There are many apps out there trying to get you working out, but Freeletics finally got it done for me – even if the name is a bit misleading at first glance.
Freeletics: exercising with nothing but your iPhone
Like many, I have a complicated relationship with sports. I never felt like it and I was never good at it. Thanks to various technical gadgets, I have regained pleasure in sports.
That started with Ring Fit Adventure for the Nintendo Switch, a game with a rubber ring that allows you to do sports exercises to defeat enemies. I also enthusiastically went boxing in virtual reality, while the sweat was dripping from my body. But over time, the boxing game started to fail and I had completed Ring Fit Adventure.
In terms of apps, I had already tried a few things. For example, Active Arcade is a nice game that combines augmented reality and sports, but I eventually found my match in Freeletics.
Not free at all?
If you’ve shown any interest in sports in any way, you’re bound to see ads popping up for Freeletics on Instagram and other platforms. If you look at the reactions, you can always expect the same: people who grumble that the app is not free at all.
The app does indeed have a misleading name and the creators have undoubtedly done that intentionally. ‘Free’ does not mean that the app is free, but that you can exercise without additional resources. The app focuses on bodyweight workouts. Think burpees, push-ups, sit-ups and more that you can do anywhere. I thought Ring Fit Adventure was already doing well on squads and planks, but Freeletics’ sports sessions really wrecked me. In a good way.
The app, which you have to subscribe to, uses artificial intelligence to recommend workouts. They always consist of a warming up and a cooling down, with pure hell in between.
Muscle feedback
Afterwards you indicate what you thought of the difficulty and with which exercises you still had a little trouble. All your subsequent sports sessions will then be adjusted accordingly. Very nice is that each exercise has a clear video, from different perspectives and with written instructions. This way you always know what the intention is and you don’t have to worry about doing it wrong with a wrong attitude.
Somehow the app motivates me every time to go all out. Beyond what I thought I could. And I feel significantly stronger and fitter.
In the meantime, exercises have also been added with additional resources, such as dumbbells, a skipping rope, kettlebell or a box. Not quite so ‘free’ anymore, but these resources are always optional. You can add and remove resources every day, for example if you do not only exercise at home. Then your sports session will simply be adjusted.
Cons
A disadvantage is that, despite the fact that you already pay a subscription, the app still does its best to sell you other things. Think of the above sports resources that you can of course also buy at Freeletics, just like clothing. That is sometimes presented through full-screen advertisements and I can’t wait for that – especially because I already pay for that app.
You should also not download the app with wrong expectations. In the advertisements for the app and within the app itself, you will see pictures of muscular models. It’s like waking up the next day with a six pack just after downloading the app. You really won’t look like that. But if you want to get fitter with a healthier body and more stamina, this is a very nice app.
I was on vacation for a few days recently and I caught myself looking forward to getting back to work. If you can manage that with me, you are doing something very well as an app.
Download Freeletics
Freeletics can be downloaded in the App Store via the button below.
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