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An Aaptiv Review (what home exercisers need to know)

January 7, 2021

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I'm Mickie. Co-founder and CEO of One Strong Southern Girl. Our team is here for you. We want you to remember us because we helped changed your life. 

Hello!

Admittedly, I was very skeptical that an audio app could help with my home exercise routine. But when I discovered Aaptiv I was training for a half marathon and knew that I needed to find something that would help make running a little more interesting.

I don’t always love running.  Sometimes it’s boring for me.  I love the benefits of running but it’s always a challenge for me.

So, I knew I had to find something to make running more exciting. 

I’m a very visual person and when I think of home exercise I think about watching a video.  I couldn’t see myself getting anything out of a person talking me through a run.

Even now it’s hard to explain to you why this works.  But it does.  And it works well.  I’m going to explain to you why Aaptiv works.  But ultimately, you have to try it to understand.

Some of the following links are affiliate links.  If you use one of my links to purchase something it helps support my business.  Thank you! (No hard feelings if you don’t.)  You can get more information about that here.

This topic has been featured on the Crunches and Cosmos podcast. You can listen to the episode here:

What is Aaptiv?

Aaptiv is an app you download to your device and use it to play workouts that are just audio.

How does Aaptiv work?

The workouts are lead by a personal trainer who walks you through the entire routine.

So, it’s like having a personal trainer in your ear during your workout.

Aaptiv is a paid app but there’s a free trial period that gives you a chance to try out all the features and see all the different kinds of workout styles and options available in the app.

What are the workouts and other features in Aaptiv?

There are 12 categories of workouts in the app.

A few of the categories include outdoor running, treadmill, cycling, rowing, elliptical, strength training, yoga, 5K training, half marathon training and more.

You can find a workout you want to do by using the category tab which will give you the title of the workout, the difficulty level (there’s beginner, intermediate and advanced), the trainer and the length of the routine.

You can also use a filter to find a workout. 

There are filters for duration, type of workout, trainer and music genre.

You can find the exact workout you’re in the mood for by using the filters.

I like using the categories to find my workout.

I haven’t tried every single style of workout that Aaptiv has in the app.

But I still feel comfortable recommending this app to you because the workouts I’ve tried have been excellent.

I love the form pointers the trainers give you during a run.  It makes a big difference for someone like me who tends to start ‘lazy running’ when I get tired.

It helps to have someone remind you how to breathe, plant your feet and raise your chest.

It really is like the trainer is in the room with you.

The only difference with the Aaptiv trainers and actually having a live personal trainer in the room with you is the ability to ask the trainer a question.

One more thing that makes Aaptiv really awesome is the music.

The music is all current and makes a huge difference in the workouts.  There are a ton of music genres like pop, reggae, electronic, hip hop, indie, chill, country, R&B soul, classic rock, hard rock, funk/disco and Latin.

If you’ve always exercised with music then you know how important it is to your workout and you’ll really appreciate that Aaptiv has worked hard to make the music a positive part of their app.

The lengths of the workouts vary from under 10 minutes to over an hour.

You might need some equipment if you do the strength training workouts. 

You’ll want to prepare before you hit play by hitting the title of the workout on the app which brings up a description of the routine and tells you what equipment you’ll need to do the workout.

There are beginner, intermediate and advanced levels of workouts on the app.

They aren’t kidding with that ‘advanced’ category for running…but I only run once or twice a week (unless I’m training for an event).

My running level is more on the intermediate level.

I love that they give you the difficulty level.  It makes it possible for anyone (of any level) to use the app.

A word about the trainers of Aaptiv.

There are a ton of them.  If you’ve tried out or have a membership to Daily Burn or Beachbody on Demand then you’ll know what it’s like when you find a trainer that you connect with.

Seriously, it’s true love for your exercise program. So, try out a bunch of them.  There are currently over 30 trainers in Aaptiv.

How does Aaptiv make running more fun?

The sweet spot for Aaptiv is their running workouts.  This is where they shine.

They have a TON of runs with different training goals, music, lengths and difficulty in every combination you can think of.

So, sure I can jump on the treadmill with the intention of running intervals or working on hills or my speed but it’s SO MUCH BETTER when one of their trainers walks me through it.

It makes the run a million times more interesting, challenging and rewarding for me.

Anyone who incorporates running in their exercise routine will love this app.

Also, you have the option to save the workout after you complete it so that you can find it again later.  This is a great feature.

And you’ll get an email from the trainer after you complete one of their routines.  Which is a cool detail even though we know it’s auto-generated it’s still nice.

How do you sign up for Aativ?

You can sign up for Aaptiv through the app or on a computer.

I recommend you sit down at a computer to sign up. The website is easy to navigate and really helps you understand what you’re getting before you sign up.

There’s a free trial period (30 days) then you’ll be charged for a monthly membership which is $14.99/month or an annual membership for $99.99.

That’s a pretty big discount if you go with the annual membership.

Have someone gift you this! Or gift it to someone else!!

If you’d love to hear how the app sounds then play the podcast around the 16:30 minute mark.  I play two different examples.

The first example is from a running workout with a male trainer and the second example is a strength workout with a female trainer.

3 Reasons I LOVE Aaptiv

There are 3 reasons I love Aaptiv and why it works:

If you’ve ever had a personal trainer then you know what happens when someone is talking you through a workout. It sounds silly but you want to make them proud. You just do.

Also, if you’re at all competitive then this app is golden. When I do a workout I’m secretly in a competition with the instructor to keep up with them (or beat them) so this feeds right into that mindset. And it works.

The last reason Aaptiv works is the most obvious. This app makes your workout a no-brainer. You just show up and hit a few buttons and someone tells you what to do.  Bam! Nothing easier than that!

Who will love this app?

Anyone who incorporates running in their workouts.

My recommendation?

Sign up for the 30-day trial period and try out as many trainers and workouts as you can and see if it doesn’t make your exercise routine better.

Today’s fun positive/motivational tip that will make your day a little bit better>>

Invite someone to exercise with you!

Sometimes it just takes an invitation to get us to do something we’ve been meaning to do.

Doing something with a friend just makes it better!

Invite someone to go on a run/walk with you, go to a spin class, come over and try out the latest Beachbody program, etc.!  Before you know it you’ll be running a 5K together!

You’ll be helping another woman…but also yourself because you’re growing your fitness tribe.  This is a win-win.  You’ll be helping someone else and yourself.

There are so many pieces to your exercise routine…and it can be overwhelming…I’m here to help you figure out what programs and products are right for you so that exercise can be a permanent part of your life.

Because I believe that exercise can make every woman’s life better!

Links mentioned in the podcast:

Aaptiv Website to sign up for a Free Trial

Check out this detailed post that tells you exactly how to sign up and use Aaptiv:

Exactly What Makes Aaptiv the Number One Audio Fitness App Today

Still have questions?  You can reach Aaptiv customer service at support@aaptiv.com or call them at 877-290-2815

Other articles just for you…

Beachbody on Demand–how it works and how to get the most out of it

The best small home exercise equipment for women

Why Cathe on Demand is better than Beachbody for some people

Where to buy workout leggings that actually fit

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