Web User - UK (2019-09-18)

OTHER DIGITAL FITNESS APPS

Discuss fitness appsatwww.facebook.com/webusermagazine 18 Sept - 1 Oct 2019^39

Fiit

with Bluetooth and it generates workout
data inreal time.

What are the classes like?
Each of the videos is filmed in astudio
in eastLondon using a five-camera setup,
so they look slick and professional, and
offer plenty of visualstimulus and close-
up detail.They also feature several high-
profile tutors including the advanced
yoga teacher Cat Meffan, Instagram
fitness blogger Chessie King and
celebrity trainers such as Richie Norton
and Tyrone Brennand who ordinarily
charge upto £120 per hourfor one-on-
one personal training. Many of the tutors
have specialisations, such as quiet
workouts, Hathayoga and those who
target posture. All the trainers are hugely
positive and they’reconstantlyfocused
on keeping upyour energy levels.

Isn’tstaring at a phone screen
distracting, though?
Fiit works from a smartphone – iOSfor
now with Android due later thisyear –
but squintingat a tiny screen while
throwing yourself into aworkoutroutine
isn’t ideal.To use the app properly,you
connectyour handsetto your television,
mirroringyour phone screen using an
HDMI-Lightning cable(sold by Fiit for a
tenner) or using Apple TV. Fiit is also
working on Chromecastcompatibility.

How does Fiitkeep users

motivated tokeepcoming back?

Premium subscribers get progress data

which helpsto turn fitness into a game.

With the Fiit devicestrappedto your

body,you’ll earn points during the main

workout whenyou stay in the target

heart-rate zone, and the app willkeep

challengingyou to beat your personal

best. This works to optimiseyour safe

fitness level too, since anyone over-

or underworking will seefewer points

being scored.

Does it lose thecamaraderie of

a groupworkout, though?

If you findexercising with others

motivates you, thenyou can get involved

with Fiit Club. It offers high-intensity

interval trainingto get your heart

pumping while allowingyou to train with

others across the UK.These classes are

madeavailableat specific times on

certain days and you simply log on and

connect up with the device upto 10

minutes before thestart before virtually

mingling with other users in the lobby.

When the class gets underway, a liv e

leaderboard will appear.The person with

the most FiitPoints wins. However, rather

than dish outreward s based onyour le vel

of fitness, Fiitawards you pointsfor

effort, andfor keeping in a safe target

heart-rate zone personalto you.

Are there enough people to

compete against?

Yes. Not only canyou inviteyour friends

to join you in aworkout (assuming

they’re also premium members), Fiit is

able to draw on thousands of users–

some 150,000 have downloaded the app

so far and 500,000 classes have been

taken. A Fiit ChallengersFacebook group

has more than 3,870 members (bit.ly/

fiit484).

What if I’m into intoweights?

Fiit offers equipment classes that involve

using dumbbells andkettlebells in the

Cardio andStrength studios. It linksto

a company called Origin in its in-app

shop, offeringfour differentweight

packages. Fiit also sells mats,resistance

bands and bottles.

Surely there are some potential

dangers?

As with any physical fitnessregime,

there’s a risk of injury, so there arecertain

best practicesyou shouldfollow. Fiit

advises usersto warm up andcool down,

and it’s also important notto overdo

things or go withoutwater duringa

workout. Extremeexercise can leadto

rhabdomyolysis which, while uncommon,

is serious and involves muscle tissue

breaking down. Listening to your body is

always the bestway forward.

AAPTIV

aaptiv.com

Answer a series

of questions

and Aaptiv will

put togethera

personal plan

before giving

you ac cess to

thousands of audio-guidedworkouts

and structured programs acrossa

range of activities from runningto

strength-trainingfor £13.49 per month.

SWEAT: KAYLA ITSINES

FITNESS http://www.sweat.com

With

subscriptions

starting from

£9.99 per

month,

Aust ralian

personal

trainerKayla Itsines’sSweat app offers

Bikini Body Guidesworkoutsfor

women that take just 28 minutes each

day, whetherat home or in the gym.

PELOTON

http://www.onepeloton.co.uk

To take part in

the Peloton

experience, you

needto invest in

one of its

exercise bikes,

whichcost from

£1,990 and alsorequire a monthly

membership of £39 per month.For this,

you get fivestreaming and on-demand

classes aswell as performance tracking.

You canfollowyour Fiit fitness instructor
on your TVrather thanyour phone

You cancompete againstother Fiit users–

points arerewarded for effort

If you’re more interested inweight training

than cardio, Fiit hasyou covered