Running is one of the most straightforward ways to get your daily exercise in. It is an easily accessible form of aerobic activity, which has been shown to effectively reduce stress, improve cardiovascular health, and combat symptoms of depression. While it is always ideal for taking in the energy from the sun and enjoying the beauty of nature while running, sometimes, the weather conditions might just not be conducive for an outdoor run. If that’s the case, then there’s always that other option – the treadmill.
However, running and working out on treadmills can easily become dull and uninteresting. The scenery is monotonous, and if you follow through the same routine every time, the boredom becomes real. Most treadmills have customized workouts that you can use to switch up your routine. And here’s the thing: With the advent of technology, there are now a number of treadmill apps that promise to make a boring run much more fun and exciting.
These apps will inspire your workouts, keep you engaged, and help you keep clocking those miles without glancing at the clock. There are several apps in the market to choose from, and here are some of the best ones you need to get started:
5k Runner: Couch Potato to 5K
As the name implies, this app will help, push, and transform you from being a couch potato to a 5k runner. This is the perfect app for beginners as it embraces a progressive approach when adding distance to your runs three times a week, 30 minutes a day. It has a virtual coach who will dictate how to approach every run segment, intending to push you to run a full 5k by the end of eight weeks. This app is also compatible with streaming or music apps, allowing you to play a curated playlist or your very own set of tunes. When you’re ready to move on and train for a 10k, or a half marathon, or a full marathon, the same company has other treadmill or running apps for just that.
Nike + Run Club
This is another one of the more popular treadmill apps in the market today. When you are looking for a structured training plan, the Nike + Run Club app gives you your own Nike + coach who will guide you through your training. You will have access to a variety of features to keep you sharp: weekly or monthly distance challenges, social media run challenges, reminders to schedule your runs, and lastly, the app even saves all of your fitness stats. This includes the distance you’ve covered, your speed, altitude, duration, and heart rate, pushing you to increase your mileage, endurance, and strength in every run.
Peloton Digital
This app may be a bit pricey, but when you are getting real-time motivation from top NYC fitness instructors, it is worth every penny. You can run along with instructors like Matty Maggiacomo and Robin Arzon, who will be streaming live in their own studio and treadmills and giving out pep talks and coaching in real-time. The programs are anywhere between ten to 60 minutes long, and you can choose your difficulty level, music genre (pre-created by the instructors), class type, and even instructor.
iSmooth Run
This app effectively tracks and logs all of your running details, including location, pace, elevation, cadence, distance, and heart rate. The feedback will be given through audio to let you know how much you are doing as compared to your previous treadmill runs. This is a great way to challenge yourself to try and beat your personal best.
Aaptiv
This app has the treadmill category at its forefront. It boasts over 2,500 trainer-led runs that will not only provide you with intense sweat-inducing exercises but also tailored programs that will push you toward your specific goals. Some instructors provide programs targeted at those who are training for a race, while other trainers are very specific when it comes to your running form, and others just like to have fun. All you have to do is know your goal, check out the program details, and choose your run.
PulseTread: Treadmill Trainer
If you are a fan of Hollywood celebrity trainer Mark Harari, then this treadmill app is for you. It features a number of treadmill routines to choose from with a brand new 30-minute workout every single day. You also have the option of exercising to your own soundtrack as the app is compatible with other streaming apps.
Treadmill Trails
For visually-driven runners, nothing beats running with a view of the great outdoors. Staring at the TV or a blank wall can become pretty boring very quickly. The good news: Treadmill Trails can take you on a 30-minute virtual tour of outdoor views to keep your run inspiring and motivating. These views could be any virtual tour of various trails around the world – it could be in the Grand Canyon or Hawaii or even in Mt. Kilimanjaro. The best part is that the app allows you to download these video tours on your phone so you can access them in the future without the need for wifi.
Zombies, Run!
Quickly turn any treadmill session into an adventure with this immersive app. Simply tap on the Tracking button and choose Step Counter when doing this mission-filled run on a treadmill so the app can pick up your movement and allow you to fully enjoy the experience. Co-created by award-winning novelist Naomi Alderman, this app also features heart-pumping music to complete the heart-racing experience.
Zwift
This is another immersive app that will turn any mundane treadmill run into a heart-racing adventure. With this app, you can create your own avatar and take it across virtual worlds as you do your run in the real world. This app works great with many treadmill models as well as with Apple Health, so you can save all your activities.
Many health experts consider exercise to be the closest thing to a miracle drug. And running is on the top-most of the list as a clear-cut method to reap the benefits of exercise. However, like any kind of fitness regime, following the same workout can easily become tedious. Treadmills are gaining traction as the piece of equipment that can provide that much-needed variety to any run. Moreover, anyone with a smartphone can take advantage of treadmill apps that can give you that extra push or competition to reach your fitness goals.
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