It’s one thing to keep fit and to lead a healthy lifestyle, but it’s quite another to train to with the aim of improving fitness in a specific way or to ensure a particular result. Take strength training for example, you may want to increase muscle power building any bulk; you might want to concentrate of bodybuilding as opposed to strengthening up your core muscles; or you may even want to build muscles so that you can burn fat more effectively and slim down. What you might not know is how exactly you can achieve your aims. One way to do this is by getting a great strength training app to help you as they can offer real-face-to-face guidance and ensure that you work out in a positive environment.

The whole point of fitness apps in general is that they are user-friendly and fun, so people are tempted to use them. The best ones are often used as extras or add-ons for anyone training with real-life professionals or as part of a fitness hub where people go to workout. App technology enables you to become more involved in your own fitness journey.

Understanding strength training

When it comes to strength training there is so much false information out there so that it can be difficult to figure out what works and how, especially for novices. You be stuck in a certain mindset about exercise and this can lead to a lack of motivation or an inability to move beyond a certain plateau of fitness. So if one of your main focuses during workouts is strength training, and it should be, then you might want to check out these three apps and see how they work out for you.

How to choose an app

The fitness app market is booming. Just a couple of years ago it was only dedicated fitness buffs who would walk around with a fitness tracker attached. Now, because there are so many people developing apps with a fitness focus, that they are fairly commonplace. In fact, there are so many dedicated fitness apps that it can be hard to choose which app suits you. So, when considering a strength training app think about the following:

• What do you want an app to do? – Consider whether you want the app to track and log your fitness too or just to focus solely on a more simple, straightforward strength training approach.
• Make sure an app suits you and your goals! – Read reviews of apps to get the low-down. If the word ‘bodybuilding’ keeps being mentioned and you really just want to start the day off with some light kettlebell exercises then you might be in the wrong area of the virtual fitness arena.
• What level of motivation and interaction do you want? – Look at how the app motivates you and whether you need more inspiration or less. Perhaps you don’t want the competitive sports element of an app or to be constantly encouraged to share your results on social media. You might want an app that gets you involved through the quality of information and exercises offered. Some apps encourage you to input data and interact with a diary style. The question then is whether you want this level of interaction or would find it intrusive and distracting. After all, you want to spend time doing your strength training rather than updating your apps.
• Do you want an app to be personalized? – Apps are clever. They can track your personal information and offer you a more customized app experience. While this can be useful, you might be working to your own plan and really just need an app that works with your overall fitness strategy. Personalization is a great idea but will it get in the way of you reaching your goals? Strength training is a part of an overall workout so you need to make sure that you’re not being taken in the opposite direction to the goals you’ve set yourself.
• How are exercises displayed? – Be aware of how exercises are showcases in each app. Ask yourself why you want or need a strength training app. Is it to give you a few extra ideas when you’re not working out with us? Do you need video demonstrations that show you how to strength train step-by-step? Are you looking for a more rounded strength training workout that takes you through certain exercises over time? Or are you just looking for a few pointers?