The fitness technology market has exploded in recent years, with more people than ever downloading fitness apps to help them fit fitness into their day. Smartphones, tablets, and wearable technologies have made improving your fitness levels and living a healthy lifestyle easier than ever. However, because they are relatively new technologies, most people don’t know very much about fitness apps or how they work.
Thinking about downloading a fitness app to improve your health and fitness levels? Here are six things you need to know about fitness apps:
1. They can Boost your Motivation
One of the main benefits of choosing to use fitness apps is that they prove a constant source of motivation, helping you to keep on the path to good health and encouraging you to reach your goals. Some of the tools fitness apps harness in order to boost your motivation include online communities where you can share your progress with like-minded individuals and virtual challenges, where you are awarded online medals/virtual rewards as your progress improves. Working out can feel like an uphill struggle when you do it alone, which is why the motivational aspects of fitness apps are so important.
2. They Make You More Efficient
Want to work out more but just can’t find the time in your busy schedule? When you have a fitness app, you are carrying the gym in your pocket! Your fitness app can help you to maximise your time and ensure you always have time to fit in a work out: whilst you might not have an hour to head to the gym, you can find 15 minutes to complete a morning workout in your pyjamas. You can search for workouts that don’t need any equipment, or that only use the equipment you have to hand, meaning that you can work out wherever you are, whenever it suits you.
3. Not all Apps are Created Equal
There are hundreds of fitness apps currently available on the market, but they were not all created equal. It’s important to do a little research (and read some reviews) before downloading an app to see if it will be a good fit for your fitness levels, your goals, and your lifestyle. If you pick an app but don’t enjoy it then don’t be afraid to delete it and try something new: the key to fitness app success is to find the app that works for you.
4. They Should Be Handled with Care!
Working out with your phone or tablet in your hand or alongside you isn’t always the most practical decision. It’s surprisingly easy to drop your phone whilst jogging or knock your tablet over whilst enjoying an online workout. Insuring your phone or tablet is essential if you plan on using fitness apps on a regular basis: with 21.7% of people walking around with a broken or smashed smartphone screen, you don’t want your work out to turn you into a sad statistic!
5. Connectivity is Important
Many fitness apps will rely on you having a good level of wireless signal in order to record your work outs, run times, and other measurements. If you’re out of signal then you’re out of luck! This is something important to consider when choosing the right fitness app for you, as if you regularly run in remote locations, or don’t have constant access to a wireless network, you could find yourself enjoying workouts that you are unable to record in your app. If you like to work out at home this shouldn’t be a problem, but if you will regularly be working out outside then look for an app which allows constant connectivity.
6. They Can’t Check Your Posture
Finally, fitness apps are incredibly helpful and certainly have their place, particularly if you’re working towards a specific training goal and want to check your progress. However if you’re new to exercise then it may be wise to have a personal trainer, or someone with experience, talk you through your initial work outs.
An app can motivate you (and will regularly tell you that you’re doing a ‘good job’) but it can’t actually check your posture, ensure you are holding poses and positions correctly, or prevent you from causing yourself an injury by working out incorrectly. When it comes to ensuring you are working out properly, no app is able to replace expert advice.
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