Top 8 mobile fitness apps

Living a healthy life just got simpler! Mobile fitness apps today can help you track your exercise routine, whether it includes running, cycling, weight training, yoga, or just about any other fitne

By: Pooja Ganeriwala | | Updated: August 6, 2013 11:56 am

mobile fitness final Living a healthy life just got simpler! Mobile fitness apps today can help you track your exercise routine, whether it includes running, cycling, weight training, yoga, or just about any other fitness regime. In this article, we review 8 popular apps that will help you track your fitness objectives.

General exercise routine apps

Endomondo [Android, iOS, Windows; Free]

Endomondo is a multi-fitness app that can be used for many forms of exercise including biking, hiking, kayaking, aerobics, cricket, polo, etc. It allows you to set goals on the distance or calories you want to burn. You can also compete with your friends by posting your updates online.
Pros: Endomondo has an audio feature that gives feedback after every mile or km. It also has a modern and clean interface which makes it great to use while doing high-intensity work-outs.

Cons: Despite several user complaints, a problem with the app prevents users from posting to Facebook. A similar problem also exists with its GPS map, and it loses some major points in our book.

Noom Cardio Trainer [Android; Free]

This is a simple app that tracks all your physical activity, from biking, walking, skating or running on a treadmill! It checks how far you’ve run, your stride length, offers workout playlists, etc. The app also offers advanced GPS, pedometer tools and an interactive heart rate monitor.
Pros: You can set workout schedules in advance. An interesting feature is a color code that informs whether you’ve completed a workout day, missed a workout day, or had an unscheduled exercise.

Cons: The biggest drawback of the app, however, is that it stores all the information on your phone; occupying a lot of space. Also there have been multiple reports from users of the GPS that stops to work after a few days.

Yoga apps

Yoga Studio [iOS; Free]: This is a simple app that brings to you 30 ready-made yoga classes and a library of over 280 positions to learn from. You can set your skill level from beginner, intermediate or expert yoga. The workouts are well put together with 15 to 60 minutes practice. Another useful feature is the ability to create a yoga schedule which helps develop a routine.

Pros: The creators of the app – Modern Lotus – really thought of the customer when they decided to compress the size of the videos so that they don’t fill up your phone.

Cons: We couldn’t find any yet!

Office Yoga [Android, iOS; Free]

Office Yoga suggests ways to rid yourself of stiffness from sitting in your cubical with the help of nine sets of yoga movements. The app opens up an e-deck of cards that come with instructions for yoga poses tailored for desk-workers looking to stretch on the job.

Pros: You only have to tap to sort and create your own sequence or use only your favourites.

Cons: A major glitch is that even after the app has been closed, the background music doesn’t stop for a long time.

Running

RunKeeper [Android, iOS; Free]

This popular app created by FitnessKeeper, Inc. keeps a track of your pace, distance, time calories burned and more, helping you store and analyse your running session. It also syncs your music library and allows you to create jogging play lists.

Pros: The coaching feature constantly chimes out encouragement by announcing your pace, distance run, calories burned, etc. and also posts to your social networks for you.

Cons: RunKeeper is as near to being a perfect app as we’ve encountered so far.

Nike+ Running [Android, iOS; Free]

Nike+ Runnin has a special feature – the accelerometer that helps collecting information on your runs. The Powermusic feature allows the app to sync with your music library. It also automatically uploads to nikeplus.com where you can see your runs, including your route and elevation.

Pros: Hit a mental wall? The app allows you to activate a Powersong to helps blast you toward a new record. There is also positive feedback from some of Nike’s top athletes. Imagine being cheered on by the likes of Kobe Bryant or Cristiano Ronaldo!

Cons: Some of its features such as Share Run and Cheer Me On require users to be connected to a wireless network for full functionality which hampers its outdoor experience.

Weight Training Apps

VirtuaGym [Android, iOS; Free]

Want to start weight training but don’t know how? This app allows you to carry a virtual gym trainer in your pocket. Demo exercises are performed with 3D animation. The app offers three options of morning, home and gym workouts. Morning workouts of 7 -15 minutes are to get your day started. If you don’t have a gym membership, you can try the home workout.

Pros: The exercises are well planned, working all of your muscles and starting off with warm ups and ending with cool downs.

Cons: There are 8 only workouts, there is no logbook and you cannot customize your workouts.

Gym Hero [OS: iOS; Free]

This app allows you to create workout plans; allowing you to customize routines and helping you stick to them. You can plan a multiple set of activities and the number of time of that activity to make your workout plan.

Pros: A statistics feature compresses all the data collect and even shows which muscles you are working.

Cons: It’s not for beginners and seems to be for the more advanced gym routines only.

So try out these amazing apps and do let us know if they help you take it to the next level!

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Published : May 16, 2013 8:26 am | Updated:August 6, 2013 11:56 am

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