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6 Best Home Workout Apps
4 minute read
With gyms closed and parks busy, working out at home can be a great way to stay in shape while the current human malware situation continues. But what are the best fitness apps for working out at home? That’s what this article aims to answer, with a selection of apps for Android and iOS that make it easy to new a new style of exercise, keep fit and stay motivated. Let’s jump right in!
6. Home Workout - No Equipment
A great starting point, this app offers routines that target specific body parts as well as more general strength and fitness programmes. There’s no equipment needed, as the title of the app states, so you’ll be able to get started right away and for free. The app does have ads, but they’re not too obnoxious, while the reminders are obnoxious but also effective at ensuring you don’t conveniently “forget” to stick to your exercise routine.
5. Pacer Pedometer and Step Tracker
Step tracking is built into many smartphones these days - not to mention smartwatches and other fitness-oriented wearables - but if you’re not satisfied with your phone’s implementation (like I am with Samsung Health) - then a third-party option is worth trying. One of the best I’ve tried so far is Pacer, which is available for both Android and iOS and has proven one of the most accurate trackers, often providing nearly identical step counts to my dedicated fitness band. There are other nice features too, like GPS tracking of your walks and runs, recommended routes across the world and little challenges to keep you moving. Make the most of that limited amount of time you spend outside with this app!
4. Lose It!
Staying active is great for burning some extra calories during the day, but if you’re aiming to lose weight then keeping an eye on your calorie intake is also very important. Even if you don’t keep to a strict calorie limit, just knowing what you’re putting in your body every day can be very effective in shifting your dietary habits in a more healthy direction. While MyFitnessPal is the app that I’m most familiar with, right now I’m checking out Lose It! This app offers free calorie tracking, plus a paid version for £16 a year that tracks stuff like macronutrients, sleep and exercise. You can scan products with barcodes to quickly add them, or search from a massive database of foods and drinks. The app is colourful, works well and honestly is a joy to use - so give it a shot!
3. Bodyweight Fitness
Another great app for bodyweight exercises that require little equipment, the Bodyweight Fitness app is available for both major mobile platforms and boasts an incredibly high rating from its users. Visualisation is a real strength here, with videos demonstrating each exercise and nice graphs showing how you’re progressing from day to day. Consider also our #1 pick, which uses a slightly updated version of the same routine!
2. You Are Your Own Gym
The American Special Forces seem like pretty tough lads and lasses, so why not use the bodyweight training programme they (reportedly) rely on? The You Are Your Own Gym app is based on the book of the same name and includes a great programme that you can start right from the beginning or skip ahead to more challenging exercises. The app is £4, making it one of the few non-free options on this list, but its quality - and the fact that it’s a one-off purchase rather than an annual subscription! - make it quite a reasonable choice.
1. Progressive Workouts
One of the most popular workout routines on Reddit is called the Recommended Routine, which is a series of bodyweight exercises that provide a full body workout three times a week. (And if that’s too challenging, there’s a Minimalist Routine that includes only four exercises.) There are various apps that make following the routine easier, but one of the best options recommended by Redditors is the Progressive Workouts app. The app is streamlined and makes it easy to get started right away, with simple explanations of each step and sensible tracking options so you can follow your progress. If you want to get into shape and stay there, this is one of the best options I’ve tried.
Note: There’s no iOS version of the Progressive Workouts app, sadly, but the Fitloop App incorporates the same program and is worth the small membership fee.
Wrapping up
Thanks for checking out our recommendations! Feel free to suggest your own favourite apps to me on Twitter @wsjudd and maybe we’ll do a second iteration with some fan-favourite suggestions. See you soon and stay safe out there!
