As college students, our lives are filled with multiple commitments, ranging from academic to extracurricular to social. The last thing some of us want to do after a long day is exercise. There’s just no time to fit in a workout, right?
Maybe you’ll change your mind after trying Sworkit, an app designed to motivate people to workout wherever and whenever their busy schedule allows.
How much does it cost?
Sworkit is currently free in the Apple Store and is available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle. You can also upgrade to Sworkit Pro for just $0.99.
How does it work?
Once you open the app, you simply choose from several types of exercise (strength training, cardio, yoga, stretching, etc.) and select the duration of the workout. Based on your input, Sworkit will design randomized circuit training workouts that require no equipment and can be done anywhere.
To begin the workout, press the start button. The app will display a different exercise every 30 seconds before you move on to the next. Every two minutes or so, you will be given a 30-second break. You can also skip an exercise if you find it uncomfortable or dull by swiping to the left or clicking the forward icon.
Each exercise comes with depictions of the various steps. If those are confusing, click the video camera icon and a video will pop up with a demonstration of the exercise by the app’s founder, Ryan Hanna. Visit the Sworkit website to see a full list of all exercises and videos used in the app.
If you prefer to listen to music while you work out, you can still listen to your own playlist while on the app. Simply begin playing music from your library and then open up the Sworkit app.
Upgrading to the Pro version gives you extra benefits like audible announcement of exercises, the ability to save custom workouts, the ability to change the length of each exercise, bonus workouts and advanced stat tracking and goal setting.
What are the drawbacks?
Sworkit generates new exercises based on duration, not your fitness level. While you can skip an exercise if it is beyond your fitness level, that does disrupt from your workout a little bit as you take time to settle on an exercise you like.
There is no default time interval between moves which can be a problem while you’re trying to transition between two exercises, look at the screen, understand how to do the next one and position yourself to do it. You can change the settings during each new workout routine to add a “transition pause” of four seconds but you can create longer pauses with Sworkit Pro.
In addition, viewing the videos requires internet, which would be inconvenient if you’re working out in a place with no Wi-Fi or phone signal.
Why you should try it
If you have trouble finding time to get to the ARC, working out at home with Sworkit is a great alternative. On the other hand, if you’re a complete beginner and don’t even know what exercises to do, Sworkit gets you moving by creating a workout for you.
The randomized workouts ensure that you stay motivated to get fit and never get bored. The circuit training method provides highly efficient workouts at a fast pace, allowing you to easily fit a session into one of your study breaks.
— Manasa Davuluri
