The Top 10 Best Bodybuilding Apps
Are you tired of bringing a pen and paper to the gym? Are you tired of counting calories all the time, in the hopes that you got it right this time? Are you simply TIRED? There are so many calculations that need to be done if you want to nail your diet and training, and it can get tiresome at times.
Luckily, if you have a smartphone, you can automate most of these things and focus only on the most important aspect, which is training heavy and eating healthy. Any extra work can be done with the bodybuilding apps you will see in this article. It’s 2019., and it’s high time we started using this technology to improve our physical performance and aesthetics.
Without further ado, here are the top 10 best bodybuilding apps that work pretty, pretty, pretty well (yes, that’s Larry David for ya).
In this top 10 best bodybuilding app list, I have rated them 1 to 10. With #1 being my favorite and what I feel is the most effective to build muscle and burn fat. It also helps you make new gains as well if you are stuck at a plateau.
If you don’t want to read my whole article you can just skip it and click here for what I feel is the best bodybuilding app that gives you the best chance to grow muscle.
10. Couch To 5K
If you’re still in the couch potato mode and looking for a way to turn your life around, then Couch To 5k is the answer. This although not the best bodybodybuiliding app, it is designed in a way that motivates you to do cardio. It’s also pretty simple – there is no need to go to the gym, take special classes or worry about special diet fads. It’s all about progressively running more and improving your endurance as the result. On top of that, you also lose a decent amount of calories which over time leads to greater and greater fat loss as you increase your mileage.
The best thing about Couch To 5k is the fact that it can be used by both beginners and advanced runners. All you need to do is insert the level at which you are at the moment, and the app will balance out your running schedule accordingly. For a couch potato that might mean running for 10-15 minutes 3 times a week, followed by 25 minute workouts the next week. There is also an interval training option, as well as half-marathon and everything in between.
You can actually use the full features of this app for free in the first 2 weeks after you download it. After that you can still use some features for free, but if you want the full options to remain you need to pay a small amount of shekels. Overall, I consider it pretty inexpensive, and you can judge the quality for yourself in the first 2 weeks anways by not paying a single nickel. So yeah, if you’re a couch potato or you want to build epic endurance, Couch To 5K is the way to go!
9. Endomondo
Number nine on my top 10 best bodybuilding app list is a more comprehensive fitness app that has social media + fitness log features, it’s hard to beat Endomondo. This app has become a fitness Facebook of sorts, and if you check out the users and user reviews you will see that it’s used by millions of people around the world.
So what’s the appeal of Endomondo? First of all, it’s got all the tracking stuff you need to measure your workout progress. That can include cardio, weightlifting, calisthenics or pretty much anything else. You can also monitor your heart rate during workouts by using Bluetooth, and you can measure the amount of calories you’ve burned. There are some apps I’ve tried in the past that don’t really give a correct burned calories count, but Endomondo is in my view the most accurate app in that sense. As far as the social stuff is concerned, you can share photos of your training logs and various progress metrics on all the major social media platforms, and you can send and receive real-time audio prep talks from your friends.
The official website, endomondo.com is where the real sharing and social interactions happen, and the site is filled with millions of fitness enthusiasts. So if you’re looking for a vibrant online fitness community Endomondo is the best solution. There is also a free and a premium version, but the difference is not significant. Essentially, the free version has ads, and the premium one doesn’t and it also has some extra features. Either way, it’s worth downloading and checking out.
8. FitNotes
As the name suggests, FitNotes is a simple way to note your fitness progress. Number 8 on my best bodybuilding app list, it’s not flashy, it’s not filled with countless options, it’s rather a minimalist companion for workouts that makes blocks of paper and pens obsolete. The main option is logging in your workouts, your progress and all the rest. There is a pretty useful feature that allows you to choose an exercise and check out the various sets and reps you did in the past.
So if you’re trying to progress in strength, it’s a fast and simple way to see how you’re doing in this regard. Another cool thing is the default database of exercises, in which you will find the essential ones such as deadlifts, squats, bench press and a good number of isolation exercises as well, so you don’t have to type them for yourself and can just add them to your workout log in a manner of seconds.
