Fitness review – Adidas Training App delivers on sweat and ease

Thanks to COVID-19, the online fitness environment has exploded. In the last of my fitness app review series, I break a sweat with the free and easy to use Adidas Training app that delivers tailored workouts based on your goals.

Earlier this year, myself and two guest reviewers set out to explore three fitness apps on the market: Nike Training, Pilates Anytime, and Adidas Training.

I chose the Adidas app to see what made them different from their more tech savvy competitors like Nike and Under Armour. I wanted to see:

• what their online experience and community was like
• if the workouts had options for those rehabbing from a major injury
• if their tagline “Adidas Is All In” and brand persona seeped through in their offering (marketing nerd in me).

Here’s what I found out.

The details

App: Adidas Training
Cost: Free – with option to upgrade (subscription) for premium content
Download from: Google Play or Apple Store
Features: Workout categories, curated workout plans, time-based guided workouts, exercise library, challenges and competitions to connect to online community, newsfeed, tracking dashboard, resources, premium content on health, nutrition and wellness which you pay for
Workout trial: Box HIIT (no equipment needed) and 10-Minute Tabata HIIT

What should someone expect from the Adidas Training App?

The Adidas Training App is the first workout app I’ve downloaded, so I had no idea what to expect. What I didn’t expect was how simple and easy it was to get started from the get go.

After downloading the app, I answered a few health/fitness/motivation questions, and was then redirected to the apps home dashboard. It was bright, light, personalised and pre-loaded with tailored workouts to help me hit my fitness goal.

They’ve spent abit on figuring out how people like to navigate and what’s useful information. Everything is shot in high definition making it super slick and sexy. If workout inspo and variety is all you’re looking for, then the free version ticks this box.

Three handy tips

Check out the app dashboard – while I jumped straight into a workout within 5 minutes of downloading the app, take a moment to look around and set yourself up. There are options to join challenges, preview exercise moves, set up your own progress tracker and more. You can also preview workouts themselves before diving straight in to familiarise yourself with the sequence and exercises.

Workout to your fitness level – had I followed my own advice (tip one!), I would have paired a few workouts together to get the full cardio, strength and sweat session I was looking for. It wasn’t a deal breaker as the app is so easy to use, once you finish one workout, you simply click on another and get started right away. I did the Box HIIT and 10-minute Tabata HIIT guided workouts back-to-back, and they were a great combo.

Try a guided workout – while you can mix and match and create your own workouts, try a guided workout. The instructors are bubbly and fit (of course!) and you do feel like you’re in a studio or gym. You get tips and pointers on how to perform the exercises, and modification suggestions for pain/injury. I like the motivational quips as well!

Would I recommend this training app to a friend?

Yes, 100%. The app tailors to all levels of fitness and ages (you must be 15+), and it’s very easy to navigate. I am incorporating it into my weekly routine for go-to workouts, and for a free app it’s impressive.

What do I like about the app?

I like the personalization and tailored content that’s designed just for you. After each workout, a pop-up screen asks you to rate the workout against some simple criteria. This information goes into creating your next workout. I’m sure it’s also being used for product marketing down the line – but I guess that’s the tradeoff for a ‘free’ app! There’s also a loyalty club of sorts where you earn points that can go to sales/exclusive offers. This could be valuable if you like Adidas gear (I am a fan).

What don’t I like about the app?

I take a holistic approach to my fitness, so nutrition and wellness interests me, and training that pushes me to my next level. That is available – but is the premium offering you have to pay for.

What track would I listen to during a workout?

The two workouts I did were guided sessions so no music, but if doing a solo session that I’ve curated, I’d put on Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin – I Like It [Official Music Video] – YouTube