Apple Fitness Plus: How to Get the Most Out of It

Everyone wants to get in shape and look good, and Apple Fitness Plus makes this possible with little more than your iPhone. Apple Fitness Plus is a subscription service that provides users with workout programs, guided meditations, and much more.

Of course, you have to put in the work yourself. It takes effort to get in shape, but there are a lot of types of workouts that range from high-intensity interval training to strength training. You can try out Apple Fitness Plus for free for one month. Here’s how to get the most out of that time – and to decide if you want to continue subscribing after.

Where to Find Apple Fitness Plus

Apple Fitness Plus can be found in the default Fitness app on your iPhone. All you have to do is open Fitness and tap the center icon (labeled Fitness+) to access the service.

Once on that screen, you can sort between different workout types by tapping the icons on-screen. You can choose between Meditation, HIIT, Yoga, Core, Strength, Pilates, Dance, Cycling, Treadmill, Rowing, and Mindful Cooldown.

There are also other options like Collections, Time to Walk, Programs, Artist Spotlight, and more. The Apple Fitness Plus app is an expansive collection of different workout types that will help everyone find something they enjoy.

How to Get the Most Out of Apple Fitness Plus

Apple Fitness Plus is all about working out and tracking the amount of effort you put in (and the results you get out of it.) There are several steps you can take that will result in a better experience.

Keep Your Apple Watch Up to Date

Your Apple Watch will do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to tracking metrics like your heart rate. Apple Watch users will get the most out of Apple Fitness Plus, especially if they keep their watch up-to-date with the latest OS to ensure accurate tracking. At the time of writing, WatchOS 8 is the latest version.

Download Your Workouts

You’ll need Wi-Fi or cellular data to access the workouts. If you’re going somewhere you know you won’t have access to Wi-Fi, don’t worry – you can download your workouts ahead of time to your iPhone, iPad, or other Apple devices.

Workout with TV

It can be hard to see all of the videos on a small phone screen. The good news is that you can access Fitness Plus through Apple TV. You’ll be able to see the workouts much better. If you’re afraid of someone hearing your workout (and let’s face it: workout videos can be cheesy), just sync a pair of Airpods to your Apple TV 4K and you’re good to go.  

Try New Workouts

If you’re just getting into fitness for the first time, you might not know what to start with. Apple Fitness Plus has several programs that cater to total beginners. Don’t be afraid to break out of your comfort zone and try new types of workouts; for example, the Collections feature of Apple Fitness Plus has programs like the 30-Day Core Challenge or the Run Your First 5K to help you reach your fitness goals.

Watch the Burn Bar

The Burn Bar is a feature that allows you to compare your progress and performance against other people of similar age and weight. You can disable it, but leaving it enabled anonymously adds your progress to the Burn Bar competition. It’s only available for HIIT, Treadmill, Cycling, and Rowing workouts.

You’ll see it two minutes into your workout, and it will consistently update to show the last two minutes of effort. You’ll be rated as “Behind the Pack,” “In the Pack,” “Middle of the Pack,” “Front of the Pack,” or “Ahead of the Pack.” At the end of your workout, the Burn Bar averages your performance to give your final score.

You win nothing by beating everyone else, but the Burn Bar is an easy motivational tool for those that like to compete.

Take Advantage Of Time To Run

Running is a relatively easy, beginner-friendly workout that can be done at any time. That said, it can be tough to start and push past the initial burn until you reach the “runner’s high.” Time To Run makes it easier to focus on something besides the pain with coaching tips and inspiring stories.

Time to Run is an audio experience set up in different episodes, kind of like podcasts. You’ll hear great music and playlists curated by the trainers, as well as visuals of different locations. It’s a great way to learn to pace yourself.

Be Consistent

Working out is a marathon, not a sprint. You won’t see results right away – and if the workouts are tough but doable, it’s a good indicator they’re helping. You can expect to notice a difference in the way you feel after about a week, but it might take up to a month before you see any physical change.

Stick with your workouts and don’t give up just because you don’t see results right away. Try to close your Activity Rings each day, even on days you don’t work out.

Watch Your Diet

If your goal is to lose weight, Apple Fitness Plus can help you find the right workout to burn calories, but an equal amount of work comes in the kitchen. The adage says that getting in shape is 80% diet, and 20% working out, and that holds true. You can find quite a few apps in the App Store to help you track your caloric intake so that you can better meet your goals. 

If Apple Fitness Plus sounds like something you would be interested in, you can try it for free for a month. After this, it’s $9.99 per month or $79.99 annually. If your goal is to run a 5K or finally perfect your yoga positions this year, give it a shot – you might find exactly the workout program you need.