Virtual workouts also offer the flexibility of trying a different exercise every day with no commitment or exorbitant gym membership costs.My husband, after years of going to the gym, is not embarrassed to admit that his personal trainer of choice these days is Jillian Michaels from The Biggest Loser. He “meets” with her for 20 minutes every day, doing one of a variety of high intensity interval videos she has available.
As many guys are ditching the gym to sweat in the comfort of their own home, he’s not alone in this preference for a virtual workout. For men like my husband, it’s all about convenience. Hating the “time suck” of the gym, he said he loves being able to squeeze in a fast full-body workout, with no commute time.
Virtual workouts also offer the flexibility of trying a different exercise every day with no commitment or exorbitant gym membership costs. For the gym-phobic, they offer privacy. Other guys love them for traveling when they can’t meet with their trainer or get to a gym.
No matter the reason, the virtual workout choices are endless these days. Online yoga classes, strength training circuits, personal training sessions– name it and you can find an app for it.
A quick iTunes search turns up an endless number of options, so we did the work for you. Here are five workout apps worth the download.
1. Fitness Buddy
With more than 1,700 exercise moves and more than 85 workouts, this app has something for everyone. Choose workouts by target area or by your interest. Love ice hockey? It will give you a full circuit related to the sport. Have some resistance bands you want to use? It’ll give you workouts using them.
Boasting easy-to-follow HD videos, a fitness tracker, and a robust social network, this is a well-rounded app.
- Cost: $1.99 for app and up to $29.99 for add-ons and upgrades.
- Compatibilty: iOS, Android, and Windows
2. Fitocracy
If your workouts were a video game, it would be Fitocracy. Use your inner competitive nerd to earn points, unlock achievements, and beat self-imposed quests, all while getting ripped.
With this popular app, you have the choice of working out on your own with many free workouts or joining a fitness team based on your goals, like losing weight or bulking up. People love the support and friendly competition of the Facebook-like Fitocracy community.
- Cost: App is free, with a $44.99/year upgrade for all of the special features. Monthly price for fitness teams varies by coach.
- Compatibility: iOS, Android, Windows