Even though an Apple Watch Ultra 2, sometimes the Watch Series 10, is always mounted on one of my wrists, I haven’t spent much time with Apple Fitness Plus. After attending a briefing with Apple a couple of weeks ago, I started using Fitness Plus for cycling, walking, running, and strength training and I’m really enjoying the experience so far. There is a ton of value, variety, and fun packed in a service that is priced less than one lunch purchase a month.
Also: The best Apple Watches we’ve tested (and where the Series 10 stands)
While these new service options were announced today, all content will be available starting Monday, 6 January. New Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad owners get three months of Fitness Plus for free, priced at $9.99/month or $79.99/year, so with these new service upgrades those of you who received an Apple product as a gift this holiday season should definitely accept that trial offer.
Many people set New Year’s resolutions that contain fitness goals and the new Fitness Plus programming updates should help you keep those resolutions going. Updates to Fitness Plus include the following:
- Progressive strength program: A three-week program with 12 30-minute workouts. The idea is that you can perform this program over and over while increasing the weights you use as your strength increases. Week one is called Progressive Overload, week two is Time Under Tension, and week three is Dynamic Power.
- Pickleball preparation: I started playing pickleball in the 80s on my friend’s basketball court and it was actually invented here in my home state of Washington. The sport has taken off in the past couple of years, maybe as those of us who played as kids are now too old and worn out to play tennis, and now Apple Fitness Plus provides strength, endurance, and agility workouts to improve your fitness for extended sessions at your local courts.
- Breath meditation: Apple now provides five 10-minute meditations to help you manage your stress, boost your energy, and enhance your focus. Breath is also now a theme within Fitness Plus.
- Time to Walk: New episodes for these walking sessions will appear soon, including Adam Scott on 13 January just prior to the second season of Severance. Other celebrities joining the walking program include Steve Aoki, Lana Condor, Tiffany Hadish, Rita Ora, Daddy Yankee, and Maddie Ziegler.
- Strava integration: There was already some Strava integration with Apple Fitness, but the update brings further enhancements and a new offer for Strava Premium subscribers. When you connect your Strava account and share your Fitness Plus workout to Strava you will now see many more details to share with your Strava community. Select Strava athletes will also now join Fitness Plus as special guests at times. New and existing Strava subscribers can also get two months of Fitness Plus service in addition to the one month free trial from Apple.
Also: The Apple Watch Series 10 is better than the Watch Ultra in certain areas
There are a few other enhancements and additions to the service, including the new award if you close all three activity rings for seven days in a row in January. Keep those fitness resolutions going with the help of Apple Fitness Plus and let us know which of the new programs you enjoy the most.
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