Looking for ways to keep fit without heading to the gym? Our pick of the best fitness apps will help you hit your goals anywhere…
If there’s one thing that lockdown (and Joe Wicks) has proved, it’s that you don’t need your usual workout-spot to keep hitting your targets. Sometimes, all you need is a bit of space motivation, and a handy app to keep you on track. Here are a few that we love:
Fitplan
Free 7-day trial. Available on iOS and Android
Missing your gym partner or personal trainer but not ready to go back just yet? Fitplan may have the answer. Combining one-to-one personal training with goal-focused workouts, you can hit your targets with the help of professional trainers and athletes.
There’s a huge choice of workouts available, from sessions designed to build strength, to weight-loss focused exercise. Just pick the exercise plan that best suits your motivation and get tracking! Fitplan works on a subscription basis, so you pay for your ideal fitness program at a fraction of the cost of a personal trainer. Nice!
Couch to 5K
This one is the ultimate ‘no-excuses’ app that works no matter your fitness level. Even if you’ve spent the past few months just focusing on the couch part, you can train to run 5 km in as little as 9 weeks with a fun, rewarding program.
The app features five trainers for different goals, including former Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson and radio host Jo Whiley. You can even connect with like-minded people on the Couch to 5K forum to keep that energy going. The easy-to-read countdown timer shows you how long is left of each workout, while the app works with your favourite music apps to deliver motivation and workout tunes at the same time.
Aaptiv
Free with in-app purchases on iOS & Android
Having great music and a personal trainer to guide you are both great motivators in the gym, but why be restricted? Aaptive offers access to audio fitness classes whenever you like, combined with brilliant music playlists to keep you in the zone. There are classes suited to beginners, experts, and everyone in-between, whether you’re training for a marathon or just love to start your day with a HIIT session.
You can tailor your own fitness journey, too. With 30 new workout classes every week in categories including running, strength training and yoga, it’s the perfect app to help you change up your routine and keep it exciting.
Nike Training Club
Free with in-app purchases on iOS & Android
We’ve mentioned this app before, but we still love it here at iD. The Nike Training Club app features over 185 expertly designed workouts to keep you smashing your targets and taking on new challenges with or without the gym. The more you train, the more personalised your workout recommendations become.
You’ll even find workouts designed to make the most of limited space, making it the perfect go-to on those rainy days. If you’ve got an Apple Watch, the app is fully compatible too. So, you don’t need to pause your workout session to check your phone.
One final tip: fitness apps that feature video streaming, movement and location tracking can use quite a bit of data. If you’re not sure how much of your allowance you’re using, take a look at the iD Mobile app. No matter where you are, you can keep track of your usage without burning through any more data.
Have you tried any of these apps? What fitness app has helped you keep active this summer? Let us know below!