Ladder is also heavily focused on progressive overload, which is the key to building strength and continuing to make progress once you’re no longer a beginner. This is one of Ladder’s strongest features, in our opinion, and the reason it earns 5 out of 5 stars for progressive overload.. There’s a basic community feed that allows you to view others’ workouts, but not much else. It’s a simple, streamlined app that’s very beginner-friendly, but it’s not the best choice if you prefer to have access to more advanced features. Despite the easy setup, the app offers plenty of great features to help you stay motivated and make sure you’re continuing to make progress over time. Although more equipment is needed than in other apps we reviewed, Amanda still gives JuggernautAI a 4-out-of-5-star rating for equipment demands.
Find Your Perfect Training Style
With all of that in mind, here’s a look at the best fitness apps. One year ago I found Evolve You and it made me fall in love with weightlifting. While still being insecure sometimes, doing a workout with Evolve You helps me so much to feel my best and just get stronger every day. In addition to Alo’s premium apparel, the West Coast athleisure brand has also made a splash in the at-home workout space. You might think of the brand’s platform as yoga-centric, which is true, but the strength class offerings are anything but limited.
- You can deviate from the workout plan given by BetterMe, though, as there is an entire workout library.
- Turning off the auto-renewal for your subscription is straightforward and can be done at any time to suit your needs.
- Each exercise features a demonstration video, step-by-step written instructions, and the ability to log your weights and reps (and access your history at any point).
- However—and this is a big however—to make the most of the app, you do need an Apple Watch, which comes with a hefty price tag.
- Its simple and clean user interface makes this such a good weightlifting app.
- Aaptiv is a great option for people looking for an alternative to video-based workout programs.
Coaches
During the workout, you can use the handy timer feature to make your workouts go smoothly and ensure adequate rest time between sets. Instructional videos and a fitness tracker are also available. You can pedal with friends remotely or join paced group rides led by virtual ride leaders. A hunky AI coach can also spit out a workout program after you feed him some basic data. Premade workouts can be as short as five minutes or as long as several hours.
Meet Your Coaches
Alexz Parvi is a fitness studio founder based in Byron Bay, renowned for bodyweight HILIT circuits that shape, define and tone. Centr began with Chris Hemsworth’s go-to team of health and fitness coaches, and has grown to include experts from around the world. Still have questions about finding the best fitness app for you? Not a problem – we’ve answered some of the most common for you here. Over 18 months, Mark shed more than 25lbs (11kg) and transformed his body composition by adding lean muscle. And he’s since followed through on all sorts of big ideas, from competing in obstacle course races to powering through a half marathon.
Overall Rating: 4.3/5
Workout plans that lacked a clear path to progression earned low 1-star scores from our team. For an app to earn higher, 4- or 5-star ratings, the workout program needed to clearly follow the principles of progressive overload. Nike offers a free strength-based training app that reduces the barrier of entry for weight-based workouts at home or in a commercial gym. It prioritizes strength training, but caters to a variety of programs and disciplines, including powerlifting, weightlifting, and bodybuilding. While Caliber’s main offering is online personal training, we appreciate that the free version of the Caliber app is ad-free and features the full exercise library of over 500 movements.
Other Workout Apps We Researched
Workout apps make it easier to work out anywhere, with or without equipment, and they take out the guesswork for you. IPhones have many fan favorite workout apps to pick from, which include many on this list like Peloton, Nike Training Club and Strava. If you have an Apple Watch, the app makes it convenient to access it and view your metrics on the smartwatch during your workouts as well.
“You can swap in exercises each day or for an entire block based on what you have handy,” she explains. Nike Training Club is a free fitness app with a robust workout library that includes one-off workouts as well as periodized programs led by certified instructors. I primarily train for strength and hypertrophy, and Boostcamp is the best app I’ve ever used. I love all the data it provides, and there are so many great programs to choose from within the workout library. For those who want to follow a well-designed program for several months at a time, focusing on progressive overload in the gym, Boostcamp is a great option.
Alpha Progression
It’s designed for those looking to sculpt their physique, build muscle, enhance strength, and mentally challenge themselves. BodySpace’s main strength lies in its social and active community, which is always willing to help. Community members have also created several training programs that teach the basics of bodybuilding. BodySpace offers thousands of exercises to choose from, depending on what muscle group you are targeting. Different training programs include weight loss, powerlifting, greyscale, strength training, and more.
Best for iPhone Users
For those needing a solid program for strength training, we highly recommend Boostcamp. This online portal provides you with hundreds of training programs from top fitness professionals and experts—folks like Dr. Eric Helms, Dr. Swole, or Jim Wendler, creator of the 5/3/1 workout. Zwift Companion also lets you send messages to your friends and join clubs based on your fitness level and preferences. At $199/month, this is still significantly more affordable than hiring a personal trainer on a monthly basis at your local gym, but it’s going to cost a lot more than most apps on our list. He also docked a couple of points for progressive overload, giving Fitbod 3 out of 5 stars.
Gain muscle, get fitter or lose weight
The app includes a calorie counter and goal-setting reviews.io features, while the integrated workout and rest timers help you make the most of your time in the gym. During our evaluation, some team members expressed frustration with intermittent ads occasionally interrupting their workout sessions. It’s something to remember if you like to stay hyper-focused on your sets and reps. It is also essential to progress your workouts over time according to your changing strength and physique goals. This level of personalization enables faster muscle and performance gains.
The 9 best fitness apps
Christina is a health commerce staff writer at Fortune with more than a decade of experience crafting engaging content for digital platforms. Turning off the auto-renewal for your subscription is straightforward and can be done at any time to suit your needs. View your upcoming and past training sessions, move your training when something comes up, own your training. With the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded in just 28 days. If you care about more than just protein—like getting enough magnesium, zinc, and vitamins—Cronometer is the best.
Alpha Progression is the way to go if you’re serious about bodybuilding and want an app that grows with you. Beyond weightlifting and bodybuilding, the app also accommodates various training programs, including TRX, HIIT, cardio, and strength training, providing a well-rounded workout experience. Apple’s foray into fitness apps is great for beginners on a fitness journey. There are streaming classes available in 12 different disciplines, from yoga to strength training to cycling—and you no longer need to have an Apple Watch to use it. Apple product owners can access Fitness+ built into the new Fitness app, with the latest iOS update.