This fitness app takes all the guesswork out of home bodybuilding
Personal fitness apps in 2023 can be overwhelming. It’s all too easy to sink in, overtrain without proper guidance, and get drained once the “New Year’s Resolutions” phase is over. So when I was looking for a home app to improve my strength and meet my fitness goals for 2023, I was thrilled when Fitbod seemed to hit my head.
All the The best fitness apps Today they all want to justify the price of the subscription by acting like a very nosy personal trainer – without the person. They give you workout videos with professionally photographed trainers who call you their friend. They expect you to log every calorie. And they try to cover every fitness base, from yoga to HIIT or upper to lower body.
You also have fitness apps that simply log your exercises, but those apps expect you to actually know what you’re doing. I’ve tried cross-training gym memberships in the past but have found it difficult to maintain a self-directed muscle-building rhythm without overdoing it on a specific muscle and sidelining myself.
Fitbod is endlessly customizable, learns your ability level quickly, and prevents you from overtraining some muscles while neglecting others.
I wanted something both simple and incredibly rare: an at-home workout app that would target specific body parts or muscle groups to help me get stronger, but that would also learn about my limitations and tailor my workouts to my needs—without the cost of an actual coach. Something that video-based app like Apple Fitness+ or Fitbit Premiumwhich can only target difficulty levels or general body areas, cannot do this.
My partner, who does HIIT at home more often than I do, introduced me to Fitbod, a fitness app available on Android/ Wear OS and iOS/ Apple Watch. And he cross-checked everything I needed as a cross-training tool with my core running exercises.
When you open the Fitbod app, it will ask you for your previous weightlifting experience, workout goals (aka build muscle, lose weight, increase stamina, get better at sports, etc.), where you usually work out, and what types of equipment you can do with. reach, your current height/weight/age, and other data.
From this point on, you’ll use an algorithm to create a custom workout that matches your goals and target muscle groups with your own equipment. You can change the parameters of the exercise – time, muscle splits, difficulty, focus on bodybuilding or strength – and you will create a new series of repetitions and exercises in a matter of seconds.
Also, unlike a workout video that has preset exercises, you can select any specific exercise and tell the app to replace it with something similar targeting the same group, or choose it more or less according to your preference. If you find something too difficult or distasteful, it’s more fun to quickly find an exercise that works for you than to feel ashamed when you have to use the “mod”.
Or, if you exercise on a regular basis and know what exercises work for you, you can create a workout from scratch, from which the app will separate into its own routine.
It was artificial intelligence Controversial topic These days, and it’s fair to say that an actual personal trainer can do all of this and motivate you better than the spartan and flimsy Fitbod.
It’s definitely a “do-it-yourself” experience, in that when you complete the reps of an exercise, you have to log each one as complete so you can time yourself, as well as tell Fitbod how hard the exercise is for you, rather than squirming straight into something new. The algorithm needs this information to better judge your skill level, but it is better for someone who needs guidance rather than an expert going into the area.
Compare that with using Oculus Quest 2 Fitnesswhich is less focused and does not go beyond cardio, but is definitely more stimulating and smooth.
However, the Fitbod was transformative simply because it introduced me to exercises that I would have struggled to find on my own. Instead of endless Google and bookmarking articles like “best home exercises to lose weight/build core strength/etc,” you’ll be presented with helpful exercises with attached how-to videos that show proper form.
Some fitness apps track your fatigue and recovery, but few will specifically notice that your calves or biceps in particular are worn out.
It also pushes me to do so Stop Work out a muscle before I overdo it. While Garmin body battery or Fitbit daily standby It will keep track of my overall energy level, it won’t warn you specifically if you’re likely to give up on your legs or back if I keep going.
Fitbod shows a percentage of recovery next to each muscle group so as not to overwork them and hinder muscle progress. Instead, you’ll target more lean (or neglected) muscle groups instead, ensuring you don’t feel like you’re just waiting around for your biceps or abs to need a break.
I generally prefer simple cardio exercises tracked by a fitness watch For my daily workout, which means I neglected the muscles that don’t affect hitting the pavement. So I entered 2023 and focused on simple bodyweight exercises like pushups and planks that I already knew.
Fitbod has expanded my horizons beyond the basics. Even if I end up opting out, I’ll go with more knowledge of the exercises that will help me bulk up or down in all key areas.
The app costs $80 a year or $13 a month after the first three workouts, so it’s about the same price you’d pay for a more in-depth, rounded app like Apple Fitness+; But I prefer the Fitbod simply because I want something focused rather than overwhelming.