Dodge zombies, go one-on-one with a UFC champion or speed it up with a seven minute workout with these fitness apps
While many of us would love to get into the habit of going to the gym frequently, life somehow manages to get in the way. To take care of that, check out the wide range of fitness apps on the market today. They offer every workout under the sun, plenty of customisation options, and of course, the convenience of doing it all wherever and whenever you want. Ease into that fitspo life with our pick of the best fitness apps.
RECOMMENDED: The best gyms in Singapore and The best obstacle courses in Singapore
Regardless of whether you're running, riding or just walking, turn on this app and get an exclusive view of the distance walked, calories burnt and new routes around the bend. Strava will keep track of your records to ensure improvements are made. Challenge yourself with Strava's community and run with your friends to reach your goals.
Available for free download on the App Store and Google Play.
No time to hit the gym? Don't fret. This app will get you sweating in a nifty seven minutes. The exercises – jumping jacks, push-ups, abdominal crunches and planks – are easy to follow. Once you're comfortable with the standard seven-minute training, graduate to the moderate and advanced sets, which will have you huffing and puffing through challenging drills like Spider-Man push-ups. Workouts can be customised to your preference, and there's even a smart workout function that gauges your fitness and motivation level to recommend suitable exercise combinations.
Download at 7minuteworkout.jnj.com
Comprising more than 1,300 gym exercises, the sheer choice available on this app can be overwhelming. On the bright side, JEFIT's extensive exercise list offers myriad ways to strengthen each muscle group, with a small portion dedicated to workouts that can be performed outside of the gym. This one's for those who are already familiar with weight training though – novices who've never laid a finger on a gym machine might find it taxing to follow the text instructions.
Download at www.jefit.com
If you get bored easily, then Sweat Deck is the app for you. It spices things up day-to-day by shuffling a deck of cards to put together a fresh routine. Clear video instructions ensure that you're never scrambling to keep up, and if you want to kick things up a notch, flip the Joker card to get an even higher intensity challenge.
Available for free download on the App Store.
8fit is an all-in-one custom workout program and meal planner that helps you achieve that dream bod with just five to 15 minutes each day. Workouts are HIIT-focused, with the ability to customise your weekly plans according to where your fitness level stands. The app is free, with a 14-day free trial for the PRO plan, where you'll get access to more intense exercise routines, more than 800 nutritional recipes and even meal prep ideas.
Available for free download on the App Store and Google Play.
Try out a yoga class from the comfort of your home with Yoga Studio. Perfect for both beginners and advanced yogis, it offers over 100 easy-to-follow video classes that are categorised according to your needs. Just see yoga for back pain, yoga for runners, yoga for mental health, and many more. Personalise your own experience by simply selecting your level of difficulty, your desired duration, and objective to focus on – be it strength training, relaxation or balance, and you’re all ready to begin your yoga journey.
Available for free download on the App Store and Google Play.
Get to working out quick-and-easy with this all-in Nike app. It boasts more than 100 workouts laid out in an intuitive interface and clear audiovisual guidance. It's like having a personal trainer there with you, really. Sync your daily activities with the app and get a personalised workout that gels with your schedule. This is a no-fuss app that will be pleasant to use even for those of us who aren't die-hard Nike fans.
Available for free download on the App Store and Google Play.
Getting fit isn't just about working out and breaking a sweat. In fact, diet and nutrition could play an even more important role than you realise. MyFitnessPal is the handy food tracker that helps you keep tabs on your daily nutrient intake. It has a majority of food brands and types stored in its database – all you have to do is search it up or scan a barcode to retrieve and record its nutrition information. Don't forget to track your workouts in the same app to get a holistic view of your fitness.
Available for free download on the App Store and Google Play.
If you're going to deck yourself out in stylish athleisure from Alo Yoga, why not get in the fitness groove with their content arm Alo Moves too? This app features hours of video across yoga, fitness, mindfulness and skills, catered to people of all levels. You can pick up yoga moves, practice mindful breathing, engage in heart-pumping HIIT or strength, and even learn how to score that perfect handstand all on the same app. Alo Moves has a 14-day free trial – and if you find yourself really liking it, grab the half-price 2021 New Year discount and pay only $8.30 a month for a year.
Available for download for free on the App Store and Google Play
Kayla Itsines has a following of over 20 million women all over the globe – which we think speaks for itself. Hop onto the seven-day free trial to gain access to exclusive workouts, tips, recipes and motivational content. All workouts are an intense 28 minutes long, bringing you closer to that bikini body you've been dying for.
Available for download for free on the App Store and Google Play.
Another popular fitness app Sworkit boasts more than 25 million users. Here you'll find a plethora of unique workouts and customisation options to help you get a sweat going at home, between breaks, whenever and wherever you are. With clear instructions and video guides, Sworkit helps you do it all – whether it's to lose the pounds, muscle up, or get flexible.
Available for free download on the App Store and Google Play.
Don't expect actual zombies to be chasing you in this one. But Zombies, Run! is still a unique way to hit your fitness goals. The app puts you in the shoes of survivor Jolly Alpha Five Runner from Abel Township. Over the course of eight weeks, you'll participate in 25 workout programmes designed as missions to collect supplies and rebuild your ailing town. The narration can be a tad monotonous, which might explain why the app allows you to play your own music concurrently. Nevertheless, those who have a vivid imagination and enjoy gameplay should definitely give it a shot.
Available for download at $3.98 on the App Store and $5.15 on Google Play. www.zombiesrungame.com.
Improve your strength, endurance and flexibility with this programme put together by Canadian mixed martial artist and UFC world champ, Georges St-Pierre. The app comes loaded with 526 workout videos with drills like push-ups, tuck-sits, lunges, downward dogs and single bent reverse flyes that you can easily execute at home with an exercise mat and elastic resistance bands.
Workouts are designed for bursts of ten, 20, 40 and 60 minutes. Choose sets that focus on the upper body, lower body, or both. There's audio guidance in the videos, so you can gloss over the appended written instructions if you have trouble keeping your heart rate up. The workouts are pretty challenging and best suited for athletes with an above-average level of physical fitness, so if you're ready to level up...
Available for download at $5.98 on the App Store. www.touchfit.com/
This popular discipline has studios popping up around Singapore, but if you’re tight on budget, this app is your yoga guru. There are five practices (Ocean, Desert, Mountain, Sun Salutation A and B) to tap on, each targeting different muscle groups in sessions of 30, 45 and 60 minutes. One big upside is having an audio-visual instructor guide you – with soothing music, no less – through the workout. Close your eyes and it almost feels like an actual studio. You can view all the poses within each practice and adjust their difficulty levels. For a challenge, try the Ocean practice set at the toughest level. This high-intensity interval training works out your whole body with movements such as chaturanga and warrior poses.
Available for download at $3.98 on the App Store and $3.75 on Google Play. www.pocketyoga.com.
Discover Time Out original video