When it comes to flashy features, the only real one that comes to mind is the rest timer with sound and vibration options. I found it really helpful while I was doing Vince Gironda’s 8×8 program and had to restrict my rest-between-sets to 30 seconds.
So to recap, FitNotes is a simple solution for intermediate and advanced lifters who don’t need any extra motivation or flashy features and just want to log their goddamn workouts properly.
7. Google Fit
Google is doing it’s best to silence the competition on all fronts. I mean seriously, will we soon be bowing down to Google The Emperor? Well, I for one accept our new Google Overlords, if they keep pumping out free apps like this one. Google Fit has all the basic fitness tracking features, it’s got a simple and clean design, and you can also use it on your smartwatch.
You can also connect it with your MyFitnessPal to share any previous info you might have. The best feature is obviously the fact that it’s completely free, so there are no pop-up ads or any other obnoxious nuisance. But Google Fit is still not as comprehensive as Endomondo, nor does it have the friendly design of Couch To 5k. However it stil beats them on my top 10 best bodybuilding app list. It’s more of a “default fitness app” kinda thing. If you’re looking for any extra features, such as social media sharing, there are still better premium options out there.
6. JEFIT
Coming in at #6 on my best bodybuilding app list is JEFIT. If you’re still a fitness beginner, JEFIT can be of tremendous help. This app has the standard fitness tracking stuff, but more importantly, it can be your own personal trainer!! I’m not kidding. JEFIT has over a thousand exercises in it’s database, with clear animations on how to do them properly.
There are also various fitness goals you can choose from and the app will design a workout to achieve it. These workouts can span from weight loss, Olympic strength training, getting bigger muscle, pure bodyweight training or anything in between. All of the workouts have been pre-designed by expert trainers, so you’re not getting some default mix, you’re actually getting a premium workout for your goals, and depending on your current physical capabilities.
As extra features, there is the body fat calculator that is arguably the only correct way to measure your fat loss progress (other than the mirror). I think JEFIT would have saved me from making a lot of mistakes in my first year or two of training, so I can honestly recommend it to beginners who don’t have the financial resources for hiring a pro personal trainer.
5. MyFitnessPal
You were probably wondering when I would mention MyFitnessPal. Well I finally did ranking it #5 on my best bodybuilding app top 10 list. It had to be done guys. You’ve probably heard of this app, and rightfully so. MyFitnessPal is the best calorie tracker and the best nutrition app out there. Why is that? Oh, I’ll tell you why. It’s got a database of over SIX MILLION DIFFERENT FOODS, with the calorie and macronutrient and micronutrient facts. It also has a barcode scanner, so you can check out the quality of the food while you’re buying your groceries.
On top of that, it has millions of recipes, professional and from other users. It allows you to track your calorie consumption, it provides advice on nutrition and correct food choices and provides you suggestions depending on what you’re trying to achieve. And if you ever need some extra motivation and help, there is a huge community of friendly users that you can get advice from.
I gotta say, MyFitnessPal has been a pal indeed for the last few years. Most of these apps I’ve mentioned in my top 10 best bodybuilding app list contain some features of MyFitnessPal or allow you to connect with it, which is a good testament to its quality. I’d say that all of these other apps are extras, but MyFitnessPal is essential. When all is said and done, nutrition is 70% of fitness success, and this is the best way to stay in control of your calories and eating habits.
4. Pokemon GO
You might be surprised to see Pokemon GO on this top 10 best bodybuilding app list, but there is a logic to it. If you’re a fan of Pokemon and your dream as a kid (or an adult baby) is to catch them all, this game will give you a lot of reason to walk around and burn calories. I’m not kidding. The best way to burn calories is by doing activities where you don’t think about the effort. If you decide to walk for an hour a day just to lose weight, you will inevitably get bored as you rely only on sheer willpower.
