During the global COVID-19 pandemic, avid gym goers and casual exercise hobbyists alike turned to virtual methods for their sweat sessions. Some sought out do-it-anywhere workout programs or fitness videos, but many searched for personal training apps that would give them the benefits of a trainer without leaving the house. As users (and personal trainers) learned, technology and training go hand in hand and are mutually beneficial for those using both on their fitness journeys as these recent statistics on wearables demonstrates. The result: Fitness app revenue has quadrupled in just three years.
But what exactly about these apps is so attractive to users? The research is in, and it shows the best apps for personal trainers are changing the fitness game.
The Rise of Heath & Fitness Apps
“Wellness,” which encompasses both physical and mental health, is nothing new. It has ancient roots dating back thousands of years but only somewhat recently became a mainstream concept, thanks to a network of medical professionals and intellectuals. And since the fitness explosion of the 1980s, this modern idea of health has taken center stage and changed the course of consumer demand.
Today, demand for products and services such as health and fitness apps that enable a healthy lifestyle is skyrocketing, and technology plays a major role. Mobile tech has revolutionized how people plan, execute, and track progress in their fitness journeys. More than 80% of Americans own a smartphone and 21% wear a fitness tracker like an Apple Watch or Fitbit device, so it’s no surprise that health and fitness apps are so popular. They can help users build healthy habits through regular exercise, meditation, diet tracking and so much more. These apps are also incredibly easy to work into a daily routine, so they’re here for the long haul. Even in a post-COVID world, expect health and fitness apps to be widely used.
Users Prefer Convenience & Accessibility
Perhaps the main reason why health and fitness apps spread like wildfire is their convenience and accessibility. People have their mobile phones on them at all times, so they can use these apps virtually anywhere at any time. They never have to remember an extra notebook for tracking food or fitness equipment for a scheduled workout—they can simply open up their personal training apps whenever there is a convenient moment. Additionally, these apps are accessible to anyone with a smartphone and can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store.
What’s more, the best apps for personal trainers sync with wearable fitness trackers to provide more granular and personalized data. Users can take a deeper dive into their fitness journeys by analyzing things like their sleep, heart rate and step count throughout the day. Their apps act as data hubs for every aspect of their health.
The Best Apps Are Easy to Use
It’s not enough for the idea of health-focused apps to be convenient and accessible. They have to walk the walk by being easy to use as well. The best apps for personal trainers and fitness enthusiasts are simple to navigate and intuitive, making them a seamless addition to one’s daily routine.
For example, an effective way to test an app’s ease of use is through its signup process. Many personal training apps ask users to create a profile with general information like height, weight, age and relevant fitness goals. If the onboarding is streamlined and fairly quick, there’s a good chance the app itself will be easy to use.
Affordability Is Key
Another factor that makes personal training apps attractive to users: They’re affordable. Many of these apps are free to download in the App Store or Google Play Store, depending on the type of smartphone you’re using, with in-app purchases available. Others are paid apps but have a low entry fee of $10 or less. This means fitness apps are a low-cost and, therefore, low-risk investment into your health.
Compare the cost of a personal training app to the cost of an in-person personal trainer. The average rate for personal trainers is $40-70 per hour-long session, which totals at least $2000 per year to train once a week. In contrast, the best apps for personal trainers cost less than $20 a month, and users can access them as often as needed.
Apps Encourage Healthy Habits
One of the best features of personal training apps is the motivation they provide. For example, many popular nutrition tracking apps reward users for things like login streaks and meeting fitness goals, and some have online communities where users can interact and cheer each other on. Whether users receive special in-app badges or images to share on social media, the sense of accomplishment that fitness apps can provide is likely to keep users on the path to building healthy habits.
Therefore, it may come as no surprise that 93% of doctors agree wellness apps can improve overall health. Professionals refer to “vicarious learning,” or learning a new behavior in response to seeing someone else’s actions, as a key trait of fitness app communities. By seeing the success around them, users are encouraged to continue along their fitness journeys.
Personal Training Apps Offer Something for Everyone
Recent studies show there are nearly 97,000 health-related apps available for download, meaning there is quite literally something for everyone. Each person has unique needs and fitness goals, and there are apps that can help.
The best personal training apps combine exercise and nutrition, empowering clients to take control of their own fitness goals and track their progress over time. They also allow trainers to offer full-service, low-maintenance packages to clients and stay ahead of the competition. There’s no wonder why these apps are changing the fitness landscape.
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