Hiring a personal trainer can be a major investment. The average cost for one is $50 per hour, according to WebMD, and oftentimes they are much more expensive than that. But if you're a fitness lover looking for an optimized workout with specific instructions, don't fret — you have plenty of cheaper options.
Thankfully, it's 2017 and shelling out cash to meet one-on-one with a certified personal trainer isn't always necessary when you're equipped with a smartphone. Lots of inspiring trainers on Instagram may get you excited to work out. But when you're ready to create a personalized fitness plan, you're going to want to use an app (or many apps!) to focus your workouts, track your successes, and plan your goals.
Whether you're a gym rat, an at-home workout obsessive, or training for a race, there's an app out there to help you exercise better and more effectively. Ahead, we've rounded up the best workout apps to spare you the expense of a personal trainer and keep your workouts interesting. Ready, set, download.
(We'll be adding more of our favorites, so check back when you're ready to add another workout app to your fitness routine.)
Price: Free
For those too busy to hire a personal trainer, this 7-minute personal training app is your key to an effective workout regimen — seriously! Daily workouts combine strength and cardio training and track your progress to keep challenging you and making your daily 7-minute training sessions even more intense.
Price: Free, $2.99 subscription after first mission
Have you always wanted to run from Canada to California or the length of the Great Wall in China? There’s an app for that. My Virtual Mission lets you plan Sims-style fitness missions across the globe, tracking your mileage and pace as you run wherever your imagination takes you. Plan solo missions running, cycling, and swimming, or invite friends to create a group challenge and compare stats on the leadership board. You can send digital postcards of landmarks and sites you’ve virtually visited to keep up motivation and also raise funds for charity via mission sponsorships.
Price: $3.99
Dozens of yoga classes for less than the cost of a single in-studio class? Sign us up! Yoga Studio offers easy to follow, instructor-led 30-minute yoga classes, as well as tutorials so you can master the poses. If you’re a yoga procrastinator, use the app’s calendaring feature to schedule your next yoga session.
Price: Free, $0.99 in-app purchases
Beloved fitness blogger and YouTube star Cassey Ho’s app puts your digital best friend (who happens to be a trainer) in your pocket for fun, effective workouts whenever you’re in the mood to exercise. A calendar lets you schedule your future fitness routines and stick to it. Other fun features — like a fitness forum and healthy recipes list — make this app almost as addicting to check as Instagram. Almost.
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