No matter your experience level, training program or expertise, you can use Strong to record your progress and achieve your goals. And believe it or not, in many cases the best workout plans for women feature the same exercises and protocols as the best training plans for men. The principles of progressive overload ensure you progress your training output, but it doesn’t mean you have to lift heavier weights every time you train. What it does mean is that a training program should revisit some of the same exercises for a period of time to help you improve your form and get stronger. Challenges should also be put in place to make the movement harder over time.
- You’ll also be able to export your workout data to fitness trackers or health apps of your choice.
- The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition & Fitness Lab have tested more than 40 workout apps, combining hands-on evaluations with real-life feedback from GH staffers and consumer testers.
- Strong has helped millions of people in over 100 countries complete over 30 million workouts.
- She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University, as well as advanced certifications as a Women’s Fitness Specialist and a Behavior Change Specialist.
- Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
- She has extensive experience with dietary supplements and nutrition in particular.
“The workouts on this app often help me feel like I’m just being mindful and moving my body to feel better rather than ‘fixing’ or ‘improving’ anything,” she explains. All that to say, be aware that female-specific workout apps might not deliver the results you want. You can download any app you please—just know that it doesn’t have to be geared toward women for you to like it and use it. Peloton brings indoor cardio training to life with virtual worlds, competitive workouts, and real-time data tracking.
Best Live Workout App for Women: Peloton
It delivers programs tailored to the equipment you have, from barbells and kettlebells to cable machines and medicine balls. Strength+ costs $10 per month, but it is free for anyone with an existing App+ or All-Access membership. In fact, penciling in lower-key sessions is an important part of a balanced exercise routine, and you can reap some pretty great mental health benefits as a result.
The Ultimate Sauna Guide: Expert Tips on Benefits, How to Use, and More
NTC’s wide range of Programs will help you make progress on your own schedule and at your speed. Get access to world’s best workouts from cardio, yoga, strength, pilates, madmuscles scam toning and more. “I feel pushed to work harder but appreciate the fact the trainers provide enough rest time to recover and catch your breath,” she says. However, she notes the app has a “Start Here” button that splits up content on the app into categories (trying to conceive, prenatal, and postnatal).
Type of Instruction
Although you don’t work directly with a coach like you would with Caliber or Future platforms, you don’t have to worry about trying to figure out how to perform exercises on your own. Tr\[AI\]ner by Element 26 is a customizable, AI-powered training app that adapts to your skill level, training goals, and available equipment. However, the app works out to less than $10/month if you purchase an annual plan. Frieda Johnson studied Rhetoric & Composition at Boise State University where she rediscovered her passion for the written word; as a lifelong voracious reader, this surprised no one but her.
Alo Wellness Club
“The instruction is better than most download-and-stream fitness apps,” says Amanda Capritto, GGR product tester and certified personal trainer. The app is also easy to navigate, which our testers agree is important for beginners. SHRED users have the ability to search and filter workouts by muscle group, fitness level, equipment, and type of workout (like strength or cardio). Certified personal trainer and expert product tester Anthony O’Reilly gives SHRED a 5-out-of-5-star rating in the ease of use category. The Bloom Method (also referred to as Studio Bloom) is a wellness and exercise app specifically designed for exercise during pregnancy, prenatal and postnatal, or while trying to conceive. Like many other fitness apps, you’ll find a wide variety of instructor-led HIIT workouts, strength training, boxing, yoga, and barre.
Training For Every Body and Mind
Our tester has been using Home Gym Club Training for over six months and loves the features, program library, ability to create custom workouts, and the data analytics provided by Boostcamp, rating it 5 out of 5 for technology. “I find it hard to come up with routines myself, so having coached sessions made it easy and comfortable for me to try new things like boxing that I wouldn’t have sought out on my own,” another tester noted. Gym-goers will also appreciate the self-guided option, which lets you move through exercises at your own pace. From the inspiring Robin Arzon to the hilarious Cody Rigsby and feel-good Alex Toussaint, there is an instructor to fit nearly every workout vibe.
You Can Eat Like a Champ with the Best Bodybuilding Meal Delivery (
You can follow your own route or explore Strava’s massive network of roads and trails, built by millions of athletes worldwide. “The mapping tool makes it easier than ever to plan runs and workouts in advance, especially when following a training plan with specific distances and paces,” one runner noted. “I like hypertrophy training by body part, so I have Shred suggest daily workouts—upper body, lower body, full body, or abs,” Schlinger explains.
But, there is a ton available on this app (from workout classes to lectures), which can be a little overwhelming,” Nicole admits. Just about every smart bike on the market is compatible with Zwift, so long as it comes with a speed sensor. Or, like Bojana, you can connect to the app via a bluetooth bike trainer. Then, the sensors determine your speed and match it on screen, so the harder you pedal the faster your avatar will go.
Testers also loved the energizing, motivating workouts for all levels, as well as the wellness series focused on sleep, nutrition, and self-care. Many classes are filmed in stunning locations and led by instructors like Emily Sferra, Anabella Landa, and Bianca Wise, who keep sessions interesting and never boring. “The instructor, Bianca, was beautiful, the setting amazing, music perfect. I’m absolutely hooked on her workouts,” a tester commented.
Stay Motivated
“The history page within the app shows you what sessions you’ve done and gives you information about them, such as the pose list,” she says. GGR product tester Frieda Johnson says the app is easy to navigate and user-friendly. She gives Down Dog a 5-out-of-star rating for ease of use and the setup process. “Bloom Method focuses heavily on diaphragmatic breathing, core activation, and pelvic floor exercises and recovery, all of which are mostly overlooked—or just addressed on the surface level—with other programs,” explains Nicole. Whether you go to a commercial gym or have free weights at home, Nike Training Club provides high-quality workouts that won’t cost you an arm or leg. In fact, it won’t cost you anything—the entire platform and exercise library of Nike Training Club is completely free and has been since 2020.
Best Workout Apps to Hit Your Goals, Tested and Personal Trainer–Approved
Speaking as a certified personal trainer, workout programs for men and women can essentially be the same, with variations in weight used, repetitions performed, range of motion, or amount of time for resting. These factors also greatly depend on one’s fitness level more than gender. Our expert product testers have tried myriad training methods and programs. We understand there is no single answer to training and how you move your body, gain strength, and build muscle is totally up to you. The other is that it’s one of the most versatile apps we’ve tested, with thousands of workout classes available for people of all fitness levels.
Other popular workout apps we recommend
Strong has helped millions of people in over 100 countriescomplete over 15 million workouts. Strong has helped millions of people in over 100 countries complete over 30 million workouts. It’s easy to schedule a workout for later with workout scheduling — and with the casting feature, you choose where and how it happens, on your phone or casted to the big screen. Because when you want to make some life changes or form better habits, small ‘nudges’ and flexibility can get you there. I’ve had this app for just over six months, and it’s probably been the most life changing app I’ve ever downloaded.
