Best Workout Apps To Bring Fitness To Your Fingertips
Welcome to the era of fitness at your fingertips. Finding the best workout apps has never been easier, making it a breeze to break a sweat from the comfort of your home. Thanks to advances in technology, you can bid farewell to crowded gyms and dirty equipment (ew) and get moving wherever you want to, without having to sacrifice any part of your normal workout routine.
That said, not all workout apps are made equal. Depending on your exercise style, fitness level, and personal preferences, some workout apps are bound to be your new gym buddy, while others aren’t worth breaking a sweat over at all. Below are the apps worth downloading based on activity, price point, features, and more, so you can get working out ASAP.
The best workout apps, at a glance:
– Best Variety:** Peloton
– Best Free App:** Nike Training Club
– Best User Experience:** Alo Moves
– Best for Tracking Metrics:** Apple Fitness
– Best for Running and Cycling:** Strava
– Best for Hiking:** AllTrails+
– Most Personalized:** Adidas Running
– Best for Home Workouts:** Obé Fitness
What to look for in a workout app
First things first: always try the app out first before you pay anything. “If you’re not using an app that’s user-friendly, with coaches that motivate you, you’re probably not going to open it very often, right?” says Bianca Vesco, a Nashville-based certified personal trainer and fitness instructor. You have to find an app that feels easy to navigate and use, gets you excited to move around, and holds you accountable. Most apps offer free trials, so give them a whirl before you commit.
Instruction
From there, Vesco suggests looking into the instructors on the app. “Make sure that the individuals teaching on the workout app are educated professionals and not just random people filling a roster of spots.” Think about paying for a workout class in person—you wouldn’t be pleased to find out that your Pilates or OrangeTheory instructor wasn’t certified or skilled in what they were teaching you, would you?
Personal Fitness Goals
When you’re browsing through different apps, think about what you specifically are looking for. “Get serious about what you’re looking to get out of your fitness app and coaches,” Vesco says, which starts with, “considering what types of workouts you enjoy most and align most with your fitness goals.”
And of course, if you’re using an app as a supplemental tool to other workouts or fitness programs, make sure the app complements what you’re already doing. “You want to be consistent in your training, but still enjoy some variety, too—and apps are a great way to get the best of both,” says Vesco. Or, if you’re planning to use a fitness app as your primary workout routine or want to try something new, Vesco says one thing is the most important—having fun. “Never tried dance cardio? There’s an app for that so you can try it in the comfort of your own home. Scared to do yoga? Find a beginners’ class or yoga app and try it in your living room without worrying about being nervous in a group setting,” Vesco says. The bottom line? “Find the app that feels like you, and the results will follow.”
