The gym is a scary place, at least at first. Everyone there is so focused that it can be difficult to walk through the doors, let alone pick up the weights.
When I started training in 2012, I did so with a cursory introductory session and was left to my own devices. As time went on, I became more and more comfortable with it, but without any real instruction (and no money for a personal trainer) I always felt like there was a ceiling to my progress.
I discovered Fitbod a few years ago, and in the time since I’ve done over 1000 workouts, meaning it was easy to incorporate into our best fitness app review. Here’s why I like it, and why I think you should give it a spin in 2025.
A task-oriented training
I’m a very task-oriented person, and if I weren’t writing about training apps right now, chances are I’d be extolling the virtues of a task manager instead.
There’s something about checking items off a list that gives me satisfaction, and Fitbod works so well for me because it essentially provides a sort of ‘to-do list’ when I’m working out.
Once a workout is generated (more on that later), I know I can go to the gym, open the app and click ‘Start Workout’ to get started.
Fitbod is constantly learning and adjusting its algorithms, so I can look at a series of five or six exercises and tackle them as I see fit. Sure, there’s a sense of dread when I see squats coming (anyone who says they enjoy them is actually wrong), but when you check each item off the list, it almost becomes a gaming exercise.
And just like with a video game, you ‘level up’, so to speak, with Fitbod’s training reports. These become more detailed year on year and show you a handy line chart over a week, month, six months or a year to show how you’ve improved.
That’s a fantastic motivator, just like the little “trophies” for achieving new personal bests. There’s even a Spotify Wrapped-style collection at the end of the year.
Less guesswork, more legwork
One of the hardest things about joining a gym for the first time is not knowing where to start. Of course you can limit it to cardio or strength training, but which exercises are best? What equipment should you use?
Fitbod takes a lot of the guesswork out of exercising. It has six categories, ranging from general fitness to Olympic weightlifting, and will recommend workouts based on time intervals from 15 – 90 minutes. It also targets your recovered muscles by default, allowing you to rest the muscles you last used.
Better yet, you can filter by equipment, including a no-equipment setup if you have 15 minutes and no weights, and if you need guidance, it offers GIF walkthroughs on your phone or Apple Watch to show you how to each must do. exercise safely.
Every workout works
One of my favorite Fitbod features is how it pulls data from other training apps (if you let it). While it can track your runs, both indoors and outdoors, it doesn’t have the metric tracking of something like that Strava.
Luckily, I’ve set it up to import Strava workouts into my activity feed, so I can see when I’ve been running and take my muscle fatigue into account. It also allows you to connect to Apple’s own Fitness app, which means my walk to and from the gym can also be tracked – of the 1,000+ workouts I’ve done, I can say many of them are long walks are.
You can also ask Fitbod to export data to Strava or Fitbit, as well as to Apple Health.
Thanks to Fitbod, I’ve reached strength training heights I didn’t even think possible a few years ago – and am training muscles I would otherwise have neglected (looking at you, legs).
My overall fitness has really improved, which is why Fitbod’s iOS widget always has a permanent place on one of my home screens.