Is Apple’s new Fitness + worth the money? We think it has something for everyone

Apple Fitness +’s mix of fitness and wellbeing content is a winning formula that will help you keep in shape and mentally strong

A three-month trial of Apple Fitness + that came with a phone upgrade, couldn’t have come at a better time. Having taken my first tentative steps in strength training I was looking to progress further, but I was a man without a plan. Luckily, for me, the Apple Fitness + App does all the hard work for you. After entering a few details about your fitness level and goals, you can be starting your new exercise regime in minutes.

SETTING YOUR GOALS

To get started you set your Daily Move Goal. That’s how many calories you want to burn each day and select 5 activities you would like to focus on, from the 12 available. I chose: Strength Training, Core, Meditation, Mindful Cooldown and HIIT for some cardio.

The app then suggests workouts based on the activities you have selected, which you can then pick from the ‘For You’ tab in the top menu. You can still try the other activities, such as Yoga, Pilates, and Kickboxing in the ‘Explore’ tab. Having quick access to the areas I wanted to work on was convenient and and for my first month the For You section was the only thing I needed.

Your Daily Move Goal is represented by the Activity Ring. The more you work out the more your ring closes. The goal is to close your rings each day, which is drilled into you be the peppy coaches and daily app notifications. Your Activity Ring appears on screen with other helpful metrics that update you on how long you have been working out for and what time is remaining on the exercise you are doing. I found the Activity Ring useful in keeping track of my progress and it helped me with motivation.

THE WORKOUTS

These are led by a personal trainer, usually joined by two other coaches, one of which trains with modifications for those who need them. You only need some light weights and a mat to do most of the workouts. They range from 5 to 45 minutes long and the ability to customise a workout plan to your needs is a useful feature. When I had to put my kettle bells in storage, as I was moving house, I was relieved to find I could create a Custom Plan that used no equipment, so I could keep up my strength and core work.  

With a beginner’s foundation of hinging, pivoting and proper form, following the different exercises wasn’t a problem. They sometimes challenged me but never felt too demanding. The only time I came unstuck was in some of the HIIT sessions. A few times, I felt like a reluctant dad that had been dragged up to the dancefloor, getting completely lost as I tied myself in knots. For some of the high-tempo classes the demonstrations of the moves could be a little longer, so you can get to grips with them. Getting mixed-up mid-workout is frustrating and having to pause the session to catch up ruins your flow. I would also recommend getting warmed up before starting a workout, as the warm ups are very brief, and doing a Mindful Cooldown session to rest and recover once you are done.

Not being able to stream the workouts on my TV was another gripe. You can only do this if you have an Apple TV or a smart TV that supports AirPlay. Although there could be a way round this by downloading third party apps to a Fire Stick. But at £9.99 a month, this should be accessible to all users. Perhaps through the Apple TV App? Finding a good position to prop up your phone can prove tricky for some workouts. It’s hard to watch your form when you are in the middle of a plank or skydive and you have your face squashed down in your mat.

CREATE YOUR OWN PLAN

The most useful feature I used on the app was ‘Custom Plan,’ where you can customise how long you want to work out for on selected days, the equipment you want to use and which part of the body to focus on. You can even pick music genres and the coaches you prefer to train with. The app then puts together a plan for you to follow for the duration you set. Before creating my own Custom Plan, I was picking workouts at random each morning. Now all I have to do is show up. Since making a Custom Plan I feel I have structure and purpose to my training, which I was lacking before. And, if you don’t like the workouts the app serves up, you have the option to switch them.

But, if you want more control, you can always save your favourite workouts and build a ‘Stack’. A Stack will play workouts you save back-to-back. If you find the classes too short or not demanding enough, making Stacks is a great way to train for longer and harder.

However, If this feels like too much effort, there are Programmes like ‘3 Perfect Weeks of Strength’ and Collections like ‘6 Weeks to Restart Your Fitness’ which are designed to help you reach a specific goal.

MORE THAN JUST A FITNESS APP

As somebody who meditates and likes to run for their mental health, the app’s mindfulness content was a big bonus for me. Especially the Time to Walk series.

Here, a celebrity guides you on a route that’s significant to them while reminiscing about moments that have shaped their lives. They share life lessons, favourite songs, the odd photo and are refreshingly vulnerable in opening-up about times when they have struggled.

I took a walk with Jason Segel, Stephen Fry and Jamie Oliver- not all at once- and I found myself listening to these audio walks while cooking dinner or doing the housework. I’m now walking more than ever and it’s renewed my interest in podcasts too.

IS APPLE FITNESS + WORTH IT?

At the start of my free trial, I’ll admit I was going to learn what I could from the app and run. But for £9.99, or £79.99, for an annual subscription, there’s enough here to keep my interest and subscription.

The performance of the app has been flawless in my time using it and I’ve yet to experience any glitches.

As well as working on my fitness goals, I’ve been surprised at some of the features I thought I’d never use, like Time to Walk and Time to Run. It’s made me think that perhaps I should give Alex Wong’s exclusive dance workout takeover a go after all. I’ve achieved some of my longest streaks of exercise ever and it’s all logged in the app so I can see what I’ve done.

Apple have tried to appeal to all ages and abilities with their app, but you will probably benefit the most from what it has to offer if you are a beginner or intermediate level. The app caters less for the elderly or the more experienced user. But if you are looking to gain muscle, or really push yourself, then you are already probably going to the gym anyway. But Apple Fitness + could be a useful bit of kit in your gym bag too.

For Apple Watch wearers the Fitness + experience is enhanced with access to your heart rate, calories, and activity stats at a glance. You can also leave your phone at home when you go for a Time to Run.