New Year, New Me! Are you Still Going Strong?
February has reared its head and much of the New Year, New Me hype has already faded. If you’re still ‘in it to win it’ and working towards your 2024 health & fitness goals, my hat goes off to you! Any time is as good as ever to begin the journey of improving your health, but sometimes this journey is impeded by road blocks. Some however, can be easily overcome.
As the saying goes, the hardest part is getting started. But how? If Roger, who has never lifted a weight in his life, wants to improve his health and energy to enjoy quality time with his son, how does he begin if he lacks guidance on where to start? How does Jennifer stay motivated to reach her goal of losing weight to lower her blood pressure when she doesn’t know which exercises to perform? Additionally, they may both prefer to workout at home due to time restrictions, family obligations, or comfort, but don’t know where to begin.
I got you!
As a fitness trainer, I was the happiest and received the greatest satisfaction from demonstrating the proper use of gym equipment or instructing a client on the various ways to exercise a specific muscle group.
These days, there’s an app for that!
There’s an app for everything!
Technology advances by leaps and bounds each year (really, each month). With those advancements come helpful tools such as phone apps that can assist Roger, Jennifer, and even you with everything from scheduling alarms for prescription medications to turning on your house lights and everything in between. This includes your workout.
There are a plethora of fitness apps on the market today. I use Strava to track my swimming, biking, and running. I use the Garmin app to give me insight on my workouts. I use Training Peaks to get an actual score for my my workouts so I’ll know when to rest. I use TrainerRoad for my indoor bike rides. I use the Peloton app for my outdoor walks and meditation. The list goes on. However, those are paid apps.
Two FREE Fitness Apps to Help you Improve Your Fitness Journey
— MuscleWiki is a free fitness app (also available on a desktop version here) with an extensive exercise library that includes videos and written instructions for over 2,000 exercises. I love the simplicity of being able to click on a picture to view routines that will exercise that specific muscle group. Roger may not know the muscle on the back of his arm is called the tricep muscle, but he knows where it is and can point to it on a picture.
Once you click on the specific muscle you’ll be taken to workout videos with multiple angles and instructions. Nancy may not know what a tricep kickback is, but she’ll know how to mimic the video and can read the instructions for further guidance. And now she’s exercising her arms and has the confidence to continue.
MuscleWiki takes it a step further with articles such as, Biomechanics 101 — How To Select Exercises, which caters to the ‘total newbie’. Biomechanics is a crucial topic for those who are new to fitness. Learning proper movements can prevent injury.
— Lyfta. The lyfta app is a fitness app with a social component. You can follow other users and like their posts, in a fashion similar to Instagram. Users can create workouts/programs and post them to their page for others to like, rate, and save. Lyfta has more of a learning curve, but once you grasp the concept, it is truly amazing.
Similar to MuscleWiki, Lyfta has a visual component that can’t be beat. As the exercise is being demonstrated, the muscle being worked is highlighted and is obvious. Lyfta also demonstrates exercise variations on their Facebook Page of the same name.
Lyfta also allows the user to explore workouts based on categories such as beginner, fundamentals, muscle building, etc. Once you’re in the category you will see several workouts, created by users, based on that particular category. The workouts can be rated, shared, and downloaded.
Teamwork makes the Dream Work
MuscleWiki and Lyfta are two highly useful FREE fitness apps that can significantly assist Roger, Jennifer, and you in kickstarting their fitness journey. MuscleWiki provides a comprehensive database of exercises, with detailed instructions and demonstrations to ensure proper form and technique. It is particularly beneficial for beginners who may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about the correct way to perform exercises or just want to workout at home.
On the other hand, Lyfta offers personalized workout plans tailored to individual goals and fitness levels. With its user-friendly interface and intuitive features, Lyfta simplifies the process of creating a fitness routine, making it easier for newcomers to establish a structured workout regimen. By leveraging the features and functionalities of MuscleWiki and Lyfta, Roger, Jennifer, and you can gain the necessary guidance and motivation to begin their fitness routine effectively.
Fitness is as easy as putting one foot in front of the other. Walking is always free and simply requires shoes. Nevertheless, as we age we begin to lose muscle. It is important to incorporate strength training into your fitness routine to maintain bone strength, heart health, bone density, and to protect you joints from injury to name a few.
Many exercises can be done at home with a resistance band or kettlebell. Visit my ToolBox for these items and more. Always consult your doctor before beginning a fitness routine.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase, via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.