Part II: Top 5 Mobile Fitness Apps

If you enjoyed the last mobile apps post, here is a list of more fitness apps to help keep you moving. These apps need to be purchased, but the features included in each make the fee worth it.

5 Best Paid Fitness Apps

1.  Nike+GPS, $1.99 : Available for iPhone with iOS 4.0 or later. The GPS technology tracks all of your indoor and outdoor workouts. The app records your pace, distance, route, and shows your progress. You can save your routes on the map to repeat the same one later. Users get voice feedback on how the workout is going and receive motivational messages from Nike athletes. By connecting to the Nike+ community, you can join challenges, set goals, and interact with others. The app also includes personalized power songs to motivate your workout.

2.  Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock, $0.99: Available for iPhone 3.0 or later. Set an alarm and place the phone by your pillow when you sleep. The app analyzes your sleep patterns and wakes you up at the best time during the last half hour of your sleep. It recognizes when you are in the lightest sleep phase so you feel more rested when awoken. The app also includes instructions for how to correctly place phone and records sleep data for every night you use it. Used by more than 1,000,000 people!

 

3.  BeatBurn Treadmill/Outdoor Trainer, $3.99: Available for iPhone with iOS 4.1 or later. BeatBurn analyzes the beats per minute of the songs on your iPod and selects the best songs to match the intensity of your workout. It can also change the beat as needed to match the pace of your feet to keep you working hard. The app is a progressive program with interval training and changing intensity levels. So, you can set your fitness level, workout length, location, program, and speed to program a personal workout. BeatBurn tracks speed and calories, and a personal trainer gives voice tips in the background. The app also includes 24 high BPM songs to enjoy!

 

4.  Couch-to-5K, $1.99: Available for iPhone with iOS 4.0 or later. Couch-to-5K is the winner of the 2012 Appy Award for best Healthcare and Fitness App. It helps new runners get off the couch and training for their first 5K in just 9 weeks, with 20-30 minute workouts, three times a week. Users can choose a virtual personal trainer to help push the workouts and can advance to the next step as they feel ready. Progress is tracked on the iPhone, as well as online at Active.com. Distance, pace, and running routes are also recorded through a free GPS. Couch-to-5K provides the motivation for getting started, plus support from others. You can sync personal playlists to your workouts and even get discounts on 5K races in your area.

5.  Fitness Buddy, $0.99: Available for iPhone and Android with iOS 4.0 or later. This fitness app includes more than 1700 exercises with instructions, 1000 videos, and 4000 photos and animations. It also has more than 75 workout routines categorized by available equipment, muscle groups, and goals, or you can build your own routine. The app tracks body weight and metrics, graphs body progress, and logs exercise history for easy reference to past workouts. Blood pressure tracking is also available in the newest version.

 

Interested in accessing these awesome apps on your phone? You can download them using your smartphone or computer. From your Android device, click the “Market” icon. Browse or search for the app you want, and then tap the “Free” button or price of the app next to its name. From your computer, go to market.android.com and sign in to your Google account. When you find the app you want to download, click on the icon or the name and then click the “Install” or “Buy” button. The app will automatically download to your Android phone.

To download an iPhone app, you need an account on the Apple store website. When you have a username and password, click the App Store button on your iPhone. Find the app, hit the button that says “Free” or indicates the price, and then hit “Install.” Enter your username and password and the app will start downloading. Enjoy your new app as soon as the download is complete!

To update your iOS software, connect your device to your Mac or PC. In iTunes, select your device and click “Check for Updates” in the summary tab. Download and install any available updates.

Composed by Emily Sis, University of Kansas Exercise Science Intern at LMH Therapy Services

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