With Pokemon GO for example, you are focused on finding cool Pokemon across town, and you burn calories as a little extra benefit. There is a kind of snobbish attitude towards walking in the fitness circles, as if walking was an activity for the elderly, and you got to either do interval training or jog for a few hours to make real progress.
That’s completely false, and I can tell you that from my own experience and by looking at pro bodybuilders during their contest preparation. I’ve lost a huge amount of bodyfat just by replacing my car with my own set of wheels when it comes to travelling to the grocery store or to work (it’s an hour walk). An hour of walking will burn 200-300 calories, depending on the pace. If you do two hours of walking every day, you don’t even need to do any extra cardio, and you don’t have to sweat like crazy either.
Of course, for someone who is already passionate about fitness, this is perhaps unnecessary. But for a couch potato or someone who just needs a reason to get out of the house, Pokemon GO is an excellent first step to initiate some of that fat burning progress.
3. Stronglifts 5×5
Busting in at #3 on my top 10 list of the best bodybuilding app list is for or those of you interested in gaining strength, there is one crucial tip you have to implement. Of course, I’m talking about progressive overload. You can lose fat and/or gain muscle just by going to the gym and pounding on the weights over and over again or doing varying amounts of cardio. But strength gains are a whole different animal.
You have to give the muscle a reason to grow. In other words you need to constantly add more intensity to your workouts, mainly by increasing the amount of weights you’re lifting. To do this more effectively, it’s important to put a lot of emphasis on the main, compound movements like deadlifts, squats, military press and bench press, and to do them in a lower rep scheme.
The 5×5 workout regime is a standard way to do exactly that, and this app helps you keep in check your current strength levels and optimize your future workouts so that you’re constantly adding more plates to the bar. It’s a slick and easy to use app, with tracking stats as well as the strength gain features. So for instance, the app calculates how much weight or exercises/sets/reps you should do in your next workout. This app is a great tool for pushing yourself in every workout, but also for preventing an overburn of your CNS due to over-training.
2. Sworkit
On the other hand, if you’re not a gym goer and don’t plan on becoming one, Sworkit is a great option for training at home. It’s got a huge database of bodyweight exercises you can choose from to do at home, and countless workouts depending on the goal you’re trying to achieve. The most important feature is that it also has yoga exercises and yoga workouts, with very easy to follow explanations. It is a great app and I almost ranked it #1 on my best bodybuilding app list.
Just like most of the other apps on this list, Sworkit has the free and premium option, with the premium one adding additional features such as unlimited workout customization, guided workout plans, and you can also ask pro trainers through the app for advice on both training and nutrition. Overall, Endomondo is definitely a better option, but Sworkit has the yoga component which all the other apps are lacking. So whether you get this app or another should be based mostly on whether you want to practice yoga or just focus on weights and calisthenics.
DRUM Roll please. Here is the best bodybuilding app for your mobile device.
#1 Best Bodybuild App, Dr. Muscle
Dr. Muscle is my #1 best bodybuilding app. It tells you exactly what to do when you lift weights to build muscle faster. If you’re a man and you’re just starting out, you can expect to gain 20-25 lbs of muscle in 1 year. If you’re more experienced, Dr. Muscle will help you build all the lean mass your body is capable of building over the course of your lifting career (around 50 lbs for the average male).
It’s 100% automated. It uses AI to learn from your last workouts and apply the best science-based training methods automatically, so you can focus on lifting heavy and getting jacked.
– You get a workout plan that grows with you, so you build muscle as fast as possible
– Your plan updates every workout automatically and you always train with the optimal reps and sets to build muscle fast
– Your plan also levels up automatically with new exercises as you progress, so you hit your muscles from more angles and hypertrophy them in full
– You load automatically when you accumulate fatigue, so you can break your plateaus and start building muscle again.
This image shows how it works:
This pocket personal trainer that tells you exactly what to do when you lift weights to build muscle faster at a fraction of the cost of a human trainer. Some of the science-based training methods you’ll use with this pocket trainer are:
– Daily undulating periodization
– Deloads
– Planned overreaching
Daily undulating periodization (DUP) is a big one. In one 12-week training study, guys who trained with DUP gained strength twice as fast (Rhea et al. 2002). I’ll tell you about that in my next email.
