How Fitbod Helped Me Reach My Strength Goals
Introduction
Fitbod is a fitness app that uses a personalised algorithm to generate workout plans. The app takes into account your fitness goals, equipment, and fitness level when generating workouts. Fitbod also includes a variety of features to help you track your progress and stay motivated.
I use Fitbod for creating personalised workout plans. However, it can be a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you are not sure how to configure it. In this blog post, I will walk you through the process of configuring Fitbod for optimal results.
Configuring the gym
When you first start using Fitbod, the first step you should take is to set up your gym. This will allow the app to generate workouts that are tailored to the equipment that you have available. You can have multiple gyms set up within the same app, which is great if you travel frequently. For example, I have one gym profile for my home setup and another with all of the equipment that I typically use at my local gym.
Available equipment
In addition to setting up your gym, it is also helpful to spend some time going through all of the exact weights that you have. This will help the algorithm to generate workouts that are more tailored to your specific needs. For example, I have very light dumbbells and a heavy kettlebell. By defining these weights in the app, I can avoid being recommended Turkish getups with a massive kettlebell.
Fitness Goal
The setting for fitness goals is also important to consider when setting up your gym in Fitbod. This setting will determine the type of workouts that the app generates. For example, if you are interested in gaining muscle mass, you will want to select the "Bodybuilding" setting. If you are interested in strength training, you will want to select the "Strength Training" setting.
I have used both Bodybuilding and Strength Training in the past, but at the moment I am sticking to strength training. I find that strength training is more effective for me, as I am able to lift heavier weights and get stronger faster. Strength Training also includes quite a few dynamic compound moves, which are great for the kettlebell that I have as equipment.
Training Splits
The fresh muscle group option is a setting in Fitbod that allows you to control how often the app recommends exercises that target the same muscle group. This can be helpful if you are trying to avoid over training in a particular area, however, I find that this option does not work very well for my training style.
In the past I have followed a Push/Pull/Lower split, which means that I focus on different muscle groups on different days. This allows me to give each muscle group more time to recover and grow. I also find that this split helps me to stay motivated, as I am always working on different exercises and muscle groups.
Currently, I am doing Full Body workouts to match my strength training goals. This means that I am working all of the major muscle groups in each workout. This is a great way to build overall strength, and works well for my current schedule of 3 sessions a week.
Starting a workout
Before each workout, I check through the suggested exercises in Fitbod and tweak anything that does not look correct. For example, if I am not familiar with an exercise, I will look up a video tutorial to make sure that I am doing it correctly. I also check the weight that is suggested for each exercise and make sure that it is appropriate for my fitness level.
I also load up the Fitbod app on my Apple Watch before each workout. This allows me to track my sets and reps right on my wrist. I find this to be very helpful, as I do not have to keep looking at my phone during my workout.
Recovery
The recovery feature in Fitbod is a great way to make sure that you are giving your muscles enough time to recover between workouts. However, I find that it is not always necessary to follow the recovery feature religiously.
I typically only follow the recovery feature if I am feeling particularly sore or if I have been working out particularly hard. Otherwise, I find that I can get away with working out the same muscle group more frequently.
I find that the recovery feature is great for making sure that you are hitting all muscle groups. If a muscle group is near 100% recovered, you can expect to see it in your next workout. This can help you to make sure that you are not neglecting any muscle groups.
My personal experience with Fitbod
I have been using Fitbod for over 3 years across multiple gyms and training styles. I find that it is a great way to take any of the extra strain out of planning my workouts. I simply input my goals, equipment, and fitness level, and Fitbod generates a personalised workout plan for me.
My current split is 3x45min strength training sessions a week. I find that Fitbod suggests more upper body muscle groups due to my running and cycling impacting my lower body recovery. This is great for me, as I want to focus on building upper body strength without overdoing it on my lower body.
I have found Fitbod to be a very effective way to reach my fitness goals. The workouts are challenging but not overwhelming, and I always feel like I am getting a good workout. I would definitely recommend Fitbod to anyone who is looking for a way to improve their fitness without having to spend a lot of time planning their workouts.