If you’re not yet sure about joining even a great gym like Koko Fit Club or Max Fitness, you can always start with a free app to help you out. Heck, these apps can help even when you’re already a gym member. There’s no risk for you, since they’re free.
Nike Club Run
Yes, the real Nike brand is behind this app. It’s absolutely free, with no premium subscriptions. You get all the features without having to pay anything. And you get quite a lot, which is why this app gets rave reviews and has been award lots of “Editor’s Choice” recognition.
This offers audio guidance, with the support and motivation given to you by coaches and other athletes. The coaches give you tips, reminds you when you have to hydrate, helps you to push yourself, and keeps you focused on what you’re doing.
It’s all about running, and you have different types of runs to choose from so you can match the run to your skill level. The runs have different durations and difficulty levels, and there’s even a “lunch run” that lasts only 5 minutes.
The app tracks your distance and you can keep a log of how many miles you’ve run. That even lets you log the miles you run with a particular pair of running shoes. The NCR app connects to the Nike Training Club app (which is more on workouts), and it connects to Spotify as well.
MyFitnessPal
This has been downloaded 2.4 million times on Google Play, with another 1.3 million ratings on the App Store. And with an average rating of 4.7, you know it’s good.
It’s a complete bit of software, starting with more than 11 million foods in the database so you can check on the calorie count and nutritional content of just about you’ll eat. This lets you keep a food diary, scan barcodes, save recipes, and use Quick Tools for easy food tracking. It even tracks your water consumption.
The exercise database is equally impressive, and counts how many calories you burn with your particular workout. Based on my weight, the app tells me that I’ll burn 127 calories when I run at a moderate pace for 35 minutes. After about an hour of Power Yoga, I’ve burned 334 calories.
There’s also a built-in community so you can get all the support you need, with people offering advice and motivational help. You also get tips on workouts and food to help you make better choices.
While the app is free, there’s a Premium subscription that costs about $10 per month ($50 a year). You can at least try the 1-month trial to see if you like it.
JEFIT Workout Planner Gym Log
You have to keep track of your workout activities and progress, and this app makes it easy. More than 8 million people use this app to track their workouts, and it’s free. Since you use your smartphone for tracking and logging, you should get through workouts much more efficiently.
You also get instructional video exercises and detailed workout programs. You can pick from more than 1,300 exercises in the library, and you’re able to customize your fitness routines to help you achieve your specific fitness goals. You also have a built-in community of other weight lifters.
The free app does come with ads. But you can do without them (and enjoy extra benefits) with the Elite membership, which costs $3.33 per month.
FitOn
This app offers instructors (plenty of them are celebrities) and a wide range of workout classes you can do at home. These classes can benefit beginners up to advanced athletes, and the classes cover such topics as yoga, HIIT, stretching, or even guided meditations. The scheduling feature lets you sign up for classes with your buddies, and you can even message them during the class.
The app is highly regarded and popular, with an average review rating of 4.9 and a million active users each month. It’s free, but for an extra $20 per year you also get custom meal plans and recipes, and even music options for your workouts.
Charity Miles
The organization behind this app partners with corporate donors, so they can raise money for various charities. Basically, they donate 25¢ for every mile you walk or run, and 10¢ for every mile you bike. The app tracks how many miles you’ve done, along with how much money you’ve raised.
You also have your pick of the charities the money can go to, and you can pick more than one. You can also join or create a fundraising team.
This seems like a simple enough app, but it’s good enough that it has received a 4.8 average rating on the App Store. There’s really something about raising money with an app, instead of paying for app features.
7-Minute Workout
The name of the app says it all, and it’s great for those who feel like there’s not enough hours in the day to do everything they need to do. This app will enable you to fit some sort of exercise into your life, regardless of your fitness ability or your personal motivation.
This offers high intensity circuit training, with an approach that’s based on science. The workout moves fast (it only takes 7 minutes, after all), so you can rest one group of muscles while training another set. But you do have more options, as the workout can go from 7 to 32 minutes. You choose how long you want to work out, and which part of the body to focus on.
The app is simple and easy. It sure gets the job done, without the fancy bells and whistles. It comes with instructional videos, and it can also create custom workouts based on your motivation and fitness.