Tutorial: Exercise Database

Health

Data source: Curated dataset

Overview

Exercise Database wraps Curated dataset, handling authentication, pagination, and rate limits for you. This tutorial covers all 7 tools with working code examples you can copy and run.

Prerequisites

Sign up at https://context.gnist.ai/signup for a free API key (100 calls/day).
Choose your integration method: MCP protocol or REST API.

Connect via MCP

Add to your MCP client config (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.):

MCP Config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gnist-exercise": {
      "url": "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/",
      "headers": {
        "Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Tools (7)

`get_exercise`

Get detailed information about an exercise by its ID. Args: exercise_id: Exercise slug (e.g. "bench-press", "barbell-squat"). Returns: Dictionary with exercise details including muscle group, equipment, difficulty, and calories.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`exercise_id`	string	required

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "get_exercise", "arguments": {"exercise_id": "12345"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'exercise_id': '12345'}, 'name': 'get_exercise'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`search_exercises`

Search exercises by name (case-insensitive partial match). Args: query: Search string to match against exercise names. limit: Maximum number of results to return (default 20). Returns: Dictionary with count and list of matching exercises.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`query`	string	required
`limit`	integer	optional	(default: `20`)

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "search_exercises", "arguments": {"query": "renewable energy"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'query': 'renewable energy'},
            'name': 'search_exercises'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`list_exercises_by_muscle_group`

List exercises targeting a specific muscle group. Args: muscle_group: Muscle group — one of chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs, core, full_body, cardio. limit: Maximum number of results to return (default 20). Returns: Dictionary with muscle group, count, and list of exercises.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`muscle_group`	string	required
`limit`	integer	optional	(default: `20`)

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "list_exercises_by_muscle_group", "arguments": {"muscle_group": "example"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'muscle_group': 'example'},
            'name': 'list_exercises_by_muscle_group'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`list_exercises_by_equipment`

List exercises that use a specific type of equipment. Args: equipment: Equipment type — one of barbell, dumbbell, bodyweight, machine, cable, kettlebell, resistance_band, none. limit: Maximum number of results to return (default 20). Returns: Dictionary with equipment type, count, and list of exercises.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`equipment`	string	required
`limit`	integer	optional	(default: `20`)

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "list_exercises_by_equipment", "arguments": {"equipment": "example"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'equipment': 'example'},
            'name': 'list_exercises_by_equipment'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`get_muscle_groups`

Get all available muscle groups in the exercise database. Returns: Dictionary with count and list of muscle group names.

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "get_muscle_groups", "arguments": {}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {}, 'name': 'get_muscle_groups'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`get_equipment_types`

Get all available equipment types in the exercise database. Returns: Dictionary with count and list of equipment type names.

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "get_equipment_types", "arguments": {}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {}, 'name': 'get_equipment_types'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`report_feedback`

Report a bug, feature request, or general feedback for this data source. Use this when something doesn't work as expected, when you'd like a new feature, or when you have suggestions for improvement. Args: feedback: Describe the issue or suggestion. feedback_type: One of 'bug', 'feature_request', or 'general'.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`feedback`	string	required
`feedback_type`	string	optional	(default: `general`)

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "report_feedback", "arguments": {"feedback": "example"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/exercise/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'feedback': 'example'}, 'name': 'report_feedback'}},
)
print(resp.json())

Common Patterns

Search then retrieve
Use search_exercises to find items, then get_exercise to get full details. This two-step pattern is common for exploring data before drilling down.

Pagination
Several tools support limit, offset, or page parameters. Start with small limits during development, then increase for production queries.

FAQ

What data does Exercise Database provide?

Exercise database with muscle groups, equipment types, difficulty levels, and calorie estimates. It exposes 7 tools: get_exercise, search_exercises, list_exercises_by_muscle_group, list_exercises_by_equipment, get_muscle_groups, get_equipment_types, report_feedback.

What do I need to get started?

A Gnist API key (free tier: 100 calls/day). Sign up at https://context.gnist.ai/signup.

What format does the Exercise Database API return?

JSON, via either MCP protocol (JSON-RPC 2.0) or REST API.

Next Steps

Interactive Playground

Try tools in your browser — no setup required.

Full Reference

Complete docs for all 7 tools.

Getting Started with Exercise Database