I Tried Apple Fitness for 3 Months and Here’s What I Learned

I completely had my qualms with an app being a suitable workout plan. Especially when YouTube was free and I had a whole groove already in place. Of course, for the sake of trying it before I knock it. I replaced all my free YouTube workout content with Apple Fitness + for 3 months. Including my pre and post workout stretches. And yoga, which was something deemed for extra body relaxing purposes.  

It made differences in my workout that I wasn’t expecting. While maintaining another reason to show up. That this was a paid experience. Classes with professionals right from home. With different areas of interest and intensity, guiding what you should be feeling and where. Giving different lead instructors who lead classes distinctly and vibrantly.

What’s the final verdict then? Scroll to the end of this article if you’re not feeling detail oriented. 

The Team Effort Makes a Difference

Call it silly, or call it cheesy. It helps a girl get it done. Those days where a workout feels like a chore having a group of different personalities pull you through feels motivating. Breaking it down so that every person on set is doing a different fitness level makes the experience also feel more well rounded and a lot less intimidating.

It’s an unexpected boost in motivation when the team of the workout powers through a set towards the end of a set that has me consistently on the edge of sitting out the rest of the workout. The banter does feel a bit staged at times but as long as it could be believed during the workout, that was enough.

The team setting gives a sense of socializing in the comfort of your own home. In the same way that having the TV on with a comfort show makes it feel easier to get laundry folded. Having people that are working out at multiple levels, cheering you on, gives a boost of dopamine. Making the workout something that feels like there’s people who are rooting for you to pull through. 

Meeting You at Your Workout Level  

Within the team there’s a person for every level of experience or energy. What’s going to push you through a workout is going to be a simpler or low impact version of the moves. The same went in the other direction, even mid workout! After a rep if I felt like I could go a round on a higher intensity, it felt right. There was so much flexibility on where and how I could move through my workout.

The team never gives the impression that there’s any shame to be going along with the person who is following a low impact variation. In fact, it’s encouraged sometimes during the later part of a workout. The focus being on getting into the body and out of the mind. Sprinkling in casual conversation made it feel less orchestrated. Giving you a narrative to hang onto while working out. Naturally, I’d find myself drawn to my favorite instructors. Preferring their personalities and pace. 

The team would constantly be emphasizing that finishing with good form is worth more than risking injury. Or, excessive soreness! There’s been more than one occasion where not pushing myself has had me ready to go a little farther in the next workout. Even my next move set always felt like a conversation with my body. Versus pushing to feel sore to validate my workout.

Variety is Excitement

The sheer variety of the type of workouts you can do with Apple Fitness Plus is motivating! Bringing the workout class experience in a way that’s palatable and encouraging! I tried workouts in Apple Fitness that I hadn’t considered before trying the app. There’s also an amazing way to filter the workouts by duration, instructor, and equipment! Over the weeks, there’s excitement in knowing that an instructor you’re fond of has a new workout. 

Being able to customize the workout took away those silly little excuses we would give for not taking 30-60 minutes of my day to move. Especially with the Mindful Cooldown! Mindful Cooldown was so seamlessly integrated into the experience by being a simple tap away. I loved that the Mindful Cooldown stretches also met at the current level of flexibility. Always emphasizing to stretch past tension into pain.

Hands down it was something that made my workouts with Apple Fitness Plus feel special. I looked forward to working out at times, even mid workout, to the Mindful Cooldown. The seamless transition in the app made it easy to remember to stretch at the end of every workout. Which in turn had me feeling ready for the workout the next day. And, the day ahead! 

Final Verdict on Apple Fitness Plus 

Overall, Apple Fitness + will give a seamless workout experience at any fitness level. The trainers on Apple Fitness do their best to create an inviting and empowering session every workout. I personally loved the options, like being able to strength train with a female trainer. Something I’d be struggling to find on YouTube. 

Alas, at the end of my 3 months, I did not renew. What keeps me consistently working out is accessibility. Full access with no cut off date or bill overdue. I still think it’s a worthy investment if you value the team class setting overall. It’s also perfect for people who are interested in a multitude of different types of workouts. 

During my time with Apple Fitness + I did learn a lot of new stretches and I learned to be more aware of putting the focus back into my body. Adjusting backwards rather than pushing out more than I can handle. Feeling an exercise will trump how many repetitions every time.

Make sure to share this with your favorite people. Are you team working out at the gym or working out at home? What do you think of YouTube workouts?

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