According to a 2017 report from IQVIA Institute for Human Data Sciences, there were 318,000 mobile health apps three years ago. That number is expected to top 400,000 apps this year. The growth rate will be 15% reaching 31 billion in revenue by the end of 2020. The question is, can all this technology help get better results if you use it to plan and track workouts?
People hire trainers or coaches because they invariably know they will work harder with them versus doing it alone. Working harder typically means lifting more weight in training sessions and being more consistent with workouts. In turn, results are more significant and goals are met more often. There is actually a name for this, its called the Hawthorne Effect, or observer effect. The basic definition is “the alteration of behavior by the subjects of a study due to their awareness of being observed.” When you know you’re being watched or you have to regularly check-in and record your data, you do better.
There is a trickle down effect from working with a coach to using specific technology, like an exercise app. Writing things down and planning shows ownership, you don’t “own it” until you write it down …or record it. Those who plan and track workouts do better than people who don’t track their workouts. A great example of this is a high-level athlete who works with their coach over a four-year period to prepare for the Olympic games.
People Who Use Apps Are More Confident & Exercise More Consistently
A survey reported in Elliptical Reviews looked at the exercise habits of nearly a 1,000 people. The results were pretty favorable regarding the benefit of using an exercise app. The results showed 55% of subjects used an exercise app prior to the study. All app users reported more consistent workouts and they were more confident when they worked out. In the survey, 73% of women and 66% of men were more confident when they were using a workout app.
The survey also showed 40% of people who use fitness apps workout five or more days per week. The survey found only 4.9% of non-app users exercise every day, compared to 7% of people who used an app.
Using an App Can Increase Physical Activity
The Journal of Medical Internet Research, makes the case that those who use exercise apps are more likely to exercise during their free time than those who don’t use an app.
“The study concludes that exercise apps may be improving exercise levels and health outcomes by making it easier for users to overcome barriers to exercise, such as lack of ready access to information, lack of interest and motivation, and lack of access to exercise facilities, etc.”
Shiva Gopal Reddy, M.Sc.
Research from the University of South Australia showed promising results with smartphone apps. They called apps “a promising tool for delivering accessible and appealing physical activity interventions.” The goal of this systematic review by Romeo and colleagues tried to determine the “effectiveness of smartphone apps for increasing objectively measured physical activity in adults.” The review looked at nine different research studies that met all of the researchers’ criteria, totaling 1740 subjects. This review reported an increase in physical activity in subjects who used apps for a minimum of 3 months.
Jefit App Plans and Tracks Workouts
The Jefit app, won multiple awards in 2020 including best app by PC Magazine. The Jefit app is used to plan and track workouts. It comes with a customizable workout planner, an extensive exercise library, and a members-only Facebook group. You can choose new workouts and track your progress with the app. It keeps you on track to see how close you are to reaching your fitness goals. The app includes 1300 exercises, more than 3800 strength training workouts, 9 million registered users and 10 million downloads to date.