7 Workout & Coaching Apps Worth Trying

If you’re someone who struggles to keep up with the experts or gets distracted by a crowded interface, then this clever audio-based app might be the one for you. With a huge library of workouts to choose from, including barre, kettlebells, HIIT and bodyweight strength, each of the WithU audio programmes is designed to keep you moving and motivated without worrying about keeping up with someone else’s moves. Having your trainer in your ear not only means it’s incredibly accessible and easy to use wherever you are, but it also hones your focus. 

Visit WithUTraining.com

Created by one of the original fitness influencers, Kayla Itsines, SWEAT is just as good for workout novices as it is for those who’ve been training for years. Female-focused and offering comprehensive nutrition plans and advice, as well as a community section for extra support in your workouts, the app is easy to use. If you don’t even want to pick up a piece of equipment, let alone set foot in a gym, then you’ll be pleased to hear there are zero-equipment versions of several plans available too. 

Visit SWEAT.com

It might not feature much, if at all, in your regular workout regime, but dancing can be one of the best ways to improve happiness, boost wellbeing and stay in shape. At the core of this fun app is the 28-day challenge aimed at helping you lose weight and build muscle, but there are also individual programmes created by dance pros and dedicated to certain areas if you’re not looking to address your whole body. Tracking your progress is easy and, best of all, it features a wide range of dance styles including Latin, hip hop, aerobics and house, so you won’t get bored. As well as the physical benefits of better heart health, balance and coordination, dance is a great way to improve cognitive function too, helping to regulate the nervous system and improve sensory perception and emotional regulation.

Visit Dance-Bit.com

Although not a fitness app in itself, the Oura ring may well be the most useful accessory to any app you do decide to download. Expanding its remit beyond stress and sleep tracking, the recent launch of two new features means this clever smart ring should be firmly on your health and fitness radar too. According to the British Heart Foundation, early heart disease deaths have risen to a 14 year high, a stat that Oura’s new heart health features are hoping to address. The new features, which measure estimated arterial stiffness and VO2Max measurements (the maximum amount of oxygen available to an individual during intense exercise) are designed to help users understand more about their cardiovascular health and crucially, how they can use this to implement a better, more proactive and tailored fitness regime.

Visit OuraRing.com

With many workout apps, you have to pay monthly fees for facilities you barely use, but the beauty of the GymShark app is that you don’t have to pay, well, anything. Bursting with a host of workouts you can follow (around 300) there’s also the option to build your own bespoke plan and make things a bit more personalised. The interface is slick and easy to use, and you’ll be in the company of verified GymShark athletes and trainers whose expert form you can easily follow.

Visit Apps.Apple.com

Having built her empire on her personable, ultra-positive style, and her ability to make you feel like you’re in it together, Courtney’s app is as good as she is. The overall style of the app is hugely motivating, and it really does feel like Courtney is there in the room with you, so if you’re missing the personal trainer element of your gym membership, then this is the at-home app for you. As well as offering targeted programmes designed to address your personal goals, the app features nutrition plans that will align with those goals to ensure you stay on track.

Visit CourtneyBlack.co.uk

Finding workouts that seriously challenge both body and mind can sometimes be tricky, which is why we love Asana Rebel. Designed to bridge the gap between traditional fitness and yoga, the app has a roster of yoga-inspired workouts to try, including moving meditations and strength-building options. There’s plenty of buzzy, fast-paced things to try but, in keeping with its yogic roots, there are also lots of lovely sound-based programmes to listen to that will help bring you back down after an intense session.

Visit Apps.Apple.com