How much time do you spend messing around on your smartphone?
For the average American, it’s about an hour a day. (We, the gadget-obsessed staff at Informr, actually thought that number sounded a little low.)
Now imagine you could spend that time for self-betterment, instead of mega-time wasters like Candy Crush?
With one of these handy fitness apps, use that hour for good instead!
Get motivated and get off the couch, learn some new exercises, keep track of reps, calories, and best times, even cater a workout plan that works for your crazy, unique lifestyle.
Your phone can be your trainer, coach and that pal that keeps you going.
Here are our picks for the 5 best free apps to help keep your fitness resolutions to get in shape.
Nike+ Running
Fitness trackers — sleek wristbands that can monitor things like your heart rate, calories burned and sleep quality — are currently getting a lot of buzz on the personal tech market. However the wearable technology, such as the Nike Fuelband, can run you up to $150.
For something that’s a little lighter on your wallet, try the Nike+ Running app, which uses your phone’s GPS and accelerometer to track your distance, pace, and time when you go for a run. With a nice, easy interface, you can create running challenges for yourself and also challenge your friends. Nike draws on your competitive nature, and lets you see how your runs stack up with friends. You can also share your route and mileage, because there is no better motivation than being able to show off your accomplishments.
Price: Free
Get it from: iTunes • Google Play
Endomondo Sports Tracker
This fitness app includes a variety workout activities — from running to windsurfing, weight training to dancing, and helps you track your progress. You can measure your personal fitness level with fitness tests or sign up for challenges, some from corporate sponsors and some user-generated, to see how your results compare with others.
One of the coolest features: you can find running or cycling routes created by other users in your neighborhood, to switch up your routine, and try to beat their best time. Another neat aspect: it connects to your Google Play music library so you can organize your favorite workout playlists. There is a premium version that offers personal training plans and other additional features for a $4.99 monthly subscription.
Price: Free
Get it from: iTunes • Google Play
Daily Yoga
If you are a yoga newbie, apps are a great introduction to the practice. You don’t have to worry about twisting into poses in front of other people, just give yoga a try at home with your smartphone!
Daily Yoga is good for beginners — there are several short workout videos that will teach you the basics and you can go at your own pace, and stop or replay different parts of the video easily. The main app shows all the available sessions in a nice interface, as well as multi-week workout programs and a pose library. When you choose the session you want, the app will prompt you to download it from the app store, which requires an extra step, but it keeps only the sessions you pick on your phone, so saves on memory. Upgrade to the pro version for more advanced workouts. One of the best parts is the music — the app includes a playlist of some very nice, calming music so you can practice on your own, or just enjoy some soothing tunes.
Price: Free
Get it from: iTunes • Google Play
Fitness Buddy
Fitness Buddy is focused mainly on strength training, with some exercises requiring free weights, kettlebells or resistance bands. It includes a pretty extensive exercise library, for example it has almost every known way to use a dumbell clearly explained with gifs to show the proper form. Keep track of your weight and reps on the calendar to track your progress.
There is a nifty “body map,” reminiscent of a highschool health-class drawing, to help you find exercises by the muscle group. There are also some multi-day workout programs designed for different goals or fitness levels, or you can build your own.
Price: Free
Get it from: iTunes • Google Play
Noom Weight Loss Coach Editor’s Pick
If your goal is weight loss, Noom is one of the most popular apps around, combining diet and health coaching, calorie logging and workout tracking. When you first log in to Noom, you enter your personal weight-loss goals and program intensity (easy, average or intense) and the app sets you up with a plan and a calorie budget. The meal tracking is a breeze, the pedometer is fun, and the notification options will remind you throughout the day to keep on your plan. The free version has lots of ads that prompt you to upgrade. The pro version is a monthly subscription that gives you a very tailored, personal weight loss plan with specific goals and aims at your needs, such as time, diet peeves (hate counting calories?), and motivation.
Noom has so many useful features and a easy-to-use design that makes tracking your fitness entertaining and addictive, instead of feeling like a chore. There is even a barcode scanner to use when inputting packaged food. Even if you are not looking to lose weight, the Noom app can be fun and useful for keeping track of workouts and just improving general health.
Price: Free
Get it from: iTunes • Google Play
Your Turn
Technology is at it’s best when it can do something to simplify your life, and these fitness apps are a great example of that.
There is an app out there for everyone — whether you are into running, yoga, weight lifting, or even if you’re just getting started with exercise on a new health kick.
Find what works best for you, based on your fitness interests, and an app can really help keep you motivated and improve the quality of your workouts.
Make your workout work for you.
If you’re looking to get in shape there are hundreds of Android apps that can do the trick. Picking the best ones isn’t an easy task, but here is the list I've compiled for "Best Fitness and Training Apps for Android". All will help to whip your butt into shape.
Nike Training Club
Whether you’re an athlete or just like to front, everyone’s heard of Nike. The Nike Training Club app is “the” app to have if you want to stay in shape with a little help from your phone. Nike Training Club gives you access to your own personal trainer. and you can tone things up with over 100 custom workouts. The app even has unlockable workouts from pro’s like Serena Williams and Hope Solo. It’s got a little something for everyone, and it’s one of the slicker Fitness and Training apps you’re likely to see. You can pick up the Nike Training Club app for free on Google Play.
JEFIT
One of the first workout apps I ever used was JEFIT, and it’s still one of the best around. JEFIT is designed for bodybuilders by bodybuilders so you can improve your workouts every time you hit the gym. The app has a huge database of exercises broken down by body parts, and you can choose from several routines including cutting, bulking or ones that are sport specific. One of the coolest features is the Two-Way Sync that lets you store your info on the JEFIT server so you can download and sync workout routines on the go. JEFIT is the best Android apps for gym rats, and it’s free to download on Google Play.
Adidas miCoach
If you’re a runner Adidas has you covered with their own personal training app dubbed adidas miCoach. The miCoach uses real-time voice coaching in conjunction with your phones GPS to help you get your workout on. It measures your distance, time, pace, and calories burned - it’ll even track your shoe usage and send you wear alerts so you’ll know when to get new kicks. It’s not a full-fledged workout app, but there are hundreds of flexibility and strengthening exercises that round things out nicely. The adidas miCoach app is free to download, and if you’re more of a Nike fan they have a nice app geared towards runners as well.
Push Ups Pro
Push-ups have been around since the early 1900’s and they are just as effective today as they were back then. Northpark’s Push Ups pro puts together a customized push-ups workout based on your fitness, and it can guarantee that you don’t cheap and do a partial push-up. It has a “nose counter” which ensures you feel the burn as you have to touch the screen with your nose for a push-up to count. It also keeps track of your stats, and has a Freestyle mode you can use so you won’t alter your workout schedule. Push Ups Pro is free to download on Google Play.
While the best way to stay in shape is to eat healthy and exercise, Fitness and Training Apps can help you stay motivated which is half the battle. The apps I've shared are just the tip of the iceberg, but they cover all the areas and can help you get in better shape.