The pocket trainer has 5/5 stars and 4/5 reviews on the app stores. I’ve been in touch with the team behind the app and they seem legit. I even got them to offer you your first month free, exclusive for my readers. They’re happy to invite you to try the app, because they’re still new and they’re looking for feedback. They figured you’ll be smarter than most bro’s, since you read my advice.
You can download Dr. Muscle by clicking here
You can get a free trial as well by clicking on the link.
With the top 10 out of the way, here are some other best bodybuilding apps that deserve a mention:
Progression Workout Tracker
Another great workout tracker, but with a modified layout that makes it different from the rest. You are always able to see your last workout, so you’re constantly encouraged to beat your last amount of reps or mileage, depending on the form of exercising involved.
Whereas other apps are more static, this one is actually the one that you’d use during workouts in order to beat your personal best. It’s also got a rest timer and all the other components of other apps. But it’s really the impetus on “progression” which is why I decided it was worthy of a mention.
Strava Running
This app has over 250 000 positive 5 star reviews, and although I haven’t used it myself, I have a couple of friends who simply love it and use it all the time. This is an app that is purely dedicated to running and cycling, and I mean really dedicated. It measures everything involved in your journey, including the distance, pace, speed, elevation, calories burned and it provides you with personal challenges and segments you could improve on. However, you do need a device that supports GPS in order for Strava to measure all of these things.
The other important aspect is the social angle of Strava. It acts like a social media app for endurance lovers, and you get to challenge your friends to running and cycling events as well as post your activity and activity photos on the app. It’s a great way to get competitive and remain motivated for long periods of time. Cause lets be frank, trying to outbest someone else is always more fun than simply challenging yourself. On top of these benefits, Strava also measures your heart rate, and can be used through a smartwatch with Android.
Runtastic
Yep, another cardio app and this one is quite a treat. It’s got a great customizable dashboard through which you can track and organize your running progress with graphs, sheets and various other methods. It also has a great music database you can tap into a manner of seconds and get some groove going on.
Although Runtastic is a big name within the running app industry, it didn’t get into top 10 due to the almost necessary subscription. The free app is quite limited in all segments, so if you want to use it to your full advantage, you will need to get the monthly subscription. Either way, Strava and Couch To 5K are better choices in my opinion.
Conclusion Of My Top 10 best bodybuilding apps.
There are countless fitness apps to choose from. Truth be told, most of them are quite similar, as they allow you to do the regular, vital tracking of workouts and counting of burned calories. Each one, however, has one or two segments that separates it from the pack and gives you an edge depending on the style of training you’re interested in.
If I had to pinpoint the best ones out of this top 10 list I would have to go with Dr. Muscle. Without it is the only one that uses artificial intelligence to build muscle. After Dr. Muscle, MyFitnessPal is the best nutrition app. It provides you with millions of food descriptions and all the nutrient and calorie facts you need. Endomondo has all the fitness tracking and social media benefits that you’d otherwise get from 2-3 apps combined. The huge amount of users ensures that the app will be improved and maintained in the future as well.
Yoga Studio is standalone in the list because it’s the only one that fully taps into the yoga aspect of training. If you really want to learn some yoga but don’t want to visit an actual studio due to personal insecurities (hey, I don’t blame you, I don’t want to either) then its a proper digital alternative.
Either way, I hope this list will help you pinpoint which best bodybuilding app can help you the best, and I hope you will give it a try for the benefit of your own fitness success.
Oh yes, one more thing, if you are looking to gain mass please check out this guide to the best mass gainers on the market.
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Alex Rogers is a supplement manufacturing expert. He has been formulating, consulting, & manufacturing dietary supplements since 1998. Alex invented protein customization in 1998 & was the first company to allow consumers to create their own protein blends. He helped create the first supplement to contain natural follistatin, invented whey protein with egg lecithin, & recently imported the world’s first 100% hydrolyzed whey.
