Sunday, October 28, 2012

3 Must-Have Mobile Fitness Apps


MyNetDiary - Free

Essentially, this is a calorie-counter.  As a personal trainer, I can tell you that getting people accountable for their calories is both necessary & hard to do.


Why The Trainer Likes It:

    •  "I forgot my food journal" is no longer an excuse
    • Adding what you eat is easier than ever before
      • Inline bar code scanner
      • If your item isn't already on database, it will be after you enter it once
      • Add individual food components to a "recipe" entry to track the calories in your own cooking. (goes into the database just like everything else)
    • Tracks, charts, & graphs lots of stats
      • % of total calories for each macronutrient (carbs, fat, protein)
      • Micronutrients (vitamins, minearls, etc.)
      • Weight
      • Calories
      • BMI (Body Mass Index)
      • BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
    • Creates a caloric budget based on your specific height, weight, & goal
    • Tracks caloric expenditure (calories burned)
    • Can further utilize features at mynetdiary.com

    Drawbacks:

    • Occasionally, barcode scanner or database will crash
    • Free mobile/online app has all the fundamentals but does try to rope you in to various paid versions for more features

    The Bottom Line:

    This is a solid app.  The price (free) is right and it wouldn't hurt a person to shell out a little dough for MyNetDiary-Pro ($4.99).  That's what I use.  Either way, everything you really need to track a comprehensive fitness routine is in this app.

     

    Runkeeper - Free

    This app runs a stopwatch in conjunction with location services that track your position on the globe for the duration of your activity.  Running is one of my favorite activities to get clients performing.  With Runkeeper, I can now tell my client exactly how far he/she has run every time and vice-versa.  If running isn't your thing, Runkeeper can also be utilized for a whole bevy of other activities.


     Why The Trainer Likes It:

    • Tracks distance & time of past activities
    • Tracks elevation climb/drop
    • Notifies you when you've improved
    • Easily allows you to publish details of your activity to social networking media sites
    • Comes pre-loaded with workout plans (with option to buy more)
      • 23-week 1/2 marathon training
      • 20 Minute Easy Workout
      • 2.25 Mile Workout
      • 2 Miles with Rest
      • Set a Target Pace, etc.
    • Choose from at least 13 different activities
      • Running, cycling, walking, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, skating, swimming, wheelchair, rowing, elliptical, or input your own
    • Set goals and track your progress
    • Shows you & your friends (if you want) your entire route plotted on a map when you're finished 

    The Bottom Line: 

    This is a solid training tool.  I have used it for some time now and haven't experienced any drawbacks.

    The content is comprehensive.  The interface is streamlined and intuitive.  It makes it easy for people to get out the door, do what they need to do, and to report it back to me quickly, efficiently, and accurately. 

    It effectively brings to the table tools that can be put to good use  by noobs and pros alike.  Cardio wouldn't be the same without it.

    Also, as usual, the $$$ price $$$ is right!  Perhaps you are beginning to notice a theme?

     

     

    Gym Hero - Free

    Gym Hero is a tool for resistance training that lets you record the number of repetitions performed and the weight that you lifted for each set of repetitions.  It might take a little tinkering the first session but, the guided walk-through should iron out most of your questions.  After 1 or 2 sessions, it becomes much quicker and much less cumbersome than carrying around a notebook & pen. 


    Once you've entered a workout, it will be pre-loaded the next time you workout.  You can store multiple workouts.

    The advantage to this is that you can easily track and see gains in strength and endurance.

    After your workout, it summarizes everything you've done at the top of the screen.  

    It is very handy for me to easily be able to look at your device and immediately see your exercise volume.  Self-reporting is notoriously vague.  

    Anyhoo...  

    I hope you've found this list helpful.  This info, if properly applied, will definitely make your workouts more productive.

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