Camera-guided exercise works best when the camera can actually see you. A few minutes of setup makes tracking more accurate, feedback more useful, and sessions smoother. Most of it is common sense once you know what the camera needs.
Give the camera the full picture
- Place your device roughly waist height and step back until your whole body is in frame, head to feet, for the positions your exercise uses.
- Use the on-screen framing guide rather than relying on a fixed distance; camera lenses and room sizes vary.
- Prop the device stable rather than hand-holding or leaning it precariously.
Light and contrast help tracking
- Face the light source rather than standing in front of a bright window (backlighting turns you into a silhouette).
- Ordinary room lighting is fine; avoid exercising in the dark.
- Clothing that contrasts with your background helps, and fitted clothing is easier to track than very loose clothing.
Clear the space you'll move through
Check the full range of the exercise, not just where you're standing: arms extended, a step in each direction, anything you might reach or kick. Move rugs that slide, and keep a stable chair or counter within reach if your program includes balance work or your therapist recommended support.
Before you press start
- Have water and any prescribed equipment (bands, weights, chair) within reach.
- Allow camera access when your browser asks; it's requested per session, and only when you begin.
- Answer the pain check honestly; it's part of what your therapist reviews.
If your space genuinely can't fit an exercise safely, tell your therapist. Programs can usually be adapted to the room you have.