Most Americans don't get enough exercise.
Less than a quarter of adults ages 18 to 64 met the government's recommended physical-activity guidelines from 2010 to 2015. Those guidelines call for healthy adults to do a minimum of 2 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity activity — or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity — plus at least two muscle-strengthening days a week.
Exercise is essentially the closest thing that exists to a miracle drug— something that can extend life, boost mood and improve mental health, fight disease, and just make you feel better as you live your day-to-day life.
But once you decide it's time to get fit, it can be hard to know where to start. Fitness apps can help.
No app is a solution on its own, but there's more and more evidence that whether your goals are to start running or get stronger, apps seeking to guide workouts can help.
One of the top apps for getting in shape is the Sworkit app, which functions as a sort of playlist for exercise, whether you want to do bodyweight strength exercises, stretches, cardio, or yoga. The company behind the app received a $1.5 million investment from Mark Cuban after appearing on "Shark Tank," and there's scientific evidence backing the use of Sworkit for training, too.
In 2015, a team of sports scientists analyzed 30 popular free fitness apps and found that Sworkit was the most closely aligned with the American College of Sports Medicine's training guidelines. (At the time, Sworkit had a free version, though new users now need to sign up for the paid version of the app, for which there is a 30-day free trial.*)
Those guidelines say a workout should include aerobic, strength, resistance, and flexibility components; it should follow evidence-based guidelines for frequency, intensity, and types of workouts; and it should include safety measures to help make sure beginners start at a safe point.
No app was perfect, the analysis found (and most were terrible). The biggest concern that researchers had was that by getting a workout from an app instead of from a trainer, a person might try to do too much and injure themselves.
But overall, that analysis found that Sworkit provided useful guidelines for strength training, cardio, and flexibility exercise, and I personally have found it a fun and effective way to fit in a workout on busy days.
(It is worth noting that another recent analysis that compared apps to the ACSM's training guidelines had many of the same concerns about injuries, and that analysis didn't rank Sworkit as highly as several other popular apps worth trying, including NikePlus and the top choice in that analysis, the The Johnson and Johnson Official 7-Minute Workout, highly recommended by my colleague Erin Brodwin. Those apps are free.)
But if you're interested in a playlist of exercises that can be done without equipment and for a variable duration of time, we'd recommend giving Sworkit a try. Here's how it works.
*Correction: Sworkit used to have a free version, which this writer had been able to continue to use, since the app had been previously downloaded.
But readers have alerted us that new users now have to sign up for the premium version of the app, for which there is a 30-day free trial. Sworkit Premium costs $9.99 a month or $6.66 a month for people who pay by the year. It includes a number of customization options and the option to communicate with trainers about your workouts. This review was written based on the free version.
SEE ALSO: How much you have to exercise and what kind of workout to do to get different types of benefits
The initial interface is simple and clean.
When you open the app, you can choose whether you want to focus on strength, cardio, yoga, or stretching.
All the exercises are bodyweight-based, so you don't need equipment for any of the workouts. While I wouldn't use this as my only fitness option, it's a nice way to get a varied workout that can be done at home or on the road.
There are custom or sport-specific workouts.
If you want some variation from the initial options, there are also custom workouts on the home screen.
Some are targeted toward beginners, older athletes, or people with a specific fitness goal.
These routines include a number of sport-specific workouts or routines targeting specific body parts.
After choosing from one of the four main categories of workout — strength, cardio, yoga, or stretching — you get to select a focused workout from within that category.
Within the "strength" category, for example, you can choose between a full-body workout, an upper-body workout, a core workout, or a lower-body-focused workout.
The full-body workout is a great go-to option here. While I like to go for a run, ride a bike, or climb when I can, this is a nice alternative for particularly hot or freezing days.
Still, if you are going to use the app regularly, it's good to switch things up to stress different parts of your body.
You can work up a good sweat and push yourself hard enough that you get the mental clarity that's one of the best benefits of exercise.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider