Image via Complex Original
It used to be weird to go for a run without some music and your discman, now it's weird to go on a run without a mobile app that analyzes your every move. Smartphone fitness apps measure everything from your heart beat to your steps, and everything in between. To get a total analysis of your workout, all you have to do is open a simple app, some of which know you better than your over-priced personal trainer. Check out The Best Apps to Help You Become a Better Athlete, and get yourself into shape already.
RELATED: 10 Apps That Will Help You Improve Your Game
RELATED: The Best Workout Apps for Summer
RELATED: Sneaker Report - 10 Tech Devices to Make You a Better Athlete
RELATED: Sneaker Report - The Best 10 Free Online Workout Programs for Men
Vitogo
Platform: iOS; $.99
The one-dollar price of this app is well worth it: input basic information about yourself and your goals, and the app will output a personalized workout plan. It only costs you a buck, and let's be real, you'd be paying a personal trainer a whole lot more. The app even goes a step further, and provides feedback along the way. With Vitogo, it's easy to stay motivated.
Gorilla Workout
Platform: iOS, Android; $.99
If you want a fit budget and a fit body, Gorilla Workout might be for you. After all, the cost of a physical trainer and a gym membership can start to add up. Gorilla Workout gives you 40 exercises that require no equipment, making it easy to get started on a budget.
Zombies, Run!
Platform: iOS, Android; $3.99
In case you're the type of person who favors illogical fears, rather than practical ones, guess what? There's an app of that. With Zombies, Run! you get motivated to keep running by rabid zombies chasing you. The experience is completed with noises supplied by the app. Again, try this out in case the very real fear of losing money isn't enough for you.
Pickup Sports
If you're a professional athlete you know the value of practice (well, except for Allen Iverson). With Pickup Sports, you no longer have to practice alone. No more unguarded jump shots, you just open the app, look for a game, and head over. Instead of collecting your own bricks, you could be snatching someone else's off the backboard and going coast to coast.
Fitsby
Platform: Android; Free
Just in case you're not a self-motivator, there's Fitsby. The app allows users to put their money where their mouth is by putting their own cash on the line by making a commitment on the app. When they honor it, they see their bank account grow by taking money from other people who aren't living up to their expectations. If they choose not to stay on course, and you'll see your cash go toward someone else who is more committed. If your desire to be a better athlete isn't enough to get you in the gym, maybe money is.
Fleetly Fitness
Platform: iOS; Free
Compettition is something that powers most athletes. If you don't want to beat the best, you will never be the best. With Fleetly you can compare your performance to your friends (or enemies), and you can even challenge them to a competition or task. The leaderboards let you see how you stack up long-term against your competitors.
Fooducate
Platform: iOS, Android: Free
Fooducate gives you an Ivy League education in the real nutrition facts. The app has a database of common foods with grades from A to F. Ever wanted to know if the extra laps you ran at practice cancelled out the giant bowl of Captain Crunch you ate for breakfast? Now with Fooducate you can find out the damage with one search.
iMuscle 2
Platform: iOS, Android: $2.99
Anyone serious about getting in shape is going to wake up sore. After a big day at the gym, it's important to stretch, and with iMuscle you can see how 450 different stretches affect specific muscles. There is no promise that you will never be sore again, but at least with this app you will have some idea of how to deal with it.
Endomondo
Platform: iOS, Android: Free
Endomondo is not just an app, it's a personal trainer. The app analyzes your performance as you run, offering a kilometer-by-kilometer update on your performance. In addition to this, it creates a community for you on the go; your friends can send you real-time messages, read aloud during your run. You can even tap into your competitive spirit, set out your route and compare your time against other users on the same route.
Everest
Platform: iOS, Android: Free
Everest allows you to create your own goals, and helps you create steps to reach those goals. Don't worry about forgetting any of the steps along the way, Everest features push notifications to make sure you are on pace to reach the top of whatever metaphorical mountain you chose to climb.