With the COVID-19 pandemic putting winter sports on pause and closing gyms across the country, many high school athletes are looking for ways to stay active at home. Just as we’ve seen businesses and schools do, these athletes are leaning on technology for help.
Luckily for them, there’s no shortage of virtual training and fitness apps. In 2019, Google Play reported over 37,000 health and fitness apps in the Google Play Store. Apple houses an incredible 320,000 health and fitness apps for iPhone users.
With so many options to choose from, we surfed the web to research the best options for high school athletes. Taking into account factors such as accessibility, price, workout options and customization, we determined the top five virtual training apps for you.
1. Nike Training Club – Free / $14.99/mo for premium content
The Nike Training Club offers a variety of yoga, strength training and cardio workouts, guided by a Nike trainer and ranging from 5 minutes to 1 hour in duration. The intensity and experience level of each workout is outlined so you can choose the best option for you. The app’s multi-week programs also include nutrition tips and wellness guidance, providing athletes with the resources to build healthy habits all around.
2. HomeCourt – Free / $7.99/mo with membership
HomeCourt is the basketball player’s dream. It captures all of your shots, moves and stats to provide real-time feedback. With immersive drills and workouts, HomeCourt has a video game feel that allows you to compete virtually with anyone. Another added bonus: as an official partner of the NBA, HomeCourt harnesses the expertise of professional basketball players and lets you to train with the pros.
3. Fitbod – Free trial / $5/mo with annual plan
Fitbod is a great option if you’re looking for a personalized strength-building plan. The app’s training algorithm considers your strength-training abilities, available gym equipment and past workouts to build a custom workout plan. It tracks your progress and modifies your workouts as you go to ensure that you’re always improving.
4. Sworkit – Free / $2.99/mo for premium content
Sworkit has a library of over 400 workouts and 800 exercises, and it’s always being updated. It conveniently syncs with Apple Health, Google Fit, MyFitnessPal and Strava so you can track your overall health with ease. It also syncs with Spotify and Apple Music so you can listen to your own music while working up a sweat.
5. Workout for Women – Free trial / $5/mo with annual plan
This app offers classes in multiple categories including fat loss, butt, abs, high intensity and no jumping. Unlike some apps, this one supplements workouts with stretching and cool downs. It has exercises of all levels, whether you’re looking for a quick yoga session to kick off your morning or a high-intensity workout to finish your day.
For VNN Users
VNN’s Team App provides a great opportunity for coaches to train and prepare their athletes for the game – even when sports are paused. Beyond assigning and tracking workouts, the app allows coaches to build custom workouts and implement programs. Coaches can see what each athlete has completed and communicate with players through the app, making it easy to answer questions and hold players accountable.
Interested in using the VNN Team app to improve your program? Get started with communication features free. Access through your GetVNN Dashboard, or download the app directly on the App Store or Google Play.
Sources: The Best 7 Virtual Training Apps To Download, Virtual training of youth athletes explodes during COVID-19 shutdown, The Best Fitness Apps of 2021.