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Writer's pictureDom Bonarrigo

How to Choose the Best Fitness App for Your Needs: A Brief Guide


Common fitness apps


There are plenty of fitness apps for all different situations. With the needs being different for every single person, why settle for an app that doesn't meet your fitness needs? 


Does your fitness app currently: 

- Let you track your workouts? 

- Offer nutrition advice? 

- Have pre-planned workouts? 

- Have on-demand instructional videos? 

- Offer online personal training? 

- Allow you to connect with friends and share your fitness journey? 

- Let you track your fitness goals? 


With these key points in mind, let's go over the best fitness apps available today.




Redprint is a fast growing app that allows all gym goers to manage their fitness. 

Whether you're a gym newbie, pro bodybuilder or gym owner, Redprint has ample amounts of features that can help you with your fitness needs such as programming workouts, providing personal training online, and keeping your own personal progress. 

But here’s what separates Redprint from the rest: 

This fitness app allows for real time, on-demand, instructional videos for all current equipment in the gym. Allowing for people who may feel uncomfortable in the gym or just for people who don’t know how to use certain equipment have access to information that allows them to see how the equipment is meant to be used. 


Best for: Redprint can be used virtually in any gym that offers it. This app is great for college students as it has been presented in colleges such as Penn State and even allows the students themselves to upload workouts creating a well-connected environment in school gyms.


Redprint Key Features: 

- Fitness programming: Allowing easy-to-follow routines created by you or your personal trainer 

- Progress tracking: Easily upload progress pictures and compare your old lifting numbers to current lifting numbers 

- Workout marketplace: See workout routines from trainers from all over the United States (Free routines and paid routines) 

- On-demand instructional videos: Instructional videos of all equipment in your gym, showing how to use equipment for those who may not have general knowledge about fitness. 

- Customized workouts: With personal training being more online, this allows for personal trainers to customize workouts for individuals in any part of the USA - College students: Offered in various colleges for students. 

- Personalized Gym Experience: Allows gym owners to upload their own videos of their trainers for workout programs and to demonstrate proper form.





Apple fitness that comes standard on almost every apple devices and allows for fitness tracking and fitness planning

However, there are very few free options on this app and there isn’t a way to get a personalized workout plan for yourself. 


Best for: Since Apple fitness is on almost all apple devices and is cross compatible between your apple devices (apple watch, Iphone, ect), if you're looking for general guidance on bodyweight exercises this app may work for you. 


Apple fitness key features: 

- Fitness tracking 

- Paid programs 

- Virtual workout sessions 

- Various training method’s (yoga, HIIT) 






MyFitnessPal is a nutritional app that allows you to upload your food and see what your calorie intake is, macros and many other nutritional facts. 

MyFitnessPal is best paired with a fitness app as they both have their own separate uses. 


Best for: MyFitnessPal is a great tool to add on additionally to any fitness app as fitness is both about diet and exercise. Without a good diet you may be leaving gain on the table. 


MyFitnessPal Key Features 

- Food logs 

- Nutritional facts 

- Easy macro tracking 

- Database of all foods sold in stores 

- Barcode scan for easy diet tracking 




4. Renpho


Renpho is a company that sells items such as scales and sleep masks that connect to an app. The app allows you to see current body weight, BMI and body fat. 

Renpho is also an add on app to a fitness app as it has key features that a general fitness app will not.


Best for: This app is a great addition to their products as it allows for the users to have a lower priced option for keeping track of their body measurements. 


Renpho Key features 

- Key body features 

- Easily measure body measurements 

- Products that cost less than seeing a professional for body measurements

- Products connect to phone.






StrengthLog-Workout tracker allows you to record your workout manually by typing in reps and sets for yourself. 

Strength Log does not have any pre-set workouts or a workout marketplace that allows you to select workout programs you would like to follow. 


Best for: Since this app is strictly a workout log, this app can be used by virtually anyone to keep track of their progress. Simple ways to implement your reps and sets to help you keep moving forward in your fitness journey. 


StrengthLog key features: 

- Allows for fitness tracking 

- Allows for you to upload your own workouts 

- Allows for use of Kg and Lbs 

- List of challenges to keep you motivated 





Takeaway:


Choosing a fitness app is not always the easiest to choose from as there are so many. Above we listed some questions to ask yourself before finding the best fit for you. 

There are all sorts of options that will fit your lifestyle. There aren’t many options for students that are directly association with their school, so RedPrint would be a great fit for students who are looking for guidance inside their fitness centers. Redprint is in multiple schools such as the University of Texas at Dallas and the University at Buffalo.

There isn’t an ideal “perfect” fitness app for anyone as everyone's needs are different and each app has its own uses and purposes. As we say in the fitness industry, what may work for someone else may not work for you. The same concept applies here. For someone who is experienced in the gym and just wants to log their nutrition and daily exercises StrengthLog paired with MyFitnessPal may be the better option for them. For those who need more guidance, a fitness app like Redprint or Apple Fitness would be a better solution as it has options for free exercise programs along with paid features inside the app to unlock more in-depth guidance.





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