10 ways your iPhone can help you succeed at the gym

If I'm not at work, then I'm working out. My local takeaway has taken a substantial financial hit but, fitness has now become a large part of my life.

My phone is almost as important a part of my fitness as my gym membership. I realised that I had created an ecosystem for succeeding built around my iPhone and wanted to share what I've learned about apps, built-in features and accessories which have helped me get the most out of my time in, and out of, the gym.

1. Strong - Available from the App Store

If you're even half serious about wanting to go to the gym, you need to track your progress. This is a handy little app that will do just that. You can set up full routines of exercises in advance to help save time and keep you focused. It even lets your upload a progress picture for each session as a visual log of your progress but be warned, no one wants to see your endless gym selfies (Save those for Tinder…)!

2. Seconds Pro - Available from the App Store

On the surface, yes this just looks like a regular timer. However it's ability to create custom schedules is great for when you're doing any kind of high intensity interval training or mixed cardio workouts. No one likes cardio, but what was that they say about "no pain, no gain"...

3. FitMenCook - Available from the App Store

Going to the gym is really only half the battle, if you really want to get results from your workouts then you have to eat well too. Abs ARE made in the kitchen. This App is full of useful recipes that you can search by dietary restriction (low carb, high protein, etc.) and allows you to adjust the ingredient quantities by choosing the number of servings you'd like (because cooking in bulk can really help to save those precious £££)!

4. MyFitnessPal - Available from the App Store

Ok, you've made your food, but now you need somewhere to log your calorie intake. MyFitnessPal has that covered. It can track your meals and allow you to count the calories (it even accounts for extra calories burnt during the day so you can see when you've earned that cheat day!). For the Macro-nutrient obsessed amongst you, it can even show you a break down to allow a clearer view of what's being consumed and where your diet can be improved!

5. Runkeeper - Available from the App Store

Hate the gym? I get it, sometimes a treadmill just won't cut it. In those (admittedly brief) summer months, you just want to make the most of being outside! This is the go-to App for those outdoor running occasions. Using GPS to track your running path you can also set up alerts to tell you how far/long you've been running.

6. Health/Activity - Built-in with devices running iOS 8 onwards

Sometimes you just want to see what you're achieving at a day-to-day level. The good news is that your phone already does it. Apple's in-built Health app will let you see just how many steps you're making and track your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly progress. That is only the tip of the iceberg as far as what the Health app is capable of helping you track. You can keep tabs on your weight, body measurements, sleep, heart rate and so much more.

7. Spotify - Available from the App Store

For those of you that haven't been, there is one thing you need to know before setting foot in a gym. The music sucks. Now my choice is controversial due to my place of work but there is one feature that Spotify has over Apple Music in terms of exercise: The running feature. Spotify can create a playlist that matches the tempo of the music to the speed at which you're running. I find that music is a great motivator and can really help to keep things varied/interesting, besides no one wants to hear a bunch of grown men grunting.

"But wait!" I hear some people thinking. "Isn't there a very obvious omission from your list?!?"

Well, yes...

I've very recently been lucky enough to receive a new and shiny Apple Watch, with benefits that link very neatly into this category. Once I've got accustomed and investigated a little deeper into the wealth of possibilities, you may very well hear all about these benefits. After all, if you go to the gym and don’t tell anyone about it - did it ever really happen?!

By "Swole-Meister" Oliver, at KRCS Nottingham.

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