There are hundreds of fitness apps out there. Here are the good ones that will help you smash your goals
Most of us use our phones just for making calls, texting and scrolling through the social media, but this pocket- sized device can help you stay fit through various fitness applications.
Any app that gets your butt off of the couch and moving around is better than not doing anything.
Fitness apps are conquering people around the world and that’s not for nothing. There are many advantages that these apps bring to people’s lives. Studies have shown that a fitness app uses behavioural change techniques, and that they thus have the potential of effectively promoting engagement in physical activity. As fitness apps tracks the progress, it further motivates you by showing that you are progressing.
Even with the gyms reopening, the fitness apps have proved the point they can still be your best workout buddy. Whether you like yoga, running, cycling or strength training there is a tailor-made application for each and every need. Switch to one of these apps and you don’t have to worry about going outdoors always to stay fit.
1. Nike Training Club
Both Nike Training Club and Nike+ Run Club offers a range of workouts, based on your goals. NTC is one of the most extensive app there is. It tracks your outdoor run via GPS, provides audio-guided runs for beginners as well as personalized coaching plans for the more experienced runner. The app itself is free to download for Android and iOS, and its basic version provides access to more than 180 routines and additional workouts from top trainers and athletes.
Short on time? Not a problem! The NTC app also has short workouts ranging from 5 – 22 minutes.
The Premium version of the app that, until recently, cost $14.95 a month is now free and available for all. In 2020, Nike announced that it is keeping its Premium features free, as a response to the coronavirus pandemic that left many people stuck to their own home gyms, so now’s a great time to try out its Premium features without burning a hole in you pocket.
Devices: Android, IOS
Price : Free
2. Strava
You would have likely seen the screenshots of your followers on their insta and facebook stories and wondered how are they tracking their cycling and running routes. Well strava, makes it easy. It has nearly 50 million users and the number growing high, said at a rate of 1 million each month.
Strava is entirely focused towards athletes. Much of what this of app offers is about the analysis of your performance and importantly, keeping track of your training. It apparently turns your phone into a sophisticated tracking device, not only will you see the routes and distance but also pace, heartrate and more. You can explore into various challenges that let you signup to various things to try and get you motivated, like distance, climb or duration goal for a week or month. There are clubs you can follow on social media and there are also local clubs that share routes, events and organise rides.
There is a lilttle drawback here, to get the ultimate experience you do need to be okay with making your geolocation data visible to other people. Many people don’t have a problem with making their data public, but ultimately that is a personal choice.
Devices : Android, IOS
Price : Free with in-app purchases for premium features
3. Peloton
Peloton is one of the crowd favourite gym-turned-livestream. Their spin workouts, which is what it’s famous for, will transform your home or gym bike sessions. With Peleton Digital, you can live-stream any cycling or workout from the Peleton studio to wherever you are. If you want to take your workout outdoors, you can take your phone or tablet with you. Also, it offers various running workouts and tracks your mileage, pace, your splits so you can inspect how you are doing.
If your workout routine is dull- it makes it more apalling by one of the app’s feature, music themed rides. From yoga to bootcamp, there are an incredible number of workouts and series included in your membership, as well as multiple live daily classes.
Devices : Android, IOS
Price : 12.99 $ per month
4. Aaptiv
Aaptiv, an on-demand audio fitness app that brings both the power of a personal motivator and the necessity of well-curated music directly to your phone in the form of digital classes you can take literally anywhere. It provides members access to 2,500 audio workouts guided by 20+ instructors, and according to the company continues to add between 30-40 new classes to the platform weekly.
The audio-only fitness app delivers workouts exclusively through your ears. You have the option to choose and download workouts. Aaptiv offers spinning, rowing, elliptical, strength training, stretching, and yoga workouts provided through audio cues, as if you were listening to an instructor at a group fitness class. Start by choosing the type of exercise, anything from boxing to yoga classes, then pick your soundtrack and length of time. All workouts are set to a backdrop of music. Each workout lists the music genre so you can choose according to your tastes.
Devices : Android, IOS
Price : $14.99 per month / $99.99 per year
5. Sworkit
Sworkit is a short form of “Simply Work It”. Whether you want to lose weight, tone muscle, improve flexibility, or do all of the above, Sworkit has a workout to help you reach your goals. This app has one of the best UI for an exercising app, works in landscape and has a preview window to mentally prepare you for the next move. It lets you alter music within the exercise window and set how long you want to exercise for, with sessions beginning at five minutes.
You could be looking to get leaner, or fitter, or stronger, or have five minutes per day, or 45 – Sworkit is an incredibly adaptable tool, and what’s more interesting is that you can sync your workouts to Strava for a more holistic wellbeing program. You can customize workouts based on your fitness goals and how much time you have . Whether you are looking for strength training, cardio, yoga, or stretching or your fitness goals is to tone, strengthen or burn calories Sworkit has it all customized for you. In addition, they offer sets of classes for monthly challenges.
Devices : Android, IOS
Price : $7.99/ month or $59.99/ year