Even though I have a gym membership and regularly go for jogs around my city, I still love to do the occasional at-home workout. I feel like they’re perfect for rainy days, cold days, and days when I just don’t want to be seen by anyone. And since I’m always looking for new ways to add to my fitness routine, I decided to give the Freeletics app a try.
Freeletics is a fitness app that offers “intensive workouts and individualized training,” according to its tagline. Once you download it, you learn that it’s based on AI and data from sports scientists, which is how it creates personalized training plans and adapts workouts to your specific needs. And its workouts run the gamut: You can choose which muscle groups you want to focus on, for instance, and whether you want to run, lift weights, do bodyweight exercises — or all of the above.
Before you start sweating, the app asks you to rank your top three health goals. I went with “relieve stress,” “improve fitness,” and “increase endurance.” (Other options include to “gain strength,” “eat better,” and “improve mental strength.”) The AI-based algorithm finishes up by asking you to plug in your fitness level so that it knows what it’s working with. And if you only have 15 minutes, like to avoid push-ups, or want a quiet workout (hey, downstairs neighbor), the platform will only suggest routines within those parameters.
Then it’s time to get moving. Read on for my Freeletics review and everything you need to know about using the fitness app.
Membership Options
The first thing I realized was you do have to pay for a lot of the cool features. To gain access to a tailor-made exercise routine, called your Training Journey, you’re asked to sign up and pay about $3.83 a week, which adds up to roughly $49.99 for three months. Once you do, you get training that caters to your fitness goals, the ability to adapt or change your workouts, as well as an endless variety of workouts.
There’s also the option to pay for a bundle so that you have access to a digital training coach and a nutrition coach, where you’ll get personalized feedback as well as healthy recipes.
That said, you can use Freeletics for free, which is what I did. While it makes sense that all the science and AI would come with a price tag, I wanted a test run before taking the plunge.
Freeletics Workouts
Freeletics
If you’re a paying member, you’ll go to the Coach tab on the app to find your personalized fitness journey: A six to eight-week course that takes into account all the data you entered from the jump.
For the purposes of this review, I stuck to the Explore tab, which is chock full of one-off digital workouts as well as warmups, cooldowns, and stretches (all of which you can access for free). Under this section you’ll also find workouts that zero in on specific muscle groups, guided runs and sprints that you can do indoors or out, equipment and equipment-free workouts, as well as time-based workouts — all of which have a few free options.
To kick things off, I chose a workout called “Full Core Control.” Down to the floor I went to do 45-second intervals of climbers, back extensions, toe-touch crunches, and other core-based exercises, divided up by 15 seconds of rest. As you move, the app shows a video of a trainer demonstrating each exercise so you can see the proper form.
The whole workout lasted 10 minutes and didn’t require any equipment. It included core moves I definitely wouldn’t have done on my own if not inspired by an outside source, as well as moves I often forget are working your abs, like back extensions. By the end, I remained on the mat for a few minutes to revel in my newfound core strength. Oh, and to listen to the applause audio track that plays at the end of every workout.
Freeletics Features
Freeletics
The next time I opened the app I went right back to the Explore page to see what else I could find in the way of a no-equipment workout, and landed on a featured Workout of the Week. In this option, a trainer guided me through a series of basic strength moves like crunches and lunges, with a certain number of reps recommended for each. I completed each round at my own pace, before tapping the screen to move on to the next one.
I love that there are lots of cool-down options to stream, including videos that show how to use a foam roller, as this is a step I tend to skip when left to my own devices. I decided to try a quick Recovery & Stretching video called “Flexible Hips & Legs.” For 11 minutes I did hip circles, knee lifts, and deep squat holds — all moves I, again, wouldn’t have thought of on my own — and they left my lower body feeling extra limber.
The app has other themed classes, like the “God” workouts, which are named after gods and goddesses. You’re meant to do these signature workouts as fast as you can. The “Aphrodite,” for instance, is a sweaty “you against the clock” routine with moves like plyometric burpees and squats. These come in handy to further add variety to your exercise routine and bring you a muscle-burning challenge.
As I finished each workout session, it was added to a log in my profile so I could look back on all the classes I’ve completed. (Go me!) While I didn’t post anything in the Community tab, Freletics does allow users to leave comments below the workouts you take — and you can even invite friends to challenges. The goal is to complete a specific exercise or workout every day for a select number of days, using each other as motivation. Considering the fact that accountability is a tenement of staying on top of a regular fitness regimen, I could see this social feature having a legit benefit.
My Honest Freeletics Review
Freeletics
The Freeletics app is straightforward with an interface that makes it super easy to use. I liked scrolling through its wide variety of workout options and am definitely going back for more. One thing to note is it seems like the app can skew in a more hardcore direction, which is great if you’re looking for super tough workouts, but not so ideal if you’re a beginner.
While I may not be paying for the tailored fitness journey, I can see myself keeping this app in my back pocket for my at-home workouts. It’s nice to be able to choose from a list of classes that focus on a specific need — this is a key perk for those times I only have 15 minutes to devote to exercise or just want to work on my upper body strength. And since I love running, I’ll also be hitting up its guided courses, where the app uses GPS to track your miles.
Overall, Freeletics is a great resource for a choose-your-own-adventure type of workout experience.
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