Future Fit App Review 2022: This Virtual Personal Trainer App is a Fitness Game-Changer
I also told Tiffany about my history with an eating disorder, and that I was apprehensive about using an Apple Watch after I had spent the majority of 2020 working with my therapist to quit wearing one due to obsessive tracking habits. Tiffany was understanding and gentle, and mentioned that I never had to wear the watch if I wasn’t comfortable. She also emphasized that I could always tell her if I needed to skip a workout or opt for a different kind of movement (like choose a yoga workout over the day’s strength circuit). After our FaceTime check-in, she came up with a workout plan to strengthen my muscles, increase mobility, and work my way into the heavily “bro” side of the weight room.
What does a typical Future workout look like?
The cool thing about Future is that your program is completely tailored to you. The coaches have multiple clients and the workouts are comprised of pre-demoed moves, but you’re not getting the same workout as other Future members. “Every client is different and has different things they’re working towards,” says Thompson. “So every program is specifically designed based off what they want—and enjoy doing.”
Since I do a lot of cardio training as a cycling instructor, my workout routine had fewer HIIT and steady state cardio aspects, and more slower circuit training. Tiffany divided my training program into phases, starting with relearning basic movements with proper form, and gradually moving up to multi-planar functional movements focused on control and balance.
Each training session started with a five-minute warm-up devoted to mobility and slowly increasing the heart rate. Then the circuits would begin. Each circuit had three to five moves, with the appropriate equipment and reps (or time) listed on the app. The app shows a trainer demoing the move, while Tiffany’s voice came through my earbuds, explaining what muscles I should feel engage and what my form should look like.
What sets the Future app apart from other workout apps?
Record Form Feature
The most impressive part of the Future Fit app to me was how high-tech it is. Whenever I wasn’t sure if I was doing a move correctly, I used the app’s “Record Form” feature, which allowed me to record myself doing the exercise so I could send it to Tiffany. Tiffany would reply saying I was good to go, or by sending a video explaining and demoing the correct form. Not only did this make me feel more comfortable strength training without an actual personal trainer, but it undoubtedly helped me prevent injuries.
Easy to Give Feedback
At the end of each workout, I had the opportunity to rate how difficult the workout was from 1 to 10 (if there were deadlifts or abs circuits involved, the number always climbed above a 7). The app also allows space for feedback, which I used to tell Tiffany how the weights felt, and ask questions like—Could I complete all the reps? Did I need to lower the dumbbells? Could I go up a weight? If I made any modifications or if there was anything else I wanted to say I could add there.
Easy to Communicate with Your Coach
It was also stunningly easy to communicate with Tiffany, which makes the accountability aspect of the program even stronger. Every single day, I’d get a phone notification with a message from her telling me what was on the docket that day. If I missed a workout, the app would notify her. I’ll admit, it happened a few times, but the nagging guilt that I let down my coach was enough to put me back on track. Whenever I had a vacation planned or would be away from the gym, I’d clue Tiffany in, and she would adjust my workouts accordingly.
What are the downsides?
- Trainers demoing the moves are not size-inclusive
- Badges reward calories burned
- Your coach might not be in the same time zone