This is due to the development of fitness applications (apps). Fitness apps are an absolute must-have for a home work-out.
Some apps such as the 30 Day Fitness Challenge which was voted as one of the best apps for 2016 on the Play Store, are available for free, and for use offline. Khanyisile Sikhosana, a third year BCom Financial Sciences student, uses the app and considers it to be a “great alternative when [she] can’t make it to the gym.” Sikhosana added that she does a 30 minute work-out with guided exercise videos and pictures for the moves that she has not yet mastered. Furthermore, she said that she does not have to struggle with “gymtidation” when she uses equipment incorrectly.
The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout App is another handy app that helps people squeeze some exercise into their days at an intensity level that is personally suitable for them. All that is needed is a chair and seven minutes – or about 11 minutes if warm-ups and cool downs are added. This high intensity circuit training workout combines aerobic and resistance exercises using only body weight.
Fitness “vlogs” are also a fun and interactive approach to fitness. These vlogs can be accessed on YouTube. One YouTube channel, the Fitness Marshall, offers fun, sassy and sweaty dance workouts to top 40 music hits. Yoga with Adriene is another channel that has vlogs that provide insight on all things health. Adriene’s channel includes a 30 day programme for beginners as well as seasoned yogi, weight loss videos, and ailment focused practices that elevate anxiety and migraines. She provides a gamut mind-body improvement channel based on her motto “Find what feels good’. Other honourable mentions include HASfit, Tone it Up and Popsugar Fitness.
Social media personalities offer a day to day account of their fitness journeys, as well as daily updates and motivation. Enrico Plaatjies, a Cape Town based personal trainer, posts daily videos of sessions with detailed descriptions included, on Instagram, making it easy to recreate these exercises yourself. His clients range from cricket players to senior citizens, making it easy to find a workout suited for a specific fitness level. Third year Civil Engineering student Izaria Hassim said, “The work outs are fun and easy to follow without needing exercise equipment. I love that he shares meal plans and trains local celebrities”. Another social media personality is Kayla Itsines. She built a fitness empire using her Bikini Body Guide (BBG) books and tasty eating plans. This created a cult following on social media with women of all ages documenting their journeys. Kayla’s Instagram page provides daily motivation, updates on other BBG community transformations, and new workouts on her Sweat with Kayla app.
Fitness blogs focus on the journey to achieving desired fitness and health goals, making them a valuable source of information and inspiration. Fit Bottomed Girls is a blog run on the belief that lives can only be truly reinvented by building confidence and positive habits. Honourable mentions include Lift Like A Girl, Breaking Muscle and Tabata Times.
Image: Sally Hartzenberg
