Fitness trends take over many Instagram feeds. From what sportswear brands are the ones to be looking out for or which exercises are best to overload the triceps, all of everything is discussed and has something in vogue. You will notice that fitness apps are often part of the conversation. Major sportswear companies like Under Armour and Nike, as well as major tech companies like Samsung and Apple, all have skin in the game. They have developed bespoke apps which allow users to track their exercise metrics, organise their workout schedules, and receive tips from experts. Smaller companies are also on the scene, as are influencers and celebrities. It’s an extension of the workout DVDs of the 1980s to present.
What are the benefits of these apps, though? Are they worth the time and attention necessary to make the most of them?
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Accessibility
A key benefit of any good and respectable digital solutions is accessibility. Having an app on a smartphone makes information easier and more convenient than having it written down or on a home PC. Companies across many industries produce apps for consumers. Those who frequent online casinos like casino.netbet.co.uk will have the provider’s app too, so that they can play games on their account no matter where they are or what device they’re on. Those who purchase groceries online for Click & Collect or delivery can do so via an app. Those who bank online can use smartphones to access their money, or even find alternative payment solutions.
The same can be said for fitness apps. Data can be recorded by or inputted into the device immediately after a workout, the schedule can be viewed or tweaked as and when, and tips for form and reps can be re-read before, during, or after a set. It’s immediate. It’s there.
Cost
Cost and accessibility are closely linked. Many people who go to gyms or workout at home enjoy the personal ambition and challenge of the whole activity – from planning to the diet to the execution of the exercises. It’s a personal journey. However, others want to be able to have that support. Personal trainers, nutritionists, and all those with expertise cost what some can’t afford. The knowledge they have can be consumed via blogs, YouTube videos, and social media profiles but not everyone has the time to do those things. Fitness apps, then, can help cover the bases which a user wants covered for a fraction of the financial and temporal cost.
Personalization
As alluded to above, exercise is personal. On this point is, in some sense, where fitness apps and workout DVDs differ – and this difference is consistent with the wider market. Fitness apps offer a very personalised environment in which to exercise. The metrics are for you. The schedule is for you. The tips are applicable to you. Workout DVDs emphasise the group. That isn’t to say that there is a lack of community to fitness apps – quite the opposite. Forums and sharing posts with friends are encouraged to foster that sense of mutual support. However, the app itself – all its insides – are geared to the exerciser alone.
Fitness apps will only become more ingrained into exercise culture as technology progresses. Wearable devices and tracking technology, as well as mixed reality and artificial intelligence, will lengthen their strides.