Winter storms, torrential downpours, and even excessive heat in some parts of the world may be keeping you cooped up in the house, but that's no excuse not to exercise. A number of excellent workout mobile apps can help you keep your muscles tight and your heart pumping on those days when running outside is inadvisable, or when your car's snowed in and you can't get to the gym.
Don't let your body sink into the couch when you're stuck at home—or on the road and living out of shabby hotels that have no fitness center. Fire up one of these great workout apps and keep yourself toned, healthy, and feeling great.
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GAIN Fitness
 
GAIN Fitness is a workout coaching app and website. It lets you set and schedule routines for exercising at home, or at the gym or when you're on the go. The app customizes your workout based on your location and the equipment you have on hand, such as weights and stretching bands. GAIN Fitness plays animations to show you how to do each exercise and includes audio cues as you work out to count you through reps and intervals. A fairly balanced set of exercises for strength and cardio is included with the free app, and you can buy additional workout packs (prices vary) to target specific areas of the body or get other kinds of workouts, such as yoga routines. Reasons to download: Wide variety of at-home exercises. Specialty packs (prenatal Pilates, pain relief, circus strength). Balanced, total body routines. Available on: iOS and Web |
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Touchfit: GSP
$6.99 Available on: Android, iOS |
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Runtastic Six Pack Abs
The Runtastic Six Pack Abs app will leave your midsection muscles burning for days—or simply tighten that tummy, depending on the difficulty level you choose. It's a solid coaching app that targets abs through a wide variety of exercise moves. A human voice (available in several languages) counts through your sets and reps, while a video of an avatar shows you the correct form for each exercise. Some of the training programs are weeks long, and there's plenty of variety along the way. Reasons to download: Ab-specific workouts. Long-term plans included. Nothing more than a mat or towel required. Available on: Android, iOS |
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The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout App
Despite its name, The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout App includes more workout options than just the seven-minute quickie. It has other premade routines, such as a Beginner 9 Minute Workout, The 21 Minute Cardio Blast, and a Core Workout. You can also create custom workouts by patching together any number of exercises the app contains, or you can complete a Smart Workout, which is built on the exercises that you've liked from previous workouts with the app. All you need is a pair of sneakers, a little bit of space, and a chair. Reasons to download: Free. Great for beginners. Requires only a chair. Quick workouts. Available on: Android, iOS |
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Sworkit Pro
The Sworkit Pro iPhone app has a great selection of workouts, and it lets you create custom workouts, but when compared to the competition, it comes up a little short. It's a fine solution for squeezing in a quick strengthening, cardio, or stretching session, or getting you to sweat for a full hour if you prefer, but other apps offer a lot more convenience. Reasons to download: Small app (14.6MB). Inexpensive. Includes yoga, stretch routines, strength training, and cardio. Available on: Android, iOS |