I created ProsoStride to get myself moving again. Not training for a marathon. Not chasing a pace. Just returning to regular walks and slow runs with enough body awareness to stay in the right zone - and enough honesty to notice when my ego was pushing me too hard.
ProsoStride applies the NikoNiko method - a mindful movement approach developed by Professor Hiroaki Tanaka at Fukuoka University. The core idea is simple: move at a pace where you can maintain a genuine smile. If you’re grimacing, you’re going too fast. The smile correlates with your aerobic threshold - the intensity where your body efficiently builds endurance without accumulating fatigue. Three different research traditions - Tanaka’s NikoNiko, Maffetone’s MAF, and San Millan’s Zone 2 - all point to the same physiological zone.
The Problem with How Most People Run
Most runners train too hard on easy days and too tired to go hard on hard days. The research is consistent: roughly 80% of training volume should be at low aerobic intensity. Most amateur runners invert this, spending nearly every run in a grey zone where neither endurance nor speed actually improves. The result is chronic fatigue, injury, and eventually quitting.
I was no different. Every run felt like it had to count - faster, further, harder. ProsoStride exists because I needed a tool that would keep me honest about intensity without requiring me to stare at my watch.
How ProsoStride Works
ProsoStride runs as a tandem between your iPhone and Apple Watch. Your watch provides heart rate data and acts as a remote control. The main app runs on your iPhone, generating audio feedback that blends with whatever you’re already listening to - audiobooks, podcasts, music. You stay informed about your body without breaking your flow.
Key Features
- Real-Time Audio Heart Rate Feedback - Non-intrusive audio cues tell you when you’re drifting above your aerobic zone. No need to check your wrist or interrupt your podcast.
- MAF-Inspired Zone Calculation - Built-in calculators based on Maffetone’s 180-minus-age formula help you find your target heart rate ceiling for aerobic training.
- Adaptive Cadence Metronome - Helps you set and maintain your walking or running rhythm, making it easier to stay consistent during sessions.
- Works With Your Audio - Cues overlay your existing audio content. ProsoStride enhances your run without replacing what you’re already enjoying.
Start Where You Are
The NikoNiko method doesn’t require running. If walking is your current level, walk at smile pace. That’s NikoNiko. Graduate to slow jogging when brisk walking feels genuinely easy. The transition should feel natural, not forced. Tanaka himself says NikoNiko pace should feel too easy - that feeling is the signal you’re doing it right.
Learn more about the science and practice at NikoNiko Running.
What’s Coming: Version 2.0
ProsoStride 2.0 is in active development. The current App Store version provides heart rate audio feedback and cadence metronome. Version 2.0 will bring full NikoNiko integration - dedicated smile-pace training mode, iPhone-only running (no Apple Watch required), and deeper contemplative movement features. The core philosophy stays the same: stay in the right zone, stay out of your own way.
Privacy
All data stays on your device through HealthKit integration. ProsoStride accesses heart rate and workout data solely to enhance your training experience. No accounts, no cloud, no tracking.