A Fool-Proof Way To Reach Your Fitness Goals, According To A Certified Personal Trainer

Just beginning your fitness journey? Santucci promises you’ll be in great hands with Future. “Future is the best personal training app if you are looking to train virtually, face to face with a trainer,” he says. The app offers unlimited access to top personal trainers across the country, at a fraction of the price of most in-person training. 

To start, you’ll take a quiz to be paired with a certified coach. Your trainer will FaceTime you to discuss your plan, then create weekly workout plans just for you and adapt them when your plans change. Within the app, you’ll track your progress by syncing with your Apple Watch (not required, but strongly recommended). 

The Future App has 4.9 out of five stars overall, and over 7,000 total ratings. Amongst accolades of “best fitness app ever” and the hoped-for “Future is the future,” there are plenty of positive reviews from beginners who say they were able to finally kick-start (and stick with) their training. One enthusiastic user writes, “I always struggled to get started working out because I just didn’t know where to start, what to work on first, how much weight, how many reps, I’ll just start tomorrow, etc... After a FaceTime and getting to know each other, what equipment I have, what kind of exercise I like and don’t like, and my experience level, [my trainer] set up a program for me and each week he pushes me harder and harder. All I have to do is open the app, hit the start button, and do what it says. Best of all, I’m actually doing it!”

Obé is a fitness program with live and on-demand classes, plus workout programs and challenges. While there is no one-on-one coaching available, the app offers a huge variety of upbeat instructors that can balance your strength training program perfectly with your cardio to achieve your fitness goals. We’ve featured it on our best fitness apps roundup and the best online workout programs. It’s great for beginners and experienced fitness enthusiasts alike.

This fitness app has earned a 4.8 out of five-star rating overall, across over 7,000 total ratings. One person writes, “I love the variety in types of classes, intensities within those categories, different instructors to choose from, and varying lengths for when I’m not feeling a full 60 minute session or when I’m feeling powerful and wanna tack on an extra 15 minute bonus class.” It’s worth noting that some reviewers feel the app's interface could be improved.

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The Nike Training Club (NTC) app offers plenty of free workouts with guidance from trainers, professional athletes such as Serena Williams, wellness experts, and guest celebrities. The app houses HIT, bodyweight, and full gym exercises that you can filter by equipment, muscle group, fitness level, trainer led classes, and time commitment. There’s also an “expert tips” section spanning nutrition, healthy recipe ideas, training tips, recovery, mindset, and sleep. The platform makes it easy to keep track of every class you take, save favorite playlists or flows, and progress on your own time and at your own speed. 

With a 4.8 overall rating and over 250,000 total ratings on the Apple app store, NTC has a stellar reputation. One community member writes, “NTC made their premium content free, which saved my health and fitness routine. Thank you Nike for making it so easy for your community to stay healthy and committed!”

If your goal is to lose weight, gain strength, and keep enjoying all the foods you love to eat, Team RH may be right up your alley. It offers 1:1 personal coaching for diet and exercise, hundreds of healthy recipe videos, calorie and exercise tracking, and a library of guided workouts for all fitness levels. The workouts are versatile for working out at the gym or at home, with or without equipment. 

Most importantly, it’s not a traditional diet plan that “bans” any foods. You’ll be able to track meals, with the added layer of personal coaching, training, and nutrition programs. Remember, this app includes diet coaching and is weight-loss-focused, and will only be a good choice if that aligns with your goals. 

Team RH has 4.8 out of 5 stars overall on TrustPilot and a page on its website dedicated to member transformations. One community member writes, “I’ve found something that allows me to eat whatever I want without having to worry about it impacting my personal health conditions. I've dropped 49 lbs.” Another writes, “I've lost 100 lbs so far and I'm still losing fat.” As far as negative reviews goes, Team RH is so confident in its process, there’s even a negative reviews page with video responses to address negative customer feedback openly and honestly. Most of the negative feedback mentions the required 12-month contract.

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In terms of personal training apps with meal planning capabilities, Kenny Santucci says it doesn’t get much better than Renaissance Periodization (RP Strength). This high-caliber team of PhDs, RDs, researchers, and world-class athletes guides clients towards their fitness goals with the tools and education to make lasting lifestyle changes. The combo plan includes nutrition coaching and personal training. Choose from a month-to-month, three-month, six-month, or annual plan, depending on your preferences and intended use. 

Once enrolled, you’ll work one-on-one with an expert trainer and diet coach to discuss your goals and build a personal nutrition and weight training plan that leaves little up to chance. Communication with coaches is a bit limited, but you’ll get feedback from your coach three times each week, with live check-ins at least twice a week to stay accountable. The app also has a personalized macro tracker to plan your meals (down to the timing). There’s even a barcode scanner, restaurant search feature, and dietary filters such as dairy-free, paleo, gluten-free, and low FODMAP. 

The RP Strength app has earned a 4.5 overall rating, with over 9,000 total ratings on the Apple app store. The program itself boasts a five-star rating overall on the company website (which does make us scratch our heads a bit). One client writes, “Superb value. The trainers are incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and responsible. [They] keep it simple without overcomplicating things and are understanding of how you feel and what your goals are. The knowledge and techniques I’ve gained is invaluable.”

Santucci praises the JuggernautAI app primarily for its phenomenal coaches. The program is an A.I. strength training system with revolutionary technology to help you reach your strength potential. On the app, you’ll be prompted to enter in your goals and level of experience, among other basic details. From there, A.I. technology designs a unique individualized program fine-tuned just for you. The system continues to adapt your training plan based on your real-time feedback—so you’re always advancing your goals. 

With a 4.9 out of five stars across 3,000 total ratings on Apple, this personal training app is a fan-favorite. One reviewer writes, “I’ve been a user of Juggernaut AI for three years. Since beginning, I’ve added pounds to all of my lifts and hit more PRs than I can remember. I’ve competed and won 1st place in four competitions while using Juggernaut AI.”

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Playbook has personal coach support down to a science, making it a top recommendation from Santucci. The app gives users access to some of the world’s leading fitness influencers, trainers, wellness gurus, and athletes, all from your phone. There are over 56,000 workouts and more than 500 instructors to choose from, depending on your health and wellness goals and where you’re at in your journey. What’s more, you can communicate directly with your trainers, get daily workouts, and live stream classes to exercise with your instructor in real time. You’ll also have the ability to schedule classes and track your progress over time. 

With over 15,000 ratings in the Apple App Store, Playbook maintains a 4.9 overall rating. One reviewer writes, “I’ve tried a lot of workout apps and this is the best one if you have a gym but don’t know what to do (like me). It’s the closest thing to having a personal trainer without the price tag. It’s laid out well, the trainers are really good and I even messaged one on Instagram with a question and they responded.” It’s worth noting that some reviewers felt that the amount of trainers to choose from was overwhelming.