Why personal trainer apps are good for you

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about several measures that have changed the way we live. The changes affect every area of our lives, including fitness since gyms and some fitness centres are not operating as before while others are still closed. As such, working out at home has become the new normal. It is also convenient since it can be done at your convenience at no cost. 
However, to get the best out of every workout and minimise injury, you ought to plan and have an exercise routine. This can be challenging, even for exercise enthusiasts, thus the need for personal training apps. 

We share some of these whose selection is based on criteria of; availability (accessible on the iPhone and Android devices), features (apps have several features such as personal coaching, community support, and activity tracking), variety (offer a range of workouts with various exercise, varying duration and different difficulty levels) and price.
FiiT
This is a subscription-based fitness app with several classes that last between 10-40 minutes at different difficulty levels. Alex Mujuni, a fitness enthusiast, says one can choose a workout of their choice, including low impact cardio, strength training, Pilates, and high intensity interval training (HIIT). 
Membership is your ticket in and once paid, you will gain access to an online community which allows you to make friends using group leader-boards. “This will help know that you are not alone, thus acting as motivation,” Mujuni says. 

The app has a 14-day free trial period after which one can subscribe to a monthly, quarterly or yearly plan, depending on their desire. Membership is approximately $13 (about Shs46,800) per month.

Daily burn
The app is ideal for beginners as it has lots of sought after workout classes for all ages and fitness levels. For example, it has beginner Pilates, cardio strength, and intro to exercise, which are geared towards getting you started. Brian Kigozi, a fitness trainer, says, this comes with varying duration, difficulty and equipment needs. 
Even better is the fact that there is a live stream every morning (depending on your time zone), which Kigozi says helps one avoid slacking. “There is also access to an online community which further helps with commitment and avails support from other fitness enthusiasts and trainers,” he adds.

At approximately, Shs54,000 ($15) per month, after a 30-day free trial, the app allows you to set goals, track your weight, log your activity as well as monitor your progress. “This can also be done on the website and it is a great way to attain your resolutions,” Kigozi says.

Seven
For one that leads a very busy life but desires to use the few available minutes to exercise, Seven, is your ideal app. Loaded with more than 200 workouts that only need seven minutes of your 24 hours, Kristen Muwanguzi, a fitness enthusiast, says, there is no excuse not to work out. 

“The app also allows one to enter their experience level, which is ideal in getting you suitable workouts. Then you can set your fitness goals to make a customised plan for your workout. You can also be part of the 30-day challenges, join workout groups, duel with friends as well as chat with the online community. Muwanguzi says that while there is a free version, one can pay for monthly membership at Shs37,000 ($9.99) or the yearly plan at Shs216,000 ($59.99). “Membership gives you access to personalised support from a trainer and more workouts, better than free access that only has basic features,” she says. 

MapMyRun
This training app was developed for runners only and it allows one to log in their daily workouts, set weekly exercise goals as well as track their progress. Joshua Lutamaguzi, a runner, says the app also allows one to create their running route, and plan how they will execute the run through getting information on the terrain and distance. It also offers tools for other athlete activities such as hiking, swimming, and biking.
While the app is free, for premium membership and additional features, one will pay Shs22,000 ($5.99) per month.

Jefit
For those interested in strength training, Jefit is the ideal app that allows you to create a customised plan and log your workout regimen on the app, directly. Jeff Kamau, a fitness trainer, says the app boasts of more than 1,400 workout programmes that one can choose from depending on their fitness level or target muscle groups. 
With several plans; basic (free) and elite (monthly) Shs26,000 ($6.99) and yearly Shs144,000 ($39.99), one cannot fail to make use of the app.

Keelo
The app comes with more than 180 movements geared towards strength and conditioning thus a great one for those aiming for high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts.
Muwanguzi says the app gives its users daily workouts with advice on the amount of weight to use as well as simple step-by-step video demos. “It also allows you to estimate your daily micronutrient and calorie needs and track your activity. 

Keelo is free but there is a premium subscription that costs Shs47,000 ($12.99) per month and Shs339,00 ($93.99) per year. “This allows for access to all workouts, and direct chats with your coach.

Choosing the best app
Jeff Kamau, a fitness trainer, says when picking your ideal app, consider if it has your favourite activity. However, he adds, if you are open to new activities, getting one with a variety is recommended.

Secondly, cost is important, while some are free, others require some form of subscription. The features available are also important because while some offer personal coaching, others do not. “Do you need an online community, ability to customise your workout, ability to track your progress? Then look for an app with features that meet your needs,” he advises.