Apple (AAPL) officially launched its early response to the Peloton (PTON) application, Apple Fitness +. Available now on the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, Apple Fitness + is designed to be a one-stop shop for your fitness needs, whether you’re just starting out or an experienced fitness fanatic.
For $ 7.99 a month or $ 79.99 a year, Fitness + offers access to a series of recorded on-demand workouts for 10 different types of exercises, including from strength training to yoga and core to treadmill routines.
And while you don’t need specific equipment for each workout, you do need an Apple Watch, whose price ranges from $ 199 to $ 499, to launch and register your subscription.
Still, in my experience, Apple Fitness + is a legitimate home training option for Apple Watch owners who want to get in shape or want a challenge beyond their usual exercise regime. And with coronavirus vaccines now being shipped, it’s a great alternative if you’re not ready to go to a crowded gym yet.
A variety of workouts without special equipment
Despite what my scale, and doctor, want to make you believe, I like to work out. Even so, I was never a fan of guided exercises. I always thought that they would not focus on the types of exercises I want to do or that would be too easy.
I have a weight set and treadmill in my apartment that I use 4 to 5 days a week, following my own routine and recording everything on my Apple Watch. So, I was curious to try the exercises that best fit the workouts I like.
For me, weightlifting involves the standard set of pressures, lifts and squats, and I’m not too interested in changing that anytime soon, so I decided to opt for treadmill exercises.
When you open the Fitness + app, accessible through the standard Apple Fitness app, you are greeted with 10 workouts at the top of the screen. Below that, you have a list of new exercises for the week, exercises for beginners, popular exercises, available trainers and simple and quick exercises.
When you select a workout, in my case I chose Mat, you get a list of available routines from the coaches. You can sort them based on time, music, you and coach.
I chose the “30-minute wake with Sam” routine, as it included pop-punk from the 2000s, like Blink 182’s “All the Small Things”, and that’s basically all I hear most.
What is impressive is that the setup does not require you to have a specific treadmill, bicycle or rowing machine. Instead, you receive tips in the exercise telling you to change your machine to a certain configuration.
In training with Sam, she tells you to adjust the incline to a specific setting, but when it comes to speed, she tells you to adjust to an “easy” or “moderate” pace, or “all out”. That way, you don’t have to worry about following someone much faster than you do.
If you are looking for a challenge, some routines can absolutely crush you. I usually run 3 miles every day on the treadmill, but when I tried Sam’s 45-minute workout with varying speeds and inclines, I had to stop for about 35 minutes because I was out of breath.
How the Apple Watch fits
While you watch Apple Fitness exercise videos on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, the Apple Watch is the centerpiece of the setup. When you start a video, it is synchronized with the watch, so that the time remaining, calories burned and heart rate appear on the watch and on the screen you are watching. That way, you don’t have to look at your watch to see how close you are to closing the rings.
When you close your rings, you will see an animation on the screen celebrating your victory. There is also a burn bar on the screen that informs you of your performance compared to everyone else who did the same exercise. It is an effective motivator that forced me to try harder than I thought I would. It is also important to note that Burn Bar only works with Cycling, HIIT (high intensity interval training), Rowing and Treadmill training.
If you need a break, you can pause the workout on your device or watch, and both will be stopped at the same time. It’s a good feature that ensures that you never lose sync.
Trying something new and getting new melodies
One of the best aspects of Fitness + is that it encourages you to try new exercises instead of getting stuck in a routine until you completely stop training.
The More of What You Do section will provide new exercises that track what you have been doing recently, based on the coaches you exercise with and the types of exercises you do. The Try something new section offers new coaches who guide you through exercises that align with what you’ve been doing, but with small variations to keep you interested.
All coaches also have different playlists for each workout. If you really end up looking for a specific playlist, you can access it through Apple Music and download it to listen later.
Should you answer?
Costing $ 7.99 a month or $ 79.99 a year, Apple Fitness + is cheaper than the $ 12.99 a month from the Peloton app or gyms like Planet Fitness, which cost $ 10 a month. Although you need some equipment to perform certain routines, such as a treadmill, rowing machine or exercise bike, it still offers users many additional exercises that require little more than a yoga mat.
Whether you’re trying to get in shape and need the motivation to get started, or just an extra boost of confidence while exercising, Apple’s sneaker line does this job extremely well.
The only downside is that classes are added weekly, and you won’t have the kind of live classes that Peloton offers. But outside of that, Fitness + is a fantastic training app that will help you pump your blood and really enjoy exercise.
Got a hint? Send an email to Daniel Howley at [email protected] through an encrypted message in [email protected]and follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
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