iFitness iPhone App Review
Whether you have a gym full of equipment at your disposal or simply enjoy a run in the park, the new iFitness application can give you the guidance, motivation and analysis needed to help meet your fitness goals.
The iFitness App offers extensive workout routines with step-by-step instructions and the ability to track your progress throughout. Choose a pre-set workout or build your own, customised routines.
Starting at the home page you can choose exercises based on a particular muscle group or an area of the body you wish to target. This is great if you would like to spend a whole workout just on toning your abdominal muscles for example, but most people will want to create their own routines using a selection of exercises picked from the different areas.
There are over 200 individual exercises from which to choose which is more than enough to meet the needs of both casual gym enthusiasts and serious athletes. Selecting your own exercises means you have the flexibility to build a routine around your own targets, be they losing weight, building strength or improving cardiovascular fitness.
Most of the exercises are based around equipment ranging from free weights and gym machines to exercise balls. If you don't have access to these, the iFitness app could still work for you as there are plenty of exercises on which require no equipment. The ingenious "business travel" workout could even motivate you to stick to your gym routine whilst on the move. Varied routines including press-ups, sit-ups and stretches will help you let off steam after a day of travelling and meetings.
Instructions for each exercise are presented both as detailed images and concise text instructions. The functional no-frills interface means you don't lose time and momentum fiddling with cumbersome options between exercises as text instructions are easy to follow even during a solid workout.
For anyone who regularly struggles to motivate themselves to exercise, a simple database of exercises just wouldn't be enough to persuade you to pull on your running shoes and get down the gym. Being able to plan your workouts in advance using the iFitness app can help you stick to a routine and push yourself that bit further each time.
Another useful feature is the inclusion of a handy logging tool which can be used to keep track of progress and set stiff targets. Being able see how you have improved over time on the graphs provided can be a great way in which to motivate yourself to keep going and achieve more. If you want to be really organised about getting fit, email your statistics to yourself and compile them in a spreadsheet.
A degree of dedication is needed to stick with the logging element - it's all too easy to finish a workout without taking the time afterwards to enter the details of your session. Having said that, inputting notes on your phone is a lot easier than keeping track of things with a notepad and pen.
The iFitness is a great tool for planning workouts and can help provide the motivation needed to stick to an exercise routine. Combine the easy to follow exercise instructions with the workout log and you have yourself a budget friendly alternative to a personal trainer, that fits neatly into your pocket!
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