Getting fit with Apple Fitness+ has been on my daily to-do list since I purchased my Apple TV. According to annual statistics, in 2023 I used Apple Fitness+ for dance, treadmill, cycling, core training, HIIT, yoga, Pilates, free weights, meditation, mindfulness, and more.
Over the course of the year, my workouts were distributed in a “three-pronged” structure of Swimming, Apple Fitness+, and Just Dance. Now I can give my own answer to the question, “What does Apple Fitness+ really offer?” I can now give my own answer to the question “What does Apple Fitness+ really offer?”: a wide range of workout programs, a moderate amount of exercise, and the convenience of doing it anytime, anywhere.
Currently, Apple Fitness+ offers 12 workout programs and has accumulated more than 5,000+ episodes of workout videos, and continues to add more every week. Roughly differentiated by the three types of exercise – aerobic, anaerobic, and relaxation – the Apple Fitness+ programs are:
- Aerobic (with or without equipment): HIIT, Yoga, Pilates, Dance, Free Fighting
- Aerobic (with equipment): cycling, treadmill, rowing
- Anaerobic: strength, core
- Relaxation: meditation, mindfulness relaxation
A team of trainers for every workout
Volume is not why I like Apple Fitness+, in fact, each workout video in Apple Fitness+ is more finely differentiated so that we can choose our preferred workout through Apple Fitness+’s conditional filters.
The first is that each workout comes with a team of trainers. According to the app, there are currently 24 Apple Fitness+ trainers who are featured in various workout videos. For each workout, there are about 3-5 main coaches. They act as hosts, guiding you through the workout, which you can assume makes them the experts on the workout program. Each primary trainer, in turn, has their own unique style and specialties. Typically, each workout video will have 3 trainers, 1 trainer will be the host and the other 2 trainers will be the rest of the main trainers of the workout program.
For example, for my very favorite dance workout, there are a total of 3 main coaches who dance in the Latin style, with lots of cha-cha, flamenco, etc., and the music used in his videos is naturally more dance music oriented. Sometimes the coaches make cameo appearances in different workouts, but the guest coaches do not become host coaches.
There are 3 coaches in each workout episode, and they have different roles. The main trainer takes on the role of host, and he or she keeps the workout intense and guides you through the workout all the way through, which is a big part of what I love about Apple Fitness+.
I never felt bored following a real person through a workout. Throughout the workout, the host trainer physically demonstrates the moves, gets out of breath as the workout progresses, and chants or amplifies their favorite music and rhythm. In a single episode, the trainer on the right will maintain the same level of intensity as the host, while the trainer on the left is in option/modified status, which you can interpret as he/she is in a recovery period, and his/her range of motion and intensity will be greatly reduced. If you are not physically able to match the intensity of the host’s workout, you can choose to follow the option/modified trainer.
The fitness service that most honors human diversity
The diversity of trainers is, I think, one of the reasons why Apple Fitness+ is so popular. The fact that it brings together trainers of different races, colors, and cultures, as well as age, size, fitness, and even pregnancy, makes Apple Fitness+ the fitness service that most respects human diversity.
In a yoga workout themed to celebrate International Yoga Day, nearly all of the Apple Fitness+ instructors were invited to appear on camera for a slow-flow yoga workout, which was quite a spectacle.
Workouts length
Next is the length of the workout. Generally speaking, Apple Fitness+ workout videos can be roughly categorized as short, medium, or long. Short is 5 minutes, medium is 10 or 20 minutes, and long is up to 30 or 45 minutes, depending on the workout program.
For example, meditation is available in 5/10/20 minute increments, dance is available in 20/30 minute increments, and cycling is available in 10/20/30/45 minute increments. Typically, anaerobic videos are shorter and aerobic videos are longer.
Apple Fitness+ workout videos are very short compared to hours and hours at the gym. But one thing that can’t be overlooked is the ability to combine Apple Fitness+ programs for a workout.
For me, a simple combo would look something like this: 10 minutes of yoga to stretch the core and limbs, followed by a 30-minute dance workout to build cardio and burn fat, and then a 5-minute Positive Mindfulness Relaxation to soothe the muscles. On an anaerobic day, a common combination is 10 minutes of yoga + 10 minutes of core + 10 minutes of core + 10 minutes of Pilates + 10 minutes of mindfulness.
Apple Fitness+’s new “Personal Plan” feature allows you to create a daily workout mix on a weekly basis and keep track of it, which is useful for users who want to develop a self-disciplined workout routine. When creating a plan, we can choose the time and duration of our weekly workout, as well as our preferred workout program. Apple Fitness+ will recommend daily workouts based on your preferences, and you can also choose your preferred trainer and music style in the More Settings section.
As you can see from the intensity and length of workouts, Apple Fitness+ has a clear functionality, and it’s not intended to be a muscle-building, body-building program. I’d describe my use of Apple Fitness+ as “more than a workout, less than a workout.
Apple has made Apple Fitness+ easy to use, so users can use it to maintain a healthy lifestyle and get their daily workout in, not only because the programs are simple, moderately intense, and of the right length, and the instructors are articulate, lively, and easy to follow, but also because it can be done at home, anytime, anywhere.
A great way to close the Daily Circle after work
The full range of Apple Fitness+ services can be experienced on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. While working out on these devices, you can track the progress of each Circle and the amount of fat you’re burning onscreen. With a paired Apple Watch, you can also display your heart rate during a workout. Some fitness workouts also display a “fat-burning progress bar,” which indicates whether you’re staying ahead or behind in the pack by comparing your workout metrics to others.
