Viaden Media is a company best known for its high-ranking poker-app Celeb Poker. So when I stumbled on Fitness HD, I have to admit that it came as a bit of a shock. Here is what I found:
As far as all-in-one health apps go, Fitness HD hits the mark pretty well. It’s got all the basics: a calorie counter, food database, pre-set workouts, yoga, instructional videos, and options to design your own workout. There are really a host of other features, but this is no novel: You can get the whole scoop on the Fitness HD iTunes page.
Where this app seems to go above-and-beyond is its depth. It’s worth noting that I’ve dabbled in a few fitness apps since I got fed up with paying for gym memberships, and Fitness HD contains by far the largest exercise database, most detailed workout plans, and most beginner-friendly tone.
Fitness HD’s exercise database comes equipped with over 1,000 different exercises, so it seems that Viaden takes product versatility pretty seriously. Now I don’t consider myself an amateur by any means, but my entire fitness repertoire might consist of 50 exercises, tops.
So can a newb navigate this sea of exercises? The good news is that Fitness HD categorizes each exercise based on name, body part, and fitness goal. Pretty cool: right? It gets better: each exercise has audio and video instructions. You learn how to do the exercise correctly so you can maximize your results and not look like a total idiot if you ever have to work out in public.
Here’s what’s bad about this app: There’s too much going on. They’ve got a calorie counter, workout planner, BMI calculator and blah blah blah. Sometimes you just want a simple list of exercises, a pre-designed workout that you can jump on and jump off. It’s got them (a hundred, in fact), but it’s got loads of other stuff to.
And do I really need a THOUSAND exercises? Probably not: 250 would be more than enough for my needs. I don’t know how I feel about apps I can get lost in.
I will say though, that if it came down to it, I would buy this app solely for the in-app purchase of a personal workout. It’s designed by a pro, and he’s actually in communication with you to cater the workout to your needs and goals: It’s brilliant. And that workout will last you for a good long time before you really want (or need) a new one.
My overall impression is positive: Fitness HD is a good, solid app. Definitely worth $1.99, but as far as fitness apps go: it’s only above average. Great for people new to exercising and just starting out, but you could call it overkill. 4 stars.
