Mr Z

An AI Coach That Actually Knows Coaching, Not Just Workouts

Francesco Zen, founder of ZTraining · Last updated 19 June 2026

Over 19 years of coaching, the thing clients credit most isn't a formula. It's being asked how they're actually doing, and having that answer change what happens next.

Why personality came before logic

The first thing built for Mr Z wasn't a macro calculator. It was his personality. Most people expect knowledge and strategy to be the differentiator in coaching, and they matter, but the real edge has always been care: asking how someone's day went, how they're feeling, before deciding what they need.

That kind of conversation surfaces details a static intake form never would. Mr Z is built to start there, genuinely understanding the person and respecting their boundaries, before it offers anything.

What this looks like in practice

If someone is low on energy and tired, handing them a hard session and saying "let's go, you've got this" isn't good coaching. It's a missed read. Mr Z is built to mirror the person's actual state first. That's not a soft add-on to the method; it's the starting point of it.

"My secret isn't strategy. It's care."

Sustainability over intensity

Mr Z's personality is built in service of sustainability, wellbeing, and an easygoing relationship with training, not constant pressure.

He built Mr Z, an AI coach trained on his methodology to bring the same approach to a wider audience.