Growing up, working out was easy. Sports dominated my life, so there was always a coach or trainer providing me a step-by-step program to follow. Then I went to college, and had to figure out how to work out on my own — which basically turned into not working out. Then I moved to NYC, joined a gym and fell into a weight and treadmill routine that I’ve been riffing off of since: biceps, triceps, shoulders, 5K run along with a dash of planks, crunches and leg lifts. It hasn’t changed much over the years.
Despite being a low-key Luddite when it comes to technology and fitness, I’m genuinely impressed by the fitness app Aaptiv, which is designed to mimic the feeling of taking a fitness class or working one-on-one with a trainer — but virtually and remotely. Open up the app and pick whatever workout you feel like doing — there are more than 2500 of them (all between 2 and 50 minutes) set to a variety of different music genres. Mike’s Core Crusher is a personal favorite — I was sore for five days straight afterward.
No matter what machine you like to use at the gym, there’s an option for that. Treadmill, elliptical, indoor cycling, rowing, stairclimber, strength training, stretching and ab workouts are just a few of the choices available. If you despise being indoors, the outdoor running classes are ideal for someone running their first 5K or fifth marathon. The app was a lifesaver during my last marathon training cycle.
Aside from helping me always look like I know what I’m doing at the gym, the app has changed my at-home workout game, too. I’m no longer scouring YouTube for a weird fitness video released in the early 2000s. Roll out a yoga mat, pick whatever HIIT workout or ab workout sounds doable, and 20 minutes later, I’m ready to try another one.
Whether I’m training for a race or trying to add more strength to my workouts, with just four taps, I can go from doing nothing to full on sweating it out.
Buy Now: $15/month or $100/year
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