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The right app can give an athlete that extra edge or motivation they need to improve performance. And if you are just trying to get back into shape, then there are plenty of apps that can help you reach your goals sooner. Nowadays, there’s pretty much an app for any type of training. Here we introduce the best fitness apps on the market:
For Cardio
Tabata Stopwatch Pro— A must have for any HIIT enthusiast, the Tabata Stopwatch timer is completely customizable. Your exercise and rest intervals can be set to your liking as well as your sets, reps and number of cycles. Even the sounds are customizable for each interval noise helping clue you in to what’s coming next in your workout.
This handy timer can be used for any style of workout to create appropriate exercise and rest intervals. With an extremely simple user interface, Tabata Stopwatch is easy to program and absolutely essential for interval training.
RunKeeper— Perfect for the avid runner, walker, or cyclist, RunKeeper is a GPS tracking app that allows you to see the distance, pace, and path you traveled. The goal of most runners or cyclists is to push pace, distance or both. This app makes it simple to see your progress as it automatically logs each of your workouts. With a built-in social media platform, you can also share your runs, walks, or rides with your friends and see what kind of exercise they’ve been getting recently.
Couch to 5K— If you are new to the running scene, then Couch to 5K is a great option for you. Essentially, you are teaching your body how to run and this app walks you through every step of the process. The goal of Couch to 5K is to take a relatively sedentary person from inactive to capable of running 5 kilometers. You’ll begin mostly walking with short intervals of running mixed in. The app cues you on when to do which exercise. Over time, you will be asked to run longer and longer intervals until you can run a complete 5K. Before you know it, you might just catch the running bug and wind up training for marathons next.
For Strength Training
Pumping Weight— Designed to be the ideal training tool for the true bodybuilder, Pumping weight automatically tracks your weight training routine while you’re in the gym. You can tell the app which muscle groups you’ll be focusing on for each workout and easily track your progress with your recorded sessions. If you have no interest in wasting time in the gym recording what you’ve done, then this is the app for you.
Sworkit— Sworkit can provide you with just about any workout you can imagine from strength training to stretching. Tell Sworkit what kind of workout you want as well as how much time you have, and it will provide you with a routine to perform. With videos explaining each exercise included, Sworkit is perfect for all fitness levels. It’s like having a personal trainer on your phone helping coach you through a routine.
For Nutrition
MyFitnessPal— Counting calories just isn’t for everyone. However, if weight loss is your goal, you simply can’t have success without understanding your calorie intake. MyFitnessPal makes this so much easier! Simply tell the app your age, weight, height, etc. and set up your goals. MyFitnessPal will then give you a daily calorie target. Then use the camera on your phone to scan barcodes of food packages or manually enter non packaged foods and it automatically keeps a calorie tally for you. Perhaps more importantly, MyFitnessPal shows you the breakdown in macro nutrients you are consuming so you can see how balanced your diet is.
This app is especially handy if you tend to eat the same or similar meals regularly. You can save foods or whole meals to make calorie counting much easier.
For Yoga
Yoga Studio— This app makes it easy to keep up with your yoga practice. You can choose from a wide variety of preset programs and watch how to perform each pose. You can customize your workout by choosing the length and intensity and can even swipe yourself right out of a pose that you don’t like. This app is perfect for sneaking a little fitness into your lunch hour or between meetings.
For Charity
Charity Miles— This app can make your workout charitable. First, you can choose from over 40 charities to support. Sponsors donate to Charity Miles and they in turn distribute the funds in proportion to the miles completed for each charity.
You can also use Charity Miles as your walking meter, run tracker, walking timer, cycling meter or running stopwatch. Just start and stop your workout to track your distance.
WoofTrax— A similar concept to Charity Miles, you use WoofTrax as your walk or run tracker. The main difference? You walk or run with your dog! This helps you both get fit and feel better.
Perhaps the best part, you can actually choose a local shelter to donate your dog walking dollars to.
Conclusion
Technology and fitness are two ever-growing markets that have intertwined considerably since the smartphone made its grand appearance. “There’s an app for that” was once a marketing ploy to make consumers believe their new smartphone could do anything. These days, it really does seem like there is an app for anything you could possibly need. And fitness is no exception.
So whether you are pumping some serious iron in the gym, needing to get a quick workout in at home or in the office, or just walking your dog like any other day, these apps will help you and your workout be the most impactful.
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