How Cadoo Scores Your Exercise Form: AI Pose Detection Explained

How Cadoo Uses AI to Score Your Form

Cadoo uses MediaPipe pose detection to analyze your exercise form in real time. The AI tracks 33 body landmarks (joints and key points) and measures the angles between them to determine rep count and form quality. Here is exactly how it works for each exercise.

The Two Components of Form Score

Every rep is scored on two criteria:

• Depth score (60% weight) — How deep you go on the effort phase of the rep (e.g., how low you go on a pushup)
• Lockout score (40% weight) — How fully you return to the starting position (e.g., how straight your arms are at the top)

Each component is scored from 0 to 1.0. They are combined using the 60/40 weighting to produce a per-rep score. Your session score is the average of all your per-rep scores. You need at least 0.6 (60%) to pass.

Scoring Tiers

The AI uses a two-tier scoring system for both depth and lockout:

• Detection threshold: The minimum angle change required for the rep to be detected at all. If you do not reach this threshold, the movement does not count as a rep.
• Ideal threshold: The angle that earns a perfect score. Going past the ideal threshold still scores 1.0 (no extra credit, but no penalty).

Between the detection and ideal thresholds, your score is interpolated linearly. Barely hitting the detection threshold gives about 0.6. Reaching the ideal threshold gives 1.0.

Pushup Scoring Angles

The AI measures your elbow angle (shoulder-elbow-wrist):

• Depth detection: 110 degrees (minimum to count)
• Depth ideal: 90 degrees (full depth, perfect score)
• Lockout detection: 160 degrees (minimum extension)
• Lockout ideal: 170 degrees (full arm extension)

Squat Scoring Angles

The AI measures your knee angle (hip-knee-ankle):

• Depth detection: 110 degrees (minimum squat depth)
• Depth ideal: 90 degrees (thighs parallel or below)
• Lockout detection: 160 degrees (minimum standing)
• Lockout ideal: 170 degrees (fully upright)

Situp Scoring Angles

The AI measures your hip angle (shoulder-hip-knee):

• Sit-up detection: 100 degrees (minimum sit-up height)
• Sit-up ideal: 80 degrees (full sit-up position)
• Lying flat detection: 155 degrees (minimum return)
• Lying flat ideal: 165 degrees (fully flat)

How the AI Detects Your Orientation

Cadoo detects which direction you face (left side to camera, right side, or frontal) by analyzing the visibility of your shoulder and hip landmarks. Side-facing positions give the most accurate angle measurements. Frontal positions can reduce accuracy because joint angles are harder to measure from the front.

This is why Cadoo asks you to face sideways during practice mode.

Video Quality Score

Before analyzing your reps, the AI checks your video quality score (VQS). This measures how clearly it can see your body landmarks. If the VQS is below 45%, the video is rejected and you will need to re-record with better lighting or camera positioning.

Tips for Getting the Best Form Score

• Full range of motion on every rep. Going deeper and extending fully earns higher scores.
• Consistent pace. Steady reps give the AI more frames to analyze.
• Side-facing camera angle. The AI measures joint angles most accurately from the side.
• Good lighting. Bright, even lighting helps the AI detect your joints. Avoid silhouettes or backlighting.
• Fitted clothing. Loose clothing can hide joint positions and reduce detection accuracy.
• Full body in frame. Keep head to feet visible throughout the recording.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum form score to pass?

You need at least 60% (0.6 out of 1.0) average form score across all your reps to pass.

Does form score affect my rep count?

Form score and rep count are tracked separately. Low-form reps still count in the rep total, but your overall form score may drop below the passing threshold.

Can I see my form score after each rep?

The form score runs in the background during recording. You see your results after the video is analyzed.

What happens if my video quality score is too low?

If the AI cannot detect your body landmarks clearly enough (below 45%), the video is rejected. Re-record with better lighting and camera positioning.

Does the AI penalize speed?

Not directly, but very fast movements may cause the AI to miss frames, potentially missing reps or reducing your score. A steady, controlled pace works best.