A big screen is a great companion to the Apple Fitness+ service. The device I use most often for Apple Fitness+ is the Apple TV (connected) in my living room. The familiarity and privacy of my home environment allows me to let loose and immerse myself in my workout, avoiding the “shame” of working out in front of everyone at the gym, and I can pose for yoga and groan in pain at my core. I can workout at home after work, and I can avoid the distractions of traffic, weather, and food temptations along the road that can interfere with a self-disciplined workout.
Working out on an iPhone or iPad with video is a bit of a stretch due to the screen size, but the portability of mobile devices can be used to your advantage in certain scenarios. The gym at my workplace provides some free equipment, so I’ll set up my 11-inch iPad Pro on the treadmill screen or bike stand and follow along with an Apple Fitness+ instructor.
And sometimes when I’m sleep-deprived on my lunch break, I lie down on my rollaway bed and use my iPhone to meditate to keep me calm and rejuvenated. And when you’re traveling, it’s even easier to bring along a USB-C to HDMI converter so Apple Fitness+ videos can be played on a TV in your hotel room.
Apple Fitness+ can also be used standalone on Apple Watch, but only with audio fitness training, with two campaigns currently available – Walk Time and Run Time. Both campaigns feature celebrities out for a walk or run, and while exercising, they tell stories about the scenery along the way, the thoughts that are streaming through their minds, and their lives, similar to listening to a podcast while running. I gave up on both programs after using them only once as only English audio was available.
Complementary music that only enhances the workout
Music is an important element that enhances the Apple Fitness+ experience. A solitary workout can be boring. Apple Fitness+ features three coaches who work with you, a facilitator who guides you through your workout from start to finish, and an indispensable element that complements your workout: music.
Thanks to Apple Music’s extensive library, Apple Fitness+ trainers handpick music songs to play in the background during each individual episode, and the music invariably helps to enhance the workout. This is most noticeable during treadmill workouts, where running videos are paired with songs that focus on dynamic rhythms with a high BPM, and the beginning and end of the workout use music that matches the stretching activity. Yoga workouts naturally use soothing songs or light music; mindfulness workouts and meditations are all soulful.
Music is also an important element that enriches the freshness of Apple Fitness+. The videos for each workout offer music genres to filter by – popular new songs, hip-hop/R&B, groovy Latin music, and more – so you can filter for your own particular favorites. Featuring the musical works of famous artists is also a fresh strategy for Apple Fitness+, with the programs aptly named ‘Halftime Show’.
When it comes to the big days, the music style switches accordingly – the December 25th Yoga Singles set uses all Christmas tunes, and June’s celebration of Black Music Month has a featured theme as well.
In addition to the music, the atmosphere of the Fitness+ gym is one of the things that attracts users to work out – Apple Fitness+ videos are all recorded indoors, and are currently located in Los Angeles. If you look closely, you’ll see that they’re all recorded in the same room: a wall painted with fitness circles is the backdrop for dance and cycling workouts; its right wall is lined with dumbbells and sandbags, which is the backdrop for freestyle, strength and other workouts; and its left wall, with three large glass floor-to-ceiling windows planted with birds of paradise, ferns and bushes, is the backdrop for yoga and relaxation workouts such as meditation, meditation and other relaxing workouts.
The lighting and volume also change as the workout progresses. At the culmination of a dance workout, the Fitness+ gym darkens and the spotlights illuminating the fitness circles on the back wall gradually brighten, creating a nighttime ballroom atmosphere in the Fitness+ gym, while the volume of the background music increases to stimulate the user for the final culmination of the workout. In contrast, during the final part of the meditation workout (Sleep Well), the lights dim and the trainer quiets down and it’s time to simply listen to the background music and breathe to assist you in drifting off to sleep.
Apple Fitness+ is still being enriched
Apple Fitness+ launched in December 2020 and has continued to evolve and diversify its content, features, and instructors over the years. the January 2023 launch of free sparring training made sparring a professional sport much easier for the average user, and Apple Fitness+ instructors Jenn Lau and Nez Dally joined the team at the same time, both of whom have accomplished much in their lives. Jenn Lau and Nez Dally, both of whom have gone on to great things in their own lives, joined the ranks of Apple Fitness+ coaches at the same time, as did Artist Spotlight and Time to Walk.
The customized plans and workout combinations feature, which officially launched in September 2023, allows users to customize their daily workout plans and workouts to their liking. In January, Meditation added a sound therapy theme, with music to soothe the body and mind throughout the workout; a strength, core, and yoga workout for golfers; and Artist Spotlight added new content like the Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show.
Whether Apple Fitness+ is worth a subscription depends on your workout level. If you’re used to intense workouts at the gym, Apple Fitness+ may not be intense enough for you. For those who are new to working out, or who want to keep their workouts moderate, Apple Fitness+ is an option that can help you keep your workouts intense, diversify your workouts, and develop a workout plan.
To use Apple Fitness+, you must have an iPhone, and with an Apple Watch paired with your iPhone, you can integrate your heart rate, calories burned, and rounding information in real time on the screens of your devices – including iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV – and all of your workout data is synchronized within the Fitness Records & Health app. All data from your workout is also synchronized within the Fitness Log & Health app. On Apple TVs updated with tvOS 17, Apple Fitness+ also supports multi-user sharing, so family and friends who don’t have an Apple Fitness+ subscription can use it for workouts.
Apple Fitness+ subscriptions are $9.99/month or $79.99/year, with 3 months free on new purchases and 1 month free on your first subscription. Apple Fitness+ is also included with the Apple One (Premier) service, which is the most affordable way to pay for Apple Fitness+! Apple One (Premier) service also includes Apple Fitness+, which is the most affordable way to pay for Apple Fitness+: A subscription for up to 6 people costs $6.325/month/person and includes 2 TB of iCloud+, Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, and Apple News+.
Published by Tony Shepherd & last updated on April 13, 2024 8:23 am
