In recent years, you have likely noticed the rise of fitness apps, with them becoming a more popular choice for those who have fallen out of love with the gym or simply don’t have the time. Both men and women are becoming frequent workout app users, thanks to their convenience, affordability, and flexibility around fitness goals.
However, like all aspects of fitness, one glove does not fit all, and though an app may be fantastic for one person, it might not deliver the same results for another. At POW8R, we recognised this and made this our focus when designing the POW8R exercise app.
There are distinct differences between men and women that have to be considered when designing a workout or personal trainer app, and although we have not designed the POW8R app with just women in mind, we believe that we offer one of the best fitness apps for women due to our diverse features.
Keep reading to find out what features women should look for when selecting a home workout app.
Why Women’s Fitness App Needs Differ From Men’s
You might think that fitness apps are universal and work for both genders, and while some do, that is not the case for all.
There are distinct biological, physiological and motivational differences between men that need to be considered when it comes to fitness apps, as well as lifestyle differences. For example, women are more likely to have to worry about childcare and so may need to plan around that, and they also may need to switch up their usual routine during menstruation, so an app needs to be able to accommodate this, especially when considering how metabolic rates can change during different phases of their menstrual cycle.
All of these reasons only emphasise the importance of shopping around for features in home workout apps that allow you to live a healthier lifestyle while also catering training plans to your schedule.
Personal Training App: Key Features to Look Out For
Some key features that you should consider when looking for the best app for women’s workouts include:
Nutrition Plans & Recipes
We all know that living a healthier lifestyle is about much more than just working out. To achieve the results you want, it’s important that you’re giving your body the fuel it needs, especially if you are looking to lose weight, build muscle or tone.
Changing your diet alongside a whole new fitness routine can be challenging, and daily meal planning can add a lot of mental load, which is why choosing a fitness app that offers nutritionally balanced recipes or meal plans is essential.
This is especially true for women, who experience shifts in nutritional needs across different life stages and throughout their menstrual cycle. Access to quick, easy-to-follow recipes is essential and helps women using fitness apps stay on track throughout their fitness journey without additional effort.
Strength Training Without Intimidation
We’ve all been to the weight section of the gym, and quite often it can feel like a boys’ club, where a lot of regular gym goers meet up to socialise and build muscle. If you are new to fitness, this can be incredibly intimidating.
Strength training should be included in everyone’s routine; it helps maintain muscle mass, boosts metabolism, aids fat loss, and should be available in a way that makes beginners feel confident taking it on without being intimidated.
At POW8R, we pride ourselves on providing a range of tutorials that give you the tools you need to learn the proper form and technique required for strength training, working with you at your own pace and fitness level. Our range of tutorials allows you to take your time, master your form, and practice until you feel confident.
Community and Support Features
If you are starting a journey, a great way to stay motivated is by having access to support features and a community that can help you stay on track. If you are a woman juggling work, childcare, and a new fitness routine, having someone to support you can be a total game-changer.
We can all admit that there have been times when we feel unmotivated on our fitness journeys, and having a support system there to encourage us can make a massive difference. On the POW8R app, we think one of our best qualities is our community. With features like live chat during our live workout sessions and a private Instagram for all our POW8R members, support is never far away.
Flexible Workout Options
When looking for the best workout app for women, something that you need to consider is flexibility. Flexible workout options allow your fitness routine to adapt to your unique lifestyle, making your routine feel much more sustainable.
As we have already mentioned, as well as work, women often have to take on the responsibility of childcare, which only means that they have a stricter schedule to fit fitness into. Flexibility is essential as it means that they can fit in a quick 20 minute workout, no matter where they are or how busy they are.
At POW8R, we have worked closely with a range of women, and we understand their unique challenges and which accommodations need to be made to match these challenges, which is why we have ensured that the POW8R app can easily fit into any lifestyle, no matter how busy.
Progress Beyond the Scales
Though numbers are useful for tracking your progress and checking if certain methods are working for you, they should never be what you focus your entire fitness plan on. Fitness is about more than losing and gaining weight; it’s about mastering your form, building your stamina and constantly evolving.
The worst apps only allow you to track your weight loss, while the best apps allow you to track different metrics that represent your achievements, such as the number of workouts you have done in one week and the number of reps you have completed.
For as long as women have been working out, there has always been the pressure that their key focus should be losing weight, but that is something of the past. Women are now focusing on building their strength, flexibility and improving their body composition – and we’re here to support them. If you’re interested in seeing real transformations from our community, check out our client journeys.
Start Your Fitness Journey With POW8R
Through this guide, we hope to have given you more insight into some of the features of home workout apps that you should look at as a woman looking to start your fitness journey.
At POW8R, we are passionate about ensuring that our app caters to all genders, and because we have female trainers, we know what women look for when picking a fitness app and have been sure to add key features that improve their experience when using our app.
Whether you’re comparing a home workout app vs gym membership or looking for specific support like pregnancy fitness guidance, POW8R has you covered.
Download the POW8R app today to find out how we can improve your fitness journey.