About the App

A fI would like to share some thoughts on the Freeletics App, and how my vision of the tool evolved. I am using the Apple version, but I imagine the Android one is identical.

2 apps are available in the store, the Free version and the Pro version (5 euros). Whichever version you chose, you sign-in into the app (same login as on the Freeletics website). It offers the following features:

1. Content of each session (e.g. Metis is made of X rounds of exercises A, B & C), including videos tutorials showing how to correctly perform each exercise.
2. A timer to record your performance each session.
3. Results sharing (on social networks or within your Freeletics Network)
4. The app calculates "points" based on activity. The more you train, the higher your level.

The main difference between both versions, is that the Free app only include a few basic exercises (Aphrodite, Metis, etc.). While the Pro includes every available exercises, some of which you may never ever use (e.g. Strength exercises for someone only interested in Cardio). If you are just planning to try Freeletics to see if the program can work for you, then the Free version is more than enough. You won't get any benefits from the Pro app until you add a wider diversity of exercises to your training routine.

I decided to use the app, mainly because of feature #1 & #2. I liked the possibility of checking the correct movements before training (even without internet connection). And I was too lazy to use a regular timer and write down performances after training.
Basically, I just thought the app was just a convenient tool to keep track of things.


After 5th week of training, I realize that I underrated another benefit: MOTIVATION!


After a while you get used to the exercises, so tutorial videos are only useful the first few times that you perform a new workout. This feature gets less important. Timing & recording performances, however remains valuable as tracking your progress is a continuous process.

At the beginning feature #4, motivated me to complete a few extra exercises to get the points I needed to get to the next level. But it didn't last very long. In my opinion, levels don't mean much: someone who completes Aphrodite 10 times in 1 hour will have a higher level than someone who completes it twice in 15 minutes. For me, the really motivating features are:

• The timer: usefulness goes beyond indicating final performance. Keeping an eye on the clock while performing the exercise is the best way to ensure that you beat your personal best. When I notice that my pace is getting too slow, I increase the intensity of my training. Sometimes PB seems too far away, so I'm  just trying to avoid a bad completion time. And very often, this spike in intensity leads to a completely unexpected new PB.

• The network: I first thought that comparing my performance to others was just a gimmick, actually it is very useful.
• It helps understand the difficulty of a given exercise and set realistic personal goals. If you are trying to get back in shape and the fittest person in your network completes Dione in 20mn, you're not going to complete it in 19mn on your first attempt. 
• It motivates to get better performances. On the Wednesday of week #4, I completed Metis in 6'27. I could have ended at 6'37 and still score a PB and feel happy. However I knew that the PB of a guy in my network was 6'30. When I was nearly done with my exercise and saw the timer hitting 6'00, I gave everything that I had left to finish these damn High Jumps. However, that only works if you have people of comparable fitness level in your network. If you only follow people who are top performers, completing exercises three times faster than you, you'll be demotivated. On the contrary, following only people with worse performances might boost your ego, but you risk staying in your comfort zone instead of pushing yourself.

EDIT: By the way, for the readers who are also training using the app, you can find me under the name "decimus iunius iuvenalis"