I’ve been a regular gym-goer for three years now, two of which have been spent at a CrossFit box, with a focus on weight-training. When it comes to building strength and improving my fitness, I know that lifting weights is what gets me results.
However, I regularly travel, and sometimes when I’m away or busy with work I don’t make it to the gym as often as I’d like. As a result, I’m trying to incorporate more home workouts into my routine. In lieu of a coach and guided workouts at the gym, I decided to try the workout app Sweat created by the personal trainer Kayla Itsines, who also posts workouts online to more than 16 million Instagram followers.
Heading on a two-week holiday without access to the gym, I put the app to the test, swapping out my regular gym-based workouts to see if bodyweight routines, with the help of some resistance bands, could be as effective as lifting weights. One benefit of using fitness apps is that they tend to be more affordable than a gym membership, with Sweat costing $19.99 a month. This includes workouts and advice from personal trainers, as well as access to meal plans and shopping lists.
There are a range of programmes and workouts available on the app, including Pilates, yoga, barre, cardio and options for people who are pregnant or post-natal. I set up my profile choosing three fitness goals: build muscle, get fitter and get stronger.
I was then presented with a number of workouts, many of which were Pilates and barre-style, while some were focussed on HIIT and strength. I was hoping to use the app three or four times a week, doing a range of bodyweight workouts that were designed to build strength.
The Sweat app is specifically designed for women (we even rated it as the best workout app for women, in our recent round-up) but it features a range of workouts and meal options, so seems to be suitable for everyone.
1. Bodyweight workouts can be just as challenging as lifting weights
(Image credit: Future)
I assumed that exercising…
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