There comes a point in one’s life when you look in the mirror and think, “Hmm, I should probably do some exercise.” Worry not, it happens to us all. Often, though, by the time you’ve finished work you don’t feel like traipsing out to the gym and working out on routines you don’t enjoy, only to come home and munch on tasteless carrot sticks and food that resembles cardboard. So what can be done? As with so many hurdles in life, the internet has various answers. If you’d rather have fun performing exercises you enjoy, in your own time, whilst eating healthy but delicious foods, look no further.
Fitness Websites do more than they first appear to do. Whilst the majority of them provide workout schedules and an array of exercises to try, you can also explore innovating apps, fun challenges, new ways of exercising, enticing recipes, and get the moral support when you need it most. Exercise websites are generally much cheaper than finding a personal trainer or joining a gym, too, making a healthy lifestyle affordable.
We’ve reviewed a whole host of great workout website to help you find one which will suit your lifestyle and personality. So, whether you want to lose a bit of weight, tone up, become more muscular or simply enjoy a healthier lifestyle, we’ve plenty of websites to suggest. But hold on a moment! Before you get checking out our reviews, we’ve a few general recommendations to make.
These sites offer really varied services, and finding those which will suit you may take a bit of perusal. Here are some of our top tips for finding your ideal Fitness Website:
- Exercise demos and instructions
Many websites offer video tutorials, showing you exactly how to perform an exercise. The more accurate, clear and engaging these are, the more likely you are to remember the exercise and how to perform it safely. However, some websites only provide written explanations with photos. Whilst this is fine for some people, others much prefer the video versions because they can watch them whilst they work out. With videos you won’t need to stop and start to read what to do next. You’ll also find that some websites offer videos and descriptions, with details as to how each exercise will benefit you. If you’re new to working out, you’ll probably want to find a site which offers as much information as possible without being overloaded with technical terms.
- Workouts customized by the user
If you’re an old hat when it comes to working out, you may decide that you’d like to create your own workout regimes. Look for websites which allow you to build a workout schedule, especially if they offer calendar options. Personalized workout calendars allow you to schedule your exercise sessions and choose which exercises you will perform. These can also be useful to people who are new to working out because it allows you to plan your exercises around your life, making sure you don’t miss your fitness times. Another useful feature of being able to customize workouts is that you can choose the exercises you like the most, ignoring those which are too easy, too difficult, or simply irrelevant. A few sites also allow their members to recommend or upload exercises, meaning you can share your wisdom with others.
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Workouts customized by trainers
At the high end (which is also usually the more expensive end) of the market, you can find websites which will allot you a personal trainer. These professionals will advise you on how to teach your goals, keeping you motivated and structuring your eating and exercise schedules for optimum effect. More generally, though, you’ll find that websites offer exercises created by trainers. We consider how useful these exercises are, as well as how often they’re updated with new workout regimes. The availability of pre-designed workout plans is also an important element to consider, as a more varied supply of plans will prevent you from getting bored.
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Personal support
Most of the people who achieve their fitness goals do so because they felt motivated and well supported. It’s easy to give up when you feel it’s too tough and you’re not really getting far, but if you have someone shouting out for you, reassuring you that you’re getting better, it can really make all the difference. When evaluating fitness websites, we consider the support available to you as a member, and whether you can get as much support as you’ll need. Trainers can make all the difference, and some sites will help you to choose a trainer who will suit your personality. Elsewhere, you’ll find that community features help with keeping you motivated. Look out for sites with forums and chat rooms, as these can offer a space to share your thoughts and feelings, as well as picking up tips and making friends.
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Tools for tracking progress
It’s demoralizing to do all this work if you can’t feel any benefits. Tracking your progress is a great way to keep on target, as well as showing you where you could improve. Look out for websites which provide tools such as calorie counters and exercise trackers. Some will even produce graphs showing your development, and make recommendations on how many calories you should eat based on the exercises you’re doing. You can even send this information to a trainer, who can then analyze it and help you to set new goals
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Website design and use
Since the majority of the exercises you’ll find will be online, it’s important that they’re easy to find and use. Sites which allow you to build a list of your favorite exercises are really useful because it makes repeating them all that much easier. This is especially handy if you’re going to exercise on the move and wish to quickly locate an exercise when at the gym or out of the house. Try exploring a site for a few minutes to workout whether or not you feel you’d be able to navigate around it quickly.
You’ll be surprised just how much fitness information is provided for free online. In particular, recipes and diet information are in abundance. You’ll also be able to find workouts and exercises here and there, free of charge. Some sites offer video training for free too, as well as articles and blog posts, all of which can be really handy. However, this probably isn’t all you’ll want.
Some of the tools that can be vital to tracking your progress and monitoring your changes won’t be free. Some of the best websites will charge a fee for you to join, especially if you’re looking for something very particular (such as body building or training for a big fitness event).
However, websites which charge fees usually provide better resources and support. If you feel that you’ll need a helping hand, whether it’s a bit of a motivational talk or a few tools to help you create a diet plan, you’ll probably be better off with a paid membership. We consider how much each website charges and whether we feel it offers good value for money, in a bid to help you find a great balance between support and cost.
That’s everything we have to recommend for now, so why not take a look at a few Exercise and Fitness Website reviews, and see which one best fits you. We’re looking forward to seeing the results!
