both platforms)

What you'll see:

  • A brief pause while the coach thinks (2–5 seconds)
  • A plain-text answer grounded in your numbers if you've turned on data sharing
  • If data sharing is off, a general answer with an invitation to enable it

What data the coach sees (when sharing is on)

The coach receives a compact, plain-text summary:

  • Last ~14 days of your daily recovery, strain, sleep hours, HRV, and resting HR
  • 30-day averages of those same metrics
  • Recent workouts (up to 6) with duration, avg HR, strain, and calories

The coach does not see:

  • Raw heart-rate or breathing data
  • Device or account identifiers
  • Any data other than the summary you explicitly allow

Model selection guide

gpt-4o-mini (OpenAI default)

  • Fast, cost-effective, great for quick questions
  • ~$0.15 per conversation typically
  • Good balance of quality and speed

gpt-4o (OpenAI)

  • More capable than mini, better reasoning
  • ~$2–3 per conversation
  • Worth it for deeper analysis

claude-sonnet-4-6 (Anthropic default)

  • Excellent reasoning and planning
  • ~$3–4 per conversation
  • Tends to be more verbose but very thorough

claude-opus-4-8 (Anthropic)

  • Most capable, best for complex training questions
  • ~$5–6 per conversation
  • Overkill for simple check-ins, perfect for periodisation planning

Tip: Start with the default and switch if you find you're waiting too long or spending too much.


Resetting your key

If you want to disconnect or use a different key:

macOS

  • Click the Settings gear icon in the toolbar and select Reset key

Android

  • Tap Settings (in Coach screen footer) and choose Clear API key

Your key is immediately forgotten. The next time you open Coach, you'll see the setup screen again.


Troubleshooting

"Add your own API key first"

  • You haven't saved a key yet, or it was cleared. Paste it again in step 3.

"That API key was rejected"

  • Double-check you copied the full key with no extra spaces
  • Check that your account with the provider has a valid payment method
  • Make sure you picked the right provider (OpenAI key won't work with Anthropic, etc.)

"The provider is rate-limiting requests"

  • You've hit the provider's request limit. Wait a minute and try again
  • If it keeps happening, check your account's rate limit settings with the provider

Coach isn't sending my question

  • Check that your internet connection is working (Coach needs the network; NOOP uses it for nothing else)
  • On macOS, note that the sandboxed app currently cannot reach the network — NOOP stays fully offline. (Android has no such restriction and the coach works there fully.)
  • If you're offline, the coach can't respond until you're back online

Coach gives generic answers, not personalised ones

  • Turn on Let the coach use my data toggle at the top of the Chat screen
  • Make sure you have at least a few days of data in NOOP (wear the strap and sync, or import a WHOOP export)

The model list is stale

  • Click Refresh models next to the Model dropdown; it will fetch the latest list from your provider using your key

Honest privacy and limitations

What this feature is

  • An optional, bring-your-own-key coaching assistant
  • Grounded in your own biometric data
  • A supplement to, not a replacement for, a real coach or doctor

What it is not

  • Medical advice. The coach is not a doctor and cannot diagnose. If you have genuine health concerns, see a professional.
  • Proprietary data analysis. The coach uses standard sports-science principles (autoregulation, training load, sleep, HRV) and your numbers — it doesn't have access to WHOOP's proprietary models.
  • Always perfect. Like any LLM coach, it can give advice that doesn't fit your situation perfectly. Use your judgment.

Your data and the provider

  • The provider (OpenAI or Anthropic) sees only the text summary you're sending for that conversation — not your full history or identity
  • Your key is not stored by NOOP or sent to WHOOP; it stays on your device and is used only to call your chosen provider
  • For more detail on how each provider handles data, check their privacy policies:

Next steps

  • Explore your data: Before asking the coach, spend time in Trends, Sleep, and Insights to get familiar with your own patterns
  • Try different models: If you find one isn't working for you, switch to another and see which fits your coaching style
  • Check the Insights screen: It shows behavioural effects and correlations — the coach can dig deeper into anything you find there
  • Read the FAQs: See the FAQ page for common questions about NOOP's features

The AI Coach is the only feature in NOOP that uses the network. Everything else — pairing, recovery scoring, sleep analysis, insights — runs offline on your device. If you never enable the coach, NOOP makes zero network connections.

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