If you’re an outdoors person, especially runs and rides, Strava is the perfect app for you. #5) Geocaching – If rock climbing is a fit nerd’s dream, then geocaching is an adventure nerd’s dream brought to life. Become a real-life treasure-hunter (Lara Croft? Nathan Drake? You decide!), and get a great workout in while you’re at it.
Smartwatch/ smart ring companion apps
The app sends an SOS message with your location if you stop moving for five minutes and don’t respond to the app’s alert. Even better, your contacts don’t need the RoadID app to use it—they get alerts via text or email. This likely won’t surprise you, but one of the reasons many runners like to race is for the bling. The Conqueror solves that problem by supporting you through virtual races and then rewarding you with a medal (and more swag if you pay for it).
Beginners may opt for Baseline Bootcamp, a six-class series designed to build foundational strength. If you’re more advanced, you may prefer Superhero Series, a four-week program created by the celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak. Or, explore iconic global destinations like Machu Picchu and the French Riviera with the “Alo in the Wild” series.
Best for iOS users
Tell the app your goal and it will recommend programs developed by Hemsworth’s own personal trainers. The newest offering is Centr Begin, a three-week low-impact program designed for total fitness newbies. It includes three weekly home workouts that can be done in 15 to 20 minutes with no equipment. Your coach then builds a personalized workout plan based on your goals, schedule, available equipment, and current fitness level. Workouts are delivered directly in the app with in-workout coaching cues, and plans can be adjusted in real bodyweight exercise app time for things like injuries, travel, or changing energy levels.
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Many of the apps on this list play nicely together, too, with the likes of Fitbod and Fitbit Premium able to pull data from Google and Apple. It’s system-agnostic, so you can import your metrics from almost any watch into the app, but it can also estimate its own metrics too. It’s ideal for lapsed runners and newcomers, too, with an audio prompter for helping you pick up the pace, but experienced runners will love the more detailed running metrics offered here, too. Every week you also get a message from your coach, where they give you tips on factors such as technique and mobility.
Best for Garmin Users
From a coach in your ear to music that will improve your pace, we have the apps that will improve your runs. The Fitbit Charge 6 is admittedly a difficult fitness tracker to match, feature and tech-wise, hence its high regard in our buying guides, but the closest match is the Garmin Vivosmart 5. Most HRMs don’t require one, but some, like Whoop or Oura, do charge a monthly membership for access to their full analytics and insights. And while you do pay for a monthly membership to access the full suite of features, the first year is included, which makes it easier to justify. It doesn’t warn you as often as the Oura ring or a Garmin device about your habits, but features a lighter touch in the “you’re overdoing it” shame department. Battery life is solid at up to 38 hours, and Bluetooth syncing is quick, but the connection range isn’t amazing—you’ll want to keep your watch or phone fairly close.
Factors to consider when choosing a workout app
The medals are truly impressive, and you get to choose your race theme (Harry Potter! European countries!). You even get to choose the bookstore from which you purchase your audiobook through in-app credits. Their choices are deep and rich, so don’t hesitate to get inspiration from Lauren Fleshman and Kara Goucher, among other runner-writers. Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
A durable HRM needs to keep up with your lifestyle, whether you’re breaking a sweat or just enjoying a brisk walk. Thanks to Bluetooth and ANT+, gadgets play nice with all your beloved external devices and go-to fitness apps. Some even have the ability to send the readings right to your doctor.
Top 10 Fitness Apps for Workout Tracking (
It will not send you motivational push notifications or suggest a workout. What it does is log your workouts reliably, every time, without asking for your credit card. There are plenty of online yoga instructors to try if neither personality quite gels with you.
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Fitness trackers are a great way of recording progress in a home gym, as well as outside. Read our best home gym equipment guide for more on setting one up. If you already use an app on your smartphone or wearable, such as Strava or running app MapMyRun, you won’t want to lose access to your data or the in-depth analysis a dedicated app can offer. Smartwatches are more likely to offer compatibility here, allowing you to pair with app services and sync the data from your wearable. Most now come with a heart rate monitor which will report on your average heart rate, and periods of peaks and troughs – useful for tracking improvements in your fitness.
- Most classes focus on controlled, precise movement, with an emphasis on alignment, breath, and deep core engagement.
- Nike Fitness Club is our current favorite of the bunch, but all of our other picks are worth a download, too.
- For example, while Strava can track your gym workouts through Apple’s Fitness app, it’ll struggle to give you useful information, as it won’t record any data points beyond heart rate and calories burned.
- You can buy a tracker for as little as £2 or you could pay close to £250.
- Healthline tester Candice Abellon said that following other people on the app — including people she knows in real life and high profile athletes — motivates her.
- And some incorporate other components of fitness and wellness, such as mindfulness, nutrition, sleep, and recovery.
Alo Wellness Club
Whether you’re looking for structured workout programs, real-time feedback, or a bit of inspiration for the new year, we’ve done the heavy lifting to bring you the apps worth downloading. I’m a reporter at NBC Select who has covered fitness for five years at NBC Select, including topics like women’s running shoes, women’s walking shoes, sports bras and at-home dumbbell workouts. To write this article, I interviewed two experts about fitness apps, and tested over a dozen options along with the NBC Select staff. To help increase motivation, some fitness apps offer programs that pair you with a virtual accountability buddy either through the app itself or via an exclusive group on social media, says Davis. As accountability buddies, you encourage each other to workout, cheer each other on and have frequent check-ins to ensure you’re both on track. If you’re brand new to exercising, or if you’re trying a new type of workout, experts recommend using a fitness app as a supplement to in-person sessions with professional trainers, at least for a few weeks.
Pricing guide for monthly subscription
To join Apple Fitness Plus, you can try it out for free for up to three months and then have the option to pay month-to-month, $10 or $80 for the year. If you’re on a family plan, you can share access to Apple Fitness Plus with up to five family members. I’ve been writing and editing technology articles for more than seven years, most recently as part of PCMag’s software team. I am responsible for content in the AI, financial, graphic design, operating system, photo and video editing, productivity, and small business categories, among others. I also worked for several years on the consumer electronics team, where I edited articles on topics such as cameras, headphones, phones, speakers, and tablets. Some people want a fully guided plan, others want variety, and others just want something quick and simple that fits into a busy schedule without needing to think too hard about it.