What are the best workout apps to pair with your fitness routine?
If you have a keen interest in weight training and are looking for a perfect tool to start your fitness journey or take it a notch higher, it could be only a click away on your handset.
Currently, there is a plethora of workout apps out there designed to make your fitness journey more fun, sociable, and successful. Gone are the days when you needed to hit up a trainer to show up for training sessions in person!
However, with this digital convenience emerges another challenge: Not every workout app gives you the level of experience and success you need.
With that in mind, our team of fitness enthusiasts set out to try some of the tools regarded as the ‘world’s best workout apps’, keenly recording their experience with each and the features thereof. Using the gathered information, we then narrowed down the list to only 5, so read our review of the 5 best fitness apps.
1. Hoola
Hoola is one of the most trusted workout apps out there and is designed with beginners and advanced athletes in mind. The app brings you a wide spectrum of exercises curated to help your body, mind, and spirit.
Strength training, wall Pilates, cardio, and stretching are some examples of exercises you get here. And Hoola even has yoga, giving you a wide selection of workouts.
The weight training lessons target basic weight training equipment like dumbbells and kettlebells. If you have neither, the app features an extensive library of bodyweight workouts, and you only need a 2 x 2 m space plus your phone to work out.
Among the excellent features Hoola offers its users is the creative approach it uses to track and log their progression details. With the app, users get experience points for every workout session they complete, making it quite different from other options.
Even more, the app has carefully crafted nutrition and supplementation guides to complement your workout efforts. The Hoola app is also easy to navigate, works smoothly, and is available for both Android and iOS.
2. Caliber
Caliber not only provides insights on how to do weight training but also a nutrition plan to support your weight training goals. That’s a clever approach, especially considering that nutrition plays a crucial role in helping you build strength and achieve body fitness.
The app currently comes in several price levels. You can opt for the free version that provides basic app access, a pro version (group coaching) that goes for $19 per month, or the premium program (personal training) that costs $200+ every month. Both the Pro and Premium versions have a 7-day free trial period.
The app uses science-backed data to create workouts, which then follow an overload approach to guarantee progress over time. It has a full library of exercises, with clear instructions on how to perform them.
The Premium version of the Caliber app has a feature that you can use to record videos right on the app. A coach can then send feedback to you on whether you’re doing it right or if there’s room for improvement.
3. Future
Future has many desirable features, one of which is that you can choose who coaches you.
You begin by filling out a survey that captures your preferences. Then, the app will recommend a certified coach who best fits your needs. The assigned coach will then guide you through the fitness journey using personalized workouts that target the equipment you already have.
The coach will also schedule check-ins periodically to discuss your progress, a level of personalization you don’t get with most apps out there.
And get this: In case you’re not happy with your current trainer, the app provides you an option to switch at any time.
There’s no free basic version with Future. Instead, the app comes at a monthly subscription fee of $199. That’s a bit on the high side, but you can make it $149 monthly by opting for the annual plan instead.
Of course, Future also has a full-refund policy that allows you to enjoy the app risk-free for the first month.
4. Centr
If you want an app that will help you not only hit your weight training goals but also achieve general body fitness, then you might want to work with Centr.
Centr is a product of Chris Hemsworth, an Australian actor known for playing the role of Thor in Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.
This app not only provides a wide selection of weight training classes but also guidelines on yoga exercises, daily motivations, and other workouts. In fact, the app even has carefully curated meal-plan suggestions and recipes designed by professional chefs.
You only need to choose what exercises you want to focus most on as you sign up, and the app will personalize your exercises and diet to align with your fitness goals.
One of the features you’re likely to love the most about the app is that it has a logbook to keep track of your progress. This eliminates the need for paper and ink, and motivates you to keep pressing toward your health and fitness goals.
Some of the workouts here are coached, meaning that you work with an online trainer, while others are self-guided, meaning that a sample video is provided to guide you on how to do a particular exercise.
As you’d expect, this is a paid app that goes for $29.99 monthly. If you want to pay less, you can opt for a quarterly or annual subscription, which cost $60 and $120, respectively.
There’s also a 7-day test period before committing yourself financially to any workout plan, but you will need to feed in your credit card details.
5. Shred
Shred is the go-to option if you want an app that will allow you to connect with people sharing the same goals and even compete against them. The app does that through fitness groups, but you can also challenge friends and family to competitions.
The fitness app customizes your weight training workouts based on the equipment you already have in your home gym. It offers options for dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, and others. It can even recommend exercises using body weight just in case you’re beginning your fitness journey and are yet to invest in any fitness equipment.
Once installed and you have picked a program, you can record how you are working out. The app will then use an AI algorithm to analyze your performance and customize the program based on how well you do.
However, that doesn’t mean you’re working with a bot all through. The app has trainers who can show you how to make some movements and even recommend alternatives that are easy to follow in case you find some exercises too advanced.
Shred will give you a 7-day trial, and from there, you will pay $19.99 monthly or $119.99 if you choose an annual subscription.
Conclusion
Weight training is essential for building your body’s strength and muscle mass, among other benefits. But let’s be honest: Sometimes, remaining consistent can be difficult for both beginners and experts—and that’s why you may need a proper workout app.
The right workout app will motivate you to keep going through a variety of exercises. Most of these top apps will track your progress and even link you to a certified coach to make you more accountable and increase the chances of your success. Although the top fitness apps are paid, the benefits they offer can far outweigh their cost.
