By Caitlin Boyle for Discover and Play
The power to stay motivated is right in the palm of your hand. These five fitness apps will analyze your progress, show you proper form, challenge you to try new workouts, and even make you money!
Nike Training Club (for iPhone and Android): The Nike Training Club app functions like a personal trainer with more than 100 customizable workouts. You can unlock exclusive extra workouts from professional athletes like Hope Solo and Serena Williams, and Rihanna’s personal trainer, Ary Nuñez. If you’re not sure how to do a particular move, you can watch a video demonstrating proper form. This amazing app can sync your workout with your playlist, allowing you to listen to music and encouragement as you sweat. Through the app, you can track details on your workout and share your progress with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
GymPact (for iPhone and Android): GymPact is an incentive-based program that will really motivate you to stick to your workout regimen. If you exercise, you can make cold hard cash — and if you don’t, you could lose money! The app asks you to pledge to exercise a certain number of days a week (one to seven) and you ‘stake’ a cash amount (starting at $5). No cheating allowed! You use the app to check in at the gym, track outdoor workouts via the integrated RunKeeper function, or work out at home with GymPact Anywhere. If you meet your goal, you get paid via PayPal by the other GymPacters who didn’t keep their promise.
Couch to 5K (for iPhone and Android): This app is the perfect complement to the Couch to 5K (C25K) running plan from Cool Running, which promises to take almost anyone from couch potato to 5K runner in nine weeks. The app times your workout and lets you know through audio clips when it’s time to switch your pace from walking to running — all while simultaneously listening to your own music or podcasts.
Endomondo (for iPhone and Android): The Endomondo app transforms your phone into the perfect workout partner. Using the built-in GPS, Endomondo Sports Tracker tracks your progress as you run, cycle or walk, calculating duration, distance, speed, and calories burned, which allows you to focus on your effort, not the clock. There’s a huge social element to this app; you can “race” against friends, share your progress on social media sites, and see your friends’ latest workouts and times.
Gymboss (for iPhone and Android): The Gymboss Interval Timer is a programmable interval timer that is ideal for cardio workouts and high intensity interval training (HIIT workouts). Customize your workouts with set intervals for running, boxing, crunches, planks and more.
Caitlin Boyle is a blogger, motivational speaker and author of the book Healthy Tipping Point: A Powerful Program for a Stronger, Happier You. She helps her husband run a holistic health clinic in Charlotte, N.C. She is a frequent contributor to Life and Beauty Weekly .
