Rewind a few years and there wasn’t a hell of a lot on offer when it came to fitness apps. Sure, you could find some workouts on YouTube and Chris Hemsworth was starting to make noise about his ‘digital gym’, but your options were pretty limited.
Fast forward to 2022 and it feels like we have the opposite problem. There is an abundance of apps you can choose from and you feel like you’re constantly seeing ads about jumping on board the fitness app revolution. But who do you choose? Aside from parting way with you hard earned, you don’t want to waste your precious time with an app that doesn’t suit you!
Never fear, Best Fitness Apps is here with the top 3 things you should consider before diving into the fitness app market.
1. What’s your level of fitness?
It’s not always an easy question to answer but you should try and have a stab at it before researching different solutions out there.
Some apps are definitely better geared for the ‘beginner’ / ‘really out of practice’ – their trainers breakdown the exercises within workouts and provide better guidance for the less-confident.
Others will spruik their superiority in delivering gains for their clients but the downside in that is they’re more likely to expect you’re working from a higher fitness and skill base.
Have a think about where you sit on this scale and approach the decision recognising that not all apps cater for all levels of fitness and skill.
2. Find a free trial
Most fitness apps work like a subscription – sign up and you’re committing to a rolling subscription (a bit like Binge or Netflix).
If you get it wrong you can always cancel your subscription but they won’t refund the amount you’ve already paid!
Nowadays most fitness apps will offer a free trial - between 1 week and 4 weeks - that allows you to try before you buy. These trials aren’t always available though, for examples during sales periods like Boxing Day, so make sure you read the fine print before you subscribe!
3. Start with something you know and like
It’s often said that the hardest part of doing exercise is putting your shoes on – once you conquer that mental barrier it is easy to get going!
Sadly, it probably isn’t that simple (for me anyway). One thing that is proven to help with motivation is doing workouts and exercises that you ‘like’. If you’ve never ridden a bike then it is probably not wise to go out and buy a $3,000 peloton bike. Choose a fitness app that has an exercise/workout you’re familiar with and like. Once you get going you’ll find it easier to try out other exercise types. Not sure if you like anything?! Think about trying the mindfulness training that a lot of fitness apps (like 28 by Sam Wood) now offer.