Stay motivated at the gym
Build, log and track workouts using JEFIT, with Tim Bothwell.
“New year, new me”… it’s one of the reasons why gym memberships sky rocket early in the year, with gym-goers looking to make a positive change towards better health. But joining the gym is only half of the way there. Having a program that you can hold yourself accountable to can mean the difference between working out a couple of times per week versus a couple of times throughout the year. Not only does JEFIT make it easy to log and track your workouts, the app also comes with a huge range of pre-built exercise programs, meaning all you really need to worry about is showing up and working out, rather than spending time trying to decide what exercises to perform during a session.
The basics
Getting started. Begin by downloading the JEFIT app from the Google Play or Apple App Store. When you first open the app you’ll be asked to provide your age, height, gender and weight, plus current fitness goals, along with how often you’re willing to workout. These answers will help tailor the app to your specific needs. After completing the questionnaire, choose from a number of pre-made workout programs, or alternatively you can create your own.
Workout programs. JEFIT offers workout programs for people of all experience levels. To browse what’s on offer, from the Workout tab select Find Workout to see programs organised by focus, difficulty, or equipment required. Tap on a program to see a description and difficulty level, along with a list of exercises to be performed each day. Once you discover a program you like, tap Select as Active Plan. You can then adjust what days of the week you want to workout. Note that some workout plans require a premium subscription (more on this later).
Tracking workouts. Ready to go? On the Workout tab select your routine and tap an exercise to be taken to the tracking screen. From here you’ll see the number of sets to be performed, along with a visual demonstration of the movement. As you complete each set, record the weight and number of reps before tapping
JEFIT offers workout programs for people of all experience levels. To browse what’s on offer, from the Workout tab select Find Workout to see programs organised by focus, difficulty, or equipment required.
the log button to activate the rest timer. On the tracking screen you can see a history of past performance for each exercise. At the end of your session you’ll be provided with a summary of your workout, including any broken records.
Step it up a level
Exercise library. In addition to workout programs, you can also look through the app’s extensive library of exercises. Located on the Exercises tab, search through over 1,000 exercises sorted by muscle group. Each exercise comes with visuals and step-by-step instructions detailing how it’s performed. To mark exercises as favourites, just tap the star icon. If there’s an exercise that isn’t in the app, you can add it yourself.
Custom programs. If you already have a workout plan in mind, JEFIT allows you to build it in the app. To create your program, on the Workout tab select My Plans and pick the option to create your own. The app will start by asking for a program name and how many days per week you plan to exercise. After this, select a day and tap Add Exercise to be taken to a screen where you can add exercises one by one. To adjust the number of sets, tap on an exercise and use the plus or minus icon.
Performance tracking.
What’s the point of working out if you’re not seeing results. JEFIT makes it easy to see how you’re improving over time. On the Progress tab you’ll find a calendar which highlights the number of times you’ve worked out during the month. You can also tap the Insights button in the top-right corner to view useful information like your average workout duration, plus a breakdown of what body parts are being trained most.
Community. Unlike many other workout apps, this one comes with it’s own social community. Located on the Discover tab is a feed consisting of posts shared by you and friends that you follow. You can add new friends from the
Profile tab by selecting Friends / Messages > Add Friend. The app also lets you send and receive workout programs made by other users.
Going pro
Quick workout mode. Don’t have time to build a workout before hitting the gym? No problem! You can activate the app’s Quick Workout Mode by tapping the lightning icon located on the Workout tab. Once started, you’ll be taken to the exercise library where you can add and record exercises on the fly.
Body Stats. Monitor your progress outside of the gym by logging your body changes overtime. Accessed from the Profile tab, tap on your current weight and select Update Stats. From here you can record weight and body fat, plus other measurements. You can also choose to add progress photos to track changes visually.
Desktop. Not limited to a smartphone, JEFIT can also be accessed from a web browser. Simply visit www.jefit.com/ login/ and login using your username and password. The desktop site has many of the features from the app, including access to your workout routines and exercise library.
Premium. While many users will be happy with the free version of the app, power users may want to consider a premium subscription which unlocks additional tools & features. For $10.50 per month, you get more workout plans, HD exercise videos, plus greater insights into your performance long